BOB HOPE 1903-2003
Vaudeville, Broadway, Radio, Television, Motion Pictures, Live Comedy
 

Starting even before World War II, in March of 1941, Bob Hope broadcast his radio show before a live military audience at March Field, an air base just 80 miles to the north of Miramar.

Over the next few years, Hope broadcast his radio comedy show from a variety of U.S. military bases, but in 1943 he took the show to the war. His first tour was to England, Ireland, Sicily and North Africa. He toured the Pacific in 1944-45, becoming known in the media as the "Number One Soldier in Greasepaint" and, to the troops, "G.I. Bob."

The famous overseas USO Christmas shows began in 1948 and continued for 22 years, visiting such far-away places as Panama, Iceland, Greenland, Korea, Okinawa, Guam, Morocco, Spain, the Philippines and, of course, Vietnam. Hope visited Vietnam for nine consecutive years, 1964 through 1972.

From 1973 to 1982, Hope continued the Christmas tours at Stateside bases and military hospitals.

Bob Hope went back overseas in 1983 (Beirut), 1987 (Far East and Persian Gulf), in May 1990 to England, Germany and Russia, and in 1990 to Saudi Arabia.

Hope's 700 trips covered more than 10 million air miles to entertain more than 10 million troops.

Among the entertainers who joined Hope over the years were:

In 1991, Bob Hope and Jimmy Stewart co-hosted the largest parade in Hollywood to welcome home the service men and women of Desert Storm. In honor of his contributions, the USO headquarters in Hollywood is named for him, as is the chapel at the Veterans Cemetery in Los Angeles. He became America's first and only honorary veteran by act of Congress, and is an honorary brigadier general in the Marine Corps.

Bob Hope brought Ann-Margret, Rosey Grier, Miss World Penelope Plummer, The Golddiggers, Linda Bennett, Les Brown and his Band of Renown, Roger Smith and others to visit troops in Japan, Korea, Okinawa, Thailand, Guam and (above) Vietnam.

Upon receiving the honorary veteran award, Hope said, "I've been given many awards in my lifetime —   but to be numbered among the men and women I admire most is the greatest honor I have ever received."

A new class of Navy ships has been named after him, starting with the USNS "Bob Hope." The Air Force named a C-17 "The Spirit of Hope."

Bob Hope received over 1500 awards and citations for humanitarian and professional efforts over his lifetime. Some of them are:
 

“Thanks for the memories!”

www.bobhope.com