American Forces Vietnam Network - AFVN

"From the Delta to the DMZ"

Quang Tri - 1968

These pictures are from Doug Wilson (then an army 1LT and OIC of Det 5)
CLICK on any picture to see an enlarged view!

Going into Business! Carol Parlor and Tim Nichols erect the sign announcing that AFVN is providing Radio and TV service in Quang Tri Left to Right Top - Tim Nichols, Tom Deaner, Incoming OIC Peter Berlin, One Fellow Half-Hidden, RCA Tech Rep Civilian Ben Loudon, Doug Wilson, Sgt Warde, unknown #1, Dowling [with hat], unknown #2, Sgt Bob Mandler Bottom - Gunny Sgt Dave Mossman, Joe Delucio, Carol Parlor, Frank Segreto, Wil Fair [send names for unknowns if you know them] The Signal is Out! Channel 11 -- Quang Tri! First Signal - December 1968 Before a signal could go out, this 300 foot tower had to go up. Problem -- The civilians who arrived to put it up refused to do so -- Solution -- Deaner and Nichols volunteered, climbed (!!!) the tower daily and erected it with hand tools! 1LT Doug Wilson takes a rest after his men have put up the AFVN sign... Book Title, You Ask? FM 21-3 Supervising Enlisted Men When Erecting Signs in a Combat Zone Inside the station was this console, from which broadcasts were controlled. Lt. Wilson and Dave Mossman pick records for upcoming shows... Mossman is wearing the unauthorized Uniform of the Day [weatherforecast daily - hot and humid] Marine Gunny Sgt Ray Sheldon takes a break with the station mascot Short Round in Quang Tri... Victor Sage takes to the air from inside the broadcast van...click on the picture for the whole newspaper article. After the station went on the air, it built an Officer's Club -- but Lt Wilson was too lonely because he was the Only One Allowed In...so in the end it was an Everyone Club... Left to Right - Sgt. Ward, D'Allusio, 1LT Wilson, Unknown One Sobering Sight was the bullet-riddled van from the earlier Hue detachment which greeted the Quang Tri group Because of what happened at Hue, Wilson told a Marine Brigadier General that he would not put the new detachment on top of this hill...a GREAT broadcast spot that had only one MAJOR problem... it was outside the perimeter! This closeup shot of Wilson plus jeep on the hilltop...perhaps the loneliness of the experience helped Wilson realize that a spiritual moment here at night might be a last moment... "Dang, Colonel Nash!" said Lt. Wilson. "You mean we get a real, working generator of our own?!! The engineers can finally stop hand cranking it!?" Taking a break...The Three Musketeers -- oops -- The Three Marines confer Left to Right - Sgt. Bob Mandler, Sgt. Carol Parlor, Sgt. Tim Nichols When you can find dancing girls...how about dancing boys??? Frank Segreto demos the dance he heard the girls do on Tudo street... Sage takes his turn as Beauty Queen behind the detachment's gossamer veneer... Pete Pheiffer takes his turn as sandbag protection NCO ... keeping those government sandbags safe from potential enemy fire After a hard day's work, it's time for 1LT Wilder to take one last break! Single side-band radio close at hand...