Women Serving the Military

Professional entertainers volunteered their time. Hollywood stars and lesser known performers socialized with troops and performed at U.S. military bases and then took their shows on the road to wherever Americans were fighting. Below on the left is USO entertainer Marlene Dietrich with WACs in France, 1944.

	The Sharon Rogers’ Band, an all-female orchestra and USO Camp Shows unit organized in Chicago, played for servicemen and women in the Pacific theater.

In the photograph to the right is USO entertainer Elizabeth M. Fisher aboard a P47D Thunderbolt “Fighter Bomber,” Italy, 1944. Below is the USO unit, “The Blues Busters,” Italy, December 1944

Article about Ella Bradley, who performed with the first USO troupe to tour the Pacific during the war. Click on image for larger view		To the left is a letter of appreciation to Lois Heise, member of USO Camp Shows Unit 687—the Sharon Rogers’ band, from the 77th Infantry Division, 21 December 1945. Click on image for larger view

 Photo Credits (L to R): #1: USO, #2-3: The Women's Memorial,
#4: Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum, #5-6: The Women's Memorial

(c) Copyright National Women's History Museum 2007