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 Author  Topic: Bob Hope U.S.O.show (Green Island)
CJ Willis

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of CJ Willis  Posted on: May 5, 2008 - 12:35pm
Green Island base was pretty secure in late July, 1944. We had been operating out of there since March. We were informed that Bob Hope's U.S.O. show would be at the base the afternoon of August 1st. We were pretty excited. We hadn't seen a white woman for almost a year. The base carpenters built a stage at the Mosquito Bowl where we had the base movies. The seats were rows of coconut logs. At Green Island the boats berthed, tied up to bouys but the plan was to have all the boats tie up together at the dock so everyone could go to the show. I believe it was P.T. 243 that had the honor of picking the troop up at the fuel dock at the airport. We were warned not to use our over the fantail Johns while the troop was at the base. The show was to start at 14:00. In order to get good seats guys started filling the seats before noon. Our crew went about noon. Well you might know the show troop was delayed and did not arrive until late afternoon about 16:00. It was a great show with Bob Hope, Francis Langford, Jerry Colona, Patty Thomas and a guitar player. Hope adlibbed, Colona was the gag man and sang, Patty Thomas was a scantily dressed dancer and Francis Langford sang several songs. She was in the middle of a song when it started pouring down rain. She stopped and asked "What do you do when it rains"? The crowd all answered "Get Wet!!" They went right ahead with the show. The carpenters had rigged a tarp over the stage. The performers didn't get wet. We all had ponchos and sat in the rain. As soon as the show was over we had to dash down to the boat. We had a patrol that night. Jack Benny came later but I did not see his show.

C. J. Willis

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Frank J Andruss Sr

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Frank J Andruss Sr   Send Email To Frank J Andruss Sr Posted on: May 5, 2008 - 1:36pm
CJ

I will dig out some pictures of the troop show from that time. One thing is for sure, you wil never see that type of USO SHOW again. A War was on yes, but the music and the women must have taken you guys back to the good old USA. I can only imagine what it was like for you guys seeing these women after not seeing one for almost a year. I am sure you would not trade that experience for all the money in the World..........


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newsnerd99

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message   Posted on: May 5, 2008 - 2:48pm
You paint a great visual CJ! I was laughing my butt off at the "we get wet!" comment! Great story...

Grandson of James J Stanton
RON 15 PT 209 and RON 23 PT 243
Check out: www.pistolpackinmama.net

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