AFRS-13


The biggest names in Hollywood and Broadway recorded for AFRS during the war years, The American Forces Network can trace its origins back to May 26, 1942, when the War Department established the Armed Forces Radio Service (AFRS). The U.S. Army began broadcasting from London during World War II, using equipment and studio facilities borrowed from the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). The first transmission to U.S. troops began at 5:45 p.m. on July 4, 1943 and included less than five hours of recorded shows, a BBC news and sports broadcast. That day, Corporal Syl Binkin became the first U.S. Military broadcaster heard over the air. The signal was sent from London via telephone lines to five regional transmitters to reach U.S. troops in the United Kingdom as they made preparations for the inevitable invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe. Fearing competition for civilian audiences the BBC initially tried to impose restrictions on AFN broadcasts within Britain (transmissions were only allowed from American Bases outside London and were limited to 50 watts of transmission power) and a minimum quota of British produced programming had to be carried. Nevertheless AFN programmes were widely enjoyed by the British civilian listeners who could receive them and once AFN operations transferred to continental Europe (shortly after D-Day) AFN were able to broadcast with little restriction with programmes available to civilian audiences across most of Europe (including Britain) after dark. As D-Day approached, the network joined with the BBC and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation to develop programs especially for the Allied Expeditionary Forces. Mobile stations, complete with personnel, broadcasting equipment, and a record library were deployed to broadcast music and news to troops in the field. The mobile stations reported on front line activities and fed the news reports back to studio locations in London.

This recording is part of the Old Time Radio collection.

License

Chapters

AFRS - Command Performance Christmas Special - Edmund Gwenn - Gene Autry - Bing… 1:57:22
AFRS 017 - Sound Off - first song - Why Don't You Do Right - Benny Goodman - Pe… 14:58
AFRS 018 - Sound Off - first song - Riffette - Freddy Slack 14:57
AFRS 021 - Basin Street - First Song - Who's Sorry Now 02-13-44 30:24
AFRS 021 - Sound Off - first song - Babalu - Bernice Parks 14:53
AFRS 022 - Sound Off - first song - Don't Get Around Much Anymore - Fred Waring 14:59
AFRS 026 - Jill's All Time Jukebox 1945 30:23
AFRS 027 - Sound Off - first song - Every Night About This Time - Kay Kyser 14:56
AFRS 028 - Sound Off - first song - This Love Of Mine - Tommy Dorsey - Frank Si… 14:59
AFRS 03 - Are You A Genius - Eddie Mayehoff (host) xx-xx-43 14:20
AFRS 033 - Sound Off - first song - Daybreak - Tommy Dorsey - Frank Sinatra 14:57
AFRS 034 - Sound Off - first song - Well Get It - Tommy Dorsey 15:00
AFRS 037 - Sound Off - first song - In The Blue Of Evening - Tommy Dorsey - Fra… 14:57
AFRS 038 - Sound Off - first song - Sent For You Yesterday - Benny Goodman - Jo… 14:59
AFRS 0385 - GI Jive - first song Mister 555 - Harry James 14:09
AFRS 0386 - GI Jive - first song Hallelujah - Will Bradley 13:58
AFRS 04 - Are You A Genius - Eddie Mayehoff (host) xx-xx-43 14:14
AFRS 045 - Sound Off - first song - The One I Love - Tommy Dorsey - Frank Sinat… 14:57
AFRS 046 - Sound Off - first song - Woodchopper's Ball - Woody Herman 15:00
AFRS 047 - Sound Off - first song - Old Black Magic - Kay Kyser 14:52
AFRS 048 - Sound Off - first song - Amen - Abe Lyman 14:54
AFRS 070 - Village Store (Lemoore CA Army Air Field) -01-17-45 29:47
AFRS 093 - Jubilee - Tiny Bradshaw 08-21-44 29:32
AFRS 100 - Yank Swing Session - Bob Crosby (host) - first song - Fur Trapper's … 29:57
AFRS 106 - Jubilee - Earl Hines 10-30-44 29:54
AFRS 129 - Jubillee - Benny Carter - Nat King Cole Trio - Eddie (Rochester) And… 29:53
AFRS 153 - Jubilee Harry the Hipster Gibson - Peggy Lee - Jubilee All Stars 10-… 29:47
AFRS 182 - Command Performance - Bing Crosby - GI Jill - Tommy Dorsey - Spike J… 29:12
AFRS Pride Of Unit - Great White Ship 30:14