Many of the photos below havent been published in decades if at all so its unlikely youll find them anywhere else. It was, however, during the Vietnam War that the Annual Bob Hope USO Christmas Show became a beloved holiday tradition for both deployed troops and their friends and families back home. I remember saying, Why does Dad always have to be away? Lola Falana performs for the troops at a USO show in Vietnam in 1970. ", Hope and the USOs Bob Hope Christmas Shows, USO's Bob Hope Legacy Reading Program Keeps Service Members and Their Kids Connected, For 40 Years, Bob Hope USO Christmas Shows Brightened the Holidays for Deployed Troops, Programs for Service Members and Their Families. Heres a look at 10 of the greatest performers to grace the USO stage. Bob Hope's first radio show for the U.S. Armed Forces was broadcast from March Field in Riverside, California. Dec. 21, 2018 1 AM PT. As the USO celebrates its 75th anniversary, On Patrol asked USO tour veteransactors, musicians, athletes, authors, cartoonists and even a Muppet or twowhy they stepped up to support our military and their families. He got a standing ovation from the minute he came on, Ronning said. One woman with a truck and a tent changed that for thousands of service members. (mostly waiting to go to Vietnam. I hope I can be excused a little sentimentality as I look back over 22 of these Christmas trips [and remember] the millions of service men and women who responded to our efforts with warmth, enthusiasm and affection.. Be the first to learn about news, service member stories and fundraising updates from USO. According to Vietnam Magazine, Welch joined Hope on stage to add a few crowd-pleasing dance moves to his rendition of "Dancing in the Streets." Scroll down to watch Welch's solo performance from that 1967 show. For our troops and military families, however, theholiday, Bob Hope USO is proud to provide no-cost tickets to major sports and entertainment events in Southern California, free of charge tomembers, Bob Hope USO maintains teams of specially trained volunteers, on call 24/7, when service members make the ultimate sacrifice. The USO is a not-for-profit organization and not part of the Department of Defense (DoD). Measures 24" x 115762288302. She kept up her morale-boosting tours through the Korean War and had the troops in stitches during Vietnam and sometimes pulled rankthough her Marine Corps and Army ranks and membership in the Green Berets were all honorary. That was one of the biggest thrills of my life.. Bob Hope and Claudette Colbert smile with sailors at Naval Surface Warfare Center Corona. Photo credit Bob Hope Legacy LLC. It has been updated in 2021. Starting bid: US $5.00 [ 0 bids] Shipping: $8.25 Economy Shipping | See . Fort McCoy is one of the busiest training centers in the continental United States, but until recently, it didn't have a USO on base. The name Bob Hope just seems to be synonymous with the USO, as Hope devoted so much time to the organization and the troops. By providing your mobile phone number, you opt in to receive calls and texts from USO. Irving Berlin, Bob Hope and others slide out of a plane during their 1948 visit to Germany while smiling troops watch along the side. Boys and Girls of all ages arewelcome. But Linda also remembers that she often worried about her father as he left for dangerous war zones. In 1961, Hope headed on a USO Holiday tour to Iceland, Greenland and northeast Canada. 20 Year old beauty pageant winner from Vienna, Austria. Bob Hope was many things, but to the USO and to the service members of the United States, he was the one-man-morale machine.. Steve Martin is a wild and crazy guy who has brought his unique comedic style to television and the silver screen since the late 1960s. Vietnam War Bob Hope Show Photo, The Adventures of Bob Hope Certified Guaranty Company (CGC) Comics and Graphic Novels & TPBs Not Signed, Despite the death of LaVerne in 1967, the Andrews Sisters remained active until disbanding in 1975. Bob Hopes first holiday USO show was in 1948, during the Berlin Airlift. Here, Hope is pictured on stage with his iconic golf club in Southeast Asia in 1970. His whole style was based on his vaudeville experience and variety shows, and things had changed. There were a number of close calls. Hope would continue this tradition of entertaining troops during the holiday season for decades to come. Already an established comedian and actor by the onset of World War II, Bob Hope performed and broadcast his first USO show on the radio for service members on May 6, 1941, at an Army Air Corps (now known as the U.S. Air Force) Base at March Field in Riverside, California. I got up and went to the cockpit and made a speech to the boys and then I sang, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. It was very poignant to me. Anyone who is even vaguely familiar with the USO knows a little about the history of Bob Hope USO shows. Hope, twirling his golf club and delivering one-liners, was a huge hit. Download our app to find events, locations and programs near you. Though he wore many hats as an entertainer, starting out as a dancer, film actor, and radio comedian, Bob Hope is perhaps best remembered as the driving force behind the USO tours that featured the United States greatest entertainers traveling to show their support for the troops and lift the spirits of those fighting on the front lines. Bob Hope USO Headquarters. Miss World 1969, Actress - Bob Hope Christmas show 1969. Being stationed overseas can be difficult for every member of a military family, but especially for military children, who often have to constantly adapt to new environments and remain resilient through every new move. A few even met their future husbands while dancing the night away. Comedian. Martha Rayes support of the military began in 1942 with a request to travel to England to entertain the troops. Message & data rates may apply. It was a ritual to see him off, and when he came home itd be the same thing all over again, she said. Here, in 1969, Hope performs on stage for troops in Southeast Asia. Things change. Look what they're doin' for me. In the Second World War, Rooney served with special services in the U.S. Army for nearly two years, earning a Bronze Star Medal. | 10. Her acting career contains a recurring James Bond credit: she played General Gogol's assistant Rubelvitch in the films The Spy Who Loved Me, For Your Eyes Only, and Octopussy. Find another USO location . On his last overseas USO tour to the Middle East in 1990, Bob Hope was joined by baseball legend Johnny Bench. The USO is a not-for-profit organization and not part of the Department of Defense (DoD). According to Hope himself, this effort was undertaken because he was expressly asked by the Pentagon. I wish I had pictures to show my kids. He had the same caring attitude. Bob Hope was a mainstay of the USO since its inception during World War II. Message & data rates may apply. Provide food and supplies to veterans at The Veterans Site for free! Men hung from cranes and other heavy equipment for a better view of the stage. Behind the grit and determination of a tough soldier making dangerous, daily patrols outside Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan, is a vibrant, charming USO volunteer who seems to bring everyone he meets into his circle. For more than 75 years, the United Service Organizations Inc. (USO) has supported U.S. military members by providing them programs and entertainment during their service. . Ann-Margret. Since 1941, the United Service Organizations has provided support to the service members of the United States military. There were a lot of those., Some letters were more serious, she said. VIETNAM BOB HOPE USO SHOW Limited Edition Art Print. Fun fact: Jerry Colonna, Hopes longtime sideman since WWII, would often play Santa. Part of Hopes schtick was to poke fun at the units own military brass, a technique that always worked. Free shipping for many products! Then wed go to the next place. Driving Force Behind the USO Tours. The USO's famed Stage Door and Hollywood Canteens during World War II served up glitz and glamour to millions of service members. Hopes work with the USO in support of the U.S. military paved the way for the many other entertainers who have followed in his footsteps and continue to lift the spirits of our military community today. Although Hopes WWII performances won him the adoration of many service members, it arguably wasnt until the mid-twentieth century, when he began regularly hosting his infamous Bob Hope Christmas Show, that the iconic entertainer cemented his legendary status among the military and civilian communities alike. The memories Dinah Shore created for the service members who saw her perform on USO tours left lasting impressions. By 1954, Hope started taking his show overseas to record its holiday episodes. But among the more than 180 USO locations around the world, two of the newest were built specifically to address the needs of wounded, ill and injured service members and their caregivers. Frances Langford, the singer. Im sure I speak for many vets, not only Vietnam, but also Korea and WWII. Clip from Bob Hope USO tour Cu Chi Vietnam 1968.DVD series available at Time/Life This page is not available in other languages. Piper Laurie. Why did Hope do it? He often insisted on traveling straight to the front lines, even occasionally placing himself in harms way, in order to put on a variety show of comedy, singing and dancing. She said, No, not all have them are home for Christmas. It was really interesting, she remembered. I made Sergeant in 2 yrs 6 months but decided not to stay in the service. Menu. Hope was 80 years old at the time of this USO tour. Im looking for pictures of the 1984 miss uso pagent in Hollywood, ca. Bob Hope continued entertaining service members around the globe during World War II. He wasnt getting the looks he wanted from employers, so he turned to USO partner Hire Heroes USA for help. The joke became I did more Bob Hope shows than he did, Shields said. He was constantly on, constantly entertainingwhether it was three people in the commissary, or the entire unit. Its the best audience, Hope said in a 1991 Baltimore Sun article. Offered through Bob Hope USO. He brought such enthusiasm, brought your life back to you. Actor. Your email address will not be published. Some of our bases are pretty remote. While the US Navy offered Hope a commission at the rank of lieutenant commander during the Second World War, Hope never served in the military himself. Raquel Welch performs in Vietnam during a 1967 USO tour. Country music legend Loretta Lynn, who went overseas with the USO in 1983 and 1986, headlined our 1988 Christmas tour with her friend, Conway Twitty. Measures 24" x 115762288302. The eldest daughter of legendary crooner Frank Sinatra, Nancy Sinatra went on to have a successful singing career of her own in the 1960s and early 70s. Photo credit Library of Congress. Bldg 693 Del Valle Dr., Suite 107 When the USO was founded in 1941 and Hope began performing, he provided a crucial link to home for military families. This tradition began in 1941, when he performed a radio show at March Field in Riverside, California. A deadly April 14, 1988, car bombing outside a USO center in Naples, Italy, altered the definition of hazard duty and rattled perceptions of safety for American service members, military families and USO employees and volunteers. I mean, its amazing how high the morale is. She was 15 when she performed in her first show in 1981, Bob Hope Salutes the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. It was her first of 27 shows with Hope. By providing your mobile phone number, you opt in to receive calls and texts from USO. You felt like you were renewed, he said. Access to the document is available at the following link: Read Here. The USO is a not-for-profit organization and not part of the Department of Defense (DoD). Here, they stand on stage on the USS Bennington in December 1983. The First Show Bob Hope in USO Uniform Via Getty Images. Long Beach, CA 90802, 201 World Way | Though the performer loved the boys as much as they loved her, she had a special bond with the Special Forces. USO Entertains . For troops who were lucky enough to see him live despite having very different tastes and attitudes compared to the generation of service members before them Hopes Vietnam era shows were the highlight of their time in Vietnam. They were a reminder of home and a reminder that even as they served miles away, the folks back home in the U.S. still remembered them. Here, during one of these 1944 shows, Hope performs for troops somewhere in the Pacific. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Shawn McKinley's idea of slowing down to let his broken arm heal was to volunteer at his local USO center. Fort Irwin, CA, 92310. The USO in Florida is coming up with creative ways to support service members, such as with therapy dog visits to USO centers to keep morale and spirits high. Undeterred by enemy fire or rough seas, Hope went straight to the front lines, delivering laughter, music and above all else a reminder of home to our men and women in uniform, just when they needed it most. Whether he was balancing on a plank propped up between two trucks or dancing across a massive stage built just for him, and whether he was talking to a crowd of thousands or just a few men working a late shift, Hope brought the same level of energy to each and every performance. I won miss congeniality that year & hit to meet Bob Hope. Throughout the 1970s, Bob Hope continued entertaining troops all around the world. The USO Transition 360 Alliance, launched in May 2015, offers a holistic approach to transition through free employment and family programs via partners Hire Heroes USA, Stronger Families, RP/6 and The Comfort Crew for Military Kids. Each week is. On account of that general saying were not ready, my opening line was, Are you ready? And they went wild. They arrived late and the show was over and this one fellow was saying how disappointed he was. Bob Hope entertaining the troops in 1944 (U.S. Army photo via WikiMedia Commons; public domain) One of the entertainers who would become inextricably linked with the USO was Bob Hope. Gloria Loring. The legendary entertainer dedicated his talents to our service members by bringing a bit of home wherever he went. Above you'll see a picture of Bill Johnson, who will appear as Bob Hope, along with singer John Stevens as Bing Crosby and Cape vocalists Jessica Curran, Jenn Dashnaw and Anna McEntee as the Andrews Sisters. Even today, our nations military is still able to connect to home thanks to Hope. I saw the Bob Hope USO show in Chu Lai Vietnam in December of 1967. Meanwhile, their loved ones back home watched every second on the television screen, hoping for the chance to see their deployed service members face cross in front of the camera. In fact, Hopes Christmastime specials were so popular that his 1970 holiday broadcast still stands as one of the most popular television episodes of all time. Bob Hope entertained Americans for decades, but his most impactful shows were for soldiers deployed overseas during the holidays. Bob Hope entertains troops in Saudi Arabia in 1990. 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