Following the formal Japanese surrender that concluded the war, Bartell was part of the occupation of Japan. Bartell was put in charge of the takeover of JOAK, Tokyo's 50,000-watt radio station that had featured the broadcasts of Tokyo Rose. The station, which renamed itself as WVTR, was the first Armed Forces Radio station on air in Japan, signing-on with the phrase, "This is Armed Forces Radio Service, Station WVTR in Tokyo" on September 12, 1945.