USO

“The American G.I.’s home away from home.” The year is 1940 and the American military is growing in leaps and bounds in response to the threat of our entry into World War II. President Franklin D. Roosevelt issues a challenge to six private organizations to handle the on-leave recreation needs of the members of the Armed forces. The six organizations, the YMCA, YWCA, National Catholic Community Service, the National Jewish Welfare Board, the Traveler’s Aid Association and the Salvation Army combine their resources and talents and the United Services Organization is born in New York in February 1941. By 1944, USO’s were found in over 3,000 locations in the states and staffed primarily by volunteers. President Roosevelt is offered the position as Honorary Chairman of the USO and he accepts. This tradition has been carried on by every President who has followed. Later in 1941, the entertainment industry, either out of a sense of patriotism or good publicity, chime in. USO “Camp Shows” begin with entertainers either waiving their pay and/or sacrificing working conditions begin to put on shows at bases in the United States. With American entry into World War II, the Camp Shows were expanded to bring live entertainment to troops stationed overseas. Bob Hope made his first USO tour in 1942 and the partnership he formed with the USO wound up lasting for more than five decades. All in all, between 1941 and 1947, approximately 7,000 “soldiers in greasepaint” put on 428,521 USO shows. The concept has endured and today is known as the “USO Celebrity Event”.

Unidentified Submersible Object: the underwater equivalent of a UFO.

Since WWII, these objects have been showing up both visually and on radar in increasing numbers - although still without anything like the frequency of traditional UFO sightings. They vary in appearance, from brilliant submerged discs to simpler cigar-shaped 'phantom submarines.'

They first appeared in any great number in Swedish waters, and until the collapse of the USSR were believed to have originated in Warsaw Pact countries. This has always been denied, and despite the use of hundreds of depth charges none have ever surfaced.

The following second-hand recount was found on a UFO newsgroup:

"Several years ago we were sailing around the bottom of Tasmania, near Port Davey, and we know the area can produce good shows of phosphorescent algae but we weren't prepared for what we came upon.

I was standing watch aft and it was a beautifully clear night. I became aware that there very bright submerged lights way ahead and we were sailing straght for them. As we got closer I could see how intense they were but I couldn't guage their depth. The whole area was covered with them and they stretched on into the distance. I have seen a lot of things at sea but nothing like this. They looked just like bright light streaming from port holes in a submarine. (The speaker was a navy diving instructor for several years.) Also, they were lined up very regularly in rows - vast rows.

This spooked me like you wouldn't believe so I went and got the boat owner and showed him. He was awe struck! I told him that I didn't want to go any further as I feared hitting one or more solid submerged objects and insisted that we change course. He agreed and we left the area. I haven't seen anything like it since and I visit the area on a regular basis in my own vessel still."