Miss America & the USO: 
A Legacy of Service, Patriotism, and Purpose

Long before “global ambassador” became a formal title, Miss America was already showing up—on military bases, in factories, aboard aircraft carriers, and sometimes in harm’s way—standing alongside the men and women who serve the United States.

Today, Miss America proudly serves as an Honorary USO Global Ambassador, a role that reflects far more than ceremonial goodwill. It represents a living legacy—one built over eight decades—of service, morale-building, and patriotic purpose shared with the United Service Organizations.

As Lt. Gen. (ret.) Michael Linnington, CEO of the USO, has said, “We are grateful to welcome Miss America to be a part of Team USO as an honorary Global Ambassador. Her leadership and dedication to service will help us reach more military families and ensure they feel supported—no matter where they serve.”

That partnership, however, did not begin with a title or a press announcement. It was forged in wartime, when the country needed symbols of unity, resolve, and hope.

When the United States entered World War II, Miss America became one of those symbols. In a nation mobilizing for global conflict, she represented what was being defended—democracy, freedom, and the American spirit itself.

Rosemary LaPlanche, Miss America 1941, helped define this new role. Traveling coast to coast with the USO, she sold war bonds and rallied the American public. As an actress, she joined the Hollywood War Bond Cavalcade, performing alongside legends such as Fred Astaire and Judy Garland, blending entertainment with national service.

Her successor, Jo-Carroll Dennison, Miss America 1942, articulated the deeper meaning of those tours in her own reflections. Visiting military bases, defense plants, and shipyards, she realized that the response she received was not simply admiration for a young woman onstage. Miss America, she wrote, had become a tangible symbol of the country service members had enlisted to defend. To them, she embodied democracy itself—the same reverence stirred by the American flag or the Statue of Liberty—and that realization was both inspiring and humbling.

Jean Bartel, Miss America 1943, transformed that inspiration into extraordinary action. In just three months, she traveled to 53 cities on a national bond-selling tour, raising $2.5 million in Series E War Bonds—more than any individual in the nation. Her efforts earned a U.S. Treasury citation and provided a critical boost to wartime morale and funding.

By 1944, the bond between Miss America and the Armed Forces had taken on near-legendary dimensions. Venus Ramey, Miss America 1944, entertained troops, sold $5 million in war bonds, and became an icon for U.S. fighter pilots. Her likeness was painted on the nose of a B-17 bomber bearing her name. That aircraft flew more than 150 missions over Nazi-occupied Europe without a single loss—far exceeding expectations. The crew credited their survival to the image of Miss America watching over them. A second bomber, Miss America ’44, later completed 133 missions, more than double the average. Through these acts, Miss America became a symbol not just of beauty, but of resilience, unity, and national resolve.

As America moved into the Cold War era and the Vietnam conflict, Miss America’s mission evolved once again. Despite cultural upheaval and criticism at home, the Miss America Organization continued its steadfast support of the Armed Forces through the USO.

In 1967, the first Miss America USO Troupe deployed to Vietnam, performing for troops on the front lines and in hospitals. Additional tours followed throughout the late 1960s and 1970s, including a 22-day Vietnam tour in 1971, separate Asian and European tours in 1972, and performances aboard aircraft carriers and at bases across the Mediterranean, Italy, Crete, Turkey, and Greece. In 1980, Miss America Cheryl Prewitt led the 18th annual USO tour to Korea and ships in the Indian Ocean. The following year, in honor of the USO’s 40th anniversary, the Miss America troupe performed across the Mediterranean, Germany, and Iceland.

These tours were not symbolic gestures; they were demanding and, at times, dangerous. One of the most vivid accounts comes from Laurie Lea Schaefer-Bozoukoff, Miss America 1972, who toured Vietnam and Thailand during a 21-day USO deployment. In an article for HistoryNet, she recalled a moment when a heat-seeking missile was launched at the helicopter carrying the troupe. As the aircraft dove to evade impact, she briefly wondered whether her legacy would be as the Miss America killed in Vietnam. The missile was avoided, the helicopter stabilized, and the tour continued. For her, as for so many others, the experience reinforced a belief in purpose, courage, and divine protection.

From World War II to Vietnam and beyond, Miss America’s service has always reflected the needs of the moment—selling war bonds, boosting morale in combat zones, and standing in solidarity with military families across the globe. What has never changed is the heart of the mission: to serve with gratitude, humility, and resolve.

“For more than a century, Miss America has used its platform to serve and inspire,” said Robin Fleming, CEO of Miss America. “The Honorary USO Global Ambassadorship allows us to continue that legacy, honoring the sacrifices of our service members and empowering women to lead with purpose while supporting those who defend our nation.”

For Cassie Donegan, Miss America 2026, the role carries deeply personal meaning. With a family history of military service spanning generations, she has expressed profound respect for those who protect the nation and gratitude for the opportunity to stand alongside the USO in honoring and supporting them.

Miss America’s partnership with the USO is not a moment in time; it is a continuum. A thread that runs through American history, linking hope to hardship, glamour to grit, and service to sacrifice. It is a legacy shaped by war and peace, courage and compassion, service and sacrifice. Then, now, and always, it stands as a reminder that true leadership is measured not by a crown, but by the willingness to serve.