Transistor Museum Oral History Joe D'Airo Trans-Aire Transistor Radio Page 10

A Transistor Museum Interview with Joe D’Airo

Transistor History at Trans-Aire Electronics Inc

Trans-Aire Radios for Vietnam

As mentioned earlier in this Oral History, Joe was working at Trans-Aire in 1965 when the company was building 100,000 radios for the US government for distribution to Vietnam. Joe recently provided photos of the Trans-Aire “Vietnam” radio, with a front view shown above. He comments that the radio was to be handed-out in Vietnam and that there was a “handshake” symbol (lower left of the radio) indicating friendship between the US government and the Vietnam people! The radio had two terminals on the right side of the case for an external antenna and ground, and according to Joe, “Presumably these were required for reception in Vietnam. They were not needed for clear reception in the US.” Joe has also provided these additional comments about the Vietnam radio: “I am always amazed at what turns up on the internet. Here is a link (http://bulk.resource.org/courts.gov/juris/j0510_63.sgml) to an unknown document from an unknown source which is addressed to a GSA Administrator. If you search through it for TRANS-AIRE you will find references to their Vietnam radio contract. Apparently, part of this document was a response to claims against the contract award to TA. Interestingly, it lists the contract award date as August 14, 1964. The contract was for 100,000 radios to be delivered at the rate of 25,000 per month ( ! ) commencing in 90 days ARO. This collaborates my and my father's recollection. The rate of 25,000 per month surprised me, but when I was working in the stockroom, I remember issuing kits for 800 radios each day, which makes the rate seem feasible. 800 per day would be 100 radios per hour. I recall a high level of activity, so it was possible. All of those radios were produced here, not in Hong Kong. That document lists their business address as 393 Sagamore Ave., Mineola, NY. I don't recall ever visiting the Mineola address. I recall their factory in New Hyde Park.” The radio above has a six transistor circuit and if 100,000 were built, that means that approximately 600,000 fallout transistors were used by Trans-Aire for this contract!

Go To D’Airo Oral History, Page 11

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