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- Saturday, 7 August 2004
ARMY HOMETOWN NEWS CENTER UPDATE:
Phil Sturholm
9607 N.E. 198th
Bothell, WA 98011-2328 (15-miles north of Seattle)
Phone: (425) 483 - 2151
Fax: (425) 425 - 3854
e-Mail: psturholm@compuserve.com
A great idea - and a great time for a AHTNC update.
I entered the Army in January 1960 as a Second Lieutenant / Signal
Corps.
(ROTC)
After finishing 90-days Officer's Basic at Fort Monmouth, New
Jersey, I
signed in at AHTNC in April 1960 as the TV Branch Chief.
These are some of the names I remember when I signed in. I'm
sure I'll
misspell a good many names here
but I'll do my best.:
Lt. Co. Bartoni -
Officer in charge
Major Earl Bilmeyer -
Exc. Officer
Sgt. Charles Kerr - spent
15-yrs there when I signed in.
-
He also worked at the KC Museum.
Sgt Tom Greene - Radio
Sgt Bart - Photo Lab
(Can't remember Bart's last name)
St Ben Howe - Maybe Ben
ran Editorial section?
Dick Kanable - office
clerk - ran the office
Joe Huzl - TV Branch clerk - worked with me in TV section processing
and
editing 16-mm black & white motion picture film
Chet Weathers - he
processed 16-mm b&w film for TV Branch.
My wife Janet and I lived in Independence
about 8-10 miles from
the
Records Center Building
I worked on the second floor
sharing
it with, I
believe a Marine/Naval group.
When I moved to Kansas City/Independence
the Army told me
- I'm sure the
rest of the AHTNC staff - that we could "live off the local
economy"
we
were told it was cheap living - rent and groceries in the Kansas
City area
was quite cheap compared to other cities. RIGHT?
My paycheck came to $310 each month - and that was it. Our
first apartment
was $75.00 a month
the final year we moved. Dick Kanable,
our clerk, was
discharged from the Army
we took over his apartment which was
located
near the Truman Library. We paid $95.00 a month there.
Within a month or two, I knew that $310 a month would not support me
and my wife. So I took a job as a grocery clerk at Kroger's.
I hadn't yet told
Col. Bartoni I needed the extra paying job
nor did I ask his
permission -
which was "sorta, kinda, required. Wouldn't you know it.
The first night
on the job at Kroger, the colonel and his showed up to show for
groceries.
That was on a Friday night
come Monday morning, I was called
into his
office to explain my "second job." He didn't like it
being an officer
and all
but he also knew that $310 a month wouldn't go far.
So he
approved my second job. The extra $30 on month made the
difference between poverty and getting by.
There was an Artillery/Armor group of about 60-80 people (I'm not
quite
sure of the proper designation)
above us on the third floor (3).
For whatever reason, Uncle Sam and the US Army decided it was too
expensive to live in KC for Artillery folks
so the Army rented
and paid for housing
for Artillery. One floor below
us in the AHTNC
were
not able to get
military housing. Same Army
but different rules.
The nearest PX 50-60 miles was at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas.
There was a
small PX on the Richards Gabauer (sp) Air Force base
just
outside of KC
but it ways always loaded with people - especially on payday.
When I signed in, the TV Branch Chief I was replacing had just
been
released from the Army
I never met him. But, thank God,
Joe Huzl was
there running the office.
Among many others, it was Sgt Kerr, Sgt Bart, Sgt Greene, Sgt Howe,
and Joe
Huzl who trained this new 2nd Lieutenant
trained him in the ways
of the
AHTNC. If it hadn't been for the Army uniform, I'm sure Kansas
City didn't
know we existed.
THE TV BRANCH OFFICE:
When I reported for duty in April 1960, the TV Branch consisted of
two
desks in the first room -Joe's and mine
and Chet Weathers'
(Chet was a
cilivian employee) office - which really was an film editing
table. Our
office faced Independence Ave - also known as 24-Hiway. At
least we could
look out at the weather to see what was going on.
Our job was to receive black & white,16mm films from all of the
various
Army commands
process the film
then edit the individual
interviews
(about 2-3 minutes long)
and release the to TV stations around
the US.
For those who know .. or actually care
the interviews were
recorded on
"optical sound"
the sound was actually photographed
along side the
picture. It was "horrible" audio
if we
over-developed the video for
better pictures
we also over-developed the audio - making audio a
pain-in-the-XXXX.
Chet's job was to run the 16-mm film processor --- process the
incoming
film
then break it down into 2-3 minute interviews.
Joe's job, of course, was to type and label the envelopes and send
them out
to TV stations.
My job, as Branch Chief, was to watch Joe and Chet work
then
write
critique letters to the various commands explaining why we did - or
did not
- release the work. There were numerous times we sent back the
whole batch of film - with the explanation that we had to
"kill" the interviews
the
Army's definition not mine
because the film was over or
under-exposed,
the audio was too low or too high, the interviews too long
at
times the
Unit designation was longer than the interview - it took too long to
say
I'm a member the B-Company, third platoon, as a machiners gunners
mate
you get the idea.
Or course there were times were screwed up on our own in developing
the
film or the film processor broke down.
The film processor was located across the hall from our office
the AHTNC
photo lab (black & white still photos). The processor- the
trade name was
"Filmline Processor."
The processor was inside the only air-conditioned room on the 2nd
floor (I
think). I have to admit, it was the most over-supervised
office at AHTNC.
The rest of the office staff worked in front of those huge Army fans
we all
remember for our "basic training" days. With 30
women typists and 90
military personnel working on the AHTNC floor
probably 8 people
received
the benefit of the fans
the rest of us worked in the Missouri
humidity.
With a few exceptions, our detachment at AHTC did not have to stand
regular
off/hour-duty. No guard duty, no company formations - but the
men did have
to make up their rooms and pass weekly inspections - most often by
me. The
man with the best room got a half-day off duty on Fridays. I'm
pleased to
report Joe got his fair share of off-duty Fridays.
We had about 30 women typist who typed our news stories
their
stories
were then sent over to military personnel for duplication and
mailing.
At one time, I also functioned as Major Billmeyer's Ex-officer
(later
promoted to Lt Col). When Col. Bartoni was re-assigned, Maj,
Bilmeyer took
his place. Without an ex-officer around
I became his
ex-officer for
several months.
One of the main pillars at AHTNC was Sgt Charlie Kerr. I'm not
certain but
I believe Sgt Kerr helped put together the AHTNC for the Army.
When I
arrived, Sgt Kerry knew everything about everybody - he'd been there
for I
think 15-yrs when I signed in. He was very good and could
operate any deck
the colonel assigned to him.
Sgt Greene ran the Radio Section
that consisted of receiving
audio taped
interviews with military personnel stationed at various Army
commands
and
like the TV Branch
releasing the interviews to radio stations in
the US.
Tom and I wrote each other for maybe 35-yrs. Tom retired from
the Army
after 30-yrs, then took a civilian job at the Pentagon in DC.
The last I
heard from Tom was two (2) years ago
he was in poor health at
that time.
In 1961
when East Germany built the Berlin Wall
a number of
us were
supposed to be released from the Army
we'd put in our obligatory
two-yrs.
In those days the "Draft" for military personnel was in
full swing. I
believe it was a 2-yr period for those who were drafted into the
Army
3 and
4-years for Air Force and Navy.
With the Berlin Wall was built, those in uniform had our
"released" date
extended for one more year. The Army - for the thousands of
reservists not
on active duty - called them back to duty. It was a mess
--- wives, kids,
relatives, businessmen all protested to the Army and to Congress -
President Kennedy was in office.
For us at AHTNC, our daily duties never changed a bit. We kept
cranking
out the hometown news releases. My tour of duty was extended
9-months
I
was finally released from the Army in August of 1962. I spent
almost 3-yrs
in the Army.
There was a civilian cafeteria on the 2nd floor
actually just a
door away
from our main office. They served breakfast, lunch and
dinner. The men
who lived in the dorm behind our office ate all three meals there -
- -
most of the time. For those who commuted to work, we usually
had lunch.
There was a very small PX down the same hall
you could buy
candy,
magazines, shaving gear, etc. Almost next door was the
Military doctor's
office. The old guy - the doctor in charge - was called
"Shaky. He was
old - or seemed old to us - and his hands shook like hell. One
never knew
where he would shoved the thermometer. We avoided sick-call at
all costs.
It was better - and safer I suppose - to have someone drive you to
Ft
Leavenworth.
I have a few photographs
but I'll need to search the house for
those. As
soon as I find them, I'll e-Mail them to you.
WHAT HAVE I DONE SINCE LEAVING THE ARMY:
I left the Army in August of 1962. Drove back to Portland,
Oregon, hoping
to find a job as a TV news photographer there at KGW-TV.
Because of the
extended service in the Army, the job that had been offered me
quickly
disappeared. But within a couple of days - in September, a job
opened up
in Seattle. KGW's parent station, KING, had an opening.
I had known and
worked with the guy leaving KING - he signed on with CBS news - so
he put
in a good word for me at KING.
On September 19th, I signed with KING-TV (NBC) as a news
photographer. I
spent 24-years at KING
working my up to News Director in
1982-84. I
became senior producer for the national PM Magazine show out of San
Francisco (3-yrs there), then back to Seattle as Executive Editor at
KIRO-TV (CBS) for an 8-yr stint. In 1991, left KIRO to
start my own video
business
working as a producer/photographer, editor for PBS and
ABC.
In my years in television, I traveled the world extensively
all
on
company money. I was one of three producers who traveled in
China when it
opened up in 1977. Even though I did not serve in Vietnam
I'm been there
about least a dozens times doing TV specials there.
I'm now 68-yrs old
I have not retired
repeat, I HAVE NOT
RETIRED. I
teach Broadcast Writing and TV Production at Seattle University
(16-yrs
now), I teach TV Production at the University of Washington - I'm
helping
them rebuild their TV program that slashed out of existence 10-yrs
ago. I
write and produce videos for Seattle Community college's cable TV
system
and I still do a few outside video projects.
Just when I thought I'd retire
the projects I'd really love to
do
suddenly presented themselves. I just couldn't say no.
Maybe I'll retire
when I reach 70.
I know this is much longer than you need
I've probably left out
a number
of things I'll remember later on. Anyway
that's the
AHTNC as I saw it.
I was a terrific experience and I worked with some of the finest men
to
put on an Army uniform. Uncle Sam treated me well - no
complaints.
My very best to all who served at AHTNC.
Phil Sturholm
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