[IRCA] Armed Forces Radio Turns 65

[Geralyn Hollerman <lynnhollerman@xxxxxxxxx>]

For all those interested:

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Armed Forces Radio Turns 65
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Back in early 1941, some cold and lonely GI's at Sitka, in the
Alaskan Territory, made a big decision. They rigged up a little radio
station and played music to keep themselves entertained in the middle
of winter that year. They gave themselves a call sign, KRB.


Sitka was a hotbed of radio broadcasting that year, as KRB was soon
followed by another GI station, starting as GIN [guess the source]
and becoming GAB soon after.


In the fall of 1941, an officer led 'pirate' radio station began
broadcasting from Kodiak, using the call sign KODK.


When the servicemen wrote to major US radio networks asking for free
records to play, the military powers that be learned 'they' had three
'armed forces radio' stations broadcasting in isolated Alaska.


>From this 'pirate radio' beginning, soon grew the global Armed Forces
Radio Service, later known as AFRTS, sometimes known as Armed Forces
Radio, sometimes as 'your American Expeditionary Service' station,
and by 1945, there were hundreds of stations worldwide.


One of our major ongoing research projects here at the Radio Heritage
Foundation [www.radioheritage.net] is recording the stories
of the many AFRS stations that broadcast within the Pacific region. 


We do this for several reasons.


Firstly, it's important to remember the individual broadcasters who
made radio 'come alive' in very strange places. Secondly, in many
cases, these AFRS stations were the first [and often only] radio
stations to broadcast from parts of the Pacific. 


Thirdly, although the ranks are getting thinner every month, some of
the old time DJ's and engineers from the 1940's are still around, and
willing to share their memories, photos, memorabilia and friendship.


Finally, arguably the best American music of the era was recorded
just for these stations, and the Pacific resonnated to the crooners,
swingers, jivers and big bands of a golden age.


In just one place can you find all the stations and all the stories
of AFRS radio from this era: www.radioheritage.net.


Station lists for AFRS Japan, AFRS Alaska and AFRS China-Burma-India,
with AFRS Jungle Network, Mosquito Network and Pacific Ocean Networks
coming soon.


Memories from WXLG Kwajalein, WVTR Tokyo, WXLE Canton, WVUG Fort
Greely, KMTH Midway, WVUS Tontouta, WVUV Pago Pago, VU2ZP Bangalore,
and more.


You can help this research expand to cover more stations, more
stories, and help us reach vets and their families before it's too
late.  Every day, old photos are torn up, old pieces of station
memorabilia dumped in the trash, and memories fade a little more.


Keep the memories alive and free for all to share. Please visit
www.radioheritage.net and make a donation of funds. The Radio
Heritage Foundation is a registered charitable trust in New Zealand
[#1473801] and all funds are used to support our radio heritage
projects.


Warm regards
David Ricquish
Chairman
Radio Heritage Foundation
www.radioheritage.net 
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