K T U S went on the air at a time when pop music was growing with a melting pot format that became "Top Forty Radio." |
| March 31, 2008 marked the Golden Anniversary of formal ceremonies that officially put K T U S on the air as the Radio Voice of Mainsite, Turkey. |
This reminder from Larry Webb:
Your requests, short stories and
comments are always welcome via
email: ktus@cox.net
Your requests, short stories and
comments are always welcome via
email: ktus@cox.net
When we talk about KTUS originals,
DONALD A. BROWN was a founding
father.
His versatility was unmatched.
Don was always organized, That's a
rare quality when it comes to
broadcasters.
Affectionately referred to as "Good Ol'
D.A.B.," it was entirely because of
Don's efforts KTUS returned to the
airwaves in Gatlinburg during a KAS
60-61 reunion.
Thanks, Don.
We miss you.
DONALD A. BROWN was a founding
father.
His versatility was unmatched.
Don was always organized, That's a
rare quality when it comes to
broadcasters.
Affectionately referred to as "Good Ol'
D.A.B.," it was entirely because of
Don's efforts KTUS returned to the
airwaves in Gatlinburg during a KAS
60-61 reunion.
Thanks, Don.
We miss you.
KTUS
PETE MURPHY is best remembered as
one of the original KTUS D.J.'s.
One of his shows was "P.M. in the
A.M." heard mornings on AM KTUS.
Through the years, Pete was
instrumental in tracking down and
keeping track of KTUS staff members.
Thanks, Pete.
We miss you.
one of the original KTUS D.J.'s.
One of his shows was "P.M. in the
A.M." heard mornings on AM KTUS.
Through the years, Pete was
instrumental in tracking down and
keeping track of KTUS staff members.
Thanks, Pete.
We miss you.
SHERM LEVY writes that KTUS was his
"saving grace" during his 21 months at
Mainsite. He recalls how PETE
MURPHY sat him in front of the
microphone and said "say something!"
Sherm says he will forever be grateful
to those who made the radio station
possible.
"saving grace" during his 21 months at
Mainsite. He recalls how PETE
MURPHY sat him in front of the
microphone and said "say something!"
Sherm says he will forever be grateful
to those who made the radio station
possible.
His radio name was "Smilin' Bill." His
buddies called him "Fat Rat." His real
name is WILLIAM "BILL" BABBITT. Bill
writes that his theme song was "I Walk
the Line" by Johnny Cash. Bill was at
Mainsite in 1961-1962.
buddies called him "Fat Rat." His real
name is WILLIAM "BILL" BABBITT. Bill
writes that his theme song was "I Walk
the Line" by Johnny Cash. Bill was at
Mainsite in 1961-1962.
THE RADIO VOICE OF MAINSITE
DAVID DEVLIN was stationed at
Mainsite from late 1958 to early 1960
and had a half hour KTUS show before
lunch and dinner. He mainly read the
menu from the chow hall. David says
the cooks used to get mad at him for
ribbing them about the food!
Mainsite from late 1958 to early 1960
and had a half hour KTUS show before
lunch and dinner. He mainly read the
menu from the chow hall. David says
the cooks used to get mad at him for
ribbing them about the food!
MUSIC,
MEMORIES
AND
MORE!
MEMORIES
AND
MORE!
KTUS STORY
.
At one point in 1958 the KTUS staff
numbered about 60,
All were volunteers who contributed
some of their off-duty hours to inform,
entertain, and foster morale via the
Mainsite airwaves.
numbered about 60,
All were volunteers who contributed
some of their off-duty hours to inform,
entertain, and foster morale via the
Mainsite airwaves.
Back in those Mainsite days, KTUS
DJ's always announced the names of
the songs and the performers.
Sometimes we identified the record
label.
For the most part we spun 45 RPM
records. I'm sure you remember them,
small disc with a big hole.
Once in a while, we'd play a track from
an LP and forget to change the
turntable speed to 33 and a third.
Nothing like a few bars of Perry Como
sounding like Tiny Tim!
DJ's always announced the names of
the songs and the performers.
Sometimes we identified the record
label.
For the most part we spun 45 RPM
records. I'm sure you remember them,
small disc with a big hole.
Once in a while, we'd play a track from
an LP and forget to change the
turntable speed to 33 and a third.
Nothing like a few bars of Perry Como
sounding like Tiny Tim!
The KTUS story would not be complete
without a weather forecast from our
very own "resident meteorologist" TEX
RAY KLINE.
Day-to-day TRK would turn some
pretty accurate prognostications
complete with temperatures and sky
conditions.
Once, he predicted snow within an
hour of when it started to fall!
Tex obtained weather jingles from
WOWO, Fort Wayne, Indiana that we
used in presenting his forecasts.
without a weather forecast from our
very own "resident meteorologist" TEX
RAY KLINE.
Day-to-day TRK would turn some
pretty accurate prognostications
complete with temperatures and sky
conditions.
Once, he predicted snow within an
hour of when it started to fall!
Tex obtained weather jingles from
WOWO, Fort Wayne, Indiana that we
used in presenting his forecasts.
Shortly after KTUS went on the air,
RON POLAND joined the staff asking,
"what can I do to help?"
He explained he wasn't a DJ, had no
technical experience and didn't care
about administration.
So Ron became an engineer and
board operator. He enjoyed listening to
the music, keeping the jocks in a merry
mood and contributing to various
special projects,
Thanks, Ron.
We miss you.
RON POLAND joined the staff asking,
"what can I do to help?"
He explained he wasn't a DJ, had no
technical experience and didn't care
about administration.
So Ron became an engineer and
board operator. He enjoyed listening to
the music, keeping the jocks in a merry
mood and contributing to various
special projects,
Thanks, Ron.
We miss you.
The main thing DICK WILT remembers
about Mainsite was all the mud,
especially in those "pioneer days" of
1957-58..
Dick says, "it was the only place you
could stand in the mud up to your
knees and the dust blew in your eyes!"
about Mainsite was all the mud,
especially in those "pioneer days" of
1957-58..
Dick says, "it was the only place you
could stand in the mud up to your
knees and the dust blew in your eyes!"
It was the technical expertise of NEIL
BERG and his team of talented
engineers who put KTUS on the air
and wired the studios.
They truly made the most of what they
had to work with.
What impressed the rest of the staff
was their patience and determination
to complete the KTUS project!
Warmest congrats on a job well done!
BERG and his team of talented
engineers who put KTUS on the air
and wired the studios.
They truly made the most of what they
had to work with.
What impressed the rest of the staff
was their patience and determination
to complete the KTUS project!
Warmest congrats on a job well done!
On duty he was DAVE RADOMSKI.
Off duty and on the air he was "Johnny
D. from Mainsite."
Always friendly and cheerful, "Johnny
D." was a KTUS favorite!
Off duty and on the air he was "Johnny
D. from Mainsite."
Always friendly and cheerful, "Johnny
D." was a KTUS favorite!
Upbeat, witty and downright cool, the
DICK FLOYD SHOW was always a
listening treat.
Dick played the great songs by the
great artists and would explain why
each selection was special. And, he
had his very own special nickname for
each artist.
Sure, he was sweet on Joni James, but
that's another story. It was one of the
things that made him a special DJ.
DICK FLOYD SHOW was always a
listening treat.
Dick played the great songs by the
great artists and would explain why
each selection was special. And, he
had his very own special nickname for
each artist.
Sure, he was sweet on Joni James, but
that's another story. It was one of the
things that made him a special DJ.
In 1958 ED GRAY pitched TUSLOG
Det 3 to the first Mainsite softball
championship.
Off the diamond, he did sportscasts
and play-by-play on KTUS.
Ed was one of the station's biggest
boosters.
Following his Air Force days, Ed
distinguished himself as a career
police officer in suburban St. Louis.
Det 3 to the first Mainsite softball
championship.
Off the diamond, he did sportscasts
and play-by-play on KTUS.
Ed was one of the station's biggest
boosters.
Following his Air Force days, Ed
distinguished himself as a career
police officer in suburban St. Louis.
Back then we knew him as BOBBY
DELL.
After his Air Force days at KTUS his
career in radio took him to many
stations and formats.
When Bob settled at WWL in New
Orleans he became one of that city's
most popular talk show hosts.
Today, he's Bob DelGiorno, the
Louisiana Sportsman.
DELL.
After his Air Force days at KTUS his
career in radio took him to many
stations and formats.
When Bob settled at WWL in New
Orleans he became one of that city's
most popular talk show hosts.
Today, he's Bob DelGiorno, the
Louisiana Sportsman.
NORM DURNFORD remembers how
DON BROWN helped get him started
as a DJ on KTUS. Norm says it "was
kind of scary at first" but it wasn't long
before he was spinning records on the
late show. Norm says he loved the
midnight shift on KTUS because he
has always been a "night owl."
DON BROWN helped get him started
as a DJ on KTUS. Norm says it "was
kind of scary at first" but it wasn't long
before he was spinning records on the
late show. Norm says he loved the
midnight shift on KTUS because he
has always been a "night owl."
If the show was "Shammin with Sherm"
you knew SHERM LEVY was at the
controls. With "The Happy Whistler" as
his theme song, Sherm delivered his
own brand of friendly patter between
platter after platter. After all, that's
what shammin' is all about.
you knew SHERM LEVY was at the
controls. With "The Happy Whistler" as
his theme song, Sherm delivered his
own brand of friendly patter between
platter after platter. After all, that's
what shammin' is all about.
| All this was transpiring before the Beatles led the British music invasion and Motown surged out of Detroit. |
Sergeant MURRAY GREER was
N.C.O.I.C.of the transmitter site about
halfway between Mainsite and Yalova.
He remembers the first day KTUS was
on the air, Sgt. Greer says you could
pick it up on the car radio outside the
base, because the power lines were
used as the antenna. "It sure brings
back some old memories."
N.C.O.I.C.of the transmitter site about
halfway between Mainsite and Yalova.
He remembers the first day KTUS was
on the air, Sgt. Greer says you could
pick it up on the car radio outside the
base, because the power lines were
used as the antenna. "It sure brings
back some old memories."
KTUS DJ's played just about every kind of music, even some light classical, as the station reflected the changing "tunes of the times." |
ROGER LAWSON was at Mainsite from
May of 1960 to October 1961. He
remembers taking the portable
turntables into Istanbul and putting on
dances at the USO once a month.
May of 1960 to October 1961. He
remembers taking the portable
turntables into Istanbul and putting on
dances at the USO once a month.
Back in mid-1961, PAUL DU LUDE
used the air name "PAUL DEE" when
he spun records for his buddies
sharing a house on Bayukada. Paul
says he loved his experience on KTUS
and his days at Mainsite.
used the air name "PAUL DEE" when
he spun records for his buddies
sharing a house on Bayukada. Paul
says he loved his experience on KTUS
and his days at Mainsite.
This site is dedicated to those
who gave their time and talent
to the station that became the
first Armed Forces Radio outlet
in Turkey. They include:
BARRY BAMPTON
PAUL BERGMAN
"SMILIN' BILL" BABBITT
NEIL BERG
STEVE BOTOS
BOB BOWER
DON BROWN
PHIL BROWN
HARRY BURNS
JAN CLAIRE
DAVE DECKER
"BOBBY DELL" DELGIORNO
DAVID DEVLIN
PAUL DU LUDE
BOB DUMAS
FRED KARTH
CHAPLAIN WILLIAM KOPELKE
SHERMAN LEVY
RICH MILLS
PETE MURPHY
NORM DURNFORD
DICK FLOYD
ED GRAY
JACK GROELLE
BOB GUEST
HARRISON HARTMAN
PAUL HATFIELD
BOB HORAN
ROGER LAWSON
KEN MCALEXANDER
CLIFF"CHICK"McCALMONT
CHUCK MOORE
RON POLAND
PETE JOHNSON
DON PORTER
DAVE RADOMSKI
JOEL SCALLON
RONALD STEPHAN
PAUL SUTTON
ED WATTS
LARRY WEBB
BOB WILLETT
DICK WILT
BOB ZULKIE
who gave their time and talent
to the station that became the
first Armed Forces Radio outlet
in Turkey. They include:
BARRY BAMPTON
PAUL BERGMAN
"SMILIN' BILL" BABBITT
NEIL BERG
STEVE BOTOS
BOB BOWER
DON BROWN
PHIL BROWN
HARRY BURNS
JAN CLAIRE
DAVE DECKER
"BOBBY DELL" DELGIORNO
DAVID DEVLIN
PAUL DU LUDE
BOB DUMAS
FRED KARTH
CHAPLAIN WILLIAM KOPELKE
SHERMAN LEVY
RICH MILLS
PETE MURPHY
NORM DURNFORD
DICK FLOYD
ED GRAY
JACK GROELLE
BOB GUEST
HARRISON HARTMAN
PAUL HATFIELD
BOB HORAN
ROGER LAWSON
KEN MCALEXANDER
CLIFF"CHICK"McCALMONT
CHUCK MOORE
RON POLAND
PETE JOHNSON
DON PORTER
DAVE RADOMSKI
JOEL SCALLON
RONALD STEPHAN
PAUL SUTTON
ED WATTS
LARRY WEBB
BOB WILLETT
DICK WILT
BOB ZULKIE