This Is
The American Forces Thailand Network

Dave and Kai Ramsey

outside Udon Thani, April, 2010

Click here for Dave's Photo Album  

Vietnam Wall in Wildwood, New Jersey

Bill Cruice points to Sgt. Thomas L. Waterman Panel 12, West Line 121

more pics from theVietnam Wall,  click here

AFTN  KORAT  1972

John Smoots pics from Korat:   (l to r):  Col. Lady Jane Donovan, John Watson, and ?????

click here for more of John's pics

SETV  AFTN 2009 Reunion Pics

October 8-11, 2009  ( click here )

AFTN Insight -- Summer l967

Petula Clark - Sgt Tom McDonald

Mel Torme - AIC Bryant Michaud

click here for scoped airchecks

Jim Cissell in Seattle  (Click here for story)

Jim's web site has more= www.voiceguy.com

Chris Noel & Jerry Reed 

Chris was guest speaker at Veterans Recognition Day  (Nov 08)

Doc Ball Working in Retirement (Nov 08)

Jan Garvin's Trip To U-Tapao/Pattaya Beach  July/Aug 08

Click Here for Jan's Trip Description           Click Here for Photo Set

APRIL 10, 1970 at UDORN- F-4 Crash into AFTN

Pictures from Tommy Spahr, Det 1, S.O.W., Udorn

Complete Photo Album HERE

UDORN   FLIGHTLINE   1970

Complete Photo Album  HERE  
Photos from Tom Spahr

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

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

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

(click here for updated  photo album)

     AFN/ AFTN Mini  Reunion  2006

        Tampa, FL    click here

Larry Walker     AFTN dorn  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.

    Dan Ellis   Pics   (8/1)

   DINFOS Class of l968  click here

John Turley    ON THE AIR

AFTN Udorn Saturday Night Party  l972          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