It’s funny that sometimes you meet a complete stranger and talk about the MARS system in Vietnam? MARS stands for Military Affiliate Radio Service. OK, of course, that might not happen very often. In thinking about it, probably never. So, I decided to blog about my chance encounter. Strangely enough, I met this person while visiting a historic site.
How Thing Came About
The group I was with started to talk about the vintage radio program that was recently held. The lady standing next to me mentioned her interest in short wave radios.
I told her about a short wave radio transmission of talking with my Dad in Vietnam and having to say, “over” at the end.
Hi, Dad how are you? Over – I’m doing well. Over – What’s new? – Over – etc.
MARS in Vietnam
After researching it some, during the Vietnam Conflict, there were no individual personal or cellular or landlines telephones available for soldiers or sailors to use for calling family members. To correct this, United States MARS (Military Affiliate Radio Service) stations were established. They serviced all branches of the service, i.e., Army, Marines, Air Force, and Navy in Vietnam. The MARS stations offered a way to personally communicate over the short-wave radio with loved ones. MARS stations would allow each solider a free 5-minute personal radio call to the US.
Briefly, the MARS operator would call the MARS station in Vietnam for a listing of servicemen who wanted to make a call and the phone number. The HAM operator would get a telephone company operator on the line and the collect call was placed. Only one person could talk at time on the phone and they had to say “over” when finished.
Since this was a non-secured line, the users were not allowed to mention anything about what they were doing in Vietnam. The most difficult part for the HAM operators listening to switch back and forth. Users had to remember to say “over”. Of course, it was an exceptionally long wait to make this type of call. In locations of field hospitals, if a patient was waiting, that call was always moved to the front of the line.
There were more than 80 MARS stations in Vietnam and they transmitted for than 2.5 million phone patches.
Ending Notes of MARS in Vietnam Blog
Now a days, with the invention of Satellite phones, traditional sea or land band MARS Radio Phone Patches are not used much.
Using satellite phones and possibly SKYPE with a laptop definitely makes communication home easier.
However, I’ll always remember that one phone call from Dad from Vietnam. Hearing his voice just once in the 13 months he was away was golden.
Please forgive any technical errors in today’s blog. Also, the phone used is this blog is my old landline.
A Belated Big Thank you to all MARS and HAM operators out there.
Resource sites: Wikipedia and Cherrieswriter – A Vietnam War web site