Sounds Of The Far East Network

FEN Wakkanai

"The Rick Dodds Collection"

RICK DODDS, a long time visitor, supporter, and contributor to these pages, recently provided a number of wonderful pictures of the Wakkanai operation. Rick writes:

"FEN Wakkanai was an experience I shall not forget, nor would I want to forget the year I spent there in 1966-67. Bitter cold, deep snow, and lots of time for the Airman's Club. Some of the crew on hand during that time period were: PFC Dick Benbow, SGT Jim Burwell, Airman Rick Dodds, LT Warren E. Domke, Airman Billy Gray, TSGT John "Grandpa Jack" Horton, MSGT Al "Uncle Al's Kid's Show" Lynch, Airman Larry Lynch, Airman Miller, SGT Don Wagy, SSGT John Wilson.

"More than once, during live, via short-wave, press conferences of President Johnson, we'd load the film projector with a 30 second loop of LBJ standing at a podium, and continue to run the film clip while simulcasting the sound from radio.

"Our TV programing was bicycled to us every two weeks...that is if the plane could land. If the plane couldn't land, then we'd be forced to show Third Man or Captain Kangaroo for the twentieth time, just to squeeze by and keep the troops entertained.

"Do you recall the weather segment within the noon network radio newscasts. "First we go north to Wakkanai." Then one by one, each station would check in with the latest weather in their area. "This is Air Force SGT Bud Boyd, in the It-A-Zoo-Kay stewed-e-ohs...," he'd say in his golden tonsilled voice. Well, little Wakkanai eventually seized the opportunity and began a series of 30 second operettas and satire, that somehow met with approval from an otherwise grim-faced Tokyo chain of command. Of course, Fundial, with Craig Smith and Wayne Lewis from the South Camp Drake Tokyo studios, was very memorable.

"But one of my memories may have escaped you. During an evening network newscast on the top of the hour, one of the Tokyo cohorts programmed the Shaffer automation system to fade the newscast down and out, just a transcription of a passing train whistled and chugged several times. Once that was complete, the newscast faded back up without missing a beat. I heard that Col. Harlan chewed some butt for the bit of fun.

"There was also, within the 1966-67 time frame, a line conference gone amuck. Every so often, the stations engineers and staff would meet on the airwaves to discuss business. In this one conference, no one knew whether to meet on landline or troposphere short-wave. After many minutes of Tokyo saying it wasn't their fault for the botched line conference, the Tokyo staff surrendered, blaming it all on a JN who had plugged in his electric razor and shorted out the whole system. What fun it all was!"

	FEN Wakkanai's A2C Rick Dodds gives the new zoom lengs Dage Bell a try-out. Note the Tonight Show on the monitor screen. Winter 66 (Photo credit: Jim Wade) October 3, 1966.
	Rick blinking his eyes as he emerges from winter's hibernation inside the TV studios in 67 (Photo credit: Jim Wade).
	The radio board in 1966-67.
	TV Control room during Uncle Al's Kid Show in 1966-67.
	Engineer/Airman Billy Gray giving FEN's mama-san a tough time in 1966-67
	Cleaning up!
	Receptions/Secretary/Film & Record Librarian Mr. Sakamoto circa 1966-67.
	SGT. Al Lynch enjoying a long drag on a cancer stick circa 1966-67.
	The staff welcomes Base Commander Hanley in Summer 1967.
	Wakkanai Base Commander Hanley.
	The resident Army guy -- PVT. Richard Benbos circa 1966-67.
	SGT. Al Lynch setting up the Dage Bell turret camera for yet another newscast circa 1966-67.
	Engineer Airman Billy Gray circa 1967.
	SGT. Jim Burwell, morning DJ at Wakkanai in 1967.
	Officer in Charge for FEN Wakkanai, 1966-1967, LT. Warren E. Domke, preparing to anchor a newscast.
	A1C Jim Wade was a volunteer at the station during 1966-67. He hosted TV's "Studio B" until COL. 'Snuffy' Smith put a halt to the host dancing with the teen female dependents. His "regular" job was that of photographer (he took several of the shots seen in this collection)
	NCOIC SGT. Al Lynch circ 1967.
	SGT. John K. Wilson cueing up a record in 1967.
	Engineer Airman Miller. Does anyone recall his first name?
	A3C rick Dodss at the Tachikawa BX prior to his arrival at the FEN snow fortress in Fall 1966 (Photo Credit: SGT. John K. Wilson)
	Here is a series of shots from the screen of the control room monitors circa Spring 1967. Soon after this, the second TV camera with a ZOOM lens (!) was received. A single 15-30 minute program of live dance music was broadcast from the Airman's Club, with the visiting band "Thunders." The guy at the mike is the NCOIC of the Airman's Club. SGT. John Wilson did the single camera work while A2C Rick Dodds handled the board operations
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	Civilian Engineers Hank and Mr. Imura-san circa 1966-1967.
	Civilian Engineers Hank and Mr. Imura-san circa 1966-1967.
	Civilian Engineers Hank and Mr. Imura-san circa 1966-1967.

This page last modified on Friday, 30-Jul-2004 18:28:28 EDT