FEN Kyushu - Page 2

FEN Kyushu (Itazuke) - Page 2

The Hank Schutzbier Collection

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	Itazuke Control Room #1, the main broadcast studio. Note: 15" transcription recordings from AFRTS in L.A. were played on the three GE turntables.
	Another view of control room #1 showing the turntables and racks of timing equipment, audio amps, and two Collins R-390 receivers for monitoring our SW broadcasts (Along with an SP-600 at the top of the middle rack). They were used for timing signals from JJY (the time standard station in Japan) as well. It was here Hank first listed to Sputnik when it was launched by Russia. Data and beacon signal was on 19.9999MHz.
	Hank working on his music requests one day prior to a show. Staffers often would audition the music in the library and then type the artist and whether it was a vocal or instrumental, so as to ensure the proper "mixture." Also the show name, time and date, cut number and run time were added to help organize the show better. Then it was passed on to the Librarian. At Itazuke, that was 'Kathy'. She would have all the transcriptions together with our original request sheet in the control room in order of show airtimes.
	One of the fine local engineers, Mr. Hidaka (Hank used to irreverantly call him Hakaka, meaning naked). There were about 4 engineers to help Mr.Houston our chief engineer. The vehicle was the jeep used for on-base running around mostly. Staffers used the black sedan if they had a gig downtown or had to interview VIPs somewhere. It was safer to haul all the remote equipment needed for remote shows like an occassional "Bands of Japan," or the weekly "Let's Dance" show from the Kasuga Zerbra NCO Club on Saturday nights.
	Hank at the controls of the "event studio" at Itazuke.
	Can anyone identify this Army Sergeant? He came to Itazuke from Fleet Activities Sasebo (it really was an Army base). His first name was Wayne and here is one of his famous 'stoned' poses in this photo. He had a terrific sense of humor and a great Edward R. Morrow voice. The picture is circa 1959
	Hank and two young women from the local "Teens on Parade" show. The one on the left is Sarah.
	Tuning into FEN SW frequencies -- three of them. This was done to check our modulation and signal characteristics at a distance from the Tokyo area Momote Village transmitter site near Camp Drake. DX was fantastic! Hank used to get fan mail from Alaska, Hawaii, and all over the Pacific including Macao. Some got mail even from Europe with good skip conditions. [Editor's note: Note that in this picture, the SP-600 (center rack) has been replaced with a Collins 75A3 or 75A4.]
	Hank "doing his thing" on a DeeJay show.
	A shot of the control board during a night time show.
	Hank with Mr.'Joe' Kawakami, janitor & driver (far left in picture). In back, behind Hank, on the right was the entrance to our music transcription library. It was packed but organized in a way that only our librarian Kathy, a Japanese National, could do so well. Behind Hank on the left was the door to the Station Manager's office. The manager in 1957 was USAF 1st Lt. Don Roth. Later in 1958-on, was 1st Lt.James R. Lapp. Program Manager was Army M/Sgt Jerry Posey.
	Shot taken from the door of the 'events' studio looking towards the far end of the building. Main entrance is not visible but on the left of the picture. Should help orient anyone who was ever in the building
	Hank at the console.
	Hamamura Michiko, the so called "Banana Boat Girl" at the Takarazuka theater in Fukuoka in her dressing room. She came to town for a performance. Hank was told by her agent that he was the only one (gaijin) she allowed to interview her.
	Jane Mansfield's famous profile taken during a USO show.
	Jerry Colona and Les Brown.
	Unidentified singer in the USO show. Hank says he was too interested in "Les Brown's Band of Renown," his all time favorite band. The USO tour stopped at Itazuke on their way home from Korea.
	This one was taken during the killer floods brought on by one heck of a typhoon that hit Kyushu July 1957. This was an interview held at Base Headquarters of one of the many relief agencies. (Same picture attachment appears in newspaper special on FEN reproduced below.)
	From the base newspaper 'Itazuke Sonicle'. It shows some pictures that are hard to see since the yellowed paper is now 44 years old. But perhaps you can make out Bob Houston on the right. One great guy and a terrific engineer that kept us always up and running. Mention is made of the young lady who also appears at the Armed Forces Day celebration, Karin Martin. She was active in the Teens program we had on Saturdays.
	The photo on left of this article is the same as presented elsewhere in this exhibit. This was taken after Hank returned from reporting on the flood.. An Air Force helicopter took Prime Minister Nobuske Kishi, Governnor Takejiro Nishioka, the governor of Nagasaki, and an Air Force photographer, T/Sgt Lloyd K. St. John of the Base Photo Lab and Socicle photo-reporter for the paper. They air-toured the devestated area of Shimabara and Isahayaya towns that were literally wiped out. Hank describes the scene from 300 meters up as if a box of matches where dumped on the ground next to a dam. No town just match sticks. They found one young girl hanging on to a part of her house floating in the middle of Omura Bay.
	Another photo from the same page, showing our Station Manager., Lt. Roth (center), interviewing "Wilma The Weather WAF" in our events studio. Roth was there when Hank arrived in January 1957.

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This page last modified on Saturday, 16-Nov-2002 18:19:16 EST