Ann Sheridan was supposed to have the female lead in this movie. However, Sheridan declined the role feeling the script was too unrealistic.
Cole Porter's genial, "unsophisticated" cowboy song, "Don't Fence Me In," via the Decca recording by Bing Crosby (who did not appear in the picture) and The Andrews Sisters, reigned as the number-one "Billboard" single for eight weeks, between December 23, 1944 and February 10, 1945.
In the first scene, on New Guinea, when the soldiers assemble for mail call, the first name called is "Chris Nyby". Christian Nyby was the film editor of the picture.
Originally conceived by Warner Bros. as a multi-studio (like the actual Hollywood Canteen) WWII effort with rival studios (Fox, Paramount, MGM, etc.) contributing cameo appearances by its stars. But when other studios balked at having performers appear (even though profits were reportedly earmarked for war effort), Warner turned it into a single-studio affair.