Taken from Facebook in January 2018.

[From Facebook in July 2017.]

Happy Birthday Marines, and a shout out to Marine journalists.  I carried this press card 50 years ago.

[Posted by Rick Fredericksen on November 11, 2018.]

​Rick in Lam Son Square when he was with AFVN.

Individual Photo Albums & Stories

After 45 years, this photo just surfaced today: a rookie, skinny teenager (with my name)

reading the news on AFVN, Saigon in 1969.  Thanks to Thomas Firchow.

Posted on Facebook by RIck on December 19, 2014.

Rick's Story about how he got into Broadcasting and Journalism

From a message dated October 4, 2015.


There is such a thing as dumb luck and I am living proof. It is my story on how I got into TV. I am only a high school graduate. I dropped out of college after 2 weeks and enlisted in the Marines.  How lucky can one teenager be to get orders to Dinfos out of Marine boot camp?  It was a time that most Marines were needed as grunts, and I had no outward signs of journalism talent; no training.  After a year Stateside, I got orders directly to AFVN Saigon.  I was terrible, but I learned OJT.  I always say I did not further my education by formal schooling.  It has resulted in a career that has now reached 47 years.  That luck has served me well, although I have always felt I was over-employed and not quite confident enough for the job I was holding.  But I made it work, all with a high school education...even getting lucky in landing positions that required a college diploma.

Slide Show

50 Photos



the slide show and then scroll down through the PDF.  You may also enter the photo number in the box at the top of the PDF viewer.  The number may be one higher than shown in the Index depending upon whether or not a "title page" is included at the beginning of the PDF. 


Please note that the PDF slide file will show in another tab or another window depending upon which browser you are using and your browser's settings.  Because some of these slide shows are fairly large files, it may take a few seconds for them to appear.

​Rick out on the balcony at the Plaza Hotel BEQ when he was with AFVN.

On July 31, 2015 Mike McNally posted a link to a video on President Nixon's remarks following

a meeting with South Vietnamese President Theiu in Saigon on July 30, 1969.  

Click Here

In response, Rick Fredericksen wrote: "I enjoyed reading this, as I covered his visit to the field troops just outside Saigon;

the first TV standup I ever did.  I imagine we might have broadcast this speech live, as well."

Rick and the CBS Bangkok Bureau Staff when Rick was in charge

Staff cuts in journalism have been going on for decades.  The CBS Bangkok Bureau was closed

30 years ago, and never reopened.  Pink slips went out across Asia.  It was great while it lasted. 

(At Chaam Isara Tower, 1987).

[Posted on Facebook in August 2018.]

 Rick Fredericksen  Cpl, USMC   (Page 1)

Saigon / Hon Tre 1969-70

After completing his military service, Rick continued to work as a news correspondent in the Far East and South-East Asia so some of these photos were taken after the Vietnam War ended.