Bob Hope and Raquel Welch
by Norman Johnson
Title
Bob Hope and Raquel Welch
Artist
Norman Johnson
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
Bob Hope and Raquel Welch at His USO Show at the 4th Division's Camp Enari near Pleiku, Vietnam in 1967.
Uploaded
July 2nd, 2014
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Comments (26)
Norman Johnson
I was with the public information office from the 4th Division. I was back in Camp Enari for most of the battle and only spent a couple of days at DakTo during the battle helping escort the press to the base camp and the mountain. Left the base camp on the last chinook out one night just as they started walking the rockets from the other end of the camp towards the airfield.
Reid Callaway
I was stationed out of Pleiku Vietnam in 1967 where this took place, but unfortunately I was attached to the Special Forces at DakTo at the time of the show! Congratulations on your sale, Norman!
Skip Willits
OK Norman, that dates us both. Nice image.
Norman Johnson replied:
I'm not trying to hide my age Skip. That's a hopeless cause. Just trying to share some of the things I've seen. Thank you for your nice compliment.
Jim Fitzpatrick
Awesome capture and stars! I met her in SF years ago when she was doing a book signing downtown. fv
Mel Steinhauer
I was lucky enough to see Bob and Ann Margaret at Long Binh for his Christmas show in December of 1968, but I wasn't able to get that close to the stage. I am sure glad that you did and glad you made it back home. I had some high school buddies with the 4th at Pleiku, but never got there myself as I stayed near Long Binh my whole tour. Thank you for your service Norm and best wishes!
Norman Johnson replied:
Thank you for your service as well Mel. Some of us were lucky enough to make it back. The show that I appreciated the most was "Hello Dolly" with Martha Raye. We lost power at the start of the show and it was at night. We lit up the stage with flashlights and she did the whole show without lights or microphones. By the end of the show she could barely talk but didn't let stop her from performing for the troops. Because of the lighting my shots didn't come out well enough for production. I only passed through Long Binh once in my trips around Vietnam.
Wade Aiken
Nice shot of a moment that I imagine was a great inspiration to the troops back then. I can't say I was ever much of a Bob Hope fan but Raquel is quite possibly the most beautiful woman ever to grace the silver screen.
Norman Johnson replied:
Thanks Wade. You might not be a Bob Hope fan, but he faithfully entertained the troops over many years. Other than Martha Raye, who was a reserve special forces officer. I can't think of anyone else that did. The point, which he did so well. was to bring a touch of home to the troops in a way zone. You're right, Raquel was hot.
Doug Matthews
Such a fabulous gallery, Norman. Thanks for posting these. I can relate as I did a few tours for Canadian troops.
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