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Website7_Uploads-Graphics4 FEN DJ 1952
This line drawing (almost a doodle) represents those who worked behind the scenes at AFVN. (Artist unknown)
[Received from Paul Kasper in July 2016.]
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AFVN FivePanel
AFVN-11Saigon
Table of Contents
1. AFVN Timeline and History
1-1. AFVN Timeline (Narrative & Graph)
1-2. Narrative History of AFVN
1-3. A Short History of Television in Vietnam by Billy Williams, SP4, USA (1971-72)
1-4. Partial History of AFVN Author unknown
1-5. AFVN Fact Sheet -- 1962 to 1968 Received from Randall Moody
1-6. AFVN Fact Sheet (Actually a history and timeline of AFVN extending from 1962 through 1972.)
NOTE: This is a very good narrative review with timeline showing the history of AFVN. If any of you who were with AFVN
from early 1972 through the closing of the station could write me some of the things you remember happening, I will
consolidate them as necessary and add them to this file. Webmaster
1-7. AFVN Policies as of April/May 1970 Possibly prepared in reaction to the Censorship Controversy?
1-8. History of the American Forces Vietnam Network 1962-1972 by Lee W. Hauser
1-9. How Many People Served with AFVN?
1-11. AFVN TV - Scope of, and TV and FM Program Schedules for July 1971
1-12. AFVN Radio - Scope of, and Radio and TV Program Schedules, Undated
1-13. AFVN Mission Statement dated February 1, 1971.
Includes an Organization Chart with names and a clear copy of a map of AFVN facilities as well as at the end of the
attachment there is a single page from another document writen at about the same time showing the Chain of
Command structure from the Secretary of Defense down to AFVN.
1-14. AFVN Manpower Survey as of September 10, 1971 (Divided due to size.) Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 AFVN Reply/Rebuttal
1-15. All the News that's Fit to Air by Rick Fredericksen. A review of the censorship controversy at AFVN in late
1969 and early 1970.
Published in "Vietnam Magazine" (December 2013). Click here for information on ordering the magazine. [Thanks to
Vietnam Magazine for permission to post this story on the AFVN website.] There are several AFVN audio clips related
to this controversy as well as some emailed comments related to Rick's article. Click here.
1-16. AFVN Censorship, Correspondence Related to, Dated August 22, 1970 (the last three pages are somewhat difficult to read)
1-17. Article from "The Observer" for July 6, 1963 about AFRS when it was still less than a year old. It includes the names and has
photos of 10 of the 14 people who were working at the station at that time. The individual pictures are also in a short slide
show under AFVN Organization / Main (Key) Station, Saigon. Click here.
1-18. The Military and the Media, 1968-1973 by William Hammond, published by the US Army Center of Military History. Note:
This is a rather large PDF file so loading it may take a little time. The story of the AFVN Censorship controversy starts on
page 208. To go to it "reasonably quickly," enter "239" in the space to the right of the word "Page" near the top of the
window and then press the enter key. If you are at the cover page, this area will display "Page 1 of 681." The difference
between "page 208" and "239" is due to the first 21 pages of the PDF being devoted to the cover, preface, index and so on.
[Link submitted by Mike McNally.]
1-19. "How the GI's Don't Learn about the War", an article from the New York Times by Robert Hodierne dated April 12, 1970.
It is a discussion about "censorship" of the mass media in Vietnam. The top part is a JPG of the clipping while the bottom
section is a retyped and easier to read version of the text.
1-20. Army SP4 Bob Lawrence Claimed AFVN News was Censored posted by Robert Morecook. Includes some comments
by Cpl Tom Sinkovitz, USMC.
1-21. Bob Lawrence's text and the aftermath--from a message from Jim Allingham.
1-22. Memories and comments about the beginning of the draw-down of AFVN by SFC Ron Turner, USA, NCOIC, Engineering.
1-23. After-Action Report on the draw-down and closing of AFVN dated March 23, 1972.
1-24. "Vietnam was the first war ever fought without any censorship. Without censorship, things can get terribly
confused in the public mind."
Attributed to General William Westmoreland but not confirmed. [From a February 16, 2014 message from David Pinto.]
1-25. Television for the Troops: The First TV Network Built in a War Zone - The American Forces Vietnam Network
by Richard Wirth (SP5, USA, 1970) Link received from Doug Jennings via Facebook on March 19, 2015.
2. Other Reasons for AFVN (Hanoi Hannah and Nguyen Van Tung)
2-1. Interview with Hanoi Hannah by Don North and Ken Watkins
2-2. Comments by Mike Roberts - 1
2-5. Comments by Lt. Cmdr Ray Voden
2-8. Comments by Mike Roberts - 2
2-9. Interview with Nguyen Van Tung by Don North
2-10. Radio Hanoi More Recently
2-11. More on Hanoi Hannah and Thu Houng
2-12. Don North - Biography
2-13. Hanoi Hannah - Audio Clips
2-14. Nashua, NH clipping for November 17, 1966 announcing that Chris Noel is America's answer to Hanoi Hannah
It also includes an article about "Saigon's PX Alley" (Black market area) being cleared of goods.
2-15. Hanoi Hannah dies on October 4, 2016 at the age of 87 Newsweek and Dhaka (India) Tribune articles on the same topic.
2-16. The Mystery of Hanoi Hannah by Don North New York Times February 11, 2018
2-17. Hanoi Hannah and Don North A Commentary about the Validity of Don North's Comments.
2-18. Photos and Commentary on Facebook by Paul Blizzard
3. Clippings Related to AFVN
NBC to Help Set Up Four Viet TV Stations (From the "Record American," Boston, July 6, 1966. Submitted by
Rick Fredericksen)
AFRT Schedule (Date and Station Unknown)
AFRT [AFVN] TV Schedule for August 22, 1968 (Most likely from the Stars & Stripes)
AFVN TV Schedule for August 23, 1969 (From the Stars & Stripes. Posted on Facebook by Jim Allingham, March 2019.
The View from Saigon -- AFVN Coverage of the 1968 Presidential Election (From the "Saigon Daily News," November 8, 1968)
4. Reminiscences and Stories (Email Messages)
4-1. Larry Green, SP5, USA (1968-1970)
4-2. Joe Ciokon, JOCM, USN (Ret'd), (1968) - 1
4-3. Paul Bottoms, SP4, USA (1968-1970) - 1
4-4. Joe Ciokon, JOCM, USN (Ret'd) (1968) - 2
4-5. Cal LaMartiniere, TSgt, AF (1966-1968) - 1
4-6. Joe Ciokon, JOCM, USN (Ret'd), (1968 - 3
4-7. Cal LaMartiniere, TSgt, AF, (1966-1968) - 2
4-8. Jack A. Holsomback, GySgt. USMC (1966-1967)
4-9. Cal LaMartiniere, TSgt, USAF (1966-1968) - 3
4-10. Paul Bottoms, SP4, USA (1968-1970) - 2
4-11. Cal LaMartiniere, TSgt, AF (1966-1968) -4
4-12. David O'Connor, SP5, USA (Retd') (1966-1967)
4-13. Cal LaMartiniere, TSgt, AF, (1966-1968) - 5
4-14. David Gale, SP5, USA, (1968-1969)
4-15. Cal LaMartiniere, TSgt, AF (1966-1968) - 6
4-16. Betty Anne Horning (Addy)
4-17. Forrest Brandt, 1Lt, USA (1968-1969) - 1
4-18. Cal LaMartiniere, TSgt, AF (1966-1968) - 7
4-19. Joe Ciokon, JOCM, USN (Ret'd), (1968) - 4
4-20. Preston Cluff, SSGT, USA, (1967-71) - 1
4-21. Cal LaMartiniere, TSgt, AF (1966-1968) - 8
4-22. Preston Cluff, SSGT, USA (1967-71) - 2
4-23. Ken Kalish, GMG3, USN (1968-1969)
4-24. Cal LaMartiniere, TSgt, AF (1966-1968) - 9
4-25. Dick Ellis, SP5, USA (1967-1968) - 1
4-26. Roger Ashworth, SGT, USA (1969-1970) - 1
4-27. Cal LaMartiniere, TSgt, AF, (1966-1968) - 10
4-28. Dick Ellis, SP5, USA (1967-1968) - 2
4-29. Jim Allingham, SP5, USA (1969-1970) - 1
4-30. Gary Brill, SP5, USA (1969-1970)
4-31. Author Unknown (Most likely 1968)
4-32. Roger Ashworth, SGT, USA (1969-1970) - 2
4-33. Cal LaMartiniere, TSgt, AF (1966-1968) - 11
4-34. Billy Williams, SP4, USA (1971-1972) - 1
4-35. Billy Williams, SP4, USA (1971-1972) - 2
4-36. West G. Miller, MSgt, USMC (1966-1968)
4-37. Jim Allingham, SP5, USA (1969-1970) - 2
4-38. Thomas Deaner, SP5, USA (1968-1969)
4-39. Forest Brandt, 1Lt (1st Div IO, 1968-1969) - 2
Rockin' and Rolln' Through War
5. For more AFVN History, see Photos and Stories
6. Listener Surveys
6-1 The 1968 Audience Opinion Survey
6-2. The 1970 Audience Opinion Survey
6-3. The 1971 Audience Survey
7. AFVN Newsletters
Includes most of the AFVN Newsletters from 1969 and one from 1972.
8. Article from Leatherneck Magazine, April 1970
9. Walling BEQ Resident List and MACV SO for Separate rations
These are together because they were fairly close in time.
10. Do You Remember these Telephone Numbers?
11. Broadcast Audition Script Submitted by Randy Kafka (JOSN, USN), March 2013.
12. Music of the Era
12-1. Top 100 Songs during the Vietnam Era by Year (Click on the year to go to that specific year.)
1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968
1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975
To complement the above as well to be able to hear a great number of popular songs arranged
by year and covering the period 1960 through 2013 go to The Nostalgia Machine.
[Link received from Dick Ellis.]
12-2. AFVN Playlists (Received from Ken Kalish)
12-2-2. Article from Stars and Stripes on AFVN Top 40 Lists [Received from Marc Yablonka]
12-3. Thesis on Music in Vietnam
12-4. 35 Songs about the Vietnam Era (From Your Stories, Your Wall)
12-5. The Weird and Obsessive World of Songs About Vietnam (From undertheradar.mlitary.com)
13. 13-1. Bombing of the Brink Hotel
14. Intelligence Reports Related to TET, 1968
14-1. Intelligence Information Cable (May 16, 1967)
14-2. Telephone Conversation with Saigon (CIA) Station (January 31, 1968)
Received from Mike McNally. He wrote: "Attached is a PDF copy of a memo dated 31 Jan 1968. It was sent by
the CIA's Special Assistant for Vietnamese Affairs (SAVA) to Walt Rostow, Special Assistant to Presiden Johnson.
CIA Headquarters had been in contact with [the] Saigon Station for an update on the situation in Vietnam.
The sender's name is redacted but it was possibly George A. Carver, Jr., who was the SAVA for CIA Director
Richard Helms.
14-3. The Situation in South Vietnam, No. 5 (January 31, 1968)
14-4. All Hands Read Undated but most likely written around TET 1968. It alerts everyone to the danger of a
possible attack and what precautions everyone should take.
15. The End of AFVN and The American Radio Service, Vietnam
15-1. The Last Goodbye by Chuck Neil
15-2. "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas" by Chuck Neil
15-3. Additional Information about the closing of AFVN by Bob Morecook
15-4. Getting out of Saigon by Ron Yates. Although Ron Yates was not connected with AFVN, this link gives a good description of
his getting out of Saigon on April 30th, 1975.
15-5. Getting out of Saigon - A log covering the period from April 15 through April 29, 1975, written by an Air American pilot.
Received from Mike McNally. He included the following comments: One of the locations mentioned is "259." This was
259 Truong Quoc Dung Street, the site of the USAID apartments. Today the building has been remodeled into a hotel.
On Google Earth, it shows as the Movenpick. I've attached a Google Earth screenshot showing the Movenpick. Also
mentioned in this account is "Steve's restaurant." I think this refers to a restaurant on Nguyen Minh Chieu, just a short
distance from "259" on the north side of Cach Mang. I think today Nguyen Minh Chieu is called Nguyen Trong Tuyen.
15-6. Bitter Memories: The Fall of Saigon - by Tom Glenn, Signals Intelligence Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Saigon.
15-7. Fall of Saigon (A Narrative) - From Facebook, Author Unknown
15-8. American Forces Thailand Network's "White Christmas Moment" by Suzanne Ritter
15-9. "White Christmas" - Fact or Fiction? A February 2013 AFVN Group Discussion on whether or not "White Christmas" was
actually played as the signal to evacuate Saigon.
15-10. AFVN Signs Off and ARS Starts Broadcasting (Short Facebook summary by Bruce Eaton, AFRTS Alumni Site, March 2019)
15-11. Last Airplane Over South Vietnam
15-12. Basic Pay, E4 in 1969 (Received from Paul Kasper in June 2019)
15-13. Last Marines Out of the American Embassy in Saigon (Received from David Pinto in March 2021.)
15-14. The First Days Under Communism For years, the fear spread of a bloodbath in South Vietnam if the communists came to power. Undeterred, US journalist Jim Laurie was one of the few reporters to remain after the Fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975, witnessing the first days of the liberated city under a new regime (From Facebook, April 30, 2021. Sign-in to Facebook may be required.)