When three sisters became the voice of hope in wartime.
During World War II, The Andrews Sisters — Patty, Maxene, and LaVerne — traveled across military bases from the U.S. to Italy, performing for American troops. Their swing harmonies, cheerful energy, and patriotic songs lifted spirits when the world felt dark.
“Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” became an anthem of courage, echoing through barracks and battlefields. Soldiers would write letters saying their songs reminded them of home, of laughter, of a reason to fight on.
What few knew was that behind those bright smiles, the sisters also carried fear — each show came with danger, air raids, and long separations from family. Yet they refused to stop performing. “If we can make one soldier forget war for three minutes,” Patty once said, “that’s worth everything.”
After the war, the U.S. government honored them for their contribution to morale — but the greatest reward, they said, was seeing tears in the eyes of the men they sang for.
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