For the Boys

My brother Terence posted this today:

Honoring our veterans. In back are Uncle Kenny, Uncle Gene and my dad, Billy. Dad and Kenny were in Korea for the war. The handsome lad in front is Uncle Joe, who was a belly gunner in the Air Corps during World War II. Thank you all.

Meanwhile, no sooner had I done my own Veterans Day tribute sharing the classic photo of my dad and his twin brother with Betty Hutton in Korea in 1952 did the actress's name come up in a documentary I was watching ("Sid & Judy") -- noting that Betty had gotten the lead in the 1950 film adaptation of "Annie Get Your Gun" after Judy Garland was unceremoniously fired.

Got me thinking that there must be some information about Betty's USO Tour -- and sure enough it led me to these photos: 

March 24, 1952: A scene from the musical review called "Stop! Look! and Listen!" performed by members of the Eighth Army, 3rd Battalion, 10th Signal Service Company at the EUSAK (Eighth United States Army in Korea) Theatre in Taegu, Korea. 

Dad and Kenny weren't part of the cast but did make for a good photo-op! Makes me sad to think how Betty and my dad -- each so young and vital -- had no idea when they posed together (above) that they would both die broken, having battled addictions to alcohol and prescription drugs to the heartbreak of many, no one more so than their children.

P.S.

Fans of Old Hollywood will find this as delightful as it is devastating.