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Project Jenny KLIK - 1st Inf Di v Women in Vietnam RELATED-- To AFVN To Saigon To Vietnam Further Afield Index
AFVN Group Conversations
Webmaster From: Ron Turner
Dated: January 7, 2017
Subject: American Forces Vietnam Network] Billed as Bob Hope's final Saigon USO show, 1973...
I do believe the last Bob Hope Show(s) were performed in December of 1971 in RVN. He may have gone on the Far East circuit w/o RVN after that - I'm not sure, just guessing. And, again, if my aged memory is not messed up, due to poor reception by some troops he did not finish the RVN circuit in 12-71. We covered the '71 show with the Hitachi (THVN) van on loan to his show with Pres. Thieu's specific permission. Regards, Ron
NB: Although I can't find his message, Ron later wrote that "he stood corrected." Webmaster
From: Jim Anderson
Dated: January 7, 2017
Subject: Bob Hope's Last Vietnam Show; Near MACV Annex; December 1972
Bob Hope & General Weyand at Hope's Christmas Show 12-24-1972 at Tan Son Nhut Airbase.
From: Frank Rogers
Dated: January 7, 2017
Subject: Billed as Bob Hope's Final Saigon USO Show, 1973
Group,
I don’t know the date of a Bob Hope tour in Japan, and haven’t checked the FEN group about it. It could have been in the very early days of his tours, maybe during Korean war, and not necessarily during Vietnam war. Bob was surprised at the lack of laughter during his performances. It turned out that someone at FEN had the bright idea iof secretly broadcasting Hope’s early show, meaning the jokes had already been heard when Bob did his shows around Japan.
Frank
From: Mike McNally
Dated: January 7, 2017
Subject: Photo from Hope's Dec 1972 Show; MACV Headquarters in Background
(If you can get your eyeballs above the waist lines. Webmaster)
From: Rick Fredericksen
Dated: January 7, 2017
Subject: Bob Hope's Last Vietnam Show; Near MACV Annex; December 1972
Nice summary Michael. My only memory is the Long Binh show in '69, which AFVN broadcast live. I'm also remember reading that Hope was enroute to the Brink Hotel when it was bombed and when AFVN was still there.
Bob Hope's 1972 (Last) Christmas Show in Vietnam
January 2017
From: Mike McNally
Dated: January 7, 2017
Subject: Bob Hope's Last Vietnam Show; Near MACV Annex; December 1972
There has been some recent discussion among the AFVN Yahoo Group about Bob Hope's Christmas shows. Bob is not around to visit the troops anymore, but other performers and celebrities go around the world each December.
I attended Bob Hope's December 1972 show held between MACV Headquarters and the MACV Annex. It was near the sports field which had originally contained a circular helicopter pad when MACV opened in August 1967. I was a civilian in 1972 and was much closer to the stage than I was when I attended the Dec 1967 Cu Chi show as an Army enlisted man. In December 1972, the performers were facing toward MACV. Their backs were to the Annex. Close to them was the trailer park for MACV officers.
There were still many American military personnel at the show in Dec 1972. Even after the Peace Accord was signed, 27 January 1973, the US had sixty days to send the troops out of the country. There were also distinguished American and Vietnamese guests at the 1972 show.
There were still MPs in-country. I recall that before the show started some MPs moved in to the front of the stage to settle a dispute about front row seating. The distinguished guests were near the stage. The scaffolding with the giant cue cards was behind them, as I recall.
After so many years, I have to look for photos and videos on-line to recall details of the show. I do remember Hope making a joke or two about the prospects for peace. I think Mrs. Hope was there and sang her signature Chirstmas song, "Silent Night."
I think you can find photos of the show on-line. I believe that the late Frank Ford posted a video on his "borntowander" Youtube channel.
As of July 2016, Bob Hope's Toluca Lake home was still on the market. It would probably be a neat place for veterans to gather and recall the Christmas shows.
Mike