Tag Archives: kcau-tv

March 31, 2011 · 6:55 am

John Hlavacek


Globe-Trotting Foreign Correspondent

Baby boomers that lived in the Midwest in the 70’s may remember John Hlavacek. He was a reporter/foreign correspondent for KMTV-TV in Omaha, Nebraska and traveled around the world covering many history changing events.

I got a surprise phone call from him this morning, and we had a very interesting conversation. Lisa Pelto, a friend of his left a comment on my blog and that’s how we were able to connect. Thanks Lisa! I’ve been trying to locate him for quite some time.

The last time I spoke with John was over 40-years ago in Phuoc Vinh, Vietnam. He was on assignment filming a story for a Christmas Special to be viewed on KCAU-TV. I was one of a handfull of soldiers from that TV viewing area that he interviewed for the program. He said he would try to locate the complete audio/video for that show which he has stored in archives at Texas Tech.

What a remarkable man! At 93 years young he is going strong and he’s working on another book soon to be released.

John was inducted into Journalist’s Excellence Hall of Fame on April 24, 2010…

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November 22, 2009 · 12:16 pm

Report from Vietnam


Foreign Correspondent John Hlavacek

As I walked out of my hooch one afternoon to perform my daily mail clerk duties, I ran into a man whose face I had seen many times on TV back in the ‘World’. It was John Hlavacek a reporter/foreign correspondent for KMTV-TV in Omaha, Nebraska, and he was looking for me of all people.

His mission was to film and interview soldiers serving in Vietnam from the TV viewing area around Sioux City, IA and Omaha, NE. He was putting together a program to be viewed as a TV Special during the 1970 Christmas Holidays. The families of the soldiers were notified by the TV stations ahead of time so they could watch their loved ones when the program aired.

He wasted no time interviewing after I told him Charlie Troop 1/9th was a prime target for frequent mortar attacks. He asked a few questions, did his filming, and quickly moved on but not before I got his autograph…

A letter and videotape was sent to my parents by KCAU-TV in Sioux City, Iowa.

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