Editing American Forces Network (section)

===Origins===
The first station to be under the control of the U.S. Armed Forces was [[KGEI]] in San Francisco, whose origins come from a [[General Electric|GE]] exhibit, which in February 1939 started shortwave broadcasts aimed at the Philippines, which at the time were under American control. The station was used as a counterpoint to [[NHK Radio 1|Radio Tokyo]] and ultimately became a model for the army network following the invasion of Pearl Harbor in late 1941.<ref name="AFRTS50">{{cite book |title=History of AFRTS, the First 50 Years |year=1992 |publisher=American Forces Information Service and Armed Forces Radio and Television Service }}</ref>{{rp|6}}

The first radio station began in [[Delta Junction, Alaska]], on what was then known as [[Fort Greely]]. It was called [[KODK]] and was operated by on base personnel. In the years just before [[World War II]], there were several radio stations based in American [[military base]]s, but none were officially recognized until 1942. The success of these individual radio stations helped pave the way for the AFN. As such, there was no single station that could be called the "first" to sign on as an AFN station. About two months before the formal establishment of AFN, however, a station called "PCAN" began regular broadcast information service in the [[Panama Canal Zone]], primarily for troops on jungle [[bivouac shelter|bivouac]]. The station, located at [[Fort Clayton]], was later to become part of AFRS, first simply as "Armed Forces Network" located at [[Albrook Air Force Base|Albrook Field]].