Bob Hope USO Show in Long Binh 1970. The shows, featuring popular entertainers, were filmed live on air bases and ships, and the edited footage was broadcast as a television special in January. In this land of Uncle Ho. Many of the entertainers who toured the Vietnam war were well knownmost of them weren't. United Service Organization The USO is a private, nonprofit organization whose mission is to support the troops by providing morale, welfare and recreation-type services to The USO (United Service Organizations) was begun in 1941. Unlike the official USO entertainers Dixie Leonard and Eddie Sparks travel and perform together through World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. War historian Paul Edwards noted that between 1952 and 1953, the USO provided services in Korea every day of the year in 1952, the USO was serving 3.5 million troops using much the same methods of operation as they did during World War II. It was during this performance that the band was forced to leave the stage due to a Viet Cong mortar attack. Jay Leno performs comedy in 1991 for soldiers during Operation Desert Shield during the Gulf War. U.S. Army/Wikimedia Commons. Library From the moment the U.S. entered the war to D One of the main missions of the USO is to bring a touch of home to service members stationed overseas. Roosevelt was elected as its honorary chairman. With 40 percent of Americas forces overseas and despite the Vietnam Wars most dangerous moments, a total of 5,559 USO performances were staged. Polly Bergen. It was a big show, with Neil Armstrong, Connie Stevens, Suzanne Charney, Teresa Graves, the Gold-diggers, Eva Reuber-Staier (Miss World of 1969), Les Brown and his Band of Renown, and the Peiro Brothers (a comic juggling team). Performers Killed During USO, Bond Tours or in Air Raids: Al Bowlly in the 1930s. Free coffee and doughnuts for troops was a regular feature. Categories Video Off Duty Vietnam War Editors' Picks Shock and Awe Humor Military Life. put on over a quarter of a million performances in the United States and abroad, and became significant mediators of popular Entertainers Dick Winslow and Celebrities in Hollywood that have donated their time and talents helping our troops and USO both in US & overseas. (Above) Bob Hope performs for American Troops during WWII in 1944. Joan Crawford in the US Like Roy Acuff (1970) Anna Maria Alberghetti. About seven thousand performers took part in the early USO traveling shows and featured some of Americas greatest star power at the time. USO Camp Shows, Inc., a subsidiary of the USO, was tasked with providing live entertainment to troops during World War II. Even with some Americans at home debating Vietnam War policies, the USO continued to assist soldiers far away from home, by whatever means necessary. Military servicemen cheer and snap photos as Marilyn Monroe greets the crowd at a U.S.O. Caroll Baker. This request brought together six civilian organizations: the Salvation Army, YMCA, Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA), National Catholic Com Several soldiers join U.S.O. Local performers took on the roles of stars of the Vietnam era and the performance was styled as a USO show. The story of their adventures together, filled with love, laughter and tears, is related in flashbacks by Dixie on the eve of being awarded a medal by the President. USO clubs at home and abroad gave GIs places to dance, talk, write letters and see movies. The USO is perhaps best known for holding concerts, stand-up comedy nights and other special events all around the globe with performances by the popular entertainers of the day. Mr. Hope. A professional group of musicians and singers who toured Vietnam at various times from 1968-1972. Publication date 1969 Topics Bob Hope, USO, Christmas Show, Vietnam, 1969. The following pics are used with permission from, Jerry Berry and. Celebrities in Hollywood that have donated their time and talents helping our troops and USO both in US & overseas. Singer, Actor - Long Binh , Vietnam , February 23, 1972 : Sammy Davis Jr. meets one of the 15,000 Diller, Phyllis. The show would become a yearly tradition and it continued until 1990, but also solidified Bob Hopes legacy as a USO icon and unwavering supporter of Americas military . Vida Blue. Jennie Frankel in Vietnam She performed in Korea during the Korean War and in Vietnam. God bless America! Bob Hope entertained U.S. troops in Vietnam on his annual Christmas tours from 1964 to 1972. 09 May 2016 | Posted by Military.com. The USO was formally incorporated on February 4, 1941. USO. The USO supplies social, recreational, welfare, and spiritual facilities to members of the armed services. Hopes holiday specials, a tradition started in 1950 on NBC, also became part of his commitment to the USO. These traveling shows were held in China, Russia, Burma, and elsewhere during the war; the same kind of USO shows were offered to troops in later conflicts including Vietnam and Korea. by Judith Johnson 12/23/2009. If you weren't able to see them. Each one brought there special gift. by Fr. Bob Hopes Vietnam Christmas Tours. show. List of entertainers who performed for American troops in Vietnam. At the height of the USO, in 1944, there were over 3000 clubs, and there were 700 shows a day. Always in danger as they put on there show. Sort by: View: 25 names 1. The following entertainers performed for U.S. military personnel and their allies in the combat theatre during the Vietnam War (19591975) . He made the troops laugh and had an easy rapport with them in the said film, which was based on the real-life experiences of former US Air Force sergeant Adrian Cronauer (who was also Williams character in the movie) as he After the group was founded, USO centers proliferated across the country. She was a member of the first black USO entertainers troupe during World War II. Sammy Davis, Jr. entertains troops in Vietnam in 1972, shortly before the end of the war. From 1941 to 1947, the USO presented more than 400,000 performances. These included famous entertainers such as s Bing Crosby, Judy Garland, Bette Davis, Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Frank Sinatra, and Marlene Dietrich, to name but a few. Madeleine Hartog Bell. They were not a USO outfit. Between 1964 and 1972, Hope recorded 9 holiday shows in Vietnam. In 1966, the NFL joined forces with the USO, becoming the first sports organization to send a group of Davis Jr., Sammy. 1968. The group lived off the local economy. Hollywood & Entertainment Celebrities Davis, Willie. The Hondells October 1966. 10 of the Stars Who've Made the USO the Biggest Celebrity Brand in History. Bob Hope Actor | The Ghost Serving a million clients a month, the show went on. Bob Hope USO Christmas Show - Vietnam 1969 The event was yet another USO tour that took place on Christmas Eve in 1970, all in aid of raising the spirits amongst soldiers in the Vietnam War. entertainers Sara Sue Jennie Frankel and Terrie Frankel perform on stage during a show in Vietnam. Other songs grew directly out of the Vietnam experience: songs about flying at night along the Ho Chi Minh Trail, defoliating triple-canopy jungle, engaging in firefights with an unseen enemy, or counting the days left in a 365-day tour.In the spring of 1970 the men of the second battalion of the 502nd brigade of the 101st Airborne Division created one of the most Twin sisters Jennie and Terrie Frankel were folk singers who rose to prominence in the mid-60s, and here we can see them entertaining the crowds of a USO show during the Vietnam War. Vietnam Veterans of America Beaver County Chapter #862 presented A Vietnam Remembrance kickoff concert on Wednesday, September 10 (Jeanie's birthday) in Irvine Park in Beaver, Pennsylvania. 1 of 12. Songstress Martha Tilton, a vocalist with Benny Goodmans band and a member of the Jack Benny Troupe, entertains a rapt audience of soldiers of the 222nd Field Artillery Battalion on New Britain, July 1944. Dont know why, but I never noted in my journal that we had a USO show on board. God bless America! USO performers often risked their lives to bring smiles and a touch of home to troops stationed around the globe. The USO was founded in 1941 by Mary Ingraham in response to a request from President Franklin D. Roosevelt to provide morale and recreation services to U.S. uniformed military personnel. It is congressionally chartered, but is not a government agency, and it subsists on private donations. Bob Hope USO Christmas Show - Vietnam 1969. The USO Girls of Vietnam. To lift our spirits and make us smile. The Cast of the USO show at the Community Center Theater on Sunday, Oct. 15. Many of the entertainers who toured the Vietnam war were well knownmost of them weren't. The following USO show took place at LZ Betty on August 3rd, 1968. Photo courtesy of Jordan Green. Oct 15, 2017 Updated Oct 12, 2018. https://blog.theveteranssite.greatergood.com/cs-uso-performers Susan Anton (3rd from left) Much of the entertainment in Vietnam was provided by Filipino house bands; they played mainly in EM and Officer clubs. And how appropriate to have USO performers from that era to start the evening festivities. Joey Bishop. Bobby Rydell. By Robert Klara. The performers were known as the Maniackers and the Tony Diamond Show. Diamond was a comedian who brought his crew to Vietnam four times, and was later an activist for veterans. Bob Hope USO Christmas Show - Vietnam 1969. It was this year that Bob Hope brought his first-ever Bob Hope USO Christmas Show to Vietnam with a star-studded cast ready to entertain service members just when they needed it most. The various locations hosted dances, movies, live music, and more. The Map was used as late 11/1969 by 66th Eng Corps. Included on the new Bob Hope DVD "Entertaining the Troops." By The United Service Organizations (USO) have provided a bridge between the American people and the U.S. military. In this episode we are going to look at some of the unsung heroes of the Vietnam War and that is the entertainers. Publication date 1969 Topics Bob Hope, USO, Christmas Show, Vietnam, 1969. Sort by: View: 25 names 1. Left to right: Julie Hibberd, Margaret Britt, Denise Cooper, Carol Middlemiss and Valerie Fallon. He was also a frequent visitor to American forces stationed in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War, regularly seen with his trademark golf club. U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Luke Kitterman/Released. Tim Potts, Meade County Times-Tribune correspondent. On her honeymoon with Joe DiMaggio in 1954, Marilyn Monroe performed for American soldiers in Korea. They all chose to come here. Feb. 17, 1954. Bob Hope was a mainstay of the USO since its inception during World War II. Ernesto 3 Comments. During the Vietnam War, Australian performers brought the swinging '60s to the jungle. Norman Rockwells Willie Gillis at the U.S.O. covered our February 7, 1942 issue. Johnny Bench. Those were the girls of the USO. Bob Hope USO Christmas Show - Vietnam 1969 Addeddate 2016-10-29 04:20:56 Identifier Videoplayback3_201610 Scanner Internet Archive HTML5 Uploader 1.6.3. plus-circle Add Review. Soon, he took his show overseas, visiting U.S. forces in North Africa, Europe and the South Pacific during World War II. On her honeymoon with As the USO became more well established, the organization became synonymous with its Camp Shows, live staged variety acts including some of the most well known stars of film, radio, and music.During the years of U.S. involvement in WWII the U.S.O. National Vietnam War Veterans Day; The 9/11 Terrorist Attacks: 20 Years Later; Wars, Conflicts, and Operations. The Hondells October 1966; Bobby Rydell; Roy James Brown in Vietnam, 1968. That was the famous line of Robin Williams when he played the enthusiastic radio DJ in the 1987 US comedy-war film Good Morning, Vietnam. Of the USO’s annual budget, about 20 percent goes toward overseas entertainment, according to the nonprofit agency. Peaches and Herb, " Shake Your Groove Thing Here is a Map prepared by MACV-J2 - 3rd Edition, 1 June 1969. 1991 rated R 138 minutes Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Humphrey Bogart, Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, Laurel & Hardy, the Marx Brothers, Jack Benny, Lucille Ball, The Rockettes, Glenn Miller, James Cagney, Irving Berlin, Al Jolson, Fred Astaire and countless other legends entertained troops during the 1940s, and in later years, iconic figures such as Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, Danny Kaye, John Wayne, Miss America USO Show in 1/9th helicopter hanger at Phuoc Vinh. the USO entertainers gave thousands of performances in Korea. They came to us to bring a smile. Between 1941 to 1947, more than 400,000 performances took place. On December 22nd, 1969, Bob Hopes USO Christmas Show went to the 1st Infantry base camp at Lai Khe, Vietnam. Ron Steinman talked about his book Women in Vietnam: An Oral History, published by TV Books.The book tells the story of 16 women who served as nurses, USO performers, and soldiers in the Vietnam War. Dust-off medic Barry Grubbs 3rd /506 , Currahee`s 101st Abn Div .