With the USO in the Pacific During World War II

Gary W. Gallagher is the John L. Nau III Professor in the History of the American Civil War Emeritus at the University of Virginia. He is the author or editor of more than forty books on the Civil War and its memory.

"With the USO in the Pacific During World War II is a marvelous memoir of a young woman who found a way to tap her talents for the benefit of the war. An accomplished accordion player, Shirley Rose Gray performed for sailors, marines, and soldiers and visited with wounded American military personnel at the sites of some of the most vicious battles in the Pacific Theater. The book brings to light the widespread support and far-reaching efforts of those out of uniform to assist the war effort. Beautifully written, skillfully documented, and entertaining to read, With the USO in the Pacific During World War II is an instant classic." - Joseph T. Glatthaar, author of American Military History: A Very Short Introduction"During World War II, dozens of USO troupes traveled thousands of miles to offer soldiers and sailors a brief respite from war. One such troupe was headlined by Eddie Bracken, a comedic actor who wisely recruited glamorous and talented young women for the tour. One of them was twenty-two-year-old Shirley Rose, who kept a diary during the company's 1945 tour in the Western Pacific and later used it to write about aspects of the war often overlooked by military historians. Thankfully, her son, the noted historian Gary W. Gallagher, rescued the diary and the memoir and added a thoughtful introduction. The result is a highly entertaining view of the ofttimes less-than-glamorous life of a touring USO troupe in the Western Pacific." - Craig L. Symonds, author of World War II at Sea: A Global History"Shirley Rose Gray's vivid memoir of the USO offers a truly rare perspective on the Pacific War. With her abiding sense of patriotic duty, her commitment to the musician's craft, and her compassion for her wounded comrades-in-arms, Gray opens a window into how American forces maintained their morale and their cohesion in a time of epic sacrifice and suffering." - Elizabeth R. Varon, author of Longstreet: The Confederate General Who Defied the South