“Until you’ve actually seen them in action, you have no conception of their courage.”
~ Bob Hope speaking of our troops.

Bob Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) star of vaudeville, radio, movies and television, was probably best known – and loved for his USO shows – entertaining our troops around the world. He performed his first show 70 years ago, on May 6, 1941, at March Field, an army base in Riverside, California; it was a life-changing event. For more than 50 years, Hope went wherever the military was fighting, performing for our troops. As John Steinbeck said in one of his columns: “He gets laughter wherever he goes from men who need laughter.”

In 1997, Congress officially declared Hope the “first and only honorary veteran of the U.S. armed forces.” He said it was the greatest honor he ever received.

Bob was real HOPE – a guy who sincerely loved and appreciated our military heroes.