My AFN Years Guestbook

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Name: Carl (Dick) NELSON <KRICHARD AND JEAN @AOL>
Date: 2009-10-06
Favorite kind of music MELLOW
Your age 80
Where in the world are you Suquamish, Washington
Comments:
I was a sports announcer at AFN Frankfurt 1952-53. We did recreations of major league baseball games from the news ticker tape and in studio sound effects. The best ever done anywhere. Tom Decker,Bob Zbasnick,Bruce Miller,Bob Junkert and I,along with Alan Wolters spinning the crowd noise disks fooled a lot of people. I had the fun of interviewing Bing Crosby,Louie Armstrong,Gen.Mat Ridgeway and others for
Special Events and I suppose the most memorable was the now infamous Frankenstein Prank show on Halloween.Thanks for letting an 80 year old Alum share those great memories.

















zbasni



 
Name: Hank Heusinkveld <munich88_91@yahoo.com>
Date: 2009-09-12
Favorite kind of music Jazz Fusion, Beatles, Miles Davis, Kansas, Sting, etc.
Your age 48
Where in the world are you Currently in Wilmington, NC
Comments:
Nice site! I love the pictures from AFN France. The first-ever American interview with The Beatles was done by a guy named Hal Kelly of AFN-Paris about a week before the Ed Sullivan Show performance.
I was an Army broadcaster (46 Romeo) at AFN-Munich, Army Public Affairs (Pentagon), and the Far East Network (later AFN) Okinawa. AFN-Munich was by far the best experience of my life from April 1988 to July of 1991. Cheers, hgh
 
Name: G. Wolf <gauleiter07@yahoo.com>
Date: 2009-09-11
Favorite kind of music pop, big band
Your age 70
Where in the world are you W. Orange, TX
Comments:
Coming back from the Nimbus Club at Wiesbaden AFB, I'd plop back in the sack and hear the announcer say, " It's midnight in Europe."
Ah, but we can never relive the splendor in the grass, can we? I've often wondered about a girlfriend I left, she called me 'Wolfschen'.
 
Name: Paul Mitzen <pmitzen@aol.com>
Date: 2009-07-16
Your age 75
Where in the world are you 1335 San Juan Drive Brea CA 92821
Comments:
I was an announcer & newscaster at AFN Frankfurt (Hoecst Castle) 1957, 1958.

 
Name: Karin Lucas <karin@iconic.lu>
Date: 2008-02-27
Your age 32
Where in the world are you luxembourg
Comments:
Hello,

My grandfather alwin Lucas died today in his home. I was researching the web
and found your site. the pictures made me happy.

Kind regards
Karin Lucas
 
Name: Robert Stovall <robert.stovall@eu.dodea.edu>
Date: 2006-09-04
Favorite kind of music well played and sincere
Your age 41
Where in the world are you Rota, Spain
Comments:
via
Tokyo, Japan
Edmond, OK
Pryor, OK
 
Name: Ina (Aultman) Boyington <inaboy@cox.net>
Date: 2006-07-19
Your age Want to guess?
Where in the world are you Owasso, Ok
Comments:
How are you John? Bill's daughter, Dana sent Keitha and I your messages. It was good to hear about you. I will try to e-mail you a picture of Bill taken shortly before he died.
 
Name: Mike Longworth <mikelongworth@ntlworld.com>
Date: 2006-07-11
Favorite kind of music Big Band (Ellington, Basie, Rich, Herman, Kenton); female singers (June Christie, Jeri Southern, Chris Connor ...)
Your age 68
Where in the world are you Hampshire, UK
Comments:
First heard AFN in the mid-1950s. The programme which caught my ear was 'Melody Go Round' presented by Sgt Joe Grunewald. When he left it was taken over by one Pfc Nick Clooney. I used to regularly correspond with Nick, sending him my old copies of the 'Melody Maker' & 'New Musical Express'. As a result he used to dedicate a record to me every night. If you look at my LP/CD collection today you'll see many of those tunes (Four Freshmen, June Christy etc).
 
Name: Brett Vrotsos <bvrotsos@gmail.com>
Date: 2005-12-27
Favorite kind of music rock n roll
Your age 27
Where in the world are you San Francisco
Comments:
I googled Vrotsos and this popped up. Don't know much about my father's side of the family, but I think that John Vrotsos is my grandfather. I would like to learn more.
 
Name: Dave Thomas <dave.thomas@rogers.com>
Date: 2005-05-26
Favorite kind of music Modern Big Bands (Bob Florence, etc)
Your age 65
Where in the world are you Toronto, Canada
Comments:
As a seven year old in England just after WWII, I discovered Jazz through AFN's "Cool Castle", while playing with our old battery-powered radio. I listened to it religiously for several years; and built up a love for the music, which has lasted a lifetime. As the Stations tended to fade in and out, where I lived in central England, I chased around the dial from AFN Frankfurt, to AFN Munich, to AFN Toulouse and even AFM Rome I think! Jazz wasn't featured on British radio much, so this show, with its casual delivery, was a real breath of fresh air. I often like to tell my grand-children how great this particular show was, but can't remember the names of the AFN DJ's back then. It was usually "Army PFC . . . . . . . "! I would like to hear from anyone who remembers who those DJ's were. Thanks for the memories!
 
Name: Bob Brothers <rbrothers@tqtx.com>
Date: 2004-08-20
Favorite kind of music Your singing of course!
Your age 56
Where in the world are you Lone Oak, Texas
Comments:
Hey John,

Remember me... You taught me how to survive in the Air Force (Lowry, Clark, Marienfelde, travelling around England, Scotland, etc.).

Sita (remember the asian doctor, we got married in Berlin just after I left USAF), was just asking... "what ever happend to John?"

So what you up to now? I looked through you pages, they're really good.

Are you still singing? I always thought you'd get "discovered" and head off to Nashville :)

I'm struggling to keep employed in the tech industry, mainly by writing computer programs. Was working at Texas Instruments (1980) then they sold our division to Raytheon. Next Raytheon sold us to a company called TriQuint (1998-99). Can't afford to retire, can't stand not to!

We've got some land east of Dallas (~20acres) with a double wide. Now after 10 years there we've started building a house. May take another 10 to finish it. You can see some pictures of the work at Sita's website (www.birdfarm.net).

Sita's not doctoring anymore. She decided she'd rather run the bird farm. She's raising peacocks, pheasants, ducks, geese, swans... and several dogs and cats. It's a real animal farm! Sold our last cows this spring so we could pay for the new house foundation!

Good seeing you.

Send us some mail at the email address I entered above (rbrothers@tqtx.com).


 
Name: John Vrotsos <jvrotsos@netins.net>
Date: 2004-02-29
Your age 54
Where in the world are you Dubuque, Iowa
Comments:
I know that there are a couple of John Vrotsos' out there but not too many that had "your" John as there uncle.
 
Name: Ray Van Steen <Raydioray@aol.com>
Date: 2004-01-12
Favorite kind of music Light classics, Broadway
Your age 69
Where in the world are you Bradenton, Florida
Comments:
I was at AFN-Frankfurt l955/56. Roomed in the castle with Nick Clooney. Where is Walt Sheppard, Cy Nitzberg, Jerry Fiore, the rest of that "generation" of AFNers?
Just moved to Florida after 40 years in radio, voice-over in Chicago. Would like to hear from anyone from the old days.
 
Name: L.A. Tony Webster <tonyw@sunbeach.net>
Date: 2003-11-24
Favorite kind of music lite classical
Your age 59
Where in the world are you Barbados, where else?
Comments:
Hi John. I just signed the guest-book for you & Mary- before I realised that you suffer from the same chronic disease I suffer from- Radio- (ham radio) I 've been a ham since age 14 , in Grenada, where I grew up. I have always been a keen SWLer, and recall listening to AFRTS, for many many years! Hope to see you in Barbados, perhaps,when Mary visits 9th December.

73, Tony Webster A.R.S. 8P6NE
 
Name: Robert A. king <raking11d@hotmail.com>
Date: 2003-10-07
Where in the world are you In the saudi hot box along the beach of the Red sea
Comments:
Good old days. I don't remember being that young. How did you do it?
 
Name: ernie from nürnberg <singles78@compuserve.de>
Date: 2003-08-23
Favorite kind of music oldies of the year 61-65
Your age 56
Where in the world are you germany
Comments:
hello john,
thanks for giving me the adress of your side. I was listen to the short-sounds and I feel like a few years younger.
greetings from germany.
my question again: do you have more afn-records on tape or so ????
Cheers, Ernie
 
Name: Harry Whitcomb Frankfurt 46/47 <w4afn@planetusa.net>
Date: 2003-08-18
Favorite kind of music Big Band
Your age 76
Where in the world are you Hendersonville,NC
Comments:
Enjoyed my visit to your website... Keep up the good work
 
Name: Rick <Sarchet>
Date: 2003-08-17
Your age 39
Where in the world are you Belgium
Comments:
I'm currently at AFN SHAPE...and enjoyed listening to your broadcasts from 'back in the day'!
Thanks for posting them.

Rick
 
Name: Bill Walker <marbil@iopener.net>
Date: 2003-08-17
Favorite kind of music most all kinds. I've been around most of it at one time or another
Your age 70 UGH!
Where in the world are you Goodyear, AZ
Comments:
Great site. Thanks for the outstanding effort. It is also fun to see a couple of names from my era. The two locations that you were assigned to with AFN were not in existance when I was there. '53-'54 Frankfurt & Berlin.
 
Name: Johnie Gillenwater <aldermanjrg@yahoo.com>
Date: 2003-08-16
Favorite kind of music country/blues/cowboy/religous
Your age 60
Where in the world are you Idaho city, Idaho
Comments:
John, you must be a genuis, to figure all this out and I can barely write and send e-mail.LOL I hope you and Mary are O>K>, and all your Family well.
 
Name: Ed baron <evbaron@comcst.net>
Date: 2003-08-14
Your age 54
Where in the world are you Brockton,MA
Comments:
I was at AFN-E Frankfurt from 71-74 in the military and later as a civilian engineer in master control
 
Name: Roger Carroll <rckcr@yahoo.com>
Date: 2003-08-14
Favorite kind of music all good music
Your age 74 with the body of a 73 yr old
Where in the world are you Alamitos Bay, Long Beach, Ca.
Comments:
John, great site....rc
 
Name: Clark Taylor <thomas.taylor@hqda.army.mil>
Date: 2003-08-14
Favorite kind of music Country and 60's oldies
Your age 54
Where in the world are you Alexandira, VA
Comments:
John,
I saw your information on the AFN site. Great photos. I know John Morrissey. He works for the Navy doing their television newscast. I am the guy who in 1980 was given the task to build an AFN affiliate at Wurzburg. I was working at AFN SHAPE as morning man...made SSG and because I had a CIB ....was sent to Wurzburg. A wonderfull time in my life. I now work for Army Public Affairs and am responsible for a small CI organization called Soldiers Radio and Television. All the best to you and thanks for the memories. Clark
 
Name: Frank Brooks <FrankBrooksEmail@aol.com>
Date: 2003-08-14
Favorite kind of music jazz, swing
Your age ancient
Where in the world are you Arlington VA
Comments:
Hello, John,
Thanks for the AFN France photos and captions. Are there more somewhere. I came very close to becoming PD there at about the period you were there, but the deal got shot down for reasons I still don't now. So I have often thought about how it might have been, etc. I was an EM with AFN Frankfurt 1953-55. My civilian boss was Johnny Vrotsos. We resumed our friendship after he left Europe and government service. I guess you knew Johnny, yes?

Best regards, and again, thanks for the photos.

Frank Brooks
 
Name: Ral Aars <RalAars@ElectronicHealthPlans.com>
Date: 2003-08-14
Favorite kind of music Classical
Your age 61
Where in the world are you Dallas
Comments:
Hi, John. I'm another USAF lifer from about your same time. 1964-84. Served with the 7122nd in Wiesbaden from 64-66, then at AFTV Berlin from 66-69. Was at AFRTS-LA from 72-75. And was affiliated with AFKN from 82-84. Retired in Texas. Have been working with several different companies since then...mostly related to administration of health care insurance. Thanks for joining the group.
 
Name: your son <bobby haggerton@web-access.net>
Date: 2003-08-11
Favorite kind of music classic rock
Your age 44
Where in the world are you deadwood tx
Comments:
hang in there dad, we love you , who's boot were you drinking from. ha ha ha

bobby & sherry
 
Name: your son <bobby haggerton@web-access.net>
Date: 2003-08-11
Favorite kind of music classic rock
Your age 44
Where in the world are you deadwood tx
Comments:
hang in there dad, we love you

bobby & sherry
 
Name: Ray Francis <yobo1937@wcsonline.net>
Date: 2003-08-11
Favorite kind of music 50's and 60's
Your age 60+
Where in the world are you Texas
Comments:
Drinking bier in Germany from a boot! Always tried to
remember to have the toe pointed toward you. It was a shame
to spill any of that delicious bier.
 
Name: John Farrell <jwfarrellok@aol.com>
Date: 2003-08-11
Favorite kind of music old
Your age 60+
Where in the world are you Oklahoma USA
Comments:
Somebody has got to be the first one to sign this G/B....
It might as well be me. Welcome to my "AFN Years" site.
By the way, my other site will be a year old this month.
Thanks to all who have visited....John