The Surprising Fear That Created the USO

Date Posted: Thursday, February 4, 2016

On February 4th 75 years ago the United Service Organizations (USO) became a Congressionally-chartered corporation when six civilian organizations joined forces on behalf of the U.S. military. In 1941, over 1.1 million people enlisted during the first-ever peacetime draft in preparation for WWII. Communities near military bases were concerned about what the men would do while waiting to deploy. Additionally, there was a military medical officer's fear that enlisted men were "susceptible to the warm comforts of loose women who would ply them with alcohol and seduce them into bad habits and diseases like syphilis and gonorrhea." The USOs "made sure its centers were squeaky clean." Many performers died during their volunteer USO service. Today, there are over 160 volunteer-staffed USOs and it has its own Congressional caucus.

Read the full article at: Time