1962

            July 6 – Radio Hanoi begins sending propaganda broadcasts targeting the American troops numbering around 6,000.

            August 15 – AFRTS signs on at the Rex hotel using a WWII transmitter that had been stored in the Philippines. 

1963

            February 11 – AFRTS stations worldwide are ordered to broadcast a program prepared by the United States Information Service titled “Today’s Analysis of Events from Washington.” Most stations dislike the obvious propaganda and the threat of news management.

            November 22 – President Kennedy assassinated. AFRTS stations around the world carry the continuous information from the U.S. by either cable or short-wave through the funeral, the mood remains quiet for several days afterward.

1964

        February 21 – Secretary McNamara issues the charter for the Information School to open.

        October – The staff at AFVN now reached a strength of 17 full-time personnel

        December 24 – The VC set off a bomb and destroys the studio, killing two and injuring others. The Radio begins transmitting 20 minutes later using backup equipment.

1965

         February -- AFRS went from 18 to 24 hrs a day.

         May – Work begins on the Blue Eagle’s (Project Jenny), flying radio and television stations for use in Vietnam using C-121 Super Constellations.

        September – Department of Defense Information School opens at Fort Benjamin Harrision.

        October – At MACV request, Blue Eagle I deploys to Saigon to perform an airborne radio relay broadcast of the World Series. Audio originated at AFRTS-LA, then by landline to VOA transmitters at Delano, Cal., then by short-wave to Vietnam, picked up aboard Blue Eagle I while flying orbit around Saigon-then re-broadcast on AFRS AM broadcast Frequency.

        November – Blue Eagle II conducts worlds first airborne TV broadcast flying around the DC beltway. In preparation for Vietnam TV broadcasts and in conjunction with DC WRC-TV (channel 4) two thirds of a movie was broadcast from WRC-TV -at which time WRC-TV dropped off the air, the remainder of the movie was broadcast from Blue Eagle II.

        December 2 – Deputy Secretary of Defense Cyrus Vance approves plans for the establishment of ground television facilities in Saigon and on December 24, the U.S. and Vietnamese governments officially authorize AFRTS to begin operations.

        December – Blue Eagle II (first TV bird) arrives in Saigon, but testing is delayed due to the Vietnamese Government required a channel change in the allocated frequency band for U.S./South Vietnamese TV operations.

1966

        January – Blue Eagle III (second TV bird) arrives in Saigon and conducts the first operational dual channel TV broadcast in Vietnam.

        January 30 – Blue Eagle III is used to record the intro TV broadcast for AFVN. The aircraft was placed next to the Tan Son Nhut Operations building and camera cables were connected from inside the aircraft to the operations center. U.S. Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge, RVN Premier Nguyen Cao Ky and General Westmoreland taped a opening message for the first AFVN & THVN broadcast flight.

        February 5 – Cyrus Vance approves four high powered radio ground stations in Vietnam

        February 7 – The Blue Eagles, which arrived in early January, begin daily flights transmitting to the U.S. troops on Channel 11 (TV) and Channel 9(TV).

        March 24 – AFRTS in Saigon is connected to AFRTS Los Angeles by using a undersea cable, providing the ability to receive broadcast quality news and sports. Prior to that short-wave was used and was not as reliable. The cable also allows two way transmissions, providing a means for Saigon to transmit material back to the United States.

        April 13 –The Viet Cong (VC) attack Ton Son Nhut air base with mortars, damaging three Blue Eagle aircraft. Only one plane is still able to fly, requiring limited the hours of operations. It is not until May 11 (28 days after the attack) is a full schedule resumed.

        May – Electronics Illustrated does a article on Blue Eagles referring to them as a “Pirate Radio Station”

        September 26 – Several radio and TV broadcast vans arrive in Vietnam. The first one is sent to Qui Nhon, where the PX sells 1,000 televisions in anticipation.

        October 21 – The second broadcast van begins transmitting in Da Nang.

        October 25 – Saigon, the Headquarters for AFVN, television goes on the air. Blue eagles continue to fly in order to cover the delta region areas in the south.

        December 23 – Snipers attack the Saigon station during its Christmas party. No casualties reported, but the party is ended.

1967

          January – Final move of Radio and News section from Brink BOQ to new AFRTS facilities at 9 Hong Thap Tu began.

          January 9 – NAS Patuxent River newspaper “The Testor” does a article on “Blue Eagle flights”

          February 1 – Third television van becomes operational at Pleiku.

          February 8 – Accidental small arms fired in Key station. Light damage and no causalities sustained.

          February 11 – TV guide does a article on AFVN about early TV in Vietnam.

          March – Military Assistance Command Vietnam (MACV), orders AFRTS to submit for approval all quotes by certain politicians who are against the war. At the same time Secretary of Defense McNamara reaffirms his position that DoD policy is that there will be maximum disclosure with minimum delay. His policy insists on a  free flow of information. After a year, complaints to congress by the staff result in a number of investigations and poor morale.

          March 13 – Fourth Television Van becomes operational at Nha Trang.

          May 15 – Fifth Television station goes on air at Hue.

          May 26 – Sixth Television station goes operational at Tuy Hoa.

          June 1 – First 10,000-watt radio transmitter AFRTS became operational at Da Nang.

          July 1 – Change from AFRT (AFRTS) to AFVN (American Forces Vietnam Network).

         September – TV “In Town Tonight” began and many movie stars came to the Hong Thap Tu studios over the next two years to do guest shots. Martha Raye appeared on the show 4 times.

         October –The World Series game was kinescoped in California and flown to Saigon to be re-broadcast on TV within 24 hours. The game was broadcast live on radio at 1 AM or 2 AM. The TV broadcast was the next afternoon.

         October 22 – Un-manned repeater operational in Phan Rang. “Field Strength” reports that 85% of U.S. Forces can receive AFVN TV.

          November – The 1^st Division moves to Lai Khe. The rumor was that the Division would assume the KLIK station.

          November – CBS television network recorded two “Face the Nation” shows in the Hong Hap Tu studio. One was U.S. Ambassador Ellsworth Bunker-number two was Vietnamese President Nguyn Van Thou. The tapes were copied and one copy was flown by civilian aircraft to New York - the other copy was placed on a separate airplane to California (in case one plane crashed there would still be a copy)

         December – Holiday season marked by production activities to include the recording of the Bob Hope Christmas Special.

         December – KLIK sets up a feeds a Division wide network to broadcast the Bob Hope Christmas show to everyone in the Big Red One (1330 KHZ) also in Phouc Vinh at the same time it was sent using VHF links to Quan Loi and Dian. The show was even transmitted to Field Radios Frequencies to the entire 1^st division Area of Operation.

         December 11 – The station at Nha Trang (Hon Tre) is attacked by enemy mortar fire. No damage is reported to the broadcast equipment, the mess hall and lounge are destroyed-no casualties reported.

1968

         January 7 – The Red Beach transmitter at Da Nang is hit by enemy fire-they are off the air for only two hours. Over 200 holes in the facility from fragments during the attack, however no causalities sustained.

         January 31 – The Station at Hue is attacked during the TET offensive. The staff holds off NVA regulars, who control most of the city. The stand off last for the next five days, one person KIA and all members were wounded to various levels. Running out of Ammo and supplies the men make a break for better safety and are captured. Sergeant John Anderson (station manager) and the others spend five years as POW’s in North Vietnam prison camps. Detachment 1 at Qui Nhon receives enemy fire to the mess hall.

         January 31 – KLIK changes it hours of operation from 0600-2400 to 24 hours a day due to the TET offensive.

         February – 122 mm Rocket lands directly in front of the KLIK studio blowing out all the windows – no casualties reported.

         March – KLIK builds a “bunker studio” to be used during attacks- TET provides lots of those situations.

         April – KLIK returns to the 0600-2400 schedule.

         May – KLIK’s 50-watt Bauer transmitter goes down. Leaving on the FM station to continue on 104.5 MHz using Army issue VHF transmitter.

         May 3 – The Headquarters of AFVN receive heavy damage form a car bomb. The estimates are that the Taxi contained over 100 pounds of explosives.

         December – AFVN News is instrumental in the release of three U.S. POW’s broadcasting messages to the VC concerning the proposed date, time and place for the release.  

          December – AFVN wins award for “The Counterpart”

         December 24 – Live broadcast of a Christmas Eve Mass from a church near Saigon.

         December 25 – Live feed broadcast of Billy Graham from Tan Son Nhut airbase.

         December 31 – (New years eve) Live coverage from Times Square New York.

1969  

          March 14 – Detachment 7 at Chu Lai goes on the air.

          April 1 – Detachment 3 begins FM broadcasts.

          April 25,26,27 – 48 hour history of Rock & Roll airs.

         April 28 – AFVN begins regular us of Walter Cronkite’s news show from CBS.

         June 8 – Three AFVN newsmen killed by a landmine south of Da Nang. The crew had just completed a 6-part documentary on the military Chaplin in Vietnam.

         July – Daily broadcasts (from tape) of the Apollo 11 mission are aired.

         August – Detachment receives studio cameras so they have the ability to do live broadcasts.

         September 20 – AFVN aired the “Nixon and Laird special”

         September 27 – President Nixon’s speech on troop cutback’s in Vietnam and the new draft system aired on AFVN.

         October 14 – Key station begins broadcasting FM stereo music.

         November 11 – Detachment 2, Da Nang begins stereo FM music broadcasts.

         November 24 – With prior arrangement with the affiliate AFVN (Philippines) thousands of U.S. serviceman are able to view Apollo 12’s Splashdown within a few hours of the actual event via delayed videotape.

          December 28 – Bob Hope Christmas special broadcast and produced as a live remote from Long Binh. Neil Armstrong was part of the show.

          December 31 – Live broad cat of “You’re a good man Charlie Brown” Pianist was Tom Salisbury.

1970

          January 3 – Sp5 Bob Lawrence makes a remark on AFVN-TV charging the U.S. Command with censoring the news.

         April 10 – After a mission over, Vietnam a F-4 Phantom fighter crashes into the AFRTS station at Udorn, Thailand. AFRTS members die when the station is consumed in fire from the crash.

          May-June – Award winning, ”Anything you want to know about drugs, But don’t know who to ask” and “Cambodia: 60 days”, were produced.

         June 15 – Student protesters demonstrate near the AFVN compound. One U.S. serviceman rescued by AFVN personnel after a fire bombing.

         August – AFVN sends out a survey covering AM & FM and includes television to find out what U.S. servicemen liked to watch and listen to. The results was a revamped programming schedule. 9 programming changes resulted for these results.

         September – Blue Eagle (project Jenny) are no longer required and return to the Base near Patuxent River.        

1971       

         January 9 – 24 hour FM broadcasting initiated at Da Nang.

         July-September – Tuy Hoa and Can Tho stations close with re-broadcast transmitter equipment installed. Detachment 4 (Hon Tre Island) moved to Cam Ranh Bay Air base.

         September 24 – Television on the air at Cam Ranh Bay

         October 23 –Typhoon Hester causes considerable damage to Detachment 2 Da Nang.

         November 7 – (Cam Ranh Bay)FM broadcasting begins—AM service continued uninterrupted.  

         November 24 – Detachment 5, Quang Tri moved to Hue, operational for limited FM and Television broadcasting.

         December – A special production 1971: GI Christmas was produced and forwared to all detachments.

1972

         February – US Troops begin the withdrawal from Vietnam, with this action AFVN begins to close a number of stations.   Hue and Qui Nhon are the first to go off the air the equipment is turned over to THVN. (Vietnamese Government TV)

         April – Cam Ranh Bay closes down its operation

         June – Nha Trang ceases to transmit.

1973