Radio: Army Show

Since last May the U. S. Army has used the air waves, particularly in its Second Corps Area (New York, New Jersey, Delaware), to attract recruits to its growing ranks. Beginning with spot announcements that pointed out the advantages of joining early, the Army blossomed out six weeks ago with a regular program on Manhattan’s WMCA. This week the Army’s first network show will be offered by CBS to all its stations.

Patterned after the WMCA original, the CBS-Army program will pipe music by the U. S. Military Academy Band from West Point, stress the opportunities of advancement the Army offers. Interviewed by veteran Radio Actor Ray Perkins, a major in the reserve corps, new recruits will explain why they enlisted; old-timers will describe their happy lot; mess sergeants will dwell on the tastiness of Army fare; Army wives will rejoice about life among the soldiers. Adding dignity to the show will be many an Army bigwig like Lieut. General Hugh Aloysius Drum, Commanding General of the First Army and Second Corps Area. With Major Richard Ernest Dupuy, public relations officer of West Point, General Drum will help put the show together.

Whether the broadcasts or rising patriotism was responsible, enlistments jumped from 770 recruits a month last spring to 1,800 in June. Three out of four recent recruits declared that they had signed up after hearing the Army’s radio plugs.