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(Editor's Note: Indulge me a preface to this brief history of The AFRS with a personal note. As a retired Air Force Captain of 22 yrs I recognize that words alone could never accurately convey the extraordinary impact and contribution that The AFRS--and AFRTS--have made over the years to the morale and sense of connectedness to Home that these services have provided. When you're on a remote--even hostile--assignment, without family, often without entertainment or diversion of any kind, and usually accompanied by a sense of isolation, even the most poorly received transmission of news, music, the American Language--even commercials--are a profoundly welcome relief. All of us--civilian and military, alike--owe these services our deepest gratitude and support for the singular--and so inadequately recognized--contributions they've made to our freedom.)
At the height of it's reach and audience, The Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS)--simply AFRS throughout The Golden Age of Radio--was arguably every bit a rival to any of the commercial networks of the era. Borne of a vital need to support and boost the morale of our military tropps abroad--and stateside--President Roosevelt directed the creation of The Office of War Information, with the express purpose of coordinating information provided by the vast array of then compartmentalized government agencies. When, shortly thereafter, The Government subsumed control and operation of all shortwave radio stations, The Office also became responsible for all stations that broadcast their signals overseas. The Armed Forces Radio Service (AFRS) was formed as a quasi-governmental organization within The Military to supervise and coordinate broadcast programming for our servicemen abroad.
With extensive recording facilities located throughout the world, the AFRS was also a major producer of programming during the latter half of The Golden Age of Radio. The primary AFRS Studios of the time were located in Hollywood, and as such, availed themselves of a great deal of local talent--military and civilian--and from major Radio and Motion Picture studios alike.
Their Transcription Unit recorded most of the popular commercial programs of the era and shipped them overseas to military transmission facilities for rebroadcast. The transcribed programs were recorded primarily on unbreakable, 16-inch vinyl discs, each containing approximately 30 minutes of programming, 15 minutes to a side. At the height of its production, The AFRS shipped an average of just over 50,000 of these discs overseas each month, with an additional 20,000 discs sent to Navy vessels monthly. The AFRS recorded some 70-80 of these programs each week, including as much as 15-20 hours of specially produced AFRS programming. By the end of World War II, the AFRS Network encompassed nearly 800 broadcast facilities worldwide--over 50 of them in England alone. It's to this Transcription Unit that we owe our deepest gratitude, for the vast majority of the shows and episodes that have been preserved to this day.
"G.I. Jill" ca 1944, in reality Martha Wilkerson
(1908 - 1999), a young mother who
had worked in the Office Of War Information
Japan had it's infamous 'Tokyo Rose' (the Iva Toguri 'Zero Hour') broadcasts, but the AFRS countered with our own 'G.I. Jill', an amalgam of female radio personalities over the years, but represented by the above image which was sent to troops that requested 'her' photo. Iva Toguri's reprehensible treatment at the hands of her Japanese captors--and even more reprehensible treatment at the hands of America upon her emigration--are recounted elsewhere. Needless to say, our own "G.I. Jill" never suffered these indignities. 'Her' transcribed broadcasts and those of the wonderful, stateside "Reveille With Beverly" effectively answered the Axis propaganda broadcasts of the war years, and provided many lonely servicemen--both at home and abroad--a much needed female voice from Home to buoy their spirits.
The real Beverly from 'Reveille With Beverly',
the beautiful Beverly Jean Beyette
(Beverly Jean Hay)--then, ca. 1946 . . .
The Highest Compliment -- Nose Art
. . . and in 1999
Jean Hay passed away September 18, 2004, from a stroke, while gardening at her home in Santa Barbara--one of her great passions. This wonderful woman will long be remembered for her selfless sacrifice and dedication to keeping the homefires burning stateside while tirelessly entertaining hundreds of thousands of our military in training at bases throughout the U.S., as well as providing continual messages of inspiration, hope, and optimism to anxious families throughout the long years of War. Her cheery 'Hi, Fellas' was one of our Nation's secret weapons throughout World War II.
(Click for larger image)
Beverly Jean Hay (1917-2004)
Another favorite of the troops was Chris Noel (b. 1941), an aspiring movie actress, who hosted the "Date With Chris" broadcasts that ran through most of The Vietnam Conflict years. She was so effective that she had a $10,000 bounty on her head from the North Vietnamese.
These extraordinary ladies all played the latest records, read mail from the troops, and ended their broadcasts by whispering an encouraging sign-off, each in their own way, in a sultry voice that drew spontaneous oohs and aahs from their lonely military listeners at home and around the world. And believe me, I'm here to tell you, it's just the shot in the arm and note of hope and familiarity that many of us needed on occasion.
UPDATE: Chris has by no means been resting on her laurels. She's got her own website at:
http://retrobabe.powweb.com
A well deserved tribute to a very special lady.
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