Our Land Be Bright

This 15 minute syndicated program from the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) takes its title from the fourth verse of "My Country ‘Tis of Thee". The song uses the same melody as "God Save the Queen" and was considered one of our country’s de facto national anthems before a congressional resolution in 1931 officially adopted "The Star Spangled Banner". "My Country ‘Tis of Thee" continues to stir the hearts of patriots whenever and wherever it is performed. The fourth stanza goes:

"Our fathers' God to Thee,
Author of liberty,
To Thee we sing.
Long may our land be bright,
With freedom's holy light,
Protect us by Thy might,
Great God our King."

The Veterans of Foreign Wars was incorporated in 1899 by veterans of Seventeenth US Calvary who served in the Spanish American War. The VFW’s goals are "to ensure national security through maximum military strength, to speed the rehabilitation of the nation’s disabled and needy veterans, assist veterans' widows and orphans and the dependents of needy or disabled veterans, and to promote Americanism by means of education in patriotism and by constructive service in communities."

Membership and the political clout of the VFW swelled after the Second World War. With so many veterans returning to civilian life veteran’s issues gained national importance. Although the civilian populace was generally supportive of the servicemen who had sacrificed so much, the issues were not always known or understood.

In 1947-48, the VFW began syndicating Our Land Be Bright to help publicize the issues and VFW programs which benefit both vets and their communities. The show attracted a good deal star power, including Henry Fonda, Joan Fontaine, Bob Hope, Herbert Marshall, Jack Carson and others.