7 key facts about the USO's 75 years of service

The USO was formed on Feb. 4, 1941 as the nation prepared for the possibility that it would get dragged into another World War. Now, 75 years later, the USO serves Americas warfighters with an estimated 10 million connections every year in the form ofentertainment tours, homecoming celebrations, care packages, and more.Here are 7 facts about how the USO got where it is today:SEE ALSO:If you're in the market for a massive Cold War-era underground nuclear bunker, look no further1. The USO began at the request of President Franklin D. RooseveltWith the War in Europe spreading in the early 1940s, President Roosevelt knew he might soon have a massive military that would need morale assistance. He asked six private organizationsthe YMCA, the YWCA, the National Catholic Community Service, the National Jewish Welfare Board, the Travelers Aid Association, and the Salvation Armyfor their help.Rather than just draw straws or split up areas on a map, the six organizations combined into a sort of entertainment Voltron that focused on one demographic, the troops.2. The first services were USO shows and free Coke, both of which continue todayAs the Army and Navy grew in preparation for the war, the most urgent mission of the USO was giving service membersthe feeling and tastes of home. The USO began a partnership with Coke (that continues to this day) and started bringing in talented soldiers and entertainers to perform for crowds of troops.3. The USO had a break in serviceIn 1947 the occupying forces in Europe and Asia were shrinking andthe USO was granted an honorable discharge from service by President Harry S. Truman. TheKorean War kicked off in 1950and the USO was back in service by 1951. It wasnt until after American forces were withdrawn from Vietnam that the USO officially dedicated itselfpeacetime operations as well as wartime.See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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