Songs That Won the War: 1940s Wartime Favorites

Irving Berlin, a Jewish immigrant from Russia, wrote 'White Christmas' — a song about longing for an idealized American holiday that touched the hearts of millions of servicemen and civilians around the world.

The Andrews Sisters appeared in 'Buck Privates,' the 1941 Universal Pictures comedy starring Abbott and Costello, and their energetic performance of 'Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy' turned it into an instant wartime classic — earning the song an Academy Award nomination.

'White Christmas' debuted in the 1942 Paramount film 'Holiday Inn,' which also starred Fred Astaire. The song won the Academy Award for Best Original Song and made servicemen worldwide ache for home.

Vera Lynn became known as 'The Forces' Sweetheart' for her tireless work entertaining British troops — including personal visits to Burma, Egypt, and India — and for songs like 'We'll Meet Again' that captured the spirit of hope in the darkest days.

Glenn Miller and His Orchestra recorded 'In the Mood' on August 1, 1939, and it became his signature hit — a joyful, foot-stomping anthem that defined the sound of an entire generation.

'Chattanooga Choo Choo' appeared in the 1941 20th Century Fox film 'Sun Valley Serenade,' where Glenn Miller and His Orchestra performed it — and it went on to sell over 1.2 million copies, earning a place in music history.

The phrase was attributed to Navy chaplain Howell Forgy, who reportedly encouraged sailors loading guns during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 — and Frank Loesser turned it into a rousing wartime anthem that America sang with gusto.

Kitty Kallen provided the heartfelt vocals on 'It's Been a Long Long Time' with Harry James and His Orchestra in 1945. The song reached number one on the charts and became an anthem of joy for couples reunited after years of wartime separation.

V-Disc stood for Victory — the same V-for-Victory symbol that Winston Churchill made famous. The program ran from 1943 to 1949 and sent millions of recordings by top artists, including Bing Crosby, Glenn Miller, and Frank Sinatra, to troops stationed around the globe.

The trio was made up of LaVerne (the eldest), Maxene, and Patty Andrews. Growing up in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the three sisters became the best-selling female recording group of the 1940s, brightening the home front with their bright harmonies.

Glenn Miller was flying from Twinwood Farm airfield in England to Paris, where he planned to lead his Army Air Force Band in a concert for newly liberated troops. Neither he, his fellow passengers, nor the aircraft were ever found.

Vera Lynn recorded 'We'll Meet Again,' written by Ross Parker and Hughie Charles, in 1939, just as World War II was beginning in Europe. Its message of hope and reunion made it an enduring comfort to millions of families separated by the conflict.

'The Last Time I Saw Paris,' a sentimental ballad about the French capital written by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II, won the Oscar — beating two beloved wartime hits and sparking a rule change requiring nominated songs to be written specifically for films.

RCA Victor spray-painted a copy of 'Chattanooga Choo Choo' gold and presented it to Glenn Miller to commemorate its extraordinary sales — creating what music history recognizes as the very first gold record ever awarded to a recording artist.

'I'll Be Home for Christmas,' recorded by Bing Crosby in 1943, was written from a soldier's point of view and closes with the line 'I'll be home for Christmas, if only in my dreams.' It became a poignant favorite among troops longing for home, even as it expressed the ache of being far away.