Lai Khe base - 1969:
I took a stroll down that lane an it brought back some great memories. Did
I miss seeing "My Girl", by the Temptations? Seemed like
whenever I saw four or five blacks relaxin' and having a good time they
would inevitably end up singing "My Girl" in harmony and with
all the moves. I always enjoyed that.
At First Infantry Division, we had a pirate
radio station at Lai Khe base camp. K L I K ... the K was chosen because
all radio-TV call signs west of the Mississippi begin with a K, while
those east of the Mississippi started with a W. We felt we were well west
of the Mississippi, being in Vietnam. Anyway, one of my many extra duties
was to be accountable for KLIK-radio.
There were some no-nos posted in the
station having to do with playing records like, Fixin' to Die Rag and Why
Don't We Do It in the Road. Usually, it never presented a problem but
every once in a while I'd come back from my weekly trip to Saigon and AFVN
and find a stack of telephone message slips demanding my attention---field
grades complaining that someone had played one or both of those songs. I'd
spend the morning getting my butt chewed out and screamed at. Once it was
one of the division's chaplains who freaked over Do It and wanted to know
how anybody ever managed to record such an offensive record, let alone
play it over the radio where it would destroy the moral fiber of America's
youth! He chewed me out using some words not found in the King James Bible
in a voice that shook the phone. The chaplain ended his harangue by
demanding that I seize the record, destroy it, bring him the broken pieces
and court martial the offending DJ.
After these morning sessions (they
yelled---I listened) I'd go over to the station and plead with the crew
not to play those songs. Then we'd all have a beer and laugh about it. You
just couldn't keep the guys down for long and their idea of good music
sure wasn't the same as the field grades.
Forrest Brandt
P.S. Since posting this story, I have had
contacts from three guys who worked at KLIK at different times. We now
have an e-history thing going to figure out more pieces in the KLIK story
puzzle. Thanks for getting us together. The staff at KLIK radio, Lai Khe,
RVN: Far left, back row, is Roger Ramjet, an unforgettable name if ever
there was one. Collin P. Kelly III, is first row, far right. He started
his first show "Ice" on KLIK. Next to him, in glasses, is Chris
Smith (I believe) a SP/5 who could fix anything in the studio. The rest of
the names have left my memory box.
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