Variety (Dec 1942)

Wednesday* December 30, 1942 29 was f rpHROUGHOUT the nation, this year, millions of young men in uniform spent Christmas Day —not with their families but in Army Camps, Naval Bases, Marine Corps and Air Corps Centers. BUT SANTA GLAUS WAS THERE! The Coca-Cola Company, in a magnificent presen- tation, contributed a very great share of the gaiety and lilt and enjoyment which are an inseparable part of Christmas. Working with their adver- tising agency, The D'Arcy Advertising Company, Coca-Cola staged "Uncle Sam's Christmas Tree" —one of the great radio programs of all time—a program that lasted from noon to midnight of Christmas Day. From Service Centers in twenty-four states, FORTY-THREE of the nation's top bands not only entertained the men at these centers, but their music went out over the airwaves to "bring together" these men and their families in homes throughout the country. Each band was on the air fifteen minutes . . . but the live show lasted several hours. Multiply that by forty-three . . . and you will realize that SANTA CLAUS INDEED WAS THERE. The Blue Network was privileged to carry this great program and we are proud of our part. We and our stations want to .thank and to salute The Coca- Cola Company, The D'Arcy Ad- vertising Company, the Music Corporation of America and the Bands for one of the greatest contributions ever made to American morale in time of war. Here is the list of Spotlight Bands which took part in "Uncle Sam's Christmas Tree" —^and the Camps and Bases from which they broadcast. RAYMOND PAIGE Introductory Program, Radio City, New York SAMMY KAYE Fort Monmouth, N. J. SHEP FIELDS Quantico Marine Barracks, Quanlico, Va. JACK TEAGARDEN Camp Polk, Leesville, La. RICHARD HIMBER War College, Washington, D. C. VINCENT LOPEZ Carlisle Barracks, Carlisle, Pa. TONY PASTOR Edgewood Arsenal, Baltimore, Md. DICK JLRGENS From An Aircraft Carrier FLETCHER HENDERSON Fort Sneiling, St. Paul, Minn. ART JARRETT Fort Niagara, Youngslown, N. Y. JOHNNY "SCAT" DAVIS Army Air Base, Salina, Kansas LOUIS ARMSTRONG Fort Benning, Columbus, Ga. LIGON SMITH Camp Wolters, Mineral Wells, Texas LOUIS PRIMA Camp Allen, U.S. Atlantic Fleet Amphibious Training Base, Little Creek, Va. WILL OSBORNE Naval Air Gunners School, Hollywood, Fla. CHARLIE SPIVAK Fort Dix, N. J. JAN SAVITT Fort Hancock, Sandy Hook, N. J. TED LEWIS Naval Training Station, New Orleans, La. RUSS MORGAN Naval Reserve Aviation Base, Glenview, III. GENE KRUPA March Field, Los Angeles, Cal. AL KAVELIN Camp McCoy, La Crosse, Wis. JOHNNY RICHARDS Hill Field, Ogden, Utah EARL HINES U. S. Naval Training School, Noroton Heights, Conn. BLUE BARRON U. S. Maritime Training Station, Hoffman Island, N. Y. JOE SANDERS Naval Training Station, Oxford, Ohio EDDIE ROGERS Lowry Field, Denver, Col. FREDDY MARTIN Camp Haan, Riverside, Cal. HENRY KING Scott Field, Belleville, 111. CARL RAVAZZA Navy Pier, Chicago, III. HAL GRAYSON Thunderbird Field, Phoenix, Ariz. JAN GARBER Pomona Ordnance Base, Pomona, Cal. BOB MOHR Desert Training Command, Indio, Cal. CHARLIE BARNET Manhattan Beach Coast Guard, Manhattan Beach, N. Y. GEORGE OLSEN U. S. Coast Guard Training Station, Alameda, Cal. DEL COURTNEY Camp Stoneman, Pittsburgh, Cal. GLEN HENRY Fort Lewis, Tacoma, Wash. BENNY GOODMAN Seaman's Institute, New York City JOE REICHMAN U. S. Destroyer Base, San Dieso, Cal. LES HITE Fort Huachua, Douglas, Ariz. FREDDIE SLACK Gardner Field, Taft, Cal. TED FIORITO Camp Roberts, Paso Robles, Cal. HORACE HEIDT War Veteran's Hospital, Sawtelle, Cal. TOMMY DORSEY San Pedro Naval Base, San Pedro, Cal. The Blue Network