From: Ken Kalish
Dated: August 30, 2018
Subject: Most Famous?
Dickie, I lived at the Plaza. I was only a 2nd Class Gunner’s Mate (E-5). Of course, my next promotion was to Admiral.
Ken Kalish Carma Llama Rescue
From: Dick Ellis
Dated: August 30, 2018
Subject: Most Famous?
It was always my understanding that the Plaza was for senior NCO's...I lived at the Ky Son two blocks down the street. My work schedule was 8 to 8 6-days a week in 67 and 68. Sometimes we would be late and get off the bus to eat dinner at the Plaza because the Ky Son chow hall had closed. I was stopped several times by MP's while walking the two blocks down the sidewalk from the Plaza to the Ky Son but each time they recognized me from TV and shook my hand.
Dickie, Habitual Violator
From: Rick Fredericksen
Dated: August 30, 2018
Subject: Most Famous?
Dick, your memories on curfew and the NCO ranks that lived in the Plaza make me think that but [both?] curfew times and the makeup of various hotel residents was subject to change during the course of the war. Previous postings by AFVN vets have suggested the curfew wasn't enforced at all...to being strictly enforced. I checked into the Plaza in 1969 as a Lance Corporal (E3). There were many other lower ranked enlisted men at that time, but things could have been different before and after.
Rick Fredericksen
From: Mike Jackson
Dated: September 6, 2018
Subject: Most Famous?
You know guys, probably the most famous AFVN alum was Michael Jackson.
R. Michael Jackson
AFVN'71
Please note that Rick Fredericksen also has a blog on the Plaza Hotel.
From: Ken Kalish
Dated: August 30, 2018
Subject: Most Famous?
Ann, there was a dispensary (Army) next to the Ky Son, across the street from it with streets that made a triangle. The other street had that garish movie theater.
Ken Kalish Carma Llama Rescue
From: Ann Kelsey
Dated: August 30, 2018
Subject: Most Famous?
This is totally unrelated, but for those who were billeted at the Plaza in ‘69, was there a medical dispensary there? I’m trying to remember if that was where I got sent when I got sick shortly after my arrival in fall 1969.
Ann
[Note; Most likely Ann went to the 218th Medical Dispensary which was just behind the Ky Son Hotel. Webmaster]
From: Dick Ellis
Dated: August 30, 2018
Subject: Most Famous?
They had a great dinning hall...but it was very small and closed earlier than the Plaza. If we were running late on the bus we stopped there then walked to the Ky Son. I remember several of our more Senior NCO's stayed at the Plaza but don't remember any AFVN NCO above the rank of Spec-4 at the Ky Son. I do remember when the Ky Son chow hall switched to powdered milk for a short while and there was almost a riot. I found out later when I worked at the Pentagon that most of the milk came from dairy farms on Guam and Siapan. One of them was owned by a WWII Navy vet who was from my home town and stayed in Guam.!!!
I had a wonderful thanksgiving and Christmas (1967) at the AFVN studios provided by Patty Krause and the USO down town....we worked all holiday long and she brought us a station-wagon loaded with turkey dinners.
The curfew's changed following the Tet Offensive (Feb 68) and were pretty tight for a while. They had started to loosen up a little about the time I left in September. They had a great dinning hall...but it was very small and closed earlier than the Plaza. If we were running late on the bus we stopped there then walked to the Ky Son. I remember several of our more Senior NCO's stayed at the Plaza but don't remember any AFVN NCO above the rank of Spec-4 at the Ky Son. I do remember when the Ky Son chow hall switched to powdered milk for a short while and there was almost a riot. I found out later when I worked at the Pentagon that most of the milk came from dairy farms on Guam and Saipan. One of them was owned by a WWII Navy vet who was from my home town and stayed in Guam!!!
I had a wonderful thanksgiving and Christmas (1967) at the AFVN studios provided by Patty Krause and the USO down town....we worked all holiday long and she brought us a station-wagon loaded with turkey dinners.
The curfew's changed following the Tet Offensive (Feb 68) and were pretty tight for a while. They had started to loosen up a little about the time I left in September.
Dickie
From: Rick Fredericksen
Dated: August 29, 2018
Subject: Plaza Hotel Memories
Thanks for your input Preston. The Plaza may well have been Pat's assigned quarters, but until someone confirms I'll consider it a good hunch. Marc Yablonka confirms that Pat did overnight, at least occasionally, in the Engineering Dept. in order to be in position for his early Dawnbuster show. I think it was also former Engineer Harry Simons who also mentioned it. All the best.
Rick Fredericksen
From: Preston Cluff
Dated: August 29, 2018
Subject: Plaza Hotel Memories
I think, Rick, Pat was billeted in the Plaza, just up the road from the smaller Ky Son. Never knew him to sleep over at the network, and I was there his entire tour. Pat did write a very pro-military piece for TV Guide (remember that mag?????) after his enlistment, and before his Wheel days. I was genuinely so pleased to see his byline.
Preston
From: Rick Fredericksen
Dated: August 29, 2018
Subject: Plaza Hotel Memories
Can anyone identify a famous or notable person who stayed at the Plaza? Even if they were not famous at the time, like Pat Sadjak. Where DID Sadjak billet?? I'm about ready to publish a photo essay on 50 years of the Plaza.
Rick Fredericksen
From: Ken Kalish
Dated: September 6, 2018
Subject: Most Famous?
Dickie, aren’t you the only person who never managed an NCO club, but still earned the Cardboard Liver Medal?
Ken Kalish Carma Llama Rescue
From: Dick Ellis
Dated: September 6, 2018
Subject: Most Famous?
Thank you for your kindness sir! My mom said much the same thing when I was born... She said: "Damn, that baby's head is unique!"
Dickie, highly decorated Combat Announcer
From: Rick Fredericksen
Dated: August 30, 2018
Subject: Most Famous?
Questions: Thanks to mascot25 for the tip that Thom Steinbeck was a notable resident of the Plaza. WHO is mascot25? Please give me a name, as the email address does not reveal it. ALSO, do you recall the room number where you and Thom lived? I assume this was in 1968?
Many thanks.
Rick Fredericksen
From: Bob Morecook
Dated: August 29, 2018
Subject: Most Famous?
I nominate Dick Ellis for most notorious.
Bob M
From: Rick Fredericksen
Dated: August 30, 2018
Subject: Most Famous?
Dickie, Speaking of weather talents: if Bobbie had stayed at the Plaza, she would certainly have qualified as a bonafide celebrity! I think she had a private accommodation on, or near, Nguyen Hue.
Rick Fredericksen
From: Garry Brill
Dated: August 29, 2018
Subject: Plaza Hotel Memories
At 5am every morning I was picked up at The Plaza to do my Sunrise in Saigon show on AFVN FM, and then we stopped to pick up Pat, and I think it was at The Brinks, but this old mind is just not certain.
GarryB
From: Dick Ellis
Dated: August 30, 2018
Subject: Most Famous?
Two blocks past the Plaza next to the Ky Son was a field hospital. Several of us volunteered to load wounded from choppers and ambulances into the front lobby during the first couple of days of Tet when we were stranded at the hotel.
Dickie
From: Dick Ellis
Dated: August 30, 2018
Subject: Most Famous?
Preston was my suite-mate so you can imagine what I had to live through. I arrived as a PFC...(E-3) so I was assigned to a small room at the Ky Son with three of us in the room. We spent a lot of time on the roof of the hotel day and night. That is where Pres lit a smoke the 2nd night of Tet and the snipers had a time for the next couple of minutes.... We almost threw him off the hotel. Dickie, Caddie for General Westy
From: Jerry Nelson
Dated: September 5, 2018
Subject: Most Famous?
Rick,
While working on this discussion for AFVNvets we discovered that Mascot 25 was Scott Manning.
Jerry
From: Bob Morecook
Dated: September 6, 2018
Subject: Most Famous?
Dickie You have no replacement. You are unique.
All the best Bob
From: Rick Fredericksen
Dated: August 29, 2018
Subject: Plaza Hotel Memories
Marc, unless someone can pin down Sajak's billet for sure, I'm good. I am not obsessed with Pat, but he is probably our most famous living AFVN vet, now that Adrian has passed, rest his soul.
By the way, the Brink property is now the Park Hyatt Saigon Hotel, a true luxury hotel. Never been inside but the hotel's footprint looks remarkably like the old Brink (based on photos), but I was never in the Brink either. Thanks
Rick Fredericksen
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From: Scott Manning
Dated: August 30, 2018
Subject: Most Famous?
My roommates at the Plaza included prolific author Roger Steffens and, John and Thom, sons of a prolific author John Steinbeck. Both lived on the economy and were seldom there.
The 4th roommate, David Esch, and I bought a full-size fridge at the Cholon PX but were dismayed to find it wouldn't fit in the Plaza elevator. We had to hire locals to bring it up the stairs to our 5th floor room.
I filled in on Dawnbuster while Pat was on R&R and rode my motorbike on dark, risky streets during curfew from the Plaza to the studios. The bike was later stolen from in front of the hotel under the nose of the guard. I put in a claim and got reimbursed for the bike, which I'd bought from Thom.
From: Rick Fredericksen
Dated: August 29, 2018
Subject: Most Famous?
Hi all. this exchange has turned into a curfew discussion, which is very interesting. But my blog story is about the Plaza Hotel, since I lived there, returned in February, and have very current photos of the place. Also pics going back nearly 50 years to my time.
I was just wondering if there were any well known residents of the Plaza that I was unaware of. I think the AFVN staff are the best I can do, and we were true celebrities of the time. I hope to post my story with 23 photos in the next couple of days. Thanks everyone.
Rick Fredericksen
Group Conversations
Plaza BEQ / Curfew / Famous AFVNers
From: Jim White
Dated: September 5, 2018
Subject: Most Famous?
Ann and Rick, It was the 218th Medical Dispensary, just behind the Ky Son BEQ
Jim W (Official AFVN memory bank)
From: James Allingham
Dated: August 29, 2018
Subject: Plaza Hotel Memories
Rick,
A couple of things:
(1) I thought the Saigon curfew ran from 10p.m. to 5 a.m. (not 6 a.m.)
(2) I worked the all-night shift (11 p.m. to 8.a.m., but I was always at the station before the 10 p.m. curfew) Pat did the Dawnbuster for 4 of the months that I did the all-night thing and I don't ever recall him staying at the station overnight. A Navy engineer named Tim Mautz worked the same shift as me, but I'm not sure he's on this list. Three other guys were with me as well: SP5 Larry Green (sports); SP5 Paul A. Bottoms (Orient Express and board for the canned shows) and a SP5 Tony (last name escapes me, but he was from the teletype department). Paul and Larry used to be regular contributors to this site in the early days; haven't heard much from either these later years. Don't know what happened to Tony. Maybe Paul or Larry could answer that question and name the hotel Pat stayed in. I was in the Dai Nam and Pat was definitely not there.
(3) As I recall, there were others guys who started work before 6 a.m. as well and I'm pretty sure they all came in together.
Hopes this helps...a little.
Best regards,
Jim
From: Rick Fredericksen
Dated: August 30, 2018
Subject: Most Famous?
I don't remember one Ann, but 50 year old memories are not always reliable. Maybe others can assist.
Rick Fredericksen
From: Dick Ellis
Dated: August 30, 2018
Subject: Most Famous?
Thom replaced me in August of 1968.... We crossed over for a couple of weeks so I could train him to produce the weather girl show and other things I had been doing....
Dickie
From: Dick Ellis
Dated: August 30, 2018
Subject: Most Famous?
Bobbi #1 worked for the Red Cross if I remember and Bobbi #2 for USAID...so they had private quarters for both groups....Old French Mansions if I remember. I remember "Suzie" who was a beautiful blond and Army Spec-4 Secretary for some military group around town, that we used for PIO's several times...lived at the Plaza.
Dickie with the faded memory!
From: Rick Fredericksen
Dated: September 5, 2018
Subject: Most Famous?
Got it Jerry. I've been in touch with him, but you're are a good man for tracking that down and forwarding to me. You are doing good work for AFVNVETS.. Thanks
Rick Fredericksen
From: Bob Morecook
Dated: August 29, 2018
Subject: Plaza Hotel Memories
James in 72/3 the curfew lifted at 6 am. But one COULD still travel in a military vehicle. I caught a military taxi at 0530 for work daily.
Bob M
From: Dick Ellis
Dated: September 6, 2018
Subject: Most Famous?
Thom came to AFVN in August of 1968 and replaced me.....
Dickie
From: Rick Fredericksen
Dated: August 29, 2018
Subject: Plaza Hotel Memories
Thanks Garry and Marc for your assistance. That makes two suggestions that Sajdak may have stayed in the Brink. But two different hotel listings show the Brink was a BOQ, and we know Pat was an enlisted man. Think I'll just leave him out, it's not a big deal. The one thing I have heard is that Pat used to sleep over at AFVN, in the Engineering Office, I think. Certainly that was not his assigned quarters. Perhaps someone else can enlighten us.
Rick Fredericksen
From: Steve Sevits
Dated: August 29, 2018
Subject: Plaza Hotel Memories
Sure the high class talent got billets at the Plaza, and the no-talent guys like me got stuck at the North Pole Hotel in Cho-Lon (Chinatown). It was far enough out of the way nobody ever bothered me, but I had air conditioning and an in-room refrigerator for beer.
I spent my idle afternoons feeding sugar cane to the elephants and teasing crocodiles at the zoo.
Steve
From: Preston Cluff
Dated: August 29, 2018
Subject: Plaza Hotel Memories
Truth be known, the curfew was NEVER enforced. I was still having most of my fun when I shouldn't have even been driving that little Honda!
Preston
From: Marc Yablonka
Dated: August 29, 2018
Subject: Plaza Hotel Memories
Rick, Pat told me exactly that when I interviewed him. As I recall it was that he had to be on the air at 0600, which was either prior to the end of the previous night's curfew, or it ended right at 0600. Not home at the moment but can check that out later if you want. Though I wasn't in Vietnam during the war, when I did get there, during my third trip in `95, I was told that the Brink had been next door to the Continental Palace, now just called the Continental, as you know, in Lam Son Square. It had been leveled by then and, I believe Hilton was in the process of putting up a hotel in its place. Not sure if it ever got completed.
Best, Marc
From: Marc Yablonka
Dated: August 29, 2018
Subject: Plaza Hotel Memories
checked the piece I wrote on Pat for Vietnam mag several years ago and he only references living in a hotel. He did not provide me with a name, though something makes me think it might have been the Brinks. I'm just not sure. His business partner is--or at least was at the time I interviewed Pat-Bob Burton. They run a record and music publishing company together as well. Bob is who I dealt with to get to Pat for my interview. I'm betting he can find that info out from Pat and pass it on to you:
[Name and address deleted due to privacy concerns.]
I also found the following contact info on the Sony Picture Studios/"Wheel of Fortune" site. If Bob doesn't come through, perhaps someone at the following company can put you in touch with Pat, or a rep at least:
[If you need to know the deleted names and addresses, please contact Marc Yablonka through AFVN@Yahoo Groups.]
From: Rick Fredericksen
Dated: August 30, 2018
Subject: Most Famous?
Ooops. My comment about eggnog was actually related to Christmas dinner, not Thanksgiving.
Rick Fredericksen
From: Ron Turner
Dated: September 5, 2018
Subject: Most Famous?
Yes, I remember it. I do believe it was more or less across the street from an EOD unit. Regards,
Ron