AFRS-7


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.

License

Chapters

AFRS - Shilling For Luck - Gene Kelly - Shirley Temple xx-xx-44 58:11
AFRS 01 - Twenty Questions 06-22-46 29:52
AFRS 02 - Hoagy Charmichael 04-24-45 29:54
AFRS 08 - Suspense - Sorry Wrong Number 05-25-43 30:09
AFRS 103 - Kollege Of Musical Knowledge - Alameda California Naval Air Station … 30:10
AFRS 110 - Bob Hope - Sedalia Army Air Field near Kansas City, Missouri 06-05-45 30:12
AFRS 12 - Joan Davis - Replaced By Jack Haley - guest George Raft 11-15-45 30:09
AFRS 134 - Music Hall - Bing Crosby 06-28-45 29:49
AFRS 134 - Mystery Playhouse - A Death Is Caused 10-12-45 25:12
AFRS 139 - Suspense - My Dear Niece 01-24-46 24:29
AFRS 146 Command Performance - Fred Waring - Louis Prima - Pearl Bailey 11-08-44 30:10
AFRS 15 - Heres To Romance 09-14-44 30:53
AFRS 172 - Kollege of Musical Knowledge - Relaced By Sunday Evening Party 01-31… 30:17
AFRS 20 - Henry Morgan 11-20-47 30:36
AFRS 21 - Suspense - The Cross-Eyed Bear 09-16-43 30:19
AFRS 210 - Mystery Playhouse - Female of the Species 06-07-46 25:11
AFRS 30 - Suspense - Wet Saturday 12-16-43 30:11
AFRS 35 - Heres To Romance 02-01-45 30:44
AFRS 365 - Suspense - The Rescue 04-19-51 25:41
AFRS 42 - Heres To Romance 03-24-45 30:30
AFRS 51 - Twenty Questions 05-10-47 30:05
AFRS 52 - Heres To Romance 05-31-45 30:24
AFRS 55 - Heres To Romance 06-21-45 30:33
AFRS 57 - Heres To Romance 07-05-45 30:23
AFRS 58 - Mail Call - Lionel Barrymore - Gorgia Gibbs- Fanny Brice 09-30-43 30:12
AFRS 80 - Family Hour 02-04-45 30:32
AFRS 88 - It Pays to Be Ignorant 12-21-45 30:20
AFRS 92 - Music Hall - George Murphy - Marilyn Maxwell - Sons Of The Pioneers 0… 29:24
AFRS Christmas Program #19 - Comedy Caravan 12-21-45 30:08
AFRS-74-Family Hour- 12-17-44 30:26