On Friday night, the stuttering Porky Pig spoke the last words broadcast on American Forces Network Iraq, according to Stars&Stripes.
Since World War II, voices of AFN disc jockeys have been heard over the airwaves by deployed troops, a sure sign of a sustained American presence.
The same held true for Iraq, where AFN started broadcasting from Baghdad in December 2003.
"Freedom,” a song written and recorded by Paul McCartney in response to the 9/11 terror attacks, was the first song played on AFN Iraq. “Freedom Radio” became the moniker of the station’s programming.
Friday marked the latest footnote in AFN’s wartime history, as Toby Keith’s “Courtesy of The Red White and Blue” became the final song to be broadcast from AFN Iraq’s studio.
The choice of song may have pleased some in the Iraqi audience, as well. DJ Staff Sgt. Jay Townsend said many AFN listeners were students at the University of Baghdad, near AFN Iraq’s home studio at Forward Operating Base Prosperity.
“The university students send in requests day after day. A lot of them like country music, old-school country,” Townsend said.
As troops and more than 2 million pieces of equipment continue to be shipped out of Iraq, it’s no surprise to the AFN Iraq staff that song requests from troops have been on the downslide.
What did surprise them was the number of requests pouring in from the local Iraqi population. AFN Iraq’s Facebook page is full of pleas from Iraqi listeners, begging them not to leave.
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