Throughout World War II, the United Service Organizations (USO) provided entertainment for enlisted servicemen and women in the United States during their off-duty hours and entertained American troops overseas and in hospitals through its subsidiary, USO-Camp Shows. Massive population shifts caused by the military's mobilization of troops and the need for industrial workers throughout the country led to inadequate off-duty housing and recreation options in American communities for people in the military service. As a civilian, volunteer organization, USO attempted to ease this problem.

It is likely that many servicemen and women spent their entire wartime experiences in the vicinity of a USO club or canteen. Of the 16 million individuals who served in the military, 25 percent remained in the United States throughout the war, and many of them frequented USO establishments. By September 1942, an average of 4,500,000 servicepersons visited USO clubs on a monthly basis. These numbers increased greatly...