World War 2 ~ Carole Entertaining The Troops

"Whatever we do for soldiers can't be enough in return for what they do for us. They are wonderful!" ~ Carole

During World War 2 Carole spent more time entertaining soldiers than any other actress in Hollywood! She took time off from her film career and dedicated herself to the war effort. Carole joined the Hollywood Victory Committee in 1941 and began touring the country selling war bonds. Then she became an Air Raid Warden and an honorary Colonel in the American Legion. This is what a typical week was like for her: On Mondays she volunteered at the Hollywood Canteen where she served coffee and played cards with the boys. On Tuesdays she worked as commander of the First Division of Aerial Nurse Corps of America. On Wednesdays she went to rifle practice with Bundles For Bluejackets. On Fridays she attended advanced first aid training with the Red cross. On Saturdays she invited soldiers to spend time at Santa Monica beach house.

Carole giving blood with Linda Darnell

She had so many defense jobs that she kept her uniforms in her career so she could change quickly. Carole visited more than two hundred military bases across the United States including the 87th Infantry in Mississippi. During a three day appearance at Camp Bowie she danced with hundreds of soldiers and signed more than one thousand autographs. While visiting the Mare Island Navy Yard she sang for the injured men in the hospital ward. The soldiers adored Carole and she became one of their favorite pin-up girls, They affectionately nicknamed her "The Blonde Bomber". When she appeared on the Command Performance radio show in 1942 a soldier requested that she "just sigh" into the microphone. To raise money for the war she auctioned off her favorite opal ring.

Carole with Marlene Dietrich
Her mother Clara got a job as a riveter and spent every paycheck on war bonds. In the Fall of 1942 Carole began a five month tour of Europe and Africa with actresses Mitzi Mayfair, Kay Francis, and Martha Raye. She met her husband, Major Tommy Wallace, on this tour and wrote about her experiences in her book Four Jills In A Jeep. During the Summer of 1944 she joined Jack Benny's troupe on a two month tour of the South Pacific. By the time the war was over she had traveled more than one hundred thousand miles! She performed for soldiers in Australia, Brazil, Algeria, Bermuda, Scotland, England, New Guinea, Ireland, Guam, and New Zealand. Carole said "No one who has ever seen how starved the boys are for the sight and sound of an American girl could rest until she was back doing her ludicrously little to make them happy, to make their lives easier."