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Recent AFTN Web Updates

Wally Snell remembers 4/10/70: (photo of Wally's unit @ Udorn)

Perhaps, I can recount what and how I remember the day the F-4 crashed (on us, I hesitate to suppose, rather than just on them). I’ve never talked much about it, didn’t know how , I guess.

I was enjoying one of my rare days off, sitting in the barracks near the door, writing a letter I never finished. I was startled by the sound of what I first thought was two mortar rounds being fired. I found out later it was two Martin-Baker ejection seats. Like an idiot, I rushed outside to see an F-4 flying upside down just over the roofs. Then smoke and debris flying from the buildings two rows over from me and then came a grinding roar that seemed to go on a very long time. Then heat and smoke and people yelling and running past me away from the crash. I just stood there. Something horrible and final struck me. How could this be happening? One of the rescue guys I knew ran past and then stopped wide eyed, staring back at the smoke and flames.

I walked over to ask if he knew what had happened, and to my surprise he asked me first. He couldn't remember anything that had just happened. He said he was over by the pool, the last he remembered, and then he was here.. didn't even remember running. I guess I never saw anyone so scared. “You were over there?” Then I asked if he was OK, and he looked himself over and said “Yeah, sure.”

We went back closer to the fire and asked anybody we could find if we could help. One of the officers told us there's nothing anybody can do, just stay out of the way. We found out about the men inside about an hour or so later, but nobody knew how many for days. “How could something like that happen? An F-4 right through the double doors of the studio? What was God thinking?” I asked.

For all these years, I’ve been remembering that there were twelve casualties. It’s some relief to know there were nine. I remember a couple of our junior officers were missing for a while, but they turned up downtown. One of our house-girls never came back, she was so upset. Our commander and several others just lost their gear and quarters. Honestly, in the face of the horror we were all grateful that no one else was killed in the other buildings.. no small miracle! Anyway, time and again, I’ve thought about those guys who brought us radio and TV and made all our lives easier. Before I finally gave it up, I used to drink a New Year’s toast every year to them and to all the other friends we lost – I didn’t know what else I could do beyond a prayer of thanks.

I had heard it described as an accident.. no, in my book, it was all combat. There’s no “accidents” when young men go in harm’s way for their country. They gave their all, and I salute them with love and respect and heartfelt gratitude. Thank you, thank you, for what you have done to honor these men. I’m so glad someone could do something so special.

Wally Snell, former MAJOR, USAFR

KON KAEN PHOTO ALBUM- April , 1972

(CLICK HERE for Kon Kaen Photo Album)

CLASSIC ROCK TRACKS of the AFTN era [click here] (8/12/07)

DOC BALL TRIBUTE [click here] (8/17/07)

(click here for updated photo album)

AFTN Bloopers- #1 to 5- 1971 (click here)

AFN/ AFTN Mini Reunion

Tampa, FL click here

Larry Walker AFTN Udorn Early l970 (11/5/06) Pics

CLICK HERE

Jay "J W" Bradbury passes away (10/31/06)

Jay J.W. Bradbury, longtime AFN radio personality
passed away this week in California. Jay began his early broadcasting career in Thailand, arriving at Udorn RTAFB the day after the plane crash in April, l970, and was sent by the base commander to the AFTN affiliate at Ubon RTAFB.

Complete details at the AFN/DoD web site:

Click here

Bill Miller ON THE AIR June l967

To listen:CLICK HERE for AFTN Sound Page 2

Pics --> go here

AFTN Korat NCOIC l966-67 News

Dan Ellis Pics (8/1)

DINFOS Class of l968 click here

AFTN Udorn Early l969 click here

Mark Gerschefske Pics

AFTN Udorn 75-76 click here (6/17)

ON THE AIR -- "Tips on Teeloking" ( 6/24)

click here

John Turley ON THE AIR

AFTN Udorn Saturday Night Party l972 click here

(6/4)

Recent Alumni Updates:

Ralph Baldwin, Ken Gilder, Jim Jaeger, Bill Billingsley, Erik Tingberg, Mark Gershefske, Jack Seagle, Milton Hendrix, Jim Brisbois, Gene Simmons

click here

Brad Edwards passes away

Brad Edwards, AFTN Udorn & Korat passes away in Oklahoma City. He left Udorn on April 9, 1970, the day before the plane crash to work at Network News in Korat. Brad had been a fixture on Oklahoma City TV news since l973.

For Complete story here- CLICK HERE

Gary Sumrall remembers his friends and fellow survivors from April 10, 1970 at AFTN Udorn

(click here)

► Landis McGauhey Udorn/Korat Pics l974/75 3/25

►Jon Tremaine Photo Albums

UTapao Radio/TV Pics l971 3/3 Udorn Town Pics l971 2/26

Udorn Bob Hope Pics l972 3/3

Pattaya Beach Pics l971 3/3 Udorn Town Pics l971 2/26

Sattahip Pics l971 3/1 Udorn/UTapao Countryside Pics l971

Udorn/UTapao Station Pics l971 2/26

► Ron Hurst KORAT l971 Pics 2/7

► Michael Weldon AFTN UTapao l966-67 Pics 1/31