an occasional harsh cry from a startled bird seemed to be sinister and awe-inspiring. Keeping equipment in operating order was difficult at best. Drifting clouds that wreathed the treetops in swirling mists fed the dense canopy of dripping foliage far above the ever-saturated and almost sunless floor of the primeval jungle. Even though the transmitters were set up under tents, they often experienced problems with short-circuiting caused by the moisture that constantly surrounded them. Back-up units were not always available, which meant that often transmitters had to be "jury-rigged" in order to get anything out of them. The hot and humid air also warped the discs (records) containing the recorded programming. End of hostilities On May 8, 1945, word was received via radio from Delhi, announcing the end of hostilities in Europe. AFRS stations broadcast from the islands of New Guinea, Java, and Borneo in the Dutch East Indies as the Allies moved into the Gilbert Islands and Bismarck Archipelago to the east. Coast watchers and scouts also listened to the AFRS stations for information about what was happening. Coded messages were sometimes included in daily broadcasts to give them special information as well. As the Allies drew closer to Japan, the fighting turned into a desperate island-by-island struggle. Command of the airwaves over areas changed hands as much as twice weekly, and in a few instances, twice daily. That made it even more difficult for those manning the AFRS radio stations, because, if they got too close to the battlefronts, aerial bombing could destroy the stations. On more than one occasion the operators did not have time to transport their equipment away from contested areas, and had to abandon the stations where they were. As the war front drew closer to Japan's four main islands, another AFRS outlet was established, on the island of Okinawa, in July 1945. Post-war Ten days after the formal surrender ceremonies aboard the battleship USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay, the first AFRS station in Japan went on the air, signing-on with the phrase, "This is Armed Forces Radio Service, Station W-V-T-R in Tokyo." The date was September 12, 1945. The Nippon Hoso Kyokai (NHK) building in Tokyo was the home to station JOAK, and shared its facilities with WVTR from 1945 to 1952. With the consolidation of all the AFRS outlets under the newly established Supreme Commander Allied Powers (SCAP), the fledgling Far East