17. Bob Hope started a second career entertaining the troops in all theaters
On September 1, 1939, RMS Queen Mary departed Southampton for New York, part of the ship’s regularly scheduled Atlantic crossings. That same day, German forces invaded Poland. Before Queen Mary reached New York war had been declared between the British Empire and Nazi Germany. The huge luxury liner was not in any immediate danger, its speed could easily allow it to outrun any U-boats which it may encounter on the high seas. German surface raiders posed a more dangerous threat, but the Queen could outrun them as well. Still, passengers and crew became uneasy, and questions regarding the fate of the ship, such as its future during a time of war, haunted the passengers. Aboard the vessel was British-born American entertainer Bob Hope. Hope presented himself to the captain and offered to perform an impromptu show, to help quell the unease.
The captain accepted with alacrity, and Hope performed the first show in what would become a career entertaining those caught in the war which lasted over five decades. When the USO was formed in the United States in 1941 Hope became an early and dedicated supporter, both with his money and with his time. Author John Steinbeck served as a war correspondent during World War II, and wrote of Hope, “It is impossible to see how he can do so much, can cover so much ground, can work so hard, and can be so effective. He works month after month at a pace that would kill most people”. Both Hope and his longtime friend Bing Crosby were offered commissions as officers in the United States Navy (which wanted them for themselves), but FDR intervened, desirous that the pair continued to entertain troops of all the American services.
