V-Discs
MUSICAL ENTERTAINMENT FOR THE ARMED FORCES
V-Disc was an ambitious and successful effort by the Armed Forces of the United States to bring musical entertainment to soldiers, sailors and airmen serving around the world during and following World War II. The name of the program to send music overseas derived from the "V for Victory" slogan and campaign. Between October 1943 and May 1949, the armed forces produced over eight hundred releases and distributed over eight million 12鈥 78rpm vinylite V-Disc records to service personnel worldwide.
THE RICHARD SHERWOOD SEARS COLLECTION
The late Richard Sherwood Sears was the foremost historian of the Armed Forces and entertainment industry "V-Discs." This program produced phonograph records during and immediately following World War II for the entertinment of United States and Allied Armed Forces around the world. The sources for the records were commercial record releases, network radio programs and dedicated "V-Disc" recording sessions. The V-Disc program was a remarkable acheivement. Mr. Sears' research, correspondence and documentation is preserved exclusively in our GMC Richard Sherwood Sears Collection. In addition, Mr. Sears' collection of 66 historic, one-of-a-kind V-Disc Test Pressings are preserved along with all of his copies of issued V-Disc recordings. Other GMC Ccollections contain significant numbers of V-Discs, which makes the GMC the leading archive for V-Disc project documentation and record preservation.
Discover the complete history of the V-Disc program, the scope of the recordings and view original V-Disc materials:
Updated: May 3, 2022
