A collection of documents - mostly print, but also 'audio and video documents' - related to AFVN -- the American Forces Vietnam Network -- its operations, and its history. AFVN provided radio and television music, news and entertainment to American troops during the Vietnam War. Radio broadcasts were 24 hours per day, seven days per week. This is a 'work in progress'. More relevant documents and accounts are always needed. Send suggestions or contributions for this page to the webmaster Bob Morecook. AFVN Main Page

Links to Text Documents AFVN Fact Sheet - Official history of the network from Aug 1962 to April 1968 AFVN Music in Vietnam - Copyright 2000 By Chris Sabis, University of Rochester NY  [A Senior Honors Thesis] - unofficial history -- good quality, though AFVN'ers disagree with minor points. This is Armed Forces Radio Station - Saigon - 6 Jul 63 "The Observer" newspaper, Saigon, our first year AFVN Newsletter Vol 2 No 2 April 1, 1969 - Unofficial AFVN publication, Saigon AFVN Newsletter Vol 2 No 3 May 15, 1969 - Unofficial AFVN publication, Saigon AFVN Newsletter Vol 2 No 4 June 15, 1969 - Unofficial AFVN publication, Saigon AFVN Radio Playlist - The top tunes as of Feb 15, 1969 Audience and Listener Surveys - Three formal surveys were done, 1968, 1970 and 1971.  Results were used to update and change programming. Each contains a brief official network history. "The View from Saigon" - AFVN Presidential Election Coverage in 1968 - Saigon Daily News, Nov. 8, 1968 AFVN Presidential Election Coverage in 1968 - The Military Journalist Vol 5 No 4 Fall 1970 pp. 5-8, by Randall Moody. AFVN Presidential Election Coverage in 1968 - Omaha World Herald newspaper clipping Prisoners of War Page - Regarding the two men killed [one after being captured] and 5 other men captured at AFVN's Detachment 5, Hue, South VN in Tet 1968 Voice of Morale - The AFVN story in words and pictures from Leatherneck Magazine [April 1970] - by M/Sgt Tom Bartlett Project Jenny When AFVN TV beamed to the ground from the U.S. Navy's Blue Eagle aircraft A History of the American Forces Vietnam Network, 1962-1972 Lee Hauser's 200 page M.A. thesis covers most of the years of AFVN history.  His thesis includes the results of two Inspector General investigations, which found that AFVN news was not censored. Was AFVN News Censored? - sometimes called "The Bob Lawrence Flap". Inside and outside the network, veterans and civilian news professionals have occasionally argued about this - and when they do, the arguments are loud.  One AFVN enlisted man, Army SP5 Robert Lawrence, accused the network of censorship during an AFVN television newscast.  The AFVN News Officer, CPT Randall Moody, later supported those and other allegations.  But the Army Inspector General twice cleared the network of censorship charges. The following documents do not finally 'answer the question' but they do address the issue -- and the documents are provided here for your review and consideration. New ones are added as they become available. The Allegations of Censorship: SP5 Robert Lawrence's Allegations- as he stated them on the air on Jan 4, 1969 [courtesy of Bruce Wahl's AFVN-TV page.] Video of Part of the Original Accusations of News Censorship as summarized in 1999 by former AFVN Marine Tom Sinkovitz AFVN Censorship - from Overseas Weekly Newspaper, Jan 24, 1969 [Page_1_of_4][Page_2_of_4][Page_3_of_ 4] [Page_4_of_4] War News Censored - newspaper clipping alleges this Military Censorship Charge Backed - Associated Press Clipping War News Censored - journal article alleges this War News Censored - says Editor and Publisher Magazine articlee Regulations Regarding Censorship Flaunted - says journal article Three AFVN radio newscasts reporting the allegations are contained in the Audio History section just below. The Denials of Censorship: The Inspector General twice investigated whether AFVN news was censored and both times the I.G. found it was not. Those results are detailed in Lee Hauser's M.A. thesis. Col William Koch, editor of Pacific Stars and Stripes and former chief at MACOI asserted there was no censorship during his tenure in Vietnam. He did so in the letter written after Hauser's thesis was finished. Letter from Col Koch to Lee Hauser. Your AFVN clippings and documents are wanted - send them to the webmaster and a copy will be posted. Links to Audio History Documents A Free Real Player is required to hear the audio.  If you have one already, the audio will play after about a 30 second delay.  The Other Side of Eden A reading about Vietnam from this fine book written by AFVN'er John Steinbeck IV and his wife Nancy Steinbeck. [copyright 2001 and 2002, used by permission of the author Nancy Steinbeck. The AFVN Story - Radio Broadcast summarizing the history off the Network, narrated by Army Specialist Scott Manning - this 27 minute sound and music history includes the sounds of two bomb attacks on the station while it was on the air.  Recording sent by Doug Jennings. Outline of AFVN News - 1969 - 15 minutes long - summarizing the delivery of AFVN News with SGT Jim Kaiser, SGT Robert MacArthur, LT George Lawrence, and SGT Dave Kramer. Radio Newscast#1 - AFVN Censored? - as reported by SP5 Jim Allingham, 3 a.m., Jan. 4, 1970.  [courtesy of Bruce Wahl's AFVN-TV page.] Radio Newscast#2 - AFVN Censored? - as reported by SP5 Jim Allingham, 5 a.m., Jan. 4, 1970.  [courtesy of Bruce Wahl's AFVN-TV page.] Radio Newscast#3 - AFVN Censored? - as reported by SP5 Jim Allingham, 7 a.m., Jan. 4, 1970.  [courtesy of Bruce Wahl's AFVN-TV page.] To Listen to Other Radio Newscasts - visit the AFVN multimedia page - about half way down. Links to Video History Documents A Free Real Player is required to watch the video.  If you have one already, the video will run after about a 30 second delay.  Project Jenny - provided radio and TV from airborne studios early in the war. Click here to see the Blue Eagle Aircraft fly again in a short video. Video of Part of the Original Accusations of News Censorship as summarized in 1999 by former Marine Tom Sinkovitz TO WATCH HISTORICAL TV NEWSCASTS FROM VIETNAM - visit the AFVN multimedia page - there are at least four toward the bottom of that page.