Was surfing the web last night and was surprised to find a site someone started on the late Gary W. Gears.  Very good info and over a dozen various air-checks and numerous photos of the big "G" showing why is was truly named the Big "G."  Big ego or not, looks like Gary still had a warm spot in his heart for the Army.  Check out the Army Field Jacket he was wearing while standing on one the Chicago "El" lines serving the loop.

To go to the site click here.

[Photo and comments posted on Facebook by Jim Yerkes on September 9, 2015.]

I'd heard that story about Gary. There's a link on the website dedicated to Gary that talked about how he was almost always late for sessions but that producers were never too upset because they knew when Gary got there, he could quickly nail his part.  There was one session involving several people where Gary called in to say he was "running a little late."  The other voice over people were always wondering what his excuse would be this time.  When he finally showed up, he said nothing until he got behind the mic then simply said "diarrhea"and the room broke into laughter.
[Posted on Facebook by Jim Yerkes (?) on September 16, 2015.]

Another air check by Gary Gears 

Posted to Facebook by Michael Goucher.

Michael wrote:  "Any vets remember Gary W. Gears?  Gary enjoyed a successful radio career after his days at AFVN Saigon. This clip is a new discovery (in my book) from his days at WCFL, Chicago.  Sort of an added bonus - none of the music is "scoped" so you get all of it for nearly an hour.  Enjoy!"

 Gary W. Gears  SP5, USA  1968-69

​Some links to Gary plus some reminisces 

from those who knew him at AFVN.

 From:  Tom Benintende 
 Date:  April 4, 2013 
Subject: Gary Gears Aircheck AFVN 
Click Here
Very good quality.

Individual Photo Albums & Stories

 From:  Ken Kalish 
 Date:  April 5, 2013 
Subject:  Gary Gear AFVN  'Aircheck' Follow-up 
​Gary was busy bouncing out air checks from the day he arrived back from his involuntary up-country exile following the night he opened Go with “Alright, all you ni***rs, out of the pool!”  The two MPs in the guard post out front of the studio were listening, and they were both African-Americans.  Cal had me finish Gary’s shift that night. 
​I knew Gary from my early broadcasting days in the Duluth market when his brother and I worked for KAOH-AM between ‘64 and ‘67.  He would call me into the production booth and play back audition pieces, asking for suggestions.  Nice guy, and a tremendous voice.  I was flattered that he would ask for my opinion. 
Ken

 From:  David Gale 
 Date:  April 5, 2013 
​Subject:  Gary Gear AFVN 'Aircheck' Follow-up
 Re: Gary Gears 
I was fortunate to work with Gary at AFVN.  I talked to him in the late 80's.  I was told he was buried with a pack of M & M's.  If you go to this page you can see a short bio of Gary and hear his amazing voice.  It references more air checks but I only found the one provided by Greg Barman.  Can you imagine working at the Big WLS? 
Click Here 
The picture is of us receiving our Joint Service plaque with Gary in the foreground, and I'm standing next to him-just a bit of my face shows.  I have provided this picture to our group.

​David Gale

​PS:  I forgot to add that Gary passed away February 17, 1991.  The additional air checks are at this address:

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Jim, a friend who knew Gary says he was close to 400 pounds when he died so he always wore sweats.

He would also habitually roll a silver dollar between his thumb and forefinger and always had a bag

of M&Ms around. So he was laid out in his casket in his sweats with a silver dollar between a thumb

and forefinger and a bag of M&M's tucked under an arm.

[Posted on Facebook by Paul Bottoms on September 16, 2015.]

 From:  Tom Benintende
 Date:  April 5, 2013 
​Subject: Gary Gears 'Aircheck' AFVN Follow-up 
​Paul Bottoms made the following comment on the AirChexx site..... 
​I worked with Gary at AFVN (he even mentions my name in about the first minute of it.  Hey, I just heard a second plug for me as well).   This is not an aircheck.  This is a re-creation in the production room as Gary thought it should be. 
​For reasons I don’t remember, Gary had been kicked off the air as a jock.  But he was doing lots of production, voicing.  For example, we had to give our rank so he would have had to say “Army Specialist Gary W. Gears” in real life.  I don’t if Gary wouldn’t follow format or there was something else involved in him not being a jock. 
​I know at the time he was talking to the PD of KQV in Pittsburgh which is where he ended up when he left Vietnam.  I think he did this recording for them. 
​Gary, who passed away in the early 90′s, was a hell of a talent.
 Paul Bottoms