[SFDXA] How to Find Old Amateur Radio Call Signs...

[Ryan A. Krenzischek]

...Sharing mine.  It has a long history:

Both the Navy and Marine Corps had extensive ham radio operations prior
to the inception of MARS. Marine Corps hams were organized into several
nets and handled emergency, morale and health and welfare messages. Many
of the Marine Corps stations and operators were already members of
either the Army or Air Force MARS programs. In early 1962, 1st Sgt
Kinsman Boso at W4NTR, realizing the potential of the Navy-Marine Corps
having their own system began a newsletter "Zero Beat" which he began
distributing to Marine Corps Amateurs. He also solicited Marines to send
him their license information so that an unofficial list of Marine Corps
amateurs could be compiled and maintained. Through the distribution of
Zero Beat and his card file, Boso maintained a fairly large list of
hams. Once the Navy-Marine Corps program was instituted Boso encouraged
all Marine stations and amateurs to sever other affiliations and join
the Navy-Marine Corps system. In December of 1962 there were about 29
Marine Corps stations.

Licensed in 1948 by then Captain (later Colonel) Sanford B Hunt as W4NTR
the station became known as the "Granddaddy of USMC Stations". It's
roster of operators rings like a "Who's Who" of Marine Corps Amateur
radio. MSgt Fenton Martin; GySgt James Irwin; 1st Sgt Kin Boso; Sgt John
Littleton, CWO Joe Van Brocklin, CWO Gus Ponstingel; MSgt Wes Armstrong;
MSgt Wes Wilson; GySgt Wayne Justis; SSgt Doug Thomas.