Music was a way to lift the spirits of soldiers away from home, so many USO lounges had record libraries where service members could play tunes from the latest artists. All of the records in the time period are made of celluloid, the precursor to the more modern vinyl, like the 78’s you see here in the lending library. 

For the boys at home and on the front, USO shows brought in top talent in the form of singers, bands, actors, comedians, and other famous performers who came and volunteered their talent and time to bolster the spirits of those fighting. Several of these shows were held within 500 yards of the front lines. Some famous entertainers included Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Judy Garland, Bette Davis, Humphrey Bogart, Frank Sinatra, and Marlene Dietrich. By the end of the war, the USO had put on more than 300,000 performances.