USO NEWS LETTER Vol. 3, No. 5 September, 1967 Published by the USO, 237 East 52nd St. New York, N.Y. 10022 USO is a voluntary civilian organization established by its Member Agencies through which the people of this country serve the religious, spiritual, social, welfare and educational needs of the members of the Armed Forces. The President of the United States Harvey S. Firestone, Jr. Holgar J. Johnson Stanley B. Ecker Chairman, Executive Committee Justin M. Morrill Executive Director Member Agencies Young Men's Christian Associations National Catholic Community Service National Jewish Welfare Board Young Women's Christian Association The Salvation Army Travelers Aid Association of America USO is supported by United Funds. Community Chests and independent campaigns in New York City, Chicago and elsewhere. USO president General Emmett O'Donnell, Jr., USAF (Ret.), with Senator Homer E. Capehart, attending the August Indiana National Bank Luncheon, Indianapolis. Former Senator Capehart Named USO National Campaign Chairman The Honorable Homer E. Capehart, former U.S. Senator (Rep) from Indiana, has been appointed the new USO National Campaign Chairman, General Emmett O'Donnell, Jr., USAF (Ret.), USO President has announced. He was elected to the USO Board of Governors at its meeting September 21, and was also named a member of the USO Executive Committee. Mr. Capehart fills this important National USO post which has been vacant since the death of its previous Chairman, the late Admiral Chester C. Woods, in 1965. The distinguished Indianian was first elected to the Senate in 1944, was re-elected in 1950 and again in 1956, for a total of 18 years service in the U.S. Senate. He has engaged in manufacturing and in 1927 organized the Capehart Corporation. He is active now in the operation of a 2,000 acre farm in Daviess County, Indiana, where he first gained national attention by his sponsorship of the Republican "Cornfield Conference" in 1938. He was married in Wrightstown, Wisconsin, on January 19, 1922, to Irma Mueller, and is the father of three children: Homer Earl, Jr., an Indianapolis attorney; Thomas C., deceased; and Mrs. James C. Pearson, of Washington, D.C. Senator Capehart is a member of the Lutheran Church, the American Legion, the Burning Tree Country Club of Washington, D.C., the Masonic Order (32nd degree) and other societies in Indianapolis and Chicago. Before assuming his Chairmanship, Senator Capehart spent several days with General O'Donnell and Executive Director, Justin M. Morrill, getting acquainted with members of the USO National staff. On December 7, 1941, he organized and directed a rally successfully launching the Indianapolis drive of the United Service Organizations. NOTICE: USO National Headquarters received word from Bernie Carvalho, Executive Director of the USO Club in Fairbanks, Alaska, that though the basement which houses a dormitory and snack bar was completely inundated the first floor, which is about six feet above the ground level, escaped the flood waters. The Commanding Officer of "Murphy Dome" a nearby military installation is sending several soldiers each day to Fairbanks to help the USO staff put the club back in operation. Damage to the facility and equipment is not as extensive as we originally thought. The home of the Director was flooded and both Bernie and his wife suffered considerable personal loss. As we go to press we have heard from Bernie that the USO is back in operation with a temporary canteen and dormitory on the first floor. He hopes to have the full club in operation before the first freeze comes in September. Danny Kaye Opens New USO Shows Pacific Hospital Circuit At the request of the Department of Defense, United Service Organizations, Inc. (USO), has established a Pacific Hospital Circuit to bring entertainment and celebrity visitors to servicemen wounded in Vietna who have been evacuated from the front lines to convalescent hospitals in Guam, Okinawa, the Philippines, Taiwan, Japan and Hawaii. Colonel Jerome Coray, Director of USO Shows, announced that the new USO Shows circuit was officially initiated September 1, 1967, and will include a total of eight shows per month - four handshake tours and four variety shows. Because of his vast experience in touring military camps and bases for USO Shows for many years and under all conditions, internationally famed comedian Danny Kaye was asked to pioneer the new venture with a two-week handshake tour of Japan, Guam, Okinawa, and the Philippine Islands. Returning in late August, Kaye reported at a press conference held at USO National Headquarters, New York, that he found the tour more "incredibly rewarding" than any similar experience in his career. Kaye returned to the West Coast where he will assist the USO in recruiting star talent in a "call-to-arms" to support the new progra Talent for the shows will be drawn from three maj sources: USO-Hollywood Overseas Committee; The National Cartoonists Society; and the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America. The USO-HOC will furnish top motion picture and television stars for two variety groups and two handshake tours per month. The National Cartoonists Society has agreed to provide at least six cartoonists groups per year for the hospital program, and no fewer than six Barber Shop Quartets per year will be provided "to stimulate barber shop singing among the hospitalized wounded and organize quartets among the patients." Also in the planning stages for the hospital shows are visitations by prominent figures from the sports world. The National USO Shows office in New York will coordinate the entire program. Part of the touring celebrities will be recruited in New York City and the remainder will be provided by the USO-Hollywood Overseas Committee on the West Coast. This new Pacific Hospital Circuit is an expansion of the existing USO Shows program. The other groups are the special Vietnam celebrity program recruited by the USO-Hollywood Overseas Committee; the paid professional shows playing bases - large and small around the world; and the college show tours with volunteer students presenting Broadway shows, choral and instrumental groups. National USO 1968 Operating Budget Expected To Be Up The question on many minds is: Can we raise the In a reply from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, The United Fund stated "We all realize the tremendous job the USO is doing and we want to give our full support." The Warren County, Pennsylvania, Fund said, "We recognize the increasing needs and have increased your previous allocation 33%." From East St. Louis, Illi nois: "Your straight-forward presentation of USO services in Vietnam of increased needs for 1968 will be warmly reviewed by our Budget Committee." The Lake Charles, Louisiana, Fund stated their appreciation for the fine support USO has given to the United Way campaigns. "There is no other national agency that produces the same quality of highly visible support for the United Way as USO." North Attleboro, Massachusetts said, "USO's association as a member of our campaign lends prestige to our Community effort." Milwaukee, Wisconsin replied, "Your very informative letter is most helpful. It has been our practice to try and carry our fair share and the attitude of our Board toward USO will continue to be favorable." In addition to this, an all-out effort is being made to conduct more USO campaigns in non-federated areas. General O'Donnell is very grateful to the many friends of USO. ctured above is the modern structure housing the new USO installation which opened July 11 at Taichung, Taiwan (Formosa). The club, located on the seventh and eighth floors of the building, offers a comfortable lounge and reading area, information center with snack bar facilities due for completion shortly. Formal dedication and opening ceremonies are scheduled for early fall. Mr. William Semkow is the Executive Director: it was through his ingenuity and hard work that this new club was made possible. THOMAS D'ARCY BROPHY On July 29, while attempting to rescue two of his grandchildren from a rolling car parked at a supermarket, Thomas D'Arcy Brophy was killed. Mr. Brophy had been associated with USO since its inception, was a USO founder, and the first Chairman of the USO National Public Relations Committee. He continued to serve as an active member of the Board of Governors, frequently on the National Public Relations Committee, and during 1966 served as head of USO's Twenty-Fifth Anniversary Committee. He never ceased to give of himself to carry out the purposes for which USO exists. With Mr. Brophy's death, USO has lost a close friend, an unstinting benefactor, and a tradition. |