Memories came flooding back for World War II Veteran Morris Levine while attending Tyrone Community Players’ presentation of a USO Tour Saturday night at the Tyrone American Legion. The third annual Cabaret Night held Friday and Saturday featured songs made popular during those war years of the 1940s.
Caught up in the mood of the evening as the USO Tour Troupe entertained with popular songs of that era, Levine spoke of memories they brought back to him during the break at intermission.
Inducted into the Army on Feb. 3, 1942, Levine’s first assignment was with the 26th Division serving in the Infantry. By December of 1943 he was headed overseas with troops loaded onto the USS Erickson and sister ship, the USS Grisholm. By 1944 he was reassigned and placed in a special services status where he was put in charge of entertainment while serving in Paris. Among his duties in France was setting up a PX and setting up an outdoor stage. These shows drew crowds of service men and women and after performances the Red Cross would serve donuts and coffee to those attending.
\\\”The biggest entertainers I met in my time were Fred Astaire and Bing Crosby. They were performing in Cherbourg, France and it was the third or fourth week after D-Day. Over 5,000 troops came to see the show and it was a special time I\\\’ll never forget,\\\” he said.
Another event Levine shared was a time when he was serving in Hingham, Mass. and he traveled to the Latin Quarters in Boston to see a performance of Art Blake.
\\\”Art was the son of the Altoona Post Master and I had heard of his shows,\\\” he added.
“Blake\\\’s show was terrific and there was a lot of dancing. After persuading Blake to come to our camp site, we sent Army trucks there to bring the entertaining troop back to our camp.”
Levine said one of the things instrumental in his being involved with the USO and setting up performances related back to his prior association with the Tyrone Players, a local group of performers here for a number of years in earlier days.
Levine was discharged from the service on Oct. 5, 1945. Among some of the awards he received while serving in the Armed Forces was the Bronze Star, a French Normandy Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, an ETO Ribbon with three campaigns, a Victory Medal and a Commendation from the Commander of Citie Universataire.
Yes, the USO Tour Troupe performance here brought back memories for many persons in the audience.
