THIS "WAY BACK WHEN" KMAQ STAFF PHOTO WAS TAKEN IN 1965, SHORTLY AFTER
I CAME BACK TO AGAIN MANAGE KMAQ AFTER SERVING TWO YEARS IN THE U.S. ARMY, AS A RADIO ANNOUNCER. FOR 13 MONTHS OF THAT TIME, I WAS THE RADIO
SPECIALIST FOR THE 2ND ARMORED DIVISION AT FORT HOOD, TEXAS. OF THE 15- THOUSAND TROOPERS IN THE "HELL ON WHEELS" DIVISION, I HAD THE ONLY
BROADCASTER SLOT, SO I HAD PRETTY GOOD DUTY. THE ENTIRE DIVISION WAS
ALSO SENT TO GERMANY FOR A MONTH OF TRAINING, AND I COVERED THAT FOR RADIO AND TV STATIONS IN TEXAS. I WAS DISCHARGED AS AN E-5 BUCK SERGEANT IN MARCH OF 1965. PICTURED HERE, TO THE LEFT, IS EARL SAUNDERS AND TO THE RIGHT, DON ANDERSON. EARL STARTED AS AN ADVERTISING SALESMAN FOR KMAQ IN 1959, AROUND A YEAR AFTER THE STATION WENT ON THE AIR. HE HAD WORKED AT THE SAVANNA ARMY DEPOT. HE WAS A KMAQ SALESMAN, AND A GOOD ONE, FOR OVER 25 YEARS, RETIRING IN 1985. HIS LATE WIFE WAS EVA MAE AND SHE WAS A SCHOOL TEACHER IN MAQUOKETA AND THEY HAD TWO CHILDREN. I SEE EARL ABOUT ONCE A WEEK. DON ANDERSON WAS HIRED AT KMAQ WHILE I WAS IN THE ARMY, AS AN ANNOUNCER AND CHIEF-ENGINEER AND SO I DID NOT WORK WITH HIM LONG, AS HE LEFT THE STATION SHORTLY AFTER I RETURNED. NICE GUY, WELL LIKED AND WAS ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY. HE HAD A DEEP, CLEAR VOICE AND WAS A GOOD ANNOUNCER. HIS WIFE WORKED AT J.C. PENNEY'S IN DOWNTOWN MAQUOKETA, THEN ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE KMAQ UPSTAIRS STUDIOS. THEY HAD NO CHILDREN AND LATER GOT DIVORCED. I HAVE NO IDEA IF HE IS STILL LIVING. THIS PHOTO WAS TAKEN AT OUR OLD STUDIO LOCATION IN THE MAIN CONTROL ROOM. THAT CONTROL BOARD IN THE STUDIO IS NOW ON DISPLAY IN OUR FRONT STUDIO AND WAS MADE BY COLLINS RADIO IN CEDAR RAPIDS. CLICK-ON THE PHOTO TO ENLARGE IT.
IT'S OUR 50TH ANNIVERSARY THIS YEAR AND I'LL HAVE SOME MORE OLD PHOTOS WITH COMMENTS IN THE FUTURE.
DENNIS VOY