For American GIs, Hope Still Springs Eternal by Peter Rexford on Creators.com

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For American GIs, Hope Still Springs Eternal

High morale in any war zone has always been hard to come by. Care packages from home prove to be the best spirit booster but, in their place, performers such as Toby Keith or Hollywood celebrities sometimes entertain troops overseas. Naturally, such shows are and were not always possible. In heavy combat areas, the military wisely doesn't endanger troops or performers.

One showman pushed that envelope and was a virtual staple of GIs for six decades offering a continual glimmer of "hope" in battle zones the world over. Beginning in 1941 and extending through Operation Desert Storm, comedian Bob Hope exhaustively entertained military personnel.

Born Leslie Townes Hope in Eltham, England on May 29, 1903, he moved to the US with his parents and six brothers when he was only four. As a boy, he was said to entertain friends with his Charlie Chaplin impersonations. Before making a serious stab as an entertainer, Hope aspired to be an amateur boxer using the name Packy East. That didn't work out, but his humor shone through even there when he commented, "I was not only being carried out of the ring, but into the ring."

Hope ventured into the vaudeville circuit as a dancer but quickly realized success by adding jokes to his act. By the 1930s, Hope was making guest appearances on several radio shows before headlining "The Pepsodent Show" on NBC radio. There he featured an opening monologue of topical jokes — the precursor of what we enjoy today on late-night television talk shows.

Radio was followed by films, which included "The Big Broadcast of 1938." In that he sang "Thanks for the Memory," which would become his signature tune the rest of his life. Throughout his career, Hope went on to star in over 50 feature films.

Once World War II broke out, Hope jumped in. While never officially serving in any branch of the military, he became the official ambassador of morale, performing hundreds of times overseas for troops.

He was given the nickname "GI Bob" because of his enduring commitment to entertaining those who fought and was the first person recognized by the U.S. Congress as an honorary veteran of the United States Armed Forces.

In his career, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences recognized Hope with four special awards as well as the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. Because of his work with the troops his honors also include the Congressional Gold Medal and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Hope died at his home in California on July 27, 2003, just two months after his 100th birthday.

Last week, Hope was postally immortalized on a new U.S. first-class stamp featuring his unmistakable likeness. The 44-cent stamp was released in a ceremony that included his daughter Linda. At the event, Linda commented, "I know Dad would have been thrilled by this honor. In one of his monologues he said, 'Have you seen the new commemorative the post office is issuing? They feature pictures of people who died of shock when they heard what a stamp will cost.'"

The new stamps are currently on sale nationwide. Special first day of issue cancels are available to collectors and Hope fans by mail. To obtain one, purchase the stamp at a local post office, affix it to a self-addressed envelope and send that inside of a separate larger mailing envelope to: Bob Hope Stamp, Postmaster, P.O. Box 85530, San Diego, CA 92186-5530. The U.S. Postal Service will affix the cancel and return the envelopes through regular mail. There's no charge for the postmark, but all orders must be postmarked by July 30, 2009.

There's also one other postal tribute to Hope's legacy of supporting the troops. Those all-important care packages soldiers yearn for are discounted when shipped overseas. Flat-Rate Priority Mail boxes in the U.S. cost $13.95 to send domestically. However, if sent to U.S. military addresses overseas, the price is reduced to only $11.95. Another nice way to say, thanks for the memories.

Editor's Note: A JPEG visual of the new Bob Hope stamp has been sent with this column.

To find out more about Peter Rexford and to read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.