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.
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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.
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The USO initially disbanded in 1947, but was revived in 1950 for the Korean War, after which it continued, providing peacetime services.
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USO has over 200 locations around the world in 14 countries and 27 states.
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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.
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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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USO brought Hollywood celebrities and volunteer entertainers to perform for the troops.
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In 2011, the USO was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Barack Obama "for contributions to lifting the spirits of America's troops and their families through the arts".
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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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USO had already been active back home selling war bonds, and donated $100, 000 to the USO.
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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.
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In one such instance in 1943, a plane carrying a USO troupe crashed outside Lisbon, killing singer and actress Tamara Drasin, and severely injuring Broadway singer Jane Froman.
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USO's later married the co-pilot who saved her life in that crash, and her story was made into the 1952 film With a Song in My Heart, with Froman providing the actual singing voice.
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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.
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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.
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USO's did forty-eight shows for "broken soldiers, " who were mostly lying on stretchers in the lobbies of hotels, watching as she entertained them.
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In 1951, when the United States entered the Korean War, Secretary of Defense George Marshall and Secretary of the Navy Francis P Matthews requested that the USO be reactivated "to provide support for the men and women of the armed forces with help of the American people.
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The 23 centers in Vietnam and Thailand served as many as a million service members a month, and the USO presented more than 5, 000 performances during the Vietnam War featuring stars such as John Wayne, Ann-Margret, Sammy Davis Jr.
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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.
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USO remembered a "Bob Hope Follies" USO show, which included actress Ann-Margret, Miss America, football star Rosey Grier, and others.
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USO adds that the tours made a "deep impression" on the stars as well.
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USO's 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.
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USO 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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In those years, the USO opened centers at Fort Campbell, Kentucky; Fort Riley, Kansas; Fort Bliss, Texas; Fort Carson, Colorado; and Afghanistan.
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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.
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USO has provided services for the annual "Tribute to the Troops" special of World Wrestling Entertainment.
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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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Since 2008, the USO has shipped more than 2, 000 kits to places like Afghanistan, Iraq, Egypt, and others.
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USO was always treated as "an asset to the U S Government with his willingness to entertain whenever they needed him.
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Additionally, more than 44, 000 USO volunteers provide an estimated 371, 417 hours of service annually.
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