Page "United Service Organizations" Paragraph 38

When providing entertainment, the USO did its best to attract known stars from back home to help relieve the stresses of war.

Senator John Kerry recalled how important this kind of diversion would become.

He remembered a " Bob Hope Follies " USO show, which included actress Ann-Margret, Miss America, football star Rosey Grier, and others.

According to Kerry biographer Douglas Brinkley, " When the Swift finally made it back to the My Tho River, the crew confronted the heartbreaking sight of a huge Navy landing craft ferrying the troops back.

The USO show was over.

" Kerry later wrote, " The visions of Ann Margret and Miss America and all the other titillating personalities who would have made us feel so at home hung around us for a while until we saw three Chinook helicopters take off from the field and presumed that our dreams had gone with them.