Editing American Forces Network (section)

==History==
What is today the Maryland-based headquarters of the American Forces Network began on 26 May 1942 when the [[United States Department of War|War Department]] established the Armed Forces Radio Service (AFRS) in [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, California]] with [[United States Army|U.S. Army]] Colonel Tom Lewis in command.<ref name="afrts.dodmedia.osd.mil">{{cite web|url=http://afrts.dodmedia.osd.mil/facts/1.pdf |title=Historical Summary: American Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS) |access-date=14 March 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120220153149/http://afrts.dodmedia.osd.mil/facts/1.pdf |archive-date=20 February 2012}}</ref> The original American Forces Network began on 4 July 1943 when AFRS established what is today AFN Europe in [[London]], England with U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel Charles Gurney in command. A television service was first introduced in 1954 with a pilot station at [[Loring Air Force Base|Limestone Air Force Base]], [[Maine]]. In 1954, the television mission of AFRS was officially recognized and AFRS (Armed Forces Radio Service) became AFRTS (Armed Forces Radio and Television Service).<ref name="afrts.dodmedia.osd.mil" />

All the Armed Forces broadcasting affiliates worldwide merged under the AFN banner on 1 January 1998. On 21 November 2000, the American Forces Information Service directed a change of the AFRTS organizational title from Armed Forces Radio and Television Service to American Forces Radio and Television Service. A timeline of the history of AFN is available online.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://afrts.dodmedia.osd.mil/heritage/heritage.asp |title=AFRTS |publisher=Afrts.dodmedia.osd.mil |access-date=31 December 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091215134713/http://afrts.dodmedia.osd.mil/heritage/heritage.asp |archive-date=15 December 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Origins===
The first station to be under the control of the U.S. Armed Forces was [[KGEI]] in San Francisco, whose origins come from a [[General Electric|GE]] exhibit, which in February 1939 started shortwave broadcasts aimed at the Philippines, which at the time were under American control. The station was used as a counterpoint to [[NHK Radio 1|Radio Tokyo]] and ultimately became a model for the army network following the invasion of Pearl Harbor in late 1941.<ref name="AFRTS50">{{cite book |title=History of AFRTS, the First 50 Years |year=1992 |publisher=American Forces Information Service and Armed Forces Radio and Television Service }}</ref>{{rp|6}}

The first radio station began in [[Delta Junction, Alaska]], on what was then known as [[Fort Greely]]. It was called [[KODK]] and was operated by on base personnel. In the years just before [[World War II]], there were several radio stations based in American [[military base]]s, but none were officially recognized until 1942. The success of these individual radio stations helped pave the way for the AFN. As such, there was no single station that could be called the "first" to sign on as an AFN station. About two months before the formal establishment of AFN, however, a station called "PCAN" began regular broadcast information service in the [[Panama Canal Zone]], primarily for troops on jungle [[bivouac shelter|bivouac]]. The station, located at [[Fort Clayton]], was later to become part of AFRS, first simply as "Armed Forces Network" located at [[Albrook Air Force Base|Albrook Field]].

===World War II===
[[File:Commandrussellwillsonhope.jpg|thumb|[[Bob Hope]] welcomes [[Jane Russell]] to ''[[Command Performance (radio series)|Command Performance]]'' (1944).]]
[[File:Sinatra Radio.gif|thumb|[[Frank Sinatra]] interviews actress [[Alida Valli]] for one of the many programs produced by the Armed Forces Radio Service for broadcast to the troops overseas during World War II.]]
[[File:Bogart Bacall AFRS.jpg|thumb|[[Humphrey Bogart]] and [[Lauren Bacall]] being interviewed by the Armed Forces Radio Service]]
The original AFN - present day AFN Europe - began broadcasting from [[London]] during [[World War II]], using equipment and studio facilities borrowed from the [[British Broadcasting Corporation]] (BBC).

The first transmission to [[United States Armed Forces|U.S. troops]] began at 5:45&nbsp;p.m. 4 July 1943, and included less than five hours of recorded shows, including a [[BBC News]] and sports broadcast. That day, [[Technician fifth grade|T5]] Syl Binkin became the first [[United States Armed Forces|U.S. military]] broadcaster heard over the air. The signal was sent from London via telephone lines to five regional [[transmitter]]s to reach [[United States Armed Forces|U.S. troops]] in the [[United Kingdom]] as they made preparations for the [[Operation Overlord|invasion]] of [[Nazi-occupied Europe]].

Fearing competition for civilian audiences, the [[BBC]] initially tried to impose restrictions on AFN broadcasts within [[United Kingdom|Britain]] (transmissions were allowed only from [[United States|American]] bases outside [[London]] and were limited to 50 watts of transmission power) and a minimum quota of British produced programming had to be carried. Nevertheless, AFN programs were widely enjoyed by the British civilian listeners who could receive them, and once AFN operations transferred to continental [[Europe]] (shortly after [[Normandy landings|D-Day]]) AFN was able to broadcast with little restriction with programs available to civilian audiences across most of [[Europe]], (including Britain), after dark.

As [[Normandy landings|D-Day]] approached, the network joined with the [[BBC]] and the [[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]] to develop programs especially for the [[Allied Expeditionary Forces]]. Mobile stations, complete with personnel, broadcasting equipment and a record library, were deployed to broadcast music and news to troops in the field. The mobile stations reported on front-line activities and fed the news reports back to studio locations in [[London]].

Although the network's administrative headquarters remained in [[London]], its operational headquarters soon moved to [[Paris]].

As [[Allied forces (World War II)|Allied forces]] continued to push [[Nazi Germany|German]] troops back into their homeland, AFN moved east as well. The liberation of most of Western Europe saw AFN stations serving the forces liberating [[Biarritz]], [[Cannes]], [[Le Havre]], [[Marseille]], [[Nice]], [[Paris]] and [[Reims]].

During the period between 1943 and 1949 the AFN also broadcast programs developed through a collaboration of the [[Department of State]]'s [[Office of the Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs]] and the [[Columbia Broadcasting System|CBS]] network while supporting America's [[cultural diplomacy]] initiatives. Included among the programs was ''[[Viva America]]'' which showcased leading musical talents from both North and South America and was transmitted for the benefit of armed forces throughout [[Europe]] and to [[South America]] over CBS's short wave network "La Cadena de Las Americas".<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=L3WyZ9A4_XEC&q=VIva+America&pg=PA198|title=The Directory of the Armed Forces Radio Service Series (Viva America for Spanish speaking servicemen) |last= Mackenzie|first= Harry|publisher= Greenwood Publishing Group|location= Westport CT|year= 1999 |page=21|isbn=9780313308123 }} {{ISBN|0313308128}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ehN4sM0Xy_UC&dq=Alfredo+Antonini+Elsa+Miranda&pg=PA49 |title=Media Sound & Culture in Latin America|last1= Bronfman|first1= Alejanda |last2= Wood|first2= Andrew Grant|publisher= University of Pittsburgh Press|location= Pittsburgh, PA|year= 2012 |page= 49|isbn=9780822977957 }} {{ISBN|978-0822961871}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Anthony|first=Edwin D.|title=Records of the Office of Inter-American Affairs|volume=Inventory of Record Group 229|publisher=National Archives and Record Services – General Services Administration|location=Washington D.C.|year=1973|pages=25–26|lccn=73-600146 <!-- dead -->|chapter-url=https://www.archives.gov/files/research/foreign-policy/related-records/rg-229-inter-american-affairs.pdf#page=33|chapter=Records of the Radio Division}}</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=Qx00pQIkclMC&q=ociaa&pg=PA166 ''Dissonant Divas in Chicana Music: The Limits of La Onda'' Deborah R. Vargas. University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, 2012 pp. 152–155] {{ISBN|978-0816673162}} OCIAA (Office of the Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs), FDR's Good Neighbor Policy, CBS, Viva America, Armed Forces Radio Service and La Cadena de las Americas on google.books.com</ref>

===Post-war contraction and expansion===
[[File:Lionel Barrymore.gif|thumb|left|[[Lionel Barrymore]] broadcasting the Armed Forces Radio Service's ''Concert Hall'' radio show (1947)]]

On 10 July 1945, the first AFN station in occupied [[Germany]] started broadcasting: [[AFN Munich]]. Its first broadcast was however incorrect as it began with the sentence "Good morning! This is AFN Munich, the voice of the 7th Army!". General [[George S. Patton]], commander of the 3rd Army, was furious with the opening as his army had taken control over [[Munich]] the previous night, and demanded that the responsible person be [[court-martial]]ed.<ref name="Compre" >{{cite web |url=http://german.about.com/library/listening/bllisten-sil-AFNTransl.htm |title=German Listening: Amerikanischer Soldatensender AFN |work=about.com |year=2015 |access-date=22 June 2015 |language=de, en |archive-date=18 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151018151955/http://german.about.com/library/listening/bllisten-sil-AFNTransl.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="Book" >{{cite book |last=Graeber |first=Stephanie |title=Der amerikanische Einfluss auf die Rolle des Radios in Nachkriegsbayern |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uvnSZ1VCWRUC&pg=PA73 |access-date=22 June 2015 |year=2010 |publisher=GRIN Verlag |isbn=978-3640591619 |page=73 |language=de}}</ref>

Soon after AFN Munich signed on the air in the southern part of occupied [[Germany]], in northern [[Germany]], AFN Bremen begin broadcasting a few weeks later with its first radio broadcast occurring on Saturday, 28 July 1945. (In 1949, the station moved from the city of Bremen north to the port city of Bremerhaven and became [[AFN Bremerhaven]].)

On 31 December 1945, AFN [[London]] signed off the air, and in 1948 AFN closed all its stations in [[France]]. This started the cycle of AFN stations where they would be built up during wartime, then torn down or moved after the war was over. Of the 300 stations in operation worldwide in 1945, only 60 remained in 1949.

===Post-War Europe===
A large number of AFN stations continued broadcasting from American bases in [[Europe]] (particularly [[Germany]]) after [[World War II]]. (Eight remain on the air today. See article on [[:de:American Forces Network#Frequenzen in Deutschland und Benelux AFN Europe Frequencies|German Wikipedia]].)

During the [[Berlin Blockade]] of 1948–1949, planes headed for [[Tempelhof]] in West [[Berlin]] tuned their radios to AFN-[[Berlin]] because the station's transmission tower was in the glide path to the airfield and was not jammed by the [[Soviet Union|Soviets]].

During the 1950s and 1960s, AFN had large civilian audiences in [[Europe]], as European radio stations rarely played American music. In [[Communism|Communist]] countries, all radio stations were state-operated, and never played American music. Despite the language barrier, the people in those countries saw AFN as an alternative connection to the West. Also, unlike stations such as [[Radio Free Europe]], which broadcast in Eastern European languages, AFN was not [[radio jamming|jammed]] by the [[Soviet Union|Soviets.]]

Especially popular was ''Music in the Air'', which aired on the full [[Europe]]an network at 19:00 CET. The host was [[AFN Frankfurt]] (civilian) manager John Vrotsos, who had an especially warm baritone voice. He began each program by saying (after an introductory piano phrase from the program's theme music) "Listen ... [pause for more piano] ... there's music in the air". The theme was "Music Everywhere" in an arrangement by [[Victor Young]]. Later in the 1950s, [[Leroy Anderson]]'s ''Belle of the ball'' was used. The program was popular throughout Northern [[Europe]], especially in the liberated countries such as the [[Netherlands]], [[Belgium]], [[France]] (the northern part), [[Luxembourg]] and, to a lesser extent, [[Denmark]]. Many Dutch households switched to the program, also because of their positive experiences with the American liberators.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.afvn.nl |title=Antifascistische oud-Verzetsstrijders Nederland – Bond van antifascisten |publisher=Afvn.nl |access-date=2022-04-22}}</ref>
Also featured were live performances of classical music and jazz by [[Samuel Adler (composer)|Samuel Hans Adler]]'s [[Seventh Army Symphony Orchestra]] in support of America's [[cultural diplomacy]] initiatives in the post war period.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=L3WyZ9A4_XEC&pg=PA198 ''The Directory of the Armed Forces Radio Service Series''] Harry MacKenzie, Greeenwood Press, CT. 1999, p. 198 {{ISBN|0313308128}} "Seventh Army Symphony on Armed Forces Radio in 1961 performing works by Vivaldi and Dvorak"</ref><ref>Kenner, James L. [https://books.google.com/books?id=RzxEAQAAIAAJ "Musical Ambassadors, Soldiers, Too"] ''Army'',  August 1958. p 60</ref>

In France, about a dozen AFN stations operated, with AFN Orléans as the studio control station. The network broadcast music, shows, and news relayed from AFN Frankfurt, locally produced shows, and other features aimed at the American soldiers and their families stationed in France. In particular, a whole team of reporters and technicians was sent to cover [[24 Hours of Le Mans|the 24-hour auto race at Le Mans]], at a time when Ford was doing its best to beat the Ferraris, and finally succeeded. AFN France broadcast with 50 watt [[frequency modulation|FM]] transmitters made by French manufacturer TRT, type OZ 305. The network employed a technical director, a program director, several military American broadcast professionals, and some French studio operators, record librarians, secretaries and maintenance technicians. The Frankfurt network programming was received, then re-fed from AFN Orléans studios to another studio-equipped affiliate, AFN Poitiers and its repeater transmitters via modulation lines rented from the French postal service. AFN Poitiers, based at Aboville Caserne, Poitiers, France, home of an Army logistical command and a major Communication Zone Signal Corps agency, served Army depots and installations in Southwestern France with locally originated programs and network feeds from AFN Orléans via Frankfurt, Germany. It was the only other studio station affiliate of AFN Orléans because of the large American military presence and its resident Department of Defense dorm school for children of American military and civilian families assigned to Poitiers, and the American installations located throughout Southwestern France. Children living in outlying American military installations and communities commuted to Poitiers once a week for daily classes and departed for home by bus and train. AFN France was dismantled in 1967, when U.S. forces left France due to the French government's decision of President (General) [[Charles de Gaulle]] to withdraw its forces from [[NATO]]'s military command. The French employees were dismissed but were granted a severance pay (in [[French franc]]s and taxable) of one month per year of service, paid by the U.S. Army to the French government, in dollars (all the French employees were managed by a specially created service: le Bureau d'Aide aux Armées Alliées or AAA).{{Citation needed|date=March 2009}}

===Korean War===
When war broke out in [[Korea]], Army broadcasters set up in [[Seoul]] in the Banto Hotel (the old American Embassy Hotel). When the Chinese entered Seoul in December 1950, the crew moved to a mobile unit that was just completed and retreated to [[Daegu, South Korea|Daegu]]. Due to the large number of American troops in Korea, a number of stations were started. Mobile units followed combat units to provide news and entertainment on the radio. By the time the 1953 armistice was signed, these mobile units became buildings with transmitters, and a network, American Forces Korea Network, was born.

Canadian and American television personality [[Jim Perry (television personality)|Jim Perry]] began his broadcasting career fresh out of high school with the Armed Forces Korea Network, under his birthname of Jim Dooley, spending one year in Korea before attending the [[University of Pennsylvania]] to further his education.

===Pahlavi Iran===
An AFRTS radio station became operational in [[Tehran]], [[Pahlavi Iran|Iran]] in 1959.<ref name="Factbook"/> This was followed by a television station in 1960,<ref name="Naficy">[https://books.google.com/books?id=CPtUfi3K_JYC&dq=afrts+iran&pg=PA46 ''A Social History of Iranian Cinema, Volume 2: The Industrializing Years, 1941–1978''], Hamid Naficy, Duke University Press, 2011, page 46</ref> known as AFTV.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=PjFKAQAAIAAJ&q=%22Persian%22 ''Journal of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers''], Volume 77, SMPTE, 1968, page 512</ref> It broadcast a radio service on 1555&nbsp;kHz and a television service on Channel 7 in Tehran and the surrounding area from its studios in the city.<ref name="CommDev">[https://books.google.com/books?id=mg1RAQAAIAAJ&q=%22NIRT+International%22 ''Communications and Development Review''], Volume 1, Issues 1–4, Iran Communications and Development Institute, 1977</ref>

Its listeners (and viewers) were American military personnel stationed in Iran as part of [[ARMISH]] (the [[US Army]] mission) and [[Military Assistance Advisory Group]] (MAAG) programs.<ref name="Factbook">[https://books.google.com/books?id=XkIqAQAAIAAJ&q=%22ARMISH%22 ''Television Factbook''], Issues 39–40, Television Digest, Inc., 1969</ref> AFTV was also popular with Iranian viewers, particularly children.<ref name="Cam">[https://books.google.com/books?id=H20Xt157iYUC&dq=%22Television+Iran%22+%22dubbed%22&pg=PA811 ''The Cambridge History of Iran''], Volume 7, Cambridge University Press, 1989, pp. 810–811</ref>

As the TV service only had a power of 1000 watts, it was only on air for a few hours each day, whereas the radio service operated for around 18 hours a day.<ref name="Almanac1974">[https://books.google.com/books?id=FAggAQAAIAAJ&q=%22American+Community%22 ''Iran Almanac and Book of Facts''], Echo of Iran, 1974, page 129</ref> In deference to Iranian sensitivities, AFRTS avoided carrying programming that might be construed as offensive on political or religious grounds, instead carrying cowboy or detective movies.<ref name="Zonis">[https://books.google.com/books?id=AG99BgAAQBAJ&q=%22AFRTS%22+&pg=PA247 ''Political Elite of Iran''], Marvin Zonis, Princeton University Press, 1976, page 247</ref>

Following the nationalization of the privately owned [[Television in Iran#Television Iran|Television Iran]] network in 1969, AFTV was the only television service not in the Iranian government's hands.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=lgA0AQAAIAAJ&q=%22AFTV%22++ ''Iran 69: An Independent Survey of the Iranian Economy''], 1969, page 88</ref> However, in 1976, it was decided by the Iranian government that AFRTS should close down its radio and TV services, which it did on 25 October of that year, the day before the [[Mohammad Reza Pahlavi|Shah]]'s 57th birthday.<ref name="Almanac">[https://books.google.com/books?id=9ybVAAAAMAAJ&q=%22NIRT%27s+new+international+services%22 ''Iran Almanac and Book of Facts''], Volume 16, Echo of Iran., 1977, page 125</ref>

Radio 1555 closed with presenter Air Force Staff Sergeant Barry Cantor playing [[Roger Whittaker]]'s "[[Durham Town (The Leavin')]]". This was followed by a closing announcement by Chief Master Sergeant and Station Manager Bob Woodruff, ending with the [[The Star-Spangled Banner|U.S. national anthem]]:

<blockquote>Ladies and Gentlemen, I'm Chief Master Sergeant Bob Woodruff Station Manager of the American Forces Radio and Television Service in [[Tehran]]. After 22 years of radio broadcasting and 17 years of telecasting in Tehran, AFRTS Radio 1555 and TV Channel 7 cease all operations in this country at this time. I bid you all goodbye and thank you for letting us serve you. And now the national anthem of the United States of America."<ref>{{Citation|last=Jonny|title=American Forces Network Radio (1950-2012)|date=2017-10-21|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xD-4sJIsK5M&t=222 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/xD-4sJIsK5M |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|access-date=2017-11-18}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|last=Bahram9821|title=NIRT International Radio|date=2012-02-11|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4Rvgr14sng&t=15|access-date=2017-11-24}}</ref><ref>{{YouTube|R4Rvgr14sng|Iran "NIRT International Radio"}}, 11 February 2012</ref>
</blockquote>

The following day, AFRTS radio and television services in Iran were replaced by those operated by the state broadcaster [[National Iranian Radio and Television]] (NIRT), which were similar in content, appealing to the 60 000 [[United States Army|U.S. Army]] and civilian personnel then stationed in Iran, as well as the wider population of foreign nationals resident in the country.<ref name="Intermedia89">[https://books.google.com/books?id=aiO4AAAAIAAJ&q=%22NIRT%27s+budget%22 ''Intermedia''], Volume 17, International Institute of Communications, 1989, page 37</ref>

===South Vietnam===
As the U.S. military presence in [[South Vietnam]] increased, AFRTS opened radio and later television stations there.<ref name="geocities.com">{{cite web |title=AFVN – American Forces Vietnam Network |url=http://www.geocities.com/afvn |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091006032042/http://www.geocities.com/AFVN/ |archive-date=6 October 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref>

AFRTS stations in Vietnam were initially known by the name "AFRS" (Armed Forces Radio Saigon), but as the number of stations quickly expanded throughout [[Republic of Vietnam|South Vietnam]] became known as "AFVN" (American Forces Vietnam Network)<ref name="geocities.com"/> and had several stations, including [[Qui Nhơn]], [[Nha Trang]], [[Pleiku]], [[Da Nang]] and [[Huế]], the latter being overrun by the [[People's Army of Vietnam]] during the [[Battle of Huế|Battle of Hue]] in January/February 1968 and replaced by a station in [[Quảng Trị]]. AFVN's headquarters station was located in [[Saigon]].

In Vietnam, AFVN had a number of war-related casualties. After a fierce fire fight that killed two soldiers and a civilian contractor, the remaining AFVN station staff at Huế was captured and spent five years as prisoners of war. At the height of American involvement in the war, Armed Forces Vietnam Network served more than 500,000 fighting men and women at one time. AFVN developed a program along the lines of "[[GI Jive]]" from World War II. A number of local [[disc jockey]]s helped make hourlong music programs for broadcast. Perhaps the best-known program became the morning "Dawn Buster" program, (the brainchild of Chief Petty Officer Bryant Arbuckle in 1962) thanks to the popularity of the sign-on slogan "Gooooood Morning, Vietnam" (which was initiated by [[Adrian Cronauer]] and later became the basis for the film ''[[Good Morning, Vietnam]]'' starring [[Robin Williams]]). Among the notable people who were AFVN disc jockeys were Don L. "Scotty" Brink, [[Lee Hansen (radio)|Lee Hansen]], Les Coleman and [[Pat Sajak]], [[Chris Noel]], John Allgood, Joe Huser, and Dennis Woytek. Army Spec. 5 Robert Morecook announced the upcoming end of the Vietnam War on AFVN-TV news in February, 1973, which followed 30 days later. Army Spec 4 Tom Fowlston was first to announce the war end on radio news. Harry Simons hosted the ''GO Show'' at both AFVN Saigon and Danang in 1968 and 1969. Simons along with broadcaster Mike Bates created and produced a 10-hour radio documentary (''AFVN: The GI's Companion'') as a tribute to AFVN and to honor all Vietnam Veterans. It aired and streamed on Veterans Day 2015 on WEBY Radio in Pensacola, Florida. The documentary is archived at Rock Radio Scrapbook: AFVN: The GI's Companion.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://rockradioscrapbook.ca/afvn.html|title=Rock Radio Scrapbook: AFVN: The GI's Companion|website=rockradioscrapbook.ca|access-date=11 October 2022}}</ref>

Beginning in 1971, AFVN began to close some stations in Vietnam. The last station to close was the key station in Saigon in 1973. Broadcasting continued under civilian leadership on FM only and using the name American Radio Service (ARS).<ref>{{cite book|last=Engelmann |first=Larry |title=Tears before the Rain: An Oral History of the Fall of South Vietnam |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zXiJy6aAr2oC&pg=PT372 |access-date=22 June 2015 |year=1990 |publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0199878925 |page=372}}</ref> The civilian engineers were provided by Pacific Architects and Engineers (PAE). ARS stayed on the air until the [[Fall of Saigon]] in April 1975. It was to play [[Bing Crosby]]'s version of [[Irving Berlin]]'s "[[White Christmas (song)|White Christmas]]" as a signal for Americans that the [[Operation Frequent Wind|final evacuation of Saigon]] had begun. The Crosby version of the record could not be found so [[Tennessee Ernie Ford]]'s record from 1968 was played.

===Thailand===
In [[Thailand]], the Department of Defense began the planning for the Armed Forces Thailand Network in 1964 with Project Lamplighter and Project Limelight. By late 1966, implementation of the network began by the U.S. Air Force with stations on the air at [[Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base|Korat]], [[U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield|U-Tapao]], [[Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base|Ubon]], [[Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base|Udorn]], [[Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base|Takhli]] and [[Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Navy Base|Nahkon Phanom]]. In addition, there were more than 20 satellite stations that rebroadcast one or more of the primary stations, and that included one or more clandestine locations in [[Laos]].

In April 1970, a battle-damaged [[McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II|RF-4C Phantom II]] #65-0863 returning to Udorn from a reconnaissance mission in northwest Laos, crashed into the AFTN station, killing 9 Air Force broadcasters. Pilot Leaphart and Navigator Bernholz ejected from their battle damaged plane when it went out of control on final approach. Both crewmen were injured but survived. The incident was the single worst catastrophe in the history of military broadcasting killing: TSGT Jack A Hawley, Wakeman, OH; SSGT James A. Howard, Denver, CO; A1C Andrew C. McCartney, Lakewood, OH; SSGT Alfred N. Potter, Forest Grove, OR; SGT John Charles Rose, Bloomfield, NJ; TSGT Frank D. Ryan Jr., Mercer Island, WA; SSGT Edward W. Strain, Myrtle Beach, SC; TSGT Roy Walker, Albuquerque, NM and A1C Thomas L. Waterman, Roanoke, VA.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.aftn.net/|title=AFTN – The American Forces Thailand Network|work=aftn.net |year=2015 |access-date=22 June 2015}}</ref>

AFTN became the American Forces Thailand Network in the summer of 1969, and continued operations until the spring of 1976 when the remaining U.S. troops in Thailand were withdrawn at the request of the Thai government. More than 600 broadcasters from the Air Force, Navy and Army had served during the ten years that AFTN operated.

===Taiwan===
{{see also|International Community Radio Taipei|l1=ICRT}}
Before the United States and the [[China|People's Republic of China]] established diplomatic relations in 1979, the AFN branch in [[Taiwan]] was Armed Forces Network Taiwan (AFNT), which had a main station in [[Yangmingshan American Military Housing]], [[Taipei]]. After the [[U.S. armed forces]] withdrew all its troops stationed in Taiwan (including the [[United States Taiwan Defense Command]]) as [[Washington, D.C.]], recognizes [[Beijing]] and broke ties with Taipei, the station was reorganized under the name of [[International Community Radio Taipei]] (ICRT) by the [[American Chamber of Commerce in Taipei]] and the [[ROC government]]. Today, ICRT is the only [[English-language radio]] service in Taiwan.

===Caribbean===
Then still known as the American Forces (or Armed Forces) Radio and Television Service, military bases and facilities throughout Puerto Rico received original radio programming from Army studios at Ft. Brooke in San Juan, Air Force studios at Ramey Air Force Base, and radio and television originating from Navy studios at Roosevelt Roads, in addition to local playback of stateside entertainment radio and television shows.  This broadcast service was known as AFCN, the American Forces Caribbean Network in the 1970s (later as the Armed Forces Caribbean Network) served military bases and facilities throughout Puerto Rico from transmitters in San Juan (Fort Brooke, Fort Buchanan), Roosevelt Roads Naval Station, and Ramey Air Force Base.  Each of these bases also had their own television transmitters or cable systems that played back stateside TV programming delivered to each location in weekly "packages" of 16mm film, kinescope recordings, video tape, and satellite news programming feeds.  AFCN Roosevelt Roads also produced live radio programming featuring Navy Journalist/Broadcaster disc jockeys in a Top 40 hits format, combined with programming from AFRTS Hollywood-sourced stateside shows such as American Top 40. Programming broadcast over AFCN broadcast radio and television transmitter antennas also reached some local civilian markets across Puerto Rico, such as San Juan.

===Central America===
Radio, and later television, to U.S. troops stationed in the [[Panama Canal Zone]] was provided initially by Armed Forces Radio (AFN) at [[Albrook Field]] and later as the [[Caribbean Forces Network]] at [[Fort Clayton]] with translators on the Atlantic side of the Canal Zone. In the early 1960s with reorganization of the command located in the Canal Zone, CFN became the Southern Command Network (SCN). SCN also broadcast to U.S. troops stationed in [[Honduras]] starting in 1987. SCN discontinued broadcasting on 1 July 1999<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.panamaamerica.com.pa/nacion/canal-8-cierra-el-1-de-julio-luego-de-laborar-por-50-anos-64160|title = Canal 8 cierra el 1 de julio luego de laborar por 50 años|date = 24 June 1999}}</ref> just before the 31 December<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://m.metrolibre.com/econom%C3%ADa/158925-el-canal-en-manos-paname%C3%B1as-ha-aportado-16818-millones.html|title=El Canal en manos panameñas ha aportado $16.818 millones|website=Metrolibre}}</ref> turnover of the Canal Zone to the [[Republic of Panama]] when U.S. troops were removed from that country under the [[Torrijos-Carter Treaties]].

AFN [[Honduras]], which began in 1987 as SCN Honduras, now broadcasts from [[Soto Cano Air Base]] on 106.3 FM, and serves more than 600 American service members stationed at the installation, as well as numerous civilian employees and contractors. The station's primary mission is radio, originating programming including two daily live shows following the "Eagle" format. Personnel also occasionally produce video news packages. As of 15 January 2013, AFN Honduras is one of 18 stations under the operational control of AFN Europe.

===Shortwave radio===
With the advent of [[satellite broadcasting]], AFRTS has shifted its emphasis away from [[Shortwave radio|shortwave]].  Currently, the U.S. Navy provides the only shortwave [[single sideband]] [[shortwave]] AFN radio broadcasts via relay sites around the world to provide service to ships, including [[Diego Garcia]], [[Guam]], [[Naval Air Station Sigonella]] in Italy, [[Puerto Rico]], [[Hawaii]] and others.