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375:, who acted as master of ceremonies. These stars performed under some extremely trying conditions, as the weather was brutally hot and many of the camps were not equipped to host theatrical performances. Chico, whose "shoot the keys" piano solos were the heart of his act, often had to do without a piano at all. Thankfully, Laurel and Hardy's Driver's License sketch needed only a few simple props. In any event, even the most ramshackle shows brought loud cheers from the troops, overjoyed that anybody had come to perform for them, let alone some of the finest talents Hollywood had to offer.
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1197:. USO centers number more than 160 around the world. In those years, the USO opened centers at Fort Campbell, Kentucky; Fort Riley, Kansas; Fort Bliss, Texas; Fort Carson, Colorado; and Afghanistan. The USO provides a variety of programs and services, including orientation programs, family events, free Internet and e-mail access, free drinks and snacks, free phone calls home and recreation services. One of the newer programs, called "USO in a Box," delivers program materials ranging from DVD players and videos to musical instruments to remote forward operating bases in Afghanistan.
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962:, and others. According to Kerry biographer Douglas Brinkley, "When the Swift finally made it back to the My Tho River, the crew confronted the heartbreaking sight of a huge Navy landing craft ferrying the troops back. The USO show was over." Kerry later wrote, "The visions of Ann Margret and Miss America and all the other titillating personalities who would have made us feel so at home hung around us for a while until we saw three Chinook helicopters take off from the field and presumed that our dreams had gone with them."
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269:. They were brought together under one umbrella to support U.S. troops, as opposed to operating independently as some had done during the First World War. Roosevelt said he wanted "these private organizations to handle the on-leave recreation of the men in the armed forces." According to historian Emily Yellin, "The government was to build the buildings and the USO was to raise private funds to carry out its main mission: boosting the morale of the military."
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185:'s "home away from home" and began a tradition of entertaining the troops and providing social facilities. Involvement in the USO was one of the many ways in which the nation had come together to support the war effort, with nearly 1.5 million people having volunteered their services in some way. The USO initially disbanded in 1947, but was revived in 1950 for the
2525:"Robert J Hudson, Master Sergeant USMC Retired. MSgt. Hudson was Commanding Officer (contracted Major in USA) for First Company Commander for first and Second and Battalion for the New Iraq Army training Program. in the NIATP (New Iraqi Army Training Program) under Vinnell Corporation, Program Director Lieutenant General George Allen Crocker (when meeting Mr Willis)"
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organizations in order to find sponsorship for their USO group, and later expanded to fulfill the needs of soldiers during the Korean War. Moreover, they worked to merge black and white USOs into one desegregated unit. As black historian Megan
Shockley noted, "Their work for the desegregation of USOs had begun during World War II, and it finally paid off."
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huge tropical bugs flying in our hair and faces; we've played to audiences of thousands of men, audiences spreading from our very feet to far up a hillside and many sitting in the trees. ... We've played to audiences in small units of 500 or so, and much oftener to audiences of 8 to 10,000. Every night we play a different place.
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The USO has a paid staff of approximately 800. Additionally, more than 44,000 USO volunteers provide an estimated 371,417 hours of service annually. As reported by the USO, the unpaid volunteer to paid employee ratio overseas is 20 to 1. Within the United States, the number is "significantly higher."
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overseas with
American service personnel. He was always treated as "an asset to the U.S. Government with his willingness to entertain whenever they needed him." After WWII was declared over, the USO had sent out an "impassioned bulletin" asking entertainers not to abandon the GIs now that the war was
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by declaring him the "first and only honorary veteran of the U.S. armed forces." According to Hope biographer
William Faith, his reputation has become ingrained in the "American consciousness" because he had flown millions of miles to entertain G.I.s during both wartime and peace. His contribution to
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and place to sleep for
American servicemen between their flights. Vietnam historian James Westheider noted that the USO "tried to bring a little America to Vietnam." Volunteer American civilians, who did 18-month tours, staffed the clubs. According to Westheider, "The young women wore miniskirts – no
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Author Linda
Granfield in describing the show, writes, "For two hours, the men could forget they were soldiers at war. After the show, they returned to the fighting in the hills. Some in that audience never made it back." By the end of the war, over 113,000 American USO volunteers were working at 294
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African-American women scrambled to rally the community around the soldiers and create programs for them. By 1946, hostesses had served more than two thousand soldiers a day while also providing facilities for the wounded and convalescent who were on leave. They went to black businesses and fraternal
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After being formed in 1941, in response to World War II, "centers were established quickly ... in churches, barns, railroad cars, museums, castles, beach clubs, and log cabins." Most centers offered recreational activities, such as holding dances and showing movies. And there were the well-known free
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in 1990. The show was not easy, notes Faith. "There were so many restrictions. Hope's jokes were monitored by the State
Department to avoid offending the Saudis ... and the media was restricted from covering the shows... Because in Saudi Arabia national custom prescribes that women must be veiled in
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opened the show by going to the microphone, looking at his large audience, and shouting, "Who's holding back the enemy?" The GIs roared with laughter. We were thrilled to have Kaye and his entertainers in our area. We especially liked the young women in the show. Danny was okay, with his stories and
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requested that the USO be reactivated "to provide support for the men and women of the armed forces with help of the
American people." According to war historian Paul Edwards, between 1952 and 1953, not a day went by without the USO providing services somewhere in Korea. At home or overseas, in 1952
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We went from ward to ward to ward, singing and dancing and trying to boost the morale of these men. It was just hell. ... I just fell apart and I think the shock of seeing those men with their arms and legs blown off – it was just frightening. But when you do it, you do it. You try to help them, try
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War correspondent
Quentin Reynolds wrote in 1943, "He and his troupe would do 300 miles in a jeep, and give four shows ... One of the generals said Hope was a first rate military target since he was worth a division; that that's about 15,000 men. Presumably the Nazis appreciated Hope's value, since
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We've played to audiences, many of them ankle deep in mud, huddled under the ponchos in the pouring rain (it breaks your heart the first two or three times to see men so hungry for entertainment.) We've played on uncovered stages, when we, as well as the audience, got rain-soaked. We've played with
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at a USO canteen and asked her to dance. "I had never danced with a celebrity before, so I felt delighted, privileged even, to meet her. ... But I really felt she was like a girl from back home." Jay Fultz, author of a biography of Reed, states that soldiers "often wrote to her as if to a sister or
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in 1943, that "Entertainment, all phases of it – radio, pictures and live – should be treated as essential. You don't know what entertainment means to the guys who do the fighting until you've been up there with the men yourself. ... You can quote me as saying that we should use entertainment as an
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was the first movie star to travel to
Normandy to entertain the troops. He had already been active back home selling war bonds, and donated $ 100,000 to the USO. During his show, he said, "This is the most privileged moment of my life, the opportunity to be here with you." The following month, Camp
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Author Joeie Dee pointed out that "for women entertainers, traveling with the USO made it possible to be patriots and adventurers as well as professionals." She adds, however, that the G.I.s in the USO audiences "tended to see these women in a different light – as reminders of and even substitutes
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According to Emily Yellin, many of the key foot soldiers in the USO's mission were women who were "charged with providing friendly diversion for U.S. troops who were mostly men in their teens and twenties." USO centers throughout the world recruited female volunteers to serve doughnuts, dance, and
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USO2GO is a service that provides customizable kits to military servicemen stationed in areas without a USO Center containing toiletries and snacks, furniture, electronics, and/or anything else they might need. Since 2008, the USO has shipped more than 2,000 kits to places like
Afghanistan, Iraq,
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Within five months 36 overseas units had been sent within the Americas, the United Kingdom, and Australia, and during 1942 1,000 performed as part of 70 units. Average performers were paid $ 100 a week; top stars were paid $ 10 a day because their wealth let them contribute more of their talents.
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entertainers to perform for the troops. According to movie historian Steven Cohan, "most of all ... in taking home on the road, it equated the nation with showbiz. USO camp shows were designed in their export to remind soldiers of home." They did this, he noted, by "nurturing in troops a sense of
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George Peppard, successful star of stage, TV and motion pictures, arrived in Vietnam for a USO HANDSHAKE TOUR in 1970 to visit the military in the hospitals and out in the "boonies."... He showed a keen interest in the men's mission while they were hungry for news of life back in the "World."...
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One author wrote that by the end of the war "the USO amounted to the biggest enterprise American show business has ever tackled. The audience was millions of American fighting men, the theatre's location: the world, the producer: USO camp shows" Performances continued after the end of the war in
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These overseas shows were produced by the American Theatre Wing, which also provided food and entertainment for the armed services in their Stage Door Canteens. Funds from the sale of film rights for a story about the New York Canteen went toward providing USO tours of shows for overseas troops.
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was eager to show its patriotism, and many celebrities joined the ranks of USO entertainers. They went as volunteers to entertain, and celebrities continue to provide volunteer entertainment in military bases in the U.S. and overseas, sometimes placing their own lives in danger by traveling or
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In November–December 1968 the Sig Sakowitz troop from Chicago performed over 36 shows in South Vietnam with the USO in: Pleiku, Dalat, Danang, Cam Ran Bay, Phu Bai, Phu Loy, Hue, Natrang, Tan Son Nhut Airbase, Saigon and places in the boonies known only to military intelligence and the lonely
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But for GIs who saw the show, it was worth it: "We turned to watch Ann perform, and for about two minutes of American beauty, the war was forgotten. Everyone fully understood just what was really worth fighting for. ... The show was fantastic, but the escape the Bob Hope tour provided us in
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described performing for badly wounded soldiers. She did forty-eight shows for "broken soldiers," who were mostly lying on stretchers in the lobbies of hotels, watching as she entertained them. Yellin writes, "During her last show she collapsed and had to be taken home on an Army airplane."
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According to historian Paul Holsinger, between 1941 and 1945, the USO did 293,738 performances in 208,178 separate visits. Estimates were that more than 161 million servicemen and women, in the U.S. and abroad, were entertained. The USO also did shows in military hospitals, eventually
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on college campuses angered him". Hope wrote in a magazine article that "Can you imagine, that people in America are burning their draft cards to show their opposition and that some of them are actually rooting for your defeat?" In the spring of 1973, Hope began writing his fifth book,
405:, using local theaters in France and Italy, was the first to use an entire theater company, including scenery. At its high point in 1944, the USO had more than 3,000 clubs, and curtains were rising on USO shows 700 times a day. The USO's fundraising efforts were controversial. An
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The visits by the stars meant a lot to the men and women in Vietnam. "It was not just the entertainment; it meant that they were not forgotten that far away from home," writes Westheider. He adds that the tours made a "deep impression" on the stars as well. Singer and actress
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during a book signing was approached by a veteran who asked her to sign a photo he took of her performing in Vietnam. Although the book's publishing representative for the signing event would not allow her to sign anything other than her book, the veteran's wife recalls:
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just talk with the troops. USO historian Julia Carson writes that this "nostalgic hour," designed to cheer and comfort soldiers, involved "listening to music – American style" and "looking at pretty girls, like no other pretty girls in the world – American girls."
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During the Vietnam War, Hope produced a number of high-rated television specials and began to perceive that the U.S. media had given him a broad endorsement to continue on his work in Vietnam. Soon after his Christmas show in Saigon in 1967, he learned that the
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soldiers yearning for a taste of home. The troop consisted of Doublemint Twins Terrie and Jennie Frankel, Gaslight Club singer Sara Sue, Comedian Tony Diamond and personality Sig Sakowitz. Shows were also performed with comedian Joey Bishop of the Rat Pack.
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composed largely of U.S., Italian and French armed service members was created and sent to the region to attempt a restoration of order. As part of the multinational force the United States mobilized an expeditionary force composed of members of the
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remembered her 1969 tour with Bob Hope, when she decided to go despite the fact she had two children both under the age of two. Today, she claims that "veterans were still stopping her and thanking her for visiting Vietnam over 30 years later."
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United Service Organizations, Inc.: hearing before the Subcommittee on Administrative Law and Governmental Relations of the Committee on the Judiciary, House of Representatives, Ninety-fourth Congress, first session ... December 9, 1975.
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She took one look at the photo, tears welled up in her eyes, and she said, 'This is one of my gentlemen from Viet Nam and I most certainly will sign his photo. I know what these men did for their country and I always have time for 'my
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had traveled over a million miles. Yellin notes that on one tour, Hayworth visited six camps, gave thousands of autographs, and "came back from Texas with a full-fledged nervous breakdown from over-enthusiasm!" Opera singer
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essential industry so long as it's for the boys in service. Anybody who has been there would insist on it. ... Hell, you should have seen how happy the G.I.s were when they heard the ballplayers were coming over. And
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entertaining more than 3 million wounded soldiers and sailors in 192 different hospitals. There were 702 different USO troupes that toured the world, some spending up to six months per tour. In 1943, a
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had planned to launch an attack at the hotel Hope's troupe was staying at, missing them by ten minutes. According to Faith, he was later "mystified and... increasingly intolerant of the pockets of dissent.
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Fundraising was also aided by non-USO entertainment groups. Soldier Shows, which troops – often experienced actors and musicians – organized and held their own performances, were common. The army formed a
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coffee and doughnuts. Some USO centers provided a haven for spending a quiet moment alone or writing a letter home, while others offered spiritual guidance and made childcare available for military wives.
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649:, "an applause erupted that stunned even the most seasoned performers." She later wrote in a letter, "Every woman back home wears a halo now, and those who represent her had better keep theirs on, too."
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Twenty-eight performers died in the course of their tours, from plane crashes, illness, or diseases contracted while on tour. In one such instance in 1943, a plane carrying a USO troupe crashed outside
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The story of USO camp shows belongs to the American people, for it was their contribution that made it possible. It is an important part in the life of your sons, your brothers, your husbands, and your
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The organization became particularly known for its live performances, called "camp shows", through which the entertainment industry helps boost the morale of servicemen and women. In the early days,
563:. The USO dissolved in December 1947, after having spent $ 240 million in contributions on Camp Shows, canteens, and other services. Special Services productions grew in number as replacement.
280:. The USO was incorporated in New York on February 4, with the first facility erected in DeRidder, Louisiana, 1941. More USO centers and clubs opened around the world as a "Home Away from Home" for
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The organization sends toiletry and snack care packages to servicemen including travel-sized hygiene products of which 170,000 were shipped in 2019, healthy snacks, and drink mixes. During the
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to provide morale and recreation services to U.S. uniformed military personnel. Roosevelt was elected as its honorary chairman. This request brought together six civilian organizations: the
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stated at the beginning of the war, "Now it's going to be up to us to send to the men here and abroad real, living entertainment, the songs, the dances, and the laughs they had back home."
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magazine at the time, stated, "For the little time the show lasts, the men are taken straight to the familiar Main Street that is the goal of every fighting American far away from home."
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and many others. Jolson was the first to volunteer, but due to lack of USO funds traveled to Korea at his own expense (he was also the first to entertain troops during World War II).
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158:) is an American nonprofit-charitable corporation that provides live entertainment, such as comedians, actors and musicians, social facilities, and other programs to members of the
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445:. Performers and writers from throughout the army were recruited for the production; they remained soldiers and continued drills. Berlin, who had written and produced the similar
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The USO has over 200 locations around the world in 14 countries (including the U.S.) and 27 states. During a gala marking the USO's 75th anniversary in 2016, retired Army Gen.
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284:. The USO club was a place to go for dances and social events, for movies and music, for a quiet place to talk or write a letter home, or for a free cup of coffee and an egg.
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The USO hosts baby showers for military parents-to-be. The baby showers allow pregnant military spouses to network and form a community while their spouses are deployed.
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USO centers in combat zones provide free phone calls home and internet access to service members through its private telephone network and high-speed internet.
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On that cold, overcast day, there were more than five thousand troops in the audience. They sat on the ground or up on the hillside. When everyone was settled,
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Bruce Willis visited Baghdad, Camp Kir Kush and Camp Caldwell, Iraq around December 2003. Mr. Willis visited military bases in Iraq during his visit in Iraq.
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The Flying Showboat, was the first revue. The troupe of show business professionals toured U.S. military bases in the Caribbean. It included comedians
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for their girls back home, as a reward for fighting the war, as embodiments of what they were fighting for." Edward Skvarna remembers 1943, when he met
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The USO strengthens America's military service members by keeping them connected to family, home, and country, throughout their service to the nation.
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The USO provides services to troops before, during, and after deployment through staffed and unstaffed USO centers inside and outside combat zones.
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485:, just back from a chore as war correspondent, ... also applauded show business as part of the war effort and its importance as a morale builder."
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As a result of his non-stop entertainment to both the civilian population and the military, he received numerous other honors over the years: a
170:(DoD), relying heavily on private contributions and on funds, goods, and services from various corporate and individual donors. Although it is
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The Bob Hope Legacy Reading program allows service members to record and send a video of themselves reading a book to their children at home.
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expectation for days before, and after, helped us keep in touch with what we were there for – God, Country, apple pie ... and Ann-Margret!"
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In 1947, the USO was disbanded, due partly to lack of funds. In 1951, when the United States entered the Korean War, Secretary of Defense
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When providing entertainment, the USO did its best to attract known stars from back home to help relieve the stresses of war. Senator
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slacks were allowed." Each club had a snack bar, gift shops, a barbershop, photo developing, overseas phone lines, and hot showers.
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recalled how important this kind of diversion would become. He remembered a "Bob Hope Follies" USO show, which included actress
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before the first combat troops arrived, with the first USO club opened in Saigon in April 1963. The 23 centers in Vietnam and
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saluted Hope "for his tireless USO trouping", which was followed by onstage tributes from all branches of the armed forces.
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centers at home and abroad. And 126 units had given 5,422 performances to servicemen in Korea and the wounded in Japan.
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it was serving 3.5 million in the armed forces using much the same methods of operation as it did in World War II.
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during World War I, took the entire 165-person cast on tour in Europe in 1942, raising nearly $ 10 million for the
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2440:"Launch your own missile from Battleship New Jersey: Warship Museum Prepares New 'Interactive' Combat Control Center"
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called him the most honored entertainer ever. And during his 1993 televised birthday celebration, when he turned 90,
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served as many as a million service members a month, and the USO presented more than 5,000 performances during the
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Fund. The following year the show was made into a film by the same title, again starring Ronald Reagan. The
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unit that organized such shows and supervised the USO, and the experience from the Soldier Shows led to
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U.S. military personnel and their families visit USO centers more than eight million times each year.
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Carrying on a tradition he had begun in World War II of spending Christmas with U.S. forces overseas,
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Polaroid pictures were taken by Mr. Peppard's escort officer, autographed, and given to the men.
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the girl next door, confiding moments of homesickness, loneliness, privation and anxiety."
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spoke about his loyalty to the GI throughout the gritty Vietnam years. And bandleader
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Like much of American society and its World War II military, USOs were segregated. In
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patriotic identification with America through popular entertainment." An article in
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The USO has hosted more than 8.1 million center celebrity visits across the world.
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on December 24, 1983. Four hundred Marines stationed in Beirut attended the show.
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We, Too, are Americans: African American Women in Detroit and Richmond, 1940–55
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The USO, A Home Away From Home for 80 Years, by Julia Lauria-Blum, July 9, 2021
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The United Service Organizations for National Defense, Inc. (USO) and the YWCA
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Our Mothers' War: American Women at Home and at the Front During World War II
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Patriotic and national organizations chartered by the United States Congress
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notes that "his contributions to the USO are well known: they are legend."
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Other entertainers who have traveled to the Middle East to perform include
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Veterans have recalled many of the USOs events, sometimes in vivid detail:
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In addition, the USO operated centers at major U.S. airports to provide a
584:. It covered a 50-year timespan, from the USO's inception in 1941 through
344:
But the organization became mostly known for its live performances called
189:, after which it continued, also providing peacetime services. During the
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was raging in Lebanon. In an effort to stop the violence in the region a
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193:, USO social facilities ("USOs") were sometimes located in combat zones.
190:
2315:
I Remember Korea: Veterans Tell Their Stories of the Korean War, 1950–53
1791:
High Hat Sam: The Life and Times of Louisiana Governor Sam Houston Jones
1064:
and elements of the United States Sixth Fleet which operated out of the
807:
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to sing and dance. You try to keep their spirits up. It's heartbreaking.
201:
performing under hazardous conditions. In 2011, the USO was awarded the
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1934:
1913:
Matson, Lowell (1954). "Theatre for the Armed Forces in World War II".
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Women were also key entertainers who performed at shows. Stars such as
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gave the United Service Organizations the following ratings for 2024:
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and their families. Since 1941, it has worked in partnership with the
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stage production toured worldwide until it closed in October 1945 in
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1597:
Accountability & Finance, most recent fiscal year, 2022: 4-star
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and his troupe of entertainers gave a show on board the battleship
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547:, the first entertainer to go overseas in World War II, contracted
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Until fall 1944 overseas units contained five performers or fewer;
543:, with Froman providing the actual singing voice. Others, such as
3405:
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2501:
Shield and sword: the United States Navy and the Persian Gulf War
2475:
2203:. Riverside, CA: Riverside Historical Society. pp. 144–147.
1886:
1165:, country singer Gina James, and Bob Hope on his final USO tour.
1002:
List of entertainers who performed for American troops in Vietnam
560:
556:
548:
2881:
Big Picture: United Service Organization (USO): Wherever They Go
2601:"How the USO Helps Service Members and Their Families (Podcast)"
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Many stars, both well-known and new, came to perform, including
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One female entertainer wrote about conditions while performing:
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233:, a World War II Bronze Star recipient, honoring the USO in 2000
2754:"Bob Hope: First and only honorary veteran of the Armed Forces"
2729:
1793:. Springfield, Missouri : James E. Cornwell, 2014. p. 102.
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performing his last episode of weeklong taping in Iraq for his
1190:
725:
526:
1721:"From World War II to Afghanistan: USO Marks 75th Anniversary"
645:, after she had performed a "serious" opera song to troops in
2654:"USO supports deployed Soldiers in Poland with care packages"
1995:"Photo of Edward G. Robinson entertaining troops in Normandy"
1194:
1091:
646:
551:, resulting in the loss of his lung, cutting short his tour.
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827:
jokes, but after all, we knew what American men looked like.
2098:
War and American Popular Culture: a Historical Encyclopedia
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1023:
off the coast of Beirut, Lebanon. (left to right) Miss USA
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service population. Celebrities visiting this USO included
592:
returned from entertaining troops in Korea, he agreed with
250:
2470:. History and Museums Division, Marine Corps. p. 90.
2199:
Lech, Steve (October 2022). "Riverside's Negro USO Club".
1102:, which killed five people including a U.S. Navy officer.
576:, which told the story of two USO performers, and starred
1955:. The American Theatre Wing's Tony Awards®. June 28, 1946
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Female USO troupe entertaining an American soldier, 1944.
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732:, the first star to perform in Korea, September 17, 1950
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show, carried a golf club on stage and dedicated it to
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142:
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Non-profit organizations based in Arlington, Virginia
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they thrice bombed towns while the comic was there."
2704:"USO center opens at Naval Submarine Base in Groton"
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Edward J. Marolda and Robert John Schneller (2001).
304:
wrote, "The entertainment brought home to the boys.
2494:
2492:
1696:"Our Proud History: Important Dates in USO History"
603:
2910:is available for free viewing and download at the
2897:is available for free viewing and download at the
2884:is available for free viewing and download at the
2599:
1408:
1133:. Entertainers performing for the troops included
2183:"Dear Donna: A Pinup So Swell She Kept G.I. Mail"
1778:The Oxford Companion to American Military History
1230:at 2008 USO Holiday Tour in Kandahar, Afghanistan
3523:
3479:The International Association of Blacks in Dance
2489:
3552:United States National Medal of Arts recipients
2922:New York Public Library for the Performing Arts
1908:
1906:
1904:
1902:
1900:
1898:
1472:over. Hope was among the first to say yes. The
1381:The USO has provided services for the annual "
1173:To support troops participating in Operations
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711:Afterwards, Miller described the experience:
559:, and 91 new units went to the Pacific after
315:USO promotional literature stated its goals:
3547:United States military support organizations
2395:"Ann-Margret ... The Real WOMAN OF THE YEAR"
2372:Tour of Duty: John Kerry and the Vietnam War
2309:
2307:
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3370:The Musicians of the United States Military
2920:, held by the Billy Rose Theatre Division,
2918:USO Camp Shows publicity records, 1941–1955
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1672:Entertainments National Service Association
1416:
237:The USO was founded on February 4, 1941 by
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2454:
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1554:were left off Hope's Christmas Eve show."
45:
30:"USO" redirects here. For other uses, see
2304:
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2145:Home Away From Home: The Story of the USO
2090:
2027:
1723:, Department of Defense, February 5, 2016
1118:perform at the USO Christmas Tour during
693:US Coast Guard, 1st show in Vietnam, 1970
665:a Negro USO was established to serve the
272:The first national campaign chairman was
2856:Bob Hope USO studio show video recording
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2071:
2038:"Answers About World War II in New York"
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1641:is seen performing in a USO tour during
1247:for four days in a USO sponsored event.
1237:From June 8 to 11, 2009, TV personality
1202:
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555:1945. 60 new units went to Europe after
533:, and severely injuring Broadway singer
521:was launched. She was scrapped in 1967.
487:
241:in response to a request from President
224:
2840:Bob Hope USO (Southern California Area)
2795:, 4th Ed., Turner Publishing Co. (2001)
2320:
1975:"Little Caesar and the McCarthyist Mob"
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2503:. Naval Institute Press. p. 163.
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1090:American troops have been deployed in
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1607:
1603:Leadership & Adaptability: 4-star
1463:the USO began in 1941 and ended with
684:
3239:The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation
2791:Military Order of the Purple Heart,
2198:
1849:"USO (United Service Organizations)"
1821:
1537:His final Christmas show was during
1453:
1015:Entertainers during a Christmas Eve
463:. The USO was also supported by the
220:
2431:
2361:, Greenwood Publishing Group (2007)
2330:, Greenwood Publishing Group (2006)
2163:
2100:, Greenwood Publishing Group (1999)
1887:WWII USO Preservation Association.
1776:John Whiteclay Chambers II. "USO."
1458:In 1997, the U.S. Congress honored
1125:To support troops participating in
259:National Catholic Community Service
255:Young Women's Christian Association
24:
3146:Washington Performing Arts Society
2410:. Lcweb2.loc.gov. October 26, 2011
1780:. Oxford University Press (2000),
1652:Captain America: The First Avenger
1474:Military Order of the Purple Heart
1241:traveled to Iraq to film his show
596:producers to star in a new movie,
263:National Travelers Aid Association
124:Donations (a 501(c)(3) non-profit)
25:
3578:
3537:Organizations established in 1941
2966:National Medal of Arts recipients
2824:
2464:U.S. Marines in Lebanon 1982–1984
2438:Levins, Hoag (October 18, 2001).
2397:, jdeaustocp blog, April 26, 2013
2286:"Marilyn Monroe Ends Korea Swing"
1817:Virginia Commonwealth University
1574:
324:In 2011, the USO was awarded the
174:, it is not a government agency.
152:United Service Organizations Inc.
3567:Cultural history of World War II
2907:USO – 30 Years of Service (1971)
2317:Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (2003)
2292:. Stripes.com. February 23, 1954
2160:, Univ. of Illinois Press (2004)
1594:Impact & Measurement: 4-star
1445:
604:Segregation and women in the USO
40:The United Service Organizations
27:American charitable organization
3204:Billie Tsien & Tod Williams
2894:Staff Film Report 66-25A (1966)
2875:Text and video, October 1, 2008
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1853:National Endowment for the Arts
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1600:Culture & Community: 4-star
1487:; a naval vessel was named the
1409:Bob Hope Legacy Reading Program
1100:targeted the USO club in Naples
335:
2850:"Entertaining the Troops" film
2147:, Harper & Brothers (1946)
2011:, Hawthorn Books (1973) p. 240
1877:, Square One Publishers (2001)
1807:
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1783:
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1019:show in 1983 on board the USS
958:, Miss America, football star
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402:The Barretts of Wimpole Street
367:, singer Jane Pickens, dancer
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3299:Eugene O'Neill Theater Center
3001:Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival
2201:Riverside During World War II
1889:History: USO Camp Shows, Inc.
1733:"Happy 75th Anniversary USO!"
1678:
1631:dance contest at USO Club in
1387:World Wrestling Entertainment
720:
529:, killing singer and actress
267:National Jewish Welfare Board
3532:United Service Organizations
2734:United Service Organizations
2683:United Service Organizations
2574:"2006 to 2009 Tour Schedule"
1668:(Former director, USO Haifa)
1506:General William Westmoreland
7:
3557:Entertainment organizations
3070:United Service Organization
2852:, public television, 1 hour
2343:, Temple Univ. Press (2006)
1915:Educational Theatre Journal
1875:Postcards from World War II
1767:, Simon and Schuster (2005)
1659:
1392:
1105:
938:performing in Vietnam, 1966
181:, the USO sought to be the
18:United Service Organization
10:
3583:
3476:The Billie Holiday Theatre
3268:University Musical Society
2793:Legacy of the Purple Heart
2780:Bob Hope: A Life in Comedy
2442:. HistoricCamdenCounty.com
1980:November 14, 2016, at the
1062:United States Marine Corps
999:
740:and Secretary of the Navy
598:Stars and Stripes for Ever
474:, wrote in an article for
215:
160:United States Armed Forces
85:Arlington County, Virginia
29:
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3166:Brooklyn Academy of Music
3153:
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2845:USO Clubs in World War II
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814:performing in Korea, 1954
396:Shows began in Normandy.
172:congressionally chartered
138:
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94:
77:
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61:
53:
44:
3365:Sharon Percy Rockefeller
2806:"Charity Navigator, USO"
2461:Frank, Benis M. (1987).
2428:Credit USO Photo/Vietnam
2252:"The Jolson Nobody Knew"
2156:Shockley, Megan Taylor.
2110:Reading 1: Liberty Ships
1571:'s service for the USO.
1497:Guinness Book of Records
1417:USO Care Package Program
1181:, USO centers opened in
1129:, USO centers opened in
1085:
852:featuring stars such as
423:, then a captain in the
353:Laurel and Hardy Central
2239:The Story of Al Jolson
2087:, October 30, 1943 p. 4
2058:www.presidency.ucsb.edu
1892:, accessed 15 Dec 2017.
1539:Operation Desert Shield
1532:The Last Christmas Show
1465:Operation Desert Shield
1272:Five Finger Death Punch
1127:Operation Desert Shield
1120:Operation Desert Shield
540:With a Song in My Heart
2871:USO World Gala, 2008:
2782:, Da Capo Press (2003)
2560:July 22, 2010, at the
2553:Louis C.K's USO Blog,
1591:Overall rating: 4-star
1485:The Spirit of Bob Hope
1231:
1122:
1098:. In 1988, a car bomb
1044:
990:
939:
829:
815:
733:
718:
706:Singer-actress-dancer
704:
694:
613:
586:Operation Desert Storm
503:
377:
326:National Medal of Arts
322:
234:
203:National Medal of Arts
100:200+ centers worldwide
3462:Judith Francisca Baca
2873:President Bush speech
2357:Westheider, James E.
2114:National Park Service
1467:in 1991, spending 48
1383:Tribute to the Troops
1206:
1113:
1014:
1007:Lebanese peacekeeping
985:
934:
820:
810:
728:
713:
699:
692:
663:Riverside, California
611:
491:
453:Army Emergency Relief
357:
317:
287:The USO also brought
243:Franklin D. Roosevelt
228:
168:Department of Defense
166:, and later with the
3319:Santiago Jiménez Jr.
3189:Maxine Hong Kingston
2606:www.philanthropy.com
2535:on November 16, 2012
2374:HarperCollins (2004)
2275:, September 27, 1942
2237:Freedland, Michael.
2173:, Xulon Press (2005)
2128:"Jolson Sings Again"
2043:, September 29, 2010
2036:Goldstein, Richard.
2007:Robinson, Edward G.
1627:breaks out during a
1502:General Colin Powell
1481:C-17 Air Force plane
1429:USO Special Delivery
1401:Operation Phone Home
1318:(with special guest
1169:Afghanistan and Iraq
389:Invasion of Normandy
32:USO (disambiguation)
3442:Julia Louis-Dreyfus
3056:Emily Rauh Pulitzer
2808:. Charity Navigator
2580:on January 29, 2010
2485:on August 12, 2014.
2370:Brinkley, Douglas.
2116:Cultural Resources.
1855:. December 10, 2012
1836:The Road Movie Book
1527:Draft-card burnings
1442:Egypt, and others.
1226:, John Bowman, and
1053:Multinational Force
742:Francis P. Matthews
210:George W. Casey Jr.
41:
3411:Earl A. Powell III
3184:Jeffrey Katzenberg
2866:Jolson Sings Again
2634:. December 3, 2020
2339:Chung, Hye Seung.
2313:Granfield, Linda.
2273:The New York Times
2241:(1972), pp. 283–84
2225:"The Organization"
2187:The New York Times
2132:The Real Al Jolson
2126:Abramson, Martin.
2041:The New York Times
2022:The New York Times
1873:Clairday, Robynn.
1838:, Routledge (1997)
1739:, February 4, 2016
1608:In popular culture
1564:The Colbert Report
1244:The Colbert Report
1232:
1123:
1047:In 1983, a bloody
1045:
940:
816:
734:
695:
685:Women entertainers
614:
570:produced the film
504:
477:Billboard magazine
470:War correspondent
416:The New York Times
411:Mr. Gardenia Jones
393:Edward G. Robinson
235:
39:
3519:
3518:
3472:Antonio Martorell
3427:Bruce Springsteen
2968:2010s & 2020s
2760:, August 19, 2014
2632:Look to the Stars
2326:Edwards, Paul M.
2290:Stars and Stripes
2096:Holsinger, Paul.
2009:All My Yesterdays
1973:Ross, Steven J.,
1585:Charity Navigator
1454:Honoring Bob Hope
1423:COVID-19 pandemic
1324:Montgomery Gentry
1300:Avenged Sevenfold
1094:since the end of
1066:Mediterranean Sea
792:, Linda Coleman,
465:National War Fund
448:Yip, Yip, Yaphank
439:'s Broadway show
391:on June 6, 1944,
221:Mission and goals
164:Department of War
148:
147:
114:President and CEO
16:(Redirected from
3574:
3102:Joan Myers Brown
2959:
2952:
2945:
2936:
2935:
2912:Internet Archive
2899:Internet Archive
2886:Internet Archive
2836:
2835:
2833:Official website
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2778:Faith, William.
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2608:. March 13, 2020
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2531:. Archived from
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1348:Kathleen Madigan
1308:Carrie Underwood
1220:Kathleen Madigan
1175:Enduring Freedom
1029:Cathy Lee Crosby
626:Marlene Dietrich
568:20th Century Fox
472:Quentin Reynolds
457:This Is The Army
442:This Is the Army
433:Special Services
365:Laurel and Hardy
291:celebrities and
57:February 4, 1941
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3142:Allen Toussaint
3117:Ellsworth Kelly
3080:
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2891:The short film
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2024:, June 28, 1942
2020:Pryor, Thomas.
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886:Jayne Mansfield
878:Joey Heatherton
862:Sammy Davis Jr.
840:The USO was in
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758:Debbie Reynolds
738:George Marshall
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1256:Robin Williams
1224:Kellie Pickler
1208:Tichina Arnold
1170:
1167:
1155:Gerald McRaney
1107:
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1008:
1005:
972:Connie Stevens
918:George Peppard
870:Phyllis Diller
837:
834:
812:Marilyn Monroe
778:Marilyn Monroe
722:
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686:
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483:John Steinbeck
425:Army Air Force
387:Following the
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247:Salvation Army
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3492:
3491:Complete list
3489:
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3467:Fred Eychaner
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528:
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509:United States
501:
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493:Irving Berlin
490:
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437:Irving Berlin
434:
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421:Ronald Reagan
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373:John Garfield
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328:by President
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308:home." Actor
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278:Prescott Bush
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3344:Jack Whitten
3309:Philip Glass
3273:Tobias Wolff
3253:Stephen King
3248:Ann Hamilton
3235:MĂriam ColĂłn
3127:George Lucas
3122:Tony Kushner
3026:James Taylor
3021:Meryl Streep
3006:Quincy Jones
2926:
2906:
2893:
2880:
2865:
2810:. Retrieved
2800:
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2787:
2779:
2757:
2749:
2737:. Retrieved
2733:
2724:
2712:. Retrieved
2707:
2698:
2686:. Retrieved
2682:
2673:
2661:. Retrieved
2657:
2648:
2636:. Retrieved
2631:
2622:
2610:. Retrieved
2605:
2594:
2582:. Retrieved
2578:the original
2568:
2549:
2537:. Retrieved
2533:the original
2528:
2519:
2500:
2480:the original
2463:
2456:
2444:. Retrieved
2433:
2424:
2412:. Retrieved
2402:
2390:
2379:
2371:
2366:
2358:
2340:
2335:
2327:
2322:
2314:
2294:. Retrieved
2289:
2280:
2272:
2267:Woolf, S.J.
2263:
2256:Cosmopolitan
2255:
2250:Akst, Harry
2246:
2238:
2233:
2219:
2200:
2194:
2186:
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2170:
2169:Dee, Joeie.
2165:
2157:
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2139:
2131:
2122:
2112:
2105:
2097:
2092:
2084:
2061:. Retrieved
2057:
2048:
2040:
2021:
2016:
2008:
2003:
1989:
1969:
1957:. Retrieved
1952:
1943:
1918:
1914:
1888:
1882:
1874:
1869:
1857:. Retrieved
1852:
1843:
1835:
1816:
1809:
1798:
1790:
1789:Nash, Bill.
1785:
1777:
1772:
1764:
1736:
1728:
1716:
1704:. Retrieved
1700:USO Web Site
1699:
1666:Gilla Gerzon
1650:
1643:World War II
1618:
1617:comedy film
1613:In the 1979
1582:
1578:
1562:
1556:
1548:Marie Osmond
1536:
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1344:Trace Adkins
1284:Nick DiPaolo
1249:
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1172:
1159:Marie Osmond
1143:Steve Martin
1131:Saudi Arabia
1124:
1096:World War II
1089:
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1057:peacekeepers
1046:
1020:
995:
991:
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898:Anita Bryant
882:Wayne Newton
866:Raymond Burr
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786:Rory Calhoun
770:Paul Douglas
766:Jane Russell
762:Piper Laurie
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634:Betty Grable
630:Judy Garland
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578:Bette Midler
573:For the Boys
571:
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512:Liberty ship
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371:, and actor
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336:World War II
330:Barack Obama
323:
320:sweethearts.
318:
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305:
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286:
274:Thomas Dewey
271:
236:
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195:
179:World War II
176:
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130:Volunteers
96:Area served
36:
3339:Luis Valdez
3329:Ralph Lemon
3314:Berry Gordy
3243:Sally Field
3179:John Kander
3170:Joan Harris
3137:Laurie Olin
3092:Herb Alpert
3076:André Watts
3042:Will Barnet
2996:Donald Hall
2986:Van Cliburn
2584:January 22,
2555:louisck.net
2414:November 4,
2063:February 2,
1959:November 4,
1921:(1): 1–11.
1544:Ann Jillian
1469:Christmases
1368:Colin Quinn
1360:Lewis Black
1296:Dave Attell
1276:Artie Lange
1264:Gary Sinise
1228:Lewis Black
1183:Afghanistan
1151:Ann Jillian
1147:Delta Burke
1116:Ann Jillian
1037:Ann Jillian
1025:Julie Hayek
988:gentlemen.'
980:Ann-Margret
978:Similarly,
960:Rosey Grier
956:Ann-Margret
936:Ann-Margret
914:Lola Falana
894:Rosey Grier
874:Martha Raye
858:Ann-Margret
850:Vietnam War
836:Vietnam War
802:Evita Muñoz
798:PĂ©rez Prado
774:Terry Moore
754:Errol Flynn
667:March Field
535:Jane Froman
310:George Raft
191:Vietnam War
143:www.uso.org
3526:Categories
3401:Mary Costa
3391:Toby Keith
3375:Jon Voight
3289:Mel Brooks
3230:Ping Chong
3132:Elaine May
3097:Lin Arison
3065:Mel Tillis
3011:Harper Lee
2812:August 27,
2730:"Programs"
1679:References
1550:, and the
1483:was named
1376:Neil McCoy
1352:Louis C.K.
1320:Gina James
1316:Toby Keith
1292:Jim Norton
1252:Al Franken
1079:New Jersey
1021:New Jersey
1000:See also:
952:John Kerry
926:Philip Ahn
910:Jimmy Boyd
854:John Wayne
824:Danny Kaye
782:Danny Kaye
721:Korean War
708:Ann Miller
679:Ben Carter
655:Donna Reed
582:James Caan
514:named the
369:Ray Bolger
361:Chico Marx
346:Camp Shows
187:Korean War
106:Key people
3452:Vera Wang
3052:Al Pacino
3047:Rita Dove
2862:WWII tour
2758:Army Live
2476:87-619851
2085:Billboard
1859:March 27,
1702:. USO Inc
1633:Hollywood
1557:In 2009,
1522:Viet Cong
1510:Les Brown
1364:Third Day
1356:Dane Cook
1268:Zac Brown
1212:Zac Brown
1077:USS
1049:civil war
890:Redd Foxx
794:Al Jolson
730:Al Jolson
643:Lily Pons
590:Al Jolson
566:In 1991,
545:Al Jolson
293:volunteer
289:Hollywood
198:Hollywood
120:Revenue
2739:June 28,
2714:June 28,
2688:June 28,
2663:June 28,
2638:June 28,
2612:April 7,
2558:Archived
2529:mrfa.org
1978:Archived
1660:See also
1569:Bob Hope
1542:public,
1491:Bob Hope
1460:Bob Hope
1393:Services
1216:Kid Rock
1139:Jay Leno
1135:Bob Hope
1106:Gulf War
1073:Bob Hope
1033:Bob Hope
922:Bob Hope
846:Thailand
750:Bob Hope
673:and the
499:Arkansas
461:Honolulu
265:and the
257:(YWCA),
78:Location
65:Services
3406:Nick Ut
2864:, from
2708:The Day
2446:May 21,
1935:3204158
1706:May 17,
842:Vietnam
561:V-J Day
557:V-E Day
549:malaria
216:History
139:Website
134:30,000+
54:Founded
2868:(1949)
2539:May 7,
2507:
2474:
2296:May 6,
2207:
2134:(1950)
1933:
1647:Marvel
1437:USO2GO
1374:, and
1340:O.A.R.
1191:Kuwait
1161:, the
944:lounge
677:&
527:Lisbon
518:U.S.O.
502:, 1944
409:film,
229:Actor
87:, U.S.
3511:2010s
3506:2000s
3501:1990s
3496:1980s
3072:(USO)
2658:DVIDS
2483:(PDF)
2468:(PDF)
2171:Hi GI
1984:, USC
1931:JSTOR
1629:swing
1489:USNS
1195:Qatar
1092:Italy
1086:Italy
681:duo.
647:Burma
351:From
306:Their
70:Focus
3420:2021
3384:2020
3353:2019
3282:2015
3218:2014
3154:2013
3085:2012
3035:2011
2974:2010
2814:2024
2741:2021
2716:2021
2690:2021
2665:2021
2640:2021
2614:2023
2586:2010
2541:2013
2505:ISBN
2472:LCCN
2448:2007
2416:2013
2298:2018
2205:ISBN
2065:2022
1961:2013
1861:2020
1708:2010
1625:riot
1623:, a
1620:1941
1583:The
1193:and
1187:Iraq
1177:and
1039:and
920:and
636:and
580:and
497:USS
298:Look
251:YMCA
150:The
62:Type
1923:doi
1649:'s
1645:in
1322:),
1055:of
1017:USO
594:RKO
516:SS
407:MGM
282:GIs
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