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75 Years Of USO: Part IV

All images taken from "Always Home" by Coffey — All images taken from “Always Home” by Coffey

Today we look at the face of the USO, Bob Hope. Back in 1991, on the 50th anniversary of the USO, he penned this letter.

AlwaysHome014 Well, American soldiers are still in the Middle East, but Bob Hope is no longer with us. However, we shall never forget the years of dedication and contribution that he gave to our men and women of the armed services.

Though his first USO trip was in 1942, his first combat-zone tour was the following year when he visited troops in North Africa. From there, he toured Italy. While in Palermo, the Germans staged an air raid on a target next to his hotel. He realized it was better to bomb on stage than to be bombed from above. General Patton suggested Hope and his group, including Frances Langford and Jerry Colonna, go to Algiers for their own safety.

One of his signature jokes ran, “You remember World War II–it was in all the papers.”

But Hope didn’t quit when WWII was won. In the following decade, he entertained troops in the Korean War.

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Just check out this soldier’s response to Hope’s performance in Seoul, Korea in October 1950.

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But it wasn’t only able-bodied troops he entertained; Hope and his celebrity pals toured hospitals to encourage those who had been injured. He and Marilyn Maxwell spent time with Marine PFC Howard Wells in the Tokyo General Hospital.

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As decades passed, Bob Hope specials were a veritable who’s who of stars. But no matter the rise and fall of his cohorts, Hope was the one constant.

With Jerry Colonna as Santa, Hope made fun of his “road to” movies in Vietnam. By then, Hope was such a well-known actor that his familiar presence was a comfort to those who’d grown up watching him.

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I recall watching Bob Hope specials as a child, much like the one below from 1983.

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Aging didn’t slow Hope down. During the Christmas of 1990, Hope toured the Persian Gulf with his signature stamina. If you recall, this is a man who lived to see his 100th birthday.

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Throughout his 50 years of service, Hope lived up to his name, giving hope to those brave soldiers who fought to keep us free. God bless you, Bob Hope.

75 Years Of USO: Part III

AlwaysHome010 — All images from Coffey’s “Always Home” unless otherwise specified

Soldiers on leave could check their children with this woman (at a somewhat precarious-looking early day care) to enjoy a night out with the wife.

Below is the YWCA Honolulu building Service Women’s Lounge for women serving in the war.

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Among these nattily-dressed women is Mary McLeod Bethune, president of the National Council of Negro Women. She is supervising a USO game of Chinese checkers.

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Soon, celebrities would begin to entertain the troops. The first was Joe E. Brown, whom you may recall from last month’s post, Ripped At Sixty. He was the first Hollywood star to tour front-line bases, including Alaska and the Aleutians in 1942. Sadly, that same year, his own son was lost when his A-20 Havoc crashed during pilot training.

Here Joe signs a bomb.

Brown was one of only two civilians to be awarded the Bronze Star in WWII. But by far, the name most connected with the USO was Bob Hope, whom we’ll spotlight tomorrow.

75 Years Of USO: Part II

All images from "Always Home" by Coffey. — All images from “Always Home” by Coffey.

With its clubs and other activities, the USO not only served the needs of America’s men and women in uniform, bu also provided an effective means of channeling civilian volunteer efforts. By the war’s end in 1945, over 1.5 million Americans had contributed their time to the USO. — Always Home:50 Years of the USO

It felt good to provide a service to those who served in the war. These Navymen are enjoying coffee and doughnuts at the San Francisco USO.

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Never underestimate generosity and gratitude.

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Letters To Jefferson, Part III

Today I share the last letter in this series, from a teen soldier who recounts his memories when he was in high school only the year prior, visiting wounded soldiers before he became one himself.

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Letters To Jefferson, Part I

After marching in the War Chest Parade, the Jefferson High School Lassos proudly watched the rising figures on the War Chest thermometer at the United States Postal Office.

The theme of the 1945 Monticello yearbook was “The Jefferson At War” edition. Current students exchanged letters with former active-duty students to get a glimpse of what a soldier’s life was like overseas. At time of publication, they had no idea the war would be over in a matter of months, though they wrote of “complete victory certain and, perhaps, very near.”

Soldier Bob wrote to his former high school from Luzon Island in the Philippines.

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Lieberman Center Afternoon Social

90-year-old Illinois resident Celia Goldie belts out a rendition of “Let Me Call You Sweetheart” in 1988.

Two things I notice right off the bat:

Old peeps are always cold and keep the cardigan market in business.
Men die first.

Just look how even the gender population is at age 64. But by 85, the men are barely represented.

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If you’re interested in moving in, the Lieberman Center serves kosher food, and the current daily rate for a room is $278. Wow–that’s more than double our daily household income! But keep in mind that most of that is covered by Medicare and Medicaid.

For her part, Mrs. Goldie was quoted as saying, “I hope I drop dead before I’m here one year.” She was profiled in an October 1988 People article as such:

Nearby, a nurse spoon-feeds ice cream to a man strapped into a wheelchair. Beside him, a woman dozes, her head against her walker.

“Look at them—half of them are dead,” Celia says, waving her hand. “I’m alive. I guess I have to make the best of a bad bargain. What can I do? I can’t go back. So I have to like it here. You look around you, and you realize how grateful you are.”

Per articles.chicagotribune.com, she died in September of 1989 at Rush North Shore Medical Center in Skokie. She had been a resident of the Lieberman Geriatric Center for 13 1/2 months.

For more on Celia’s story, visit: http://www.people.com/.

Hanging With The Homeboys

Long Island Crazy Quilt

The apparent ghost/smoke in the image is actually a humming teakettle, signaling it’s time for these churchwomen to take a teatime break from completing a “crazy quilt” for a summer raffle. Though there be snow on the ground, the quilts will be done in time for warmer weather.

As an aside, I have a sewing kit that my great-grandmother owned, which looks nearly identical to the own above, except that it is pink.

Did your grandmothers quilt? Do you? It’s been making a steady comeback.