AFVN TV News Saigon 3 Feb 1973 SP4 Robert Morecock and SP5 Jerry Elliott

[jvolstad]

I was on orders to go to Vietnam, but my orders were cancelled in early 1973 and instead I went to Germany. Little did I realize that I was going to spend over 26 years in the Army. Happy 2011 Veterans Day to all vets.

[rmorecook]

@jvolstad Thanks for the comment. Welcome home Brother

[rmorecook]

The last of the troops did not leave till March 73. So we were covering the shut down of the war for the remaining thousands of troops. [though not hundreds of thousands] After the last 'official troops' left in Mar 73 there WERE still somel troops left that were assigned to the embassy as part of a Military Equipment Delivery Team [like ammo resupply to the S Vietnamese Army] After march 73 only FM Radio remained. Pacific Architects & Engineers ran it as American Radio Service Bob Morecock

[andrelebaron]

who were they broadcasting too at this point with all the troops gone? Were there a lot of civilians left?

[Honkynees]

As a kid I use to watch and listen to FEN broadcasts when in Japan. The work you folks did was very important to the troops and appreciated. As a retired military man myself I know this first hand now. Thank you all very much for your service to the United States.

[rmorecook]

@Honkynees Thank You. IK am 64 years old nwo and you are the only person who ever said thank you to me for doing this. Yours turly, Bob Morecook

[NickB1967]

@rmorecook: I too must say thank you, both for preserving this bit of history, and your service.

[rmorecook]

@NickB1967 glad you liked the video If you search on AFVN you will find a few more TV newscasts

[TEMPmichaelhansen]

this is cool

i got something like this on ebay

audio

[flybynightvideo]

Is that you? Very professional voice delivery... almost crystal clear enunciation. Did AFN train broadcasters in voice technique back then?

[rmorecook]

@flybynightvideo Hi Yes duh it's me! There was very little voice training in the early 70s. Thanks for the compliment. I was brought up in the midwest [hence a mid-west accent], sang in choirs and choruses [emphasis on prononuciation], and listened to radio and tv news religiously as a teen and young man. So -- I was trying -- very hard! :-) best wishes, Bob M

[rmorecook]

It's a long story. But yes it was on 2 inch video tape, then converted to betamax and VHS and from VHS to DVD then run through a free DVD processing program to convert it to AVI Bob M

[peterann1]

Thank you. I found some great answers to my questions at The Blue Eagle Nest.

[peterann1]

@rmorecook Never told me how you got tape home!

[peterann1]

How did you preserve this? I know this was on 2" videotape but image has that KINESCOPE translation used when TV was live and a motion picture camera recorded it from a CRT. Before NAB and BetaMax, news crews used 16mm and rushed fim cans to station by motorcycle for evening broadcast. Amazing this broadcast has survived not lost because it wasn't 'hearts and minds.'