Gary W. Gears, AFVN AM/FM Saigon | January 1969

April 5, 2009 3 Comments

“… I’m gonna count the rockets for ya. I’ll give the final count on the hour.”

Truly unique in it’s presentation, AFVN (Armed Forces Vietnam Network), “The Big 54″ really tried to bring American Top 40 radio to the troops. After listening to this, you’d think this was recorded in the states, except for the public service (okay, military service) announcements.

Listen for LOTS of PAMS jingles, reverb (at times)… and notable, Gears mentions toward the end of this recording that he could swear he just heard missiles go off outside.

AFVN Saigon

Play

Assorted Airchecks, Gary W. Gears, Vietnam

3 Responses to “Gary W. Gears, AFVN AM/FM Saigon | January 1969”

  1. Paul Bottoms Reply May 12, 2010 at 6:22 pm


    I worked with Gary at AFVN (he even mentions my name in about the first minute of it. Hey, I just heard a second plug for me as well)

    This is not an aircheck. This is a re-creation in the production room as Gary thought it should be.

    For reasons I don’t remember, Gary had been kicked off the air as a jock. But he was doing lots of production, voicing.

    For example, we had to give our rank so he would have had to say “Army Specialist Gary W. Gears” in real life. I don’t if Gary wouldn’t follow format or there was something else involved in him not being a jock.

    I know at the time he was talking to the PD of KQV in Pittsburgh which is where he ended up when he left Vietnam. i think he did this recording for them.

    Gary, who passed away in the early 90′s, was a hell of a talent.

    Paul Bottoms

    • Jim Yerkes Reply July 7, 2011 at 5:43 pm


      I met Gary once while I was stationed in Saigon Consider myself very lucky to meet one on the real top 40 jocks back in the 1960.s . AFVN had 2 of the best Gary W. Gears and Don L. Brink at the same time. I remember one year later after leaving Naim hearing Gary on one of the chicago stations back in 1970 while on the Ohio turnpike on the way to the windy city. You never lose the voice.

      Jim Yerkes

  2. fielding freed Reply March 6, 2012 at 11:17 am


    Thanks for posting! I do Vietnam War living history and this really helps get my head into what you guys experienced. Thanks so much for your service!
    Cheers,
    Fielding

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