U.S.O. Tours

History of the USO

The USO (United Services Organizations) was formed in 1941 to “provide recreational, spritual, and welfare services” to men in the armed forces. Hollywood made its great contribution when some of its biggest stars marched out to boost morale and provide much needed entertainment for the troops. During WWII and later in the Korean War, the USO had on its roster, among others, Bob Hope, Lucille Ball, Mickey Rooney, Betty Hutton, Judy Garland, Howard Keel, Marlene Dietrich, Danny Kaye, Marilyn Monroe…and Debbie Reynolds.

During the Korean War, Debbie spent several Christmases overseas entertaining American servicemen from Iceland to the Far East, as well as U.S. stationed army and air force bases. Christmas, 1952, found Debbie in Seoul, Korea…

Beyond the 38th Parallel, there was a concerted push by the Chinese communists on the Tenth Corps to do as much damage as they could on Christmas Eve, to completely demoralize the boys.

Christmas Eve in Korea

Most of the pressure went against the 45th Division, the Oklahoma National Guard. Debbie’s USO troupe, including actors Keenan Wynn and Johnny Grant, flew from Seoul up to the closet point they could go – and it was as close as anyone would want to go!

They did a show there, then came back and started a second one around 11a.m. at the 1st MASH hospital unit. While the program was going on and just before the turkey dinner was to be served to over 2,000 patients and GIs out front – twenty ambulances came down the dusty road which ran parallel to the stage.

Debbie recalls: “Keenan and I were singing and dancing, but out of the corner of our eyes we could see the attendants take six or seven blanketed dead bodies out of each ambulance and place them down in rows – the boys who didn’t quite make it to Christmas Eve.”

“A lump came into my throat the size of an egg, and I don’t know how I kept on singing. And perhaps I couldn’t have if it hadn’t been for those thousands of living faces out front, looking up at me as though to say to Keenan and me, Keep on singing. We have seen what you have seen and our hearts are breaking, too. But keep on the show, help us to forget for just this little while on Christmas Eve.

“And Keenan and Johnny and all our troupe kept on going for two hours after that.”

“Keenan told me later that all the time he was going through a hot jitterbug routine and making the boys laugh, the prayer that was going through his heart and mind was, May God have mercy, may God have mercy…”

Korea’s Aftermath

In the years following the Korean war, Debbie never forgot the time she spent there or the men she encountered. During the Vietnam war, she again teamed forces with the USO under Bob Hope to boost morale.

In 2007, Debbie was reunited with some of the servicemen from her earliest visits overseas.