VIRGINIA (CelebrityAccess) – Adrian Joseph Cronauer, the former DJ and U.S. Air Force sergeant whose life inspired Robin Williams’ character in Good Morning, Vietnam, passed away of “age-related illness” in Troutville, Virginia, Wednesday. He was 79.
An obituary in The Roanoke Times read: “Adrian was warm and approachable. He loved the service men and service women all over the world, and always made time to personally engage with them. Although he was an only child, his military brothers and sisters became part of his family.”
Cronauer co-authored the original story for the 1987 film Good Morning, Vietnam, which later earned Williams an Academy Award nomination. The tagline “Gooooooood Morning, Vietnam!” actually came from Cronauer’s real wartime broadcasts.
Later in life, Cronauer became a confidential advisor to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (DASD), a position he held from 2001 through 2009, he spent several years in New York City voicing television and radio commercials, and he also taught college courses on broadcasting.
He is survived by his stepson, Michael Muse, his daughter-in-law Mary Muse, and four grandchildren: Matthew Muse and wife Kelley, and their son, Hudson, Dr. Sarah (Muse) Minter and husband, Ryan; granddaughter, Christa Buchanan; and grandson, Cameron Buchanan.
