Adrian Joseph Cronauer (September 8, 1938 – July 18, 2018) was a United States Air Force Sergeant and radio personality whose experiences as an innovative disc jockey on American Forces Network during the Vietnam War inspired the 1987 film Good Morning, Vietnam starring Robin Williams as Cronauer. Early life Cronauer was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His father was a steelworker, and his mother a teacher. He began his broadcasting career at the age of 12 as a semi-regular guest for a Pittsburgh-area children's amateur hour. Cronauer attended the University of Pittsburgh where he led a group that founded the school's first student radio station, now WPTS-FM. Military service In the early 1960s, Cronauer chose to enlist instead of waiting for the draft. After deliberating about entering flight training (which entailed a longer service commitment), Cronauer chose broadcasting and media operations, ultimately becoming a U.S. Air Force Radio and Television Broadcasting Specialist. His service spanned the years from 1963 to 1967. He did his training in Texas, and eventually rose to the rank of Sergeant (E-4 at the time). While Cronauer is best known for his service in Vietnam, he began by working on training films, and then was sent for a year and a half to the island of Crete in Greece, where he was stationed at Iraklion Air Station. In 1965, he volunteered for a transfer to Vietnam because he wanted to travel. Upon arriving there, his first job was as news director for Armed Forces Radio in Saigon, but when the morning host's slot became vacant shortly after his arrival, he took over the show, known as Dawn Buster because it started at 6 a.m. He opened it with the greeting "Goooooood morning Vietnam!", which was immortalized in the subsequent movie's title. Cronauer left Saigon in 1966, but subsequent DJs continued to use his signature greeting, including Pat Sajak. His military awards include the Air Force Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal with bronze service star, the Air Force Longevity Service Award, the Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Award and the Vietnam Campaign Medal. After the Vietnam war, Cronauer went on to work at various radio stations as a news anchor and in other capacities. He did voice-over work in New York and owned his own advertising agency, during which time he also earned a master's degree in Media Studies from the New