Command Performance was a radio show broadcast on the Armed Forces Radio Network (AFRS) between 1942 and 1949, specifically designed to entertain U.S. troops during WWII. The show featured top performers of the day such as Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, and Judy Garland, who volunteered their talents, putting on a show based on requests from service members. The AFRS recorded and shipped these programs to the troops stationed overseas. Command Performance's success helped pave the way for the creation of other similar shows, such as Request Performance and G.I. Journal.
Command Performance was primarily intended for the U.S. troops serving overseas during WWII, and therefore, with few exceptions, it was not broadcast to the general public over domestic U.S. radio stations. The purpose was to boost the morale of the service members while keeping that exclusive connection between the performers and the troops. In fact, it was considered the "best program that the American Public never heard." Only in a rare instance, such as on Christmas Eve 1942, did the War Department allow a broadcast of Command Performance for domestic listeners in order to forge a link between the servicemen abroad and the folks on the Home Front.