Retro : Shipping Off to War

On an old “Wayne’s World” sketch on NBC’s “Saturday Night Live,” Wayne and Garth called cable’s Arts & Entertainment network the “World War II” channel because of its plethora of documentaries and specials on the global conflict.

Well, attention World War II buffs! Set your VCRs! In honor of Veterans Day on Thursday, A&E; is airing the mother of all World War II documentaries: the Emmy- and Peabody award-winning series Victory at Sea.

The 24-part “Victory at Sea,” which originally aired on NBC from Oct. 26, 1952, to April 26, 1953, chronicles the history of naval warfare during World War II. The remarkable footage was supplied by 10 governments and was produced in cooperation with the U.S. Navy.

Produced by Henry Salomon and narrated by Leonard Graves, the documentary features a haunting score by renowned Broadway composer Richard Rodgers of “Oklahoma!,” “South Pacific” and “The King and I.” The main title music is a variation of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s tune “No Other Love.”

In 1954, a 98-minute film version of “Victory at Sea” was released theatrically.

Among the highlights of the series:

“The Pacific Boils Over” (5:30 a.m.): Focuses on the day that lives in infamy: Dec. 7, 1941, when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor and pushed the United States into the war.

“Midway Is East” (6:30 a.m.): Chronicles the brutal story of the early Japanese Pacific victories and the Battle of Midway.

“Guadalcanal” (7 a.m.): The heroic story of the dramatic and tragic Pacific battle.

“Sea and Sand” (8 a.m.): The Allies invade North Africa

“Magnetic North” (9 a.m.): The war becomes global as the battle edges north in the Pacific from Murmansk to Alaska.

“D-Day” (11 a.m.): The pivotal battle of land, sea and air, which marked the beginning of the end of the Germany.

“The Killers and the Killed” (11:30 a.m.): A look at how the Allied naval battles regained the Atlantic Ocean.

“Return of the Allies” (1:30 a.m.): The dramatic liberation of the Philippines.

“Full Fathom Five” (2 p.m.): A view of the U.S. submarine fleet from under the sea.

“Target Suribachi” (3 p.m.): The battle for control of Iwo Jima.

“Victory at Sea” begins at 5 a.m. and continues until 5 p.m. Thursday on A&E.;