National Park Service Histories Articles

Ray Bolger
on Tour with the U.S.O.

A few years after his celebrated performance as the Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz (MGM, 1939), Hollywood song and dance man Ray Bolger (1904 – 1987) was performing in many parts of the war-torn Pacific islands on a USO tour. Attached is a two page reminiscence about one particular Guadalcanal performance, the men he met and the Hell they paid in the years that followed.

Wizard of Oz actor RAY BOLGER during WW2Ray Bolger USO serviceRay Bolger USO performerUSO service of Ray Bolger 1943WW2 USO service of Ray Bolger 1943Ray Bolger USO volunteerUSO on Guadalcanal 1943Ray Bolger WW2 memoryRay Bolger M-1 rifle dance 1943ww2 experience of USO performerJack Little USO performer

The USO

Ray Bolger
on Tour with the U.S.O.

• Pageant Magazine, 1952 •

The USO

Ray Bolgeron Tour with the U.S.O.

• Pageant Magazine, 1952 •

Ray Bolger
on Tour with the U.S.O.