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00:07thank you very very much General Armstrong thank you tourists very thrilled to be here I am in
00:15Alaska ladies and gentlemen so much for your early warning system but I'm happy to be here
00:23with you ladies and gentlemen the Fairbanks you walruses seals and caribou it's a state
00:29now and everybody's got equal rights Alaska now has the only senator who wasn't seated he was
00:35mounted yes sir Alaska is officially a state now they can send you here without a court-martial
00:50but Alaska is beautiful at this time of the year when the frost is on the PX and the mukluks
00:55are in
00:55bloom now the weather's been fine here the other day the temperature shot up to 30 below and of
01:06course the fellas here are very weather conscious they're always watching the thermometer it's the
01:10only thing up here with a figure Bob Hope Alaska 1959 the USO show a site that has become familiar
01:22to many
01:23Americans but what many Americans do not know is that today the USO is doing the same important job
01:30job it did in World War two and in Korea the United States Army the big picture an official report
01:53produced for the armed forces and the American people now to show you part of the big picture
01:59here is sergeant Stewart Queen today our world is being shaken on all sides by a titanic struggle
02:09involving all men and all nations this struggle initiated by the communist block runs the full
02:17spectrum from athletic contests the threats of all-out war it is a conflict characterized by the
02:24adversaries employment of total and powerful psychological economic political and military
02:31means to accomplish a single objective world domination as a result selective service in this country is now in
02:41its 20th year of drawing into the military thousands and thousands of our youth this is a circumstance observed
02:49by no other generation in America during peacetime to the hundreds of thousands whose civilian lives have
02:56been temporarily uprooted whose education must be deferred this nation knows more than lip service
03:02without their willingness and their ability to man the modern weapons of defense no policy from Washington can
03:09be enforced to the utmost thus our way of life our homes our loved ones our very existence depends greatly
03:17upon the young people in our armed forces today maintaining their morale becomes then a responsibility that
03:25must be shared by the civilian community through the USO the United Service Organizations the American
03:33public has accepted that responsibility today's big picture will show how well that job is being
03:39done to the extent that you support the USO program it is in a sense the story of your own
03:46efforts
03:50in 1941 surrounded by a world in flames President Franklin D Roosevelt signed the first peacetime
03:58conscription bill in our nation's history
04:05the measure brought thousands of young Americans into the armed forces as these were expanded to keep the nation's defenses
04:12prepared for any threat that might arise
04:27the enormous concentration of men at great installations across the country had a staggering impact upon their small neighboring communities
04:38civilian populations of these communities were often outnumbered facilities for off post diversion and recreation were swamped by the new
04:46demands frequently were non-existent for the young serviceman off duty undesirable and even dangerous
04:54outlets for his leisure hours were often the only outlets available
05:03all too often the situation made him a vulnerable target for unscrupulous elements his health and safety were often endangered
05:10and as a consequence his usefulness to the services
05:23on post the army could provide for the needs of the off-duty soldier
05:30service clubs offered comfortable lounges for relaxation they organized social programs for his diversion
05:39snack bars offered meeting places for him and his companions well stocked libraries were at his disposal
05:49even on maneuvers motion picture showings were regularly scheduled equipment and facilities were made available for a wide range of
05:59games and sports
06:04on post two army chapels could provide the serviceman with the religious affiliation that had been his back home
06:12it was this role played by religion in the life of the individual and in the life of the community
06:17that offered the solution to the problems of the off-post serviceman
06:23in his home community the church answered the spiritual needs of the individual
06:28it also provided a significant part of his social activities and his associations
06:41the churches embraced the entire nation and were responsive to community needs
06:46they were therefore ideally suited to mobilizing resources and personal efforts on a nationwide scale
06:56so it came about in 1941 that welfare organizations of the three major faiths were brought together in federation
07:05with them too came two other nationally organized groups uniquely qualified to share the responsibility
07:12the salvation army and the national travelers aid association these would be the united
07:18united services organization the civilian partner of the armed services
07:28in the final month of that same year came our country's entry into the maelstrom of war
07:39with american manpower fully involved and being marshaled in ever-growing numbers
07:44u.s.o.'s morale boosting efforts had to meet new demands
07:51in addition to serving the soldier at home the u.s.o. had to follow the forces wherever they might
07:56be engaged
08:06canteens were opened in larger cities around the world there servicemen were usually stationed in
08:12great numbers there combat troops on leave would seek rest and diversion
08:18to troops in the field uso brought the talents of popular entertainers from stage
08:24screen and radio as well as figures in the world of sports warmly welcomed by the serviceman
08:30these entertainments captured the imagination of the public at home
08:34uso show became a part of america's everyday vocabulary
08:43by mid-1944 our ultimate victory was well in sight
08:56nazi germany was crumbling
09:04within another year history would ring down the curtain on the final act
09:17the war had ended
09:21now with demobilization the focus of public interest centered on a return to the ways of peace
09:40it was to be and still is an uneasy peace and so u.s.o.'s responsibilities have not diminished
09:52to the hundreds of thousands of troops in occupied territory and far off outposts
09:58uso shows continued to bring entertainment and cheer here was fun plus a healthy reminder that despite
10:05distances the servicemen were still part of the american community they had not been forgotten
10:14then in 1950 came the korean war
10:36Interruption of the uneasy peace
10:38Once again brought public awareness of the USO's role
10:42In helping maintain the serviceman's morale
10:47Popular and well-publicized, USO shows are nevertheless only a small part of the job
10:53And it is a job that has become increasingly complex since the end of Korean hostilities
11:02Throughout these years, our manpower has had to be deployed in smaller units
11:07Over a greater area of the world's surface
11:09The far north, Alaska, the Arctic Circle, Iceland
11:19Army men, and women too, are at posts in the Orient and the Near East
11:29Units of our Navy and Air Force share in these globe-girdling activities
11:47In countless installations throughout the world and at home
11:52Wherever possible, all these must be served
11:57Overseas, the man in uniform and easy prey to loneliness
12:01May understandably consider himself the forgotten man
12:14Even at home, in a nation at peace
12:17Public apathy plus feeling conspicuous
12:20Makes the uniformed man vulnerable to those same feelings
12:27The new recruit may even question the fate
12:30That has separated him from his home community
12:32While his contemporaries continue in their civilian pursuits
12:37It is in just these areas of morale that the larger part of USO's job is being done
12:42How well it is being done is best told by the new recruit
12:46You'll want to hear from him direct
12:48For after all, he is your son, your neighbor, perhaps a friend or relative
12:53He may even be yourself
12:58I guess I'm all of those men
12:59And I'm from every corner of these United States
13:02Its cities, its towns, its farmlands
13:09I'm from every kind of background you can name
13:11And I'm from all the races, colors, and nationalities
13:15That ever found their way to these shores
13:22I'm the man who's going to be made into a fighting man
13:24Ready and able to defend you, myself, all of us from trouble
13:29When and if it comes
13:33In the beginning, it's pretty strange
13:35I mean, just being away from everything you've ever known
13:41Then the army starts shaping
13:43Or maybe it's reshaping us
13:46Lots of us live too soft
13:47But it doesn't take the army long to toughen up those bodies
13:55The old brain gets exercised, too
13:57Learning a lot of subjects we'd never even known were part of army training
14:08Most important, of course, is learning the basic business of soldiering
14:14Discipline
14:17Discipline
14:17Responsibility
14:22Teamwork
14:26Mastering all the equipment and all the weapons a fighting man has to use
14:34Before we ever get to specialize in any branch
14:37We've had plenty of opportunity to know what the real thing may be
14:40We're ready
14:46It's rough, hard work
14:47But the toughest part can be something I never even thought about
14:51Something personal
14:53I'll tell you about it
14:56Soldiering doesn't always go on round the clock
14:59Seven days a week
15:00A man has time to get away from his post
15:03We're expected to
15:05The army figures that holding on to the old civilian ties is important
15:09Important for morale
15:11To me, that means holding on to the feeling that I'm still a neighbor in good standing
15:16We all feel that way
15:22Whether it's just a pass for a few hours or a couple of weeks leave
15:25We head for that civilian world
15:32And that's when it hits you
15:34You're a stranger, whether it's a big city or a small town near the post
15:38Whether it's 20 miles from your hometown or thousands
15:43You're a stranger and that can be rough
15:45I said, can be
15:51You see, it all depends on how long it takes us to discover the USO
16:06My pals and I were lucky
16:07Right there in the railroad station was that
16:10Hello Neighbor sign
16:11Mighty welcome too when train schedules and timetables
16:15Need a little straightening out
16:21In the bigger stations
16:23We may even have our own private waiting room
16:25And if the stopover is long enough
16:28USO gives us the dope on how and where to spend it
16:38Want to knock off a letter to the folks
16:43Want to catch some shut-eye?
16:45You can
16:46And by the way, I never had any neighbors back home
16:49Who offered a personal waking-up service
16:55Comes in real handy because trains won't wait
16:58And if you're on your way back from leave
17:00You wouldn't want to be late and disappoint the sergeant
17:09Some lounges even help a man sharpen up between train connections
17:13I'd call that service too
17:18In most towns near the big posts
17:20There's a USO lounge or club and we learned to head for them
17:24Some of them even have dormitories or rooms for servicemen
17:28That means all servicemen, not just army
17:34Some places, particularly the big cities
17:37USO arranges for hotel rooms
17:40And its scaled-down rates
17:42Saves tramping around looking for a place to stay
17:45Saves those dollars too
17:48Neighborly, I'd say
17:50And speaking of neighbors
17:52In the smaller towns, the USO brings them to you
18:01They stage dances
18:02And the girls, well, they're the same kind you knew back home
18:06The USO manages that through local clubs and churches
18:22They even organize programs of sports and hobbies
18:30Some places, they get local churches and clubs to put on shows
18:34More fun than just walking around waiting for the town's one movie house to open
18:44Getting acquainted with the town's people
18:46Gives us another way to hold on to civilian life
18:53Not to mention the home touch and, oh brother, home cooking
19:00That reminds me
19:01Plenty of older career soldiers want their families close by
19:06USO helps locate them in housing near their posts
19:09During the housing shortage, that can be a real morale booster
19:15Most servicemen look forward to dropping in on the big towns
19:19New York, Chicago, LA
19:21Cities they've always wanted to see
19:24USO is there too
19:29Of course, in the big cities, they can't bring the neighbors to us
19:32So what do they do?
19:34Easy
19:35They work it out so that we go to the neighbors
19:38That simple
19:43They arrange with dozens of churches, clubs, and social groups
19:47To put on dances or get-togethers just staged for us
19:50You know what?
19:52People in big towns are just like the ones at home
19:56I guess I never knew I had so many neighbors till USO showed me
20:05And what a system they have in the cities for seeing that we have all the fun we want
20:09Tickets for free to most of the shows
20:12An arrangement worked out by USO with the theaters
20:20That goes for the big radio and TV stations too
20:26There's a real bang in seeing what goes on behind the scenes
20:32Then there are tickets for sports events
20:35Yours for the asking
20:36Or even without asking
20:43And that includes major league ball games too
20:57USO will hand out all the directions you need
20:59If you want to do some independent sightseeing
21:02But if it's your first trip
21:03You'll probably want the VIP treatment
21:06A guided tour all your own
21:08It's yours
21:19Maybe you do end up with a stiff neck
21:21And aching doggies
21:23But what of it?
21:24It's been worth every minute of it
21:31There are tickets too
21:32For the regular bus tours and boat rides
21:34The price?
21:35Nothing at all
21:36Thanks to those people at USO
21:49What goes for small towns and cities here at home
21:51Goes for all those far off places where I serve
21:54You must have seen that slogan
21:56USO wherever they go
21:58It's true
21:59You can bet I'm glad about that
22:02Wherever it's possible
22:03USO has lounges
22:05Or arranged for local facilities
22:07That add up to the same thing
22:08They even have staffs that speak our language
22:11And so all over the world
22:13It's the same story
22:14The same big smile hospitality
22:17From trained workers
22:18And the local volunteers
22:20Who offer a helping hand
22:24The same home-brewed coffee
22:26And soft drinks on the house
22:27Snacks too
22:29For next to nothing
22:34The same facilities too
22:35For getting acquainted with places
22:37That were just names on a map
22:44Like geography
22:45History comes to life too
22:47Those USO guides
22:49Can take credit for taking over
22:51Where school left off
22:53At least they did for me
22:54And that probably goes for a lot of other men
22:59Come to think of it
23:00I bet the USO never figured
23:02They were offering education
23:03Along with their other services
23:08If we want to
23:10And most of us do
23:11We can look behind the scenes
23:13Get to know how other people work
23:16Take a simple thing like a rug
23:18Well, it isn't simple
23:24I never knew the kind of work went into one
23:26It gives you a healthy respect for the other fella
23:30Maybe we can make a better automobile
23:32But native crafts take real know-how too
23:40But most important to most of us
23:43USO opens doors for us
23:45Into private homes
23:46The same as they do in the States
23:52Home cooking tastes good to me
23:54Whether it's a New England boiled dinner
23:56Or its Korean cousin
24:07And of course
24:08I'm still learning that
24:09In spite of differences in customs and language
24:12I've got neighbors all over the world
24:16Where foreign money gets to be too much
24:18For a man's arithmetic
24:20USO sets up money-changing offices
24:22That takes the arithmetic out of it
24:25And guarantees a fair shake
24:30It's the same all over the world
24:32Why, there are men serving in Japan
24:34Who get to know Tokyo, Osaka, and Yokohama
24:37As well as they know their own hometowns
24:39Thanks to USO
24:50Some servicemen even find a lot of the mystery
24:52Taken out of the mysterious East
24:54And come to know that the differences
24:56Between people here and back home
24:58Are mostly on the surface
25:03USO manages that through building
25:05People-to-people relations
25:14Now you take Greece
25:17First, a guided tour
25:19Then a chance to meet a few families
25:21And first thing you know
25:22The servicemen on the shore leave
25:24Is finding the same kind of fun
25:26In Athens, Greece
25:26As he would in Athens, Georgia
25:39Along with fun
25:41He learned at first hand
25:42That his new neighbors
25:43Are mighty proud of their history
25:45And that some of his own traditions
25:47And ideas
25:48Came from that same old culture
25:50That's a big boost
25:52For understanding and friendship
25:57Some places too
25:58A man gets to understand
26:00The religious practices
26:02Of his new neighbors
26:03More understanding
26:04And so
26:05Greater friendship
26:08Overseas too
26:09The USO tries to match
26:11The other services
26:12They provide at home
26:13If it's brain stretch you want
26:15Some of their bigger clubs
26:17Have libraries
26:21And of course
26:22Just as at home
26:23There are the dances
26:24Dates and entertainment
26:26To make Manila or Munich
26:28Feel pretty much like
26:30Wichita or Amarillo
26:37There's even room
26:38In USO programs
26:40For the rugged individualist
26:41Who just needs a little assist
26:43And he'll furnish his own fun
26:48Or maybe all you want
26:50Is a place in the sun
26:51While you forget
26:52Worldly cares
26:56Some of those
26:57Worldly cares
26:58Like a ripped shirt
26:59Will be taken over
27:00By USO's volunteer workers
27:06Those friends
27:07We make overseas
27:08Get to be as close
27:09As the ones at home
27:10And even where there are
27:12Differences
27:13We find the differences
27:14Shrinking
27:15You might say
27:16That by boosting
27:17Our morale
27:18Through personal contacts
27:19USO is also doing
27:21A world of a job
27:22Building a friendship
27:23For us
27:24I mean the whole country
27:25Sort of a
27:26Around the world
27:27Goodwill ambassador
27:30Around the world
27:32That's where I serve
27:33But I don't count the miles
27:35Because miles don't count
27:37Home is any further away
27:39Than the nearest
27:40USO club
27:41Or lounge
27:47The USO story
27:49Is your own
27:50If you've given up
27:51Your time and effort
27:52To its activities
27:53It is your own
27:55If you contribute
27:55To state
27:56United
27:57Or community
27:57Chest funds
27:58USO receives
28:00No financial aid
28:01From the government
28:02It is wholly
28:03Yours
28:04The civilian partner
28:06Of the nation's
28:07Armed forces
28:15The big picture
28:17Is an official report
28:19For the armed forces
28:20And the American people
28:23Produced by the Army
28:25Pictorial Center
28:30Presented by the Department of the Army
28:32In cooperation with this nation
28:34In cooperation with this nation
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