The "experts" say that Marilyn Monroe was never in Korea. That's what some web sites say. That's what an expert from Antique Road Show said. The men of the 17th Regimental Combat Team, 7th Infantry Division, say that is baloney. She was there with Danny Kaye very close to the line. I've tried to find on the Internet about Danny Kaye's visit to Korea, but I got nowhere. Yet he was there too. I don't remember exactly when they, Danny and Marilyn, were there but it was in the spring of 1952. As I remember, some of us came down from the line to see the show so that would definitely be in the spring of 1952. Anyway, she was there. I was there. I now have a picture of her in Korea right where we were taken from the 17th Infantry Regimental Combat Team's publication The Buffalo Bugle. I'm going to put this picture on my web site www.tjbooks.com with my other Korean War pics. In the background you can see some hills. Those hills were being strafed by our air power just before the show started. That is how close Marilyn was to the line. We were told that Danny Kaye went up on the line and had some fun directing our artillery. I can believe it. I don't think it would have spread through the audience if it were not true, not that close to the time of the event. Danny Kaye had the officers burying their heads in shame. He never let up that they were up front in the audience and the "fighting men" were in the back. The troops cheered every time he said it. We needed a good laugh and Danny Kaye gave it to us. There was another young women performer who sang and played the accordion. She was more like the girl next door and many of the men liked her. I wish I could remember her name too. Marilyn gave a great performance and the troops could not get enough of her. We all went back to the line smiling. A number of the men of my platoon went up to see Marilyn after the show. I regret that I didn't go with them. I didn't think they could get close enough to see her. Some of them took pictures of her but I've never been able to contact one of those who took pictures. I'm sure I was given a copy of at least one pic of Marilyn but I can't find it. I'm grateful to the Buffalo Bugle for publishing the picture of when she was in Korea. Marilyn Monroe was a great moral booster for the men in Korea. Every night her program was on the Armed Forces Network (if that is what it was called then.) We would hold the telephone to our ear and listen to her sing to us and gab with us. God bless Danny Kaye and the others that entertained us in Korea! God bless Marilyn's soul! The End |
