As we have informed you in one of our previous posts, Brenna Welsh sent us a letter her Grandpa (Joseph “Joe” Welsh) received from a former BDN colleague in 1950 when they both were back in the States after having ended their engagements with BDN. A man named Roger Raynal.
Roger Raynal obviously also was part of the team that hosted a show called “Sick Bay Swing Swing” as well as other broadcasts at KOFA Linz.
It is quite interesting to read what Roger wrote …
March 7, 1950
Dear “Telephone Serenade Joe,”
Well believe it or not it’s old Doc Raynal writing to you after all this time, can you beat that?!
I bet you never thought you’d ever hear from me again did you? Well here I am like it or not, I bet you’re wondering where I got your address (or maybe Joe P. has already written you).
We have been writing each other for about two weeks now, and so he gave me your address. Well I sure was glad to hear that you and your wife got home all right, by the way …
… have you any little Welsh’s running around yet, well if you haven’t I know it’s not your fault.
How does your wife like America, pretty fine I’ll bet.
The last letter I got from Joe he said that jobs were pretty hard to get, well they’re the same in California if not worse.
I guess you’ve no doubt heard that pickings are quite lean out West, that is why a lot of these fellows from other states come out here to look for work and it kind of makes it tough for the natives of Calif., I hope it’s better in Pennsylvania. By the way what are you doing…
…now?
Joe told me that you were still thinking of starting a radio station somewhere here in the states.
Boy I sure wish we could get together on that some-how. I’d almost do anything just to sweep floors in a radio station, I guess you know that.
I sure regret the day when you told me you should go to AFN for more training, but at the time I thought you were just trying to get rid of me I guess & took you wrong, but as the old saying goes we all make mistakes in this world.
I guess Joe told you I am married and have a nine month old baby boy and he sure is a cute little stinker. I’ll have to send you a…
… picture sometime.
By the way have you seen Clark or do you ever write to him, if you know his address I sure would appreciate it if you’d give it to me in your return letter.
I sure have a big laugh for him I married a girl from Minnesota but she has been out here in California for about 9–10 years, can you beat that! And me always being so against Minn.
Joe told me that Clark finally did marry Wilma. Do you know if he has any children?
I have been telling my wife quite a bit about you so do you think you could send a picture.
The last I heard…
…of Dick, he went to WOFA in Vienna. I guess KOFA ville went to hell after you left eh? Say did you ever bring any records we cut, back with you?
Do you remember that time we made that skit where Ken, Dick and I wrote up that little program — the one that I announced Bongo Bongo Bongo (That’s “I don’t want to leave the Congo” by Stan Kenton) and you cut it? What I wouldn’t give to have that record now!
Gee that sure was a lot of fun wasn’t it??
Say have you heard Chattanooga Shoe Shine Boy lately? Pretty cute I think.
You know with the material they have on the radio, out here that is, with a little ingenuity a guy could sneak here and there & I think I could…
…make up a pretty good “Record Shop”!
Well I think that’s just about all for tonight. I sure am glad Joe gave me your address.
I’ve been wanting to write you; don’t forget to send me Clark’s address if you have it.
So until I hear from you, which I hope will be soon.
Have a glass of Borovička on me, as if you don’t mind I’ll just try to lay on my bed and
🎵 🎵
Dream 🎵 🎵
Sick Bay Swing signing off —
Doc Raynal
Unfortunately we can only guess about the names mentioned in the letter.
“Joe” (as stated on page 3) could be “Joe Georgian” as written in the article below.
“Dick” (as stated on page 5) might be “Dick Shattuck” as shown on the picture
“Ken” (as stated on page 5 as well) could be “Ken Hanson”
Cutting Records, as Roger writes on page 5, was common at that time as tape-recording wasn’t known or very new and scarcely used. In the third picture attached you can see how this was done.
Apart from Roger’s letter the only thing we have from him is the chest that Brenna’s grandpa kept in his house and which was handed down to Brenna.
So, if anyone out there knows a bit about Roger Raynal – let us know. We would be delighted to have him on the Staff page as well.