European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 11, 1947, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The american forces net which celebrates its fourth anniversary this is in the habit of letting Europe in no Uncertain that the yanks Are a few Days after american troops moved into in the summer of the beaten quiet of the German airways was shattered by a historic radio broadcast which served better than any of the official or military Cere monies to let the Public know that the yanks were in Over the wave length formerly used by own station in the suburb of a i disc jockey ushered in the american version of the new order by playing Der fuehrer that highly unflattering musical Salute to Hitler re corded by Spike Jones and his City just a couple of months be this particular tune had been considered so thoroughly out of place in the nazi capital that the title want even permitted to appear on the list of music banned in that bit of whimsy was pretty typical of the raucous voice of the yank in Ever since it first went on the air in four years ago july american forces network has been in the habit of speaking with a strictly accent Only slightly tempered by european wherever an has set up its from the Highlands of Scotland to the heart of its daily Signoff has become As Well known to the native radio listeners As to its Soldier fans rambling now com pressed to four stations in has never Given its i audience a Chance to become homesick for the sounds that both Delight and dismay american listeners at from its studios in Munich and Frankfurt Are beamed transcriptions of shows like the Jack Bob Hope and Charlie Mccarthy programs and any number of the old standbys of the american other familiar voices come Over on programs especially staged for the like the highly successful War com Mand one of the secrets of fans Appeal seems to be its Happy combination of noncommercial i Breez iness a few High pressure touches imported from tearing a Wellborn Page put of the stateside an has used teasers and dramatized spots on its uniformed audience to plug i Soldier educational tire and Gas conservation and venereal disease fans self originated programs have run the Gamut from serious eyewitness commentary on european events by its roving reporter Saul Green to a quiz kids show featuring a staff of experts selected from among the european commands brighter Young depend its programs of recorded swing which Are slanted locally from each of the networks stations in Ger Are a bit on the Rowdy As indicated by names like luncheon in bouncin1 in Bavaria and bedlam in the which is guided through a hectic half hour by an energetic Young Man named Ken Kirkland has sometimes reached such a High pitch of excitement that listeners Are Apt to phone the As two frazzled colonels did and ask for a Little less bedlam and a Little More Kirkland answers such pleas with the Promise to give the matter due but the programs style Doest seem to have been noticeably one of the networks most Success Ful i twists was put on the air last year when an sat a Ras voiced first c t u a 11 Phil Down in front of a microphone and him the daily comics to read to the this i version of Uncle Don had what was probably the most unlikely sponsor in radio each the top kicks bedside readings of lil Blondie and Dick Tracy were Intro something this the first sergeant reads the brought to you by the army medical makers of kit some of fans More devoted european listeners claim that the i radio has had More influence on native cultures than any other Amer ican institution with the possible exception of chewing the facts Are that the Soldier broadcasters have been pretty warmly received throughout the British Isles and the not Only in liberated countries but also in where an has been de perhaps a litle Over Enthus As the leading argument in favor of the in great it was the subject of a special act of parliament and the government of France offered to help subsidize it in order to keep the Paris studios run Ning after the army had decided to close out its radio operation in that the Young i giant of the air Waves grew out of an idea for Soldier morale discussed by general Marshall and general Eisenhower at a London conference in As a result of their in november of that pfc Ford Kennedy of the stars and stripes was Given a five minute spot on the British broadcasting system to present a nightly Roundup of sports news to the american troops in the United Kennedy received so much fan Good share of it from British girls who found his voice especially soothing to their own morale two full time mail Call and command performance were set up the and an other stripes staff Corporal Johnny who is still with an in went on the As boat Load afer Boatload of yanks arrived in the British Isles during the next the Soldier broadcasting activities were after bbl waived its Brit inti radio monopoly in favor of a special Law granting use of the air Waves to the american forces network went air from its own studios at 11 Carlos just off Grosvenor the which increased rapidly As the station devel oped its own full daily sweated out Luftwaffe air first in the Carlos place studios and later in larger1 quarters set up in the Spac ious three Story town House of lord British naval hero of the first world with those Jerry bombs Rock dog the one of the staff later re equipment used to Bounce around the Beethoven fifth symphony came out sounding like travels along with troops that hit the Normandy beaches in the d Day Landing went an men with port Able transmitters to broadcast that historic event to the soldiers in the us and to the folks at As the army moved into France and then across the the i radio men moved setting up a network of stations that eventually covered the fans Paris Tor a Long time the Hub of the became fans microphone top kick reads the funnies to a i a Magnet for visiting american enter its Star studded Guestbook included such Well known names As Bob Bing Marlene diet Jerry Bob Ingrid Judy the late Dorothy Lamour and Betty the Paris station also was in the thick of the Post liberation musical programs like Beaucoup de music and lower music of upper pig Alley Are credited with stimulating the swing and be jazz the Ballad written by a French was popularized Over an Paris on its Way to the top of the american hit in late the army to think about closing up shop in Paris As most american installations in France were closed the radio Industry came Forward with an offer to loan facilities and personnel to the americans to keep the i radio going As a service to the French As things turned the impressed with the Good will built up by an in decided to continue the Paris operation on its own and it want until january 1 of this year that an Paris was the closing of this and every other i Way station along fans route has been the for general protest both among the gis in the area and the local there have also been occasional outcries from listeners in places As far from studios As new zealand Egypt fans routine fan mail includes a daily flood from yanks who have a few words to say about How their own radio network should be but it also includes notes of thanks from native listeners who almost invariably apologize for having chiselled in on americans own and also for having the nerve to admit it in typical is this one from first of excuse us please the youll do find in this because we Are two Young speaking very bad but Loving much the american music very in your twin voices of Southern German is the Only station Able to give us Good so missed 1 mean the Good one were Ever times very much with your hit were listening with interest your 20 or quiz programmes and follow All the very Good re sults of your Job we hear often the ardent while Frankie sings a big Joy for us is when special guest of the evening is Lovely to or Dinah Johnie Andy the Young Dick accompanied by Harry Glen Millers four Little pied dont be angry with us that we write but we want Only to speak out our thanks to you and your work 10