United Service Organization

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The United Service Organizations

The United Service Organizations Inc. (USO) is a private, nonprofit organization that provides morale and recreational services to members of the U.S. military worldwide.

Background

The USO was founded in 1941 in response to a request from President Franklin D. Roosevelt to provide morale and recreation services to U.S. uniformed military personnel. This request led six civilian agencies-the Salvation Army, YMCA, YWCA, NCCS, NTAA and the NJWB-to unite in support of the U.S. troops. The USO was incorporated in New York February 4, 1941.

USO centers and clubs opened around the world as a “Home Away from Home" for GIs. The local USO 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. The USO also brought Hollywood celebrities and volunteer entertainers to perform for the troops.

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. From 1941 to 1947, the USO presented more than 400,000 performances, featuring entertainers such as:

  • Bing Crosby
  • Judy Garland
  • Bette Davis
  • Humphrey Bogart
  • Lauren Bacall
  • Frank Sinatra
  • Marlene Dietrich
  • Hattie McDaniel
  • Ann Sheridan
  • The Marx Brothers
  • James Cagney
  • James Stewart
  • Gary Cooper
  • Danny Kaye
  • The Rockettes
  • Al Jolson
  • Fred Astaire
  • The Andrews Sisters
  • Joe E. Brown
  • Lucille Ball
  • Glenn Miller
  • Martha Raye
  • Mickey Rooney
  • Betty Hutton
  • Dinah Shore
  • and most famously, Bob Hope.

In 1950, when the United States entered the Korean War, the USO brought its services and entertainment tours, including

to the American troops. This effort continued after the war ended, and the USO expanded to serve the more than one million U.S. troops who remained stationed overseas. During the 1960s, as tensions escalated in Vietnam, the USO began to open centers in combat zones. 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.
  • Phyllis Diller
  • Martha Raye
  • Joey Heatherton
  • Wayne Newton
  • Jayne Mansfield
  • Redd Foxx
  • Rosey Grier
  • Anita Bryant
  • Nancy Sinatra
  • Lola Falana
  • and (of course) Bob Hope

In addition, the USO operates centers at major U.S. airports to provide a lounge and place to sleep for American servicemen between their flights.

To support troops participating in Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, USO centers opened in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kuwait and Qatar. USO centers number more than 130 around the world. Recently, the USO opened the Rocky Mountain USO Center at Denver International Airport, a third center in Kuwait and its first center in Iraq at Balad Air Base. The USO provides a variety of programs and services, including orientation programs, family events, travel assistance, free Internet and e-mail access, and recreation services. A new program called "USO in a Box," delivers program materials ranging from DVD players and videos to musical instruments to remote forward operating bases in Afghanistan and Iraq

U.S. military personnel and their families visit USO centers more than five million times each year.

A nonprofit, charitable organization, the USO receives donations from private citizens, foundations, organizations and corporations. As of April 2008, some schools across the United States are donating money to the United Services Organization as a school program.

Notable modern entertainers

  • 50 Cent
  • Trace Adkins
  • Aerosmith
  • Ben Affleck
  • Criss Angel
  • Carmelo Anthony
  • Lance Armstrong
  • Tom Arnold (actor)|Tom Arnold
  • Dave Attell
  • Steve Azar
  • Charles Barkley
  • Rick Barry
  • The Bellamy Brothers
  • Jay Bilas
  • Lewis Black
  • Josh Blue
  • Drew Brees
  • Brooks & Dunn
  • Michael Buffer
  • Tracy Byrd (musician)|Tracy Byrd
  • Jim Calhoun
  • Candlebox
  • Drew Carey
  • Cher
  • Louis C.K.
  • Blake Clark
  • Kelly Clarkson
  • Ellen Cleghorne
  • Tara Conner - Miss USA 2006
  • Chelsea Cooley - Miss USA 2005
  • Brad Cotter
  • Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders
  • Terry Crews
  • Alge Crumpler
  • Charlie Daniels
  • Keith David
  • Bill Dawes
  • Diana DeGarmo
  • Michael DeLorenzo
  • Robert De Niro
  • Diamond Rio
  • Drowning Pool
  • Donnie Edwards
  • Carmen Electra
  • John Elway
  • Ty England
  • Bill Engvall
  • Dennis Farina
  • David Faustino
  • Craig Ferguson
  • Fighting Gravity
  • Five for Fighting
  • Al Franken
  • Morgan Freeman
  • Mark Gottfried
  • Josh Gracin
  • Roy Green
  • Tom Green
  • Lee Greenwood
  • David Alan Grier
  • Kathy Griffin
  • Merle Haggard
  • Donnie Hammond
  • Tim Hardaway
  • John Heffron
  • Shelley Hennig , Miss Teen USA 2004
  • Taylor Hicks
  • Karl Hobbs
  • Lou Holtz
  • Hootie & the Blowfish
  • D.L. Hughley
  • Frankie J
  • Scarlett Johansson
  • Warren Johnson
  • Jonas Brothers
  • Wynonna Judd
  • Stacy Keibler
  • Toby Keith
  • Jerry Kelly
  • Jamie Kennedy
  • Don King (boxing promoter)|Don King
  • Kathy Kinney
  • Johnny Knoxville
  • Nick Lachey
  • Lisa Lampanelli
  • Billy Lane
  • Larry the Cable Guy
  • Steve Lavin
  • Danni Leigh
  • Mallory Lewis
  • Sugar Ray Leonard
  • David Letterman
  • Frank Lickliter
  • Rich Little
  • Lonestar
  • Jennifer Lopez
  • Ludacris
  • Bobby Lutz
  • La Mafia
  • Danny Manning
  • Master P
  • Neal McCoy
  • Michael McDonald
  • Brian McKnight
  • Carlos Mencia
  • Maria Menounos
  • Jo Dee Messina
  • Alyssa Milano
  • Les Miles
  • Lil' Mo
  • The Monkees
  • Montgomery Gentry
  • Jay Mohr
  • Craig Morgan (singer)
  • Brittany Murphy
  • Willie Nelson
  • Wayne Newton
  • Marisol Nichols
  • Chuck Norris
  • Ted Nugent
  • Of A Revolution|O.A.R.
  • Conan O'Brien
  • Dave Odom
  • Jamie O'Neal
  • Shaquille O'Neal
  • Tito Ortiz
  • Vincent Pastore
  • Corey Pavin
  • Chris Paul
  • Russell Peters
  • Regis Philbin
  • Kellie Pickler
  • Rachel Proctor
  • Powerman 5000
  • DJ Qualls
  • Shelton Quarles
  • Rascal Flatts
  • Restless Heart
  • Rob Riggle
  • Kid Rock
  • Henry Rollins
  • Romeo (rapper)|Romeo
  • Jeffrey Ross
  • Brandon Routh
  • Ja Rule
  • Kelvin Sampson
  • Sawyer Brown
  • Seann William Scott
  • Shanice
  • Dax Shepard
  • Will Shields
  • Shinedown
  • Gene Simmons
  • Jessica Simpson
  • Sinbad (actor)|Sinbad
  • Gary Sinise & the Lt. Dan Band
  • Tony Sirico
  • Rachel Smith - Miss USA 2007
  • Stu Stone
  • Marshall R. Teague
  • Third Day
  • Keni Thomas
  • Aaron Tippin
  • Christopher Titus
  • Alex Trebek
  • Danny Trejo
  • Travis Tritt
  • Leeann Tweeden
  • Ronan Tynan
  • Carrie Underwood
  • Wilmer Valderrama
  • Kiki Vandeweghe
  • Jacque Vaughn
  • Mayra Verónica
  • Paul Wall
  • Michael Warren
  • Benjamin Watson
  • Mark Wills
  • Montel Williams
  • Robin Williams
  • Tyler James Williams
  • Bruce Willis
  • Chely Wright
  • Lee Ann Womack
  • Darryl Worley
  • WWE Superstars
  • Elliott Yamin
  • Yellowcard
  • Nora Zehetner

Why is this article included on the SM-201 site?

While in the Navy, I was fortunate to attend several USO shows and I was a volunteer at the USO center at San Jose airport. Template:F0805</column> &&&

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