Today, we mourn the loss of a true American
patriot. The first and only American ever to be made an honorary Veteran of
America’s Armed Forces, Bob Hope holds a special place in the national security
pantheon. He called the troops his "best friends," and he made it his
mission to be with them wherever they served, regardless of distance or danger.
To many of our forces from across the
generations, Bob Hope’s visits were a taste of home in a far-off land; a moment
of mirth in the middle of war, and a loud and clear message to our military
that America honored their service and prayed for their safe return.
Bob Hope’s final tour, at age 87, took him to
the Persian Gulf and the men and women of Desert Storm.
Although he is no longer with us in life, he
will always remain, just as he was, in our hearts -- cracking jokes, boosting
morale, and reminding all the world of what it means to be an American.
With profound gratitude for his decades of
service to our country, we extend our deepest sympathy to his family and many
friends.
VA Secretary Salutes Legacy of Bob Hope
WASHINGTON
(July 28, 2003) - Veterans Affairs Secretary Anthony J. Principi
today
offered condolences to the family of Bob Hope on behalf of American
veterans
whose lives were brightened by the entertainer during field
performances
from World War II to the first Gulf War.
"Veterans
everywhere hold a special place in their hearts for Bob Hope,''
Principi
said. "For decades, he filled their cold and lonely watches with
laughter
and the warmth of memories from home."
Bob
Hope set the standard within the entertainment industry for supporting
U.S.
troops in peacetime and sharing the hazards of wartime, Principi said.
"He
was a link to family and friends, a cheerful reminder of a free society
that
can poke fun at itself while cherishing the values for which our troops
sacrifice
every day," Principi added.
When a
congressional resolution bestowed upon him the title of "honorary
veteran"
in 1997, Hope said that he had been given many awards in his
lifetime,
but to be numbered among the men and women he admired the most was
the
greatest honor he had ever received.
Bob
Hope died July 27 in Los Angeles at the age of 100.
SOME LINKS:
Thanks for The Memories
http://www.byjoy.com/BobHope.html
Bob Hope
and American Variety(Library of Congress Exhibition)
http://lcweb.loc.gov/exhibits/bobhope/
Bob Hope
on TV
http://www.tvparty.com/movbob.html
Faces of
Bob Hope
http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/bobhope/faces.html
USO
Shows: Bob Hope and American Variety
http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/bobhope/uso.html
Bob Hope
http://us.imdb.com/Name?Hope,+Bob
BOB HOPE
NAVY SHIP Ships List: Alphabetical by Name
http://www.chinfo.navy.mil/navpalib/ships/lists/shipalfa.html
The Bob
Hope Theatre
http://www.bobhopetheatre.co.uk/opening.htm
BOB HOPE
AMCTV.com BIOGRAPHY
http://www.amctv.com/person/detail/0,,682-1-EST,00.html
Kitty Korner PoofCat Thanks For The Memories
http://home.att.net/~Poofycatt/bobhope.html
