101-624: The Theme Building is a structure at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), considered an architectural example of the Space Age design style. Influenced by " Populuxe " architecture, it is an example of the Mid-century modern design movement, later to become known as " Googie ". In 1993, the city designated the exterior and interior of the Theme Building as a historic-cultural monument. The distinctive white building resembles
202-435: A flying saucer that has landed on its four legs. The initial design was created by James Langenheim, of Pereira & Luckman , subsequently taken to fruition by a team of architects and engineers, headed by William Pereira and Charles Luckman , that also included Paul Williams and Welton Becket . The civil engineer was Richard Bradshaw. The appearance of the building's signature crossed arches as homogeneous structures
303-537: A "Bob Hope Follies" USO show, which included actress Ann-Margret , Miss America, football star Rosey Grier , and others. According to Kerry biographer Douglas Brinkley, "When the Swift finally made it back to the My Tho River, the crew confronted the heartbreaking sight of a huge Navy landing craft ferrying the troops back. The USO show was over." Kerry later wrote, "The visions of Ann Margret and Miss America and all
404-529: A "serious" opera song to troops in Burma , "an applause erupted that stunned even the most seasoned performers." She later wrote in a letter, "Every woman back home wears a halo now, and those who represent her had better keep theirs on, too." Author Joeie Dee pointed out that "for women entertainers, traveling with the USO made it possible to be patriots and adventurers as well as professionals." She adds, however, that
505-485: A $ 12.3 million restoration of the building completed in 2010, the observation level re-opened to the public on Saturdays and Sundays starting July 10. Additionally, on September 9, 2003, a permanent memorial honoring those who perished in the attacks of September 11 was opened on the grounds of the Theme Building. The Encounter Restaurant closed for business in December 2013 with no future plans to reopen. The reason cited
606-460: A $ 12.5 million bond for airport improvements. With a plan and funding in place, the airlines were finally convinced to make the move. After the end of the War, four temporary terminals were quickly erected on the north side of the airport and, on December 9, 1946, American Airlines , Trans World Airlines (TWA), United Airlines , Southwest Airways , and Western Airlines began passenger operations at
707-402: A 7,100 square foot facility described by its president as "the most technologically advanced USO in existence." Los Angeles International Airport Los Angeles International Airport ( IATA : LAX , ICAO : KLAX , FAA LID : LAX ) is the primary international airport serving Los Angeles and its surrounding metropolitan area , in the U.S. state of California . LAX is located in
808-520: A USO troupe in the South Pacific during World War II. Unfortunately, he died a week later as a result of physical exhaustion from his tour. According to Emily Yellin, many of the key foot soldiers in the USO's mission were women who were "charged with providing friendly diversion for U.S. troops who were mostly men in their teens and twenties." USO centers throughout the world recruited female volunteers to serve doughnuts, dance, and just talk with
909-614: A branch of the Los Angeles city government , that also operates the Van Nuys Airport for general aviation. The airport covers 3,500 acres (1,400 ha) of land and has four parallel runways. In 2023, LAX handled 75,050,875 passengers, making it the world's eighth-busiest airport , according to the Airports Council International rankings. As the largest and busiest international airport on
1010-827: A bus stop served by shuttles to smaller rental car companies. Route X – LAX Employee Lots connects the Central Terminal Area and the Employee Parking Lots. The route has three service patterns: the East Lot route only stops at Terminals 1, 2, 3, and B; the West Lot route only stops at Terminals 4, 5, 6, and 7; and the South Lot route stops at all terminals and also stops at the City Bus Center as Route C. Most transit buses operate from
1111-631: A connection to the Los Angeles Metro Rail and other transit at the LAX/Metro Transit Center , and a consolidated facility for all airport rental car agencies. The APM project is estimated to cost $ 5.5 billion and is scheduled to begin operation in 2025, with the connection to Metro Rail opening thereafter. LAWA does not operate shuttles to get to the Metro K Line ; however, one seeking to get to/from LAX and
SECTION 10
#17327733169651212-473: A connection. In 2019, LAWA reported approximately 88 percent of travelers at LAX were origination and destination passengers, and 12 percent were connecting. It is also the only airport to rank among the top five U.S. airports for both passenger and cargo traffic. LAX serves as a hub , focus city , or operating base for more passenger airlines than any other airport in the United States. Although LAX
1313-651: A day went by without the USO providing services somewhere in Korea. At home or overseas, in 1952 it was serving 3.5 million in the armed forces using much the same methods of operation as it did in World War II. Many stars, both well-known and new, came to perform, including Bob Hope , Errol Flynn , Debbie Reynolds , Piper Laurie , Jane Russell , Paul Douglas , Terry Moore , Marilyn Monroe , Danny Kaye , Rory Calhoun , Mickey Rooney , Linda Coleman, Al Jolson , Pérez Prado , Evita Muñoz and many others. Jolson
1414-468: A day while also providing facilities for the wounded and convalescent who were on leave. They went to black businesses and fraternal organizations in order to find sponsorship for their USO group, and later expanded to fulfill the needs of soldiers during the Korean War. Moreover, they worked to merge black and white USOs into one desegregated unit. As black historian Megan Shockley noted, "Their work for
1515-478: A direct connection to the Los Angeles Metro Rail system. LAX Shuttle route G offers free connections between the Central Terminal Area and the Aviation/LAX station on the C Line , 2.4 miles (3.9 km) away. The LAX Automated People Mover (APM), currently under construction by LAWA, is a 2.25 miles (3.62 km) rail line that will connect the terminal area with long- and short-term parking facilities,
1616-402: A focal point for people coming to the airport. The first of the new passenger buildings, Terminals 7 and 8, were opened for United Airlines on June 25, 1961, following opening festivities that lasted several days. Terminals 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 opened later that same year. There was a major expansion of the airport in the early 1980s, ahead of the 1984 Summer Olympic Games . In November 1983,
1717-598: A gate cap at the airport and building a new park on the airport's north side. The distinctive Theme Building in the Googie style was built in 1961 and resembles a flying saucer that has landed on its four legs. A restaurant with a sweeping view of the airport is suspended beneath two arches that form the legs. The Los Angeles City Council designated the building a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument in 1992. A $ 4 million renovation, with retro-futuristic interior and electric lighting designed by Walt Disney Imagineering ,
1818-544: A hillside and many sitting in the trees. ... We've played to audiences in small units of 500 or so, and much oftener to audiences of 8 to 10,000. Every night we play a different place. Singer-actress-dancer Ann Miller described performing for badly wounded soldiers. She did forty-eight shows for "broken soldiers," who were mostly lying on stretchers in the lobbies of hotels, watching as she entertained them. Yellin writes, "During her last show she collapsed and had to be taken home on an Army airplane." Afterwards, Miller described
1919-597: A reminder of the original plan. The building construction contract was awarded to Robert E. McKee General Contractor, Inc. of El Paso, Texas. The structure was dedicated on June 25, 1961, by Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson . The Los Angeles City Council designated the building, which lies within the Westchester neighborhood of the city of Los Angeles , a historic-cultural monument (no. 570) in 1993. A $ 4 million renovation, with retro-futuristic interior and electric lighting designed by Walt Disney Imagineering ,
2020-647: A second-level roadway was added, Terminal 1 opened in January 1984 and the Tom Bradley International Terminal opened in June 1984. The original terminals also received expansions and updates in the 1980s. Since 2008, the airport has been undergoing another major expansion. All of the terminals are being refurbished, and the Tom Bradley International Terminal was substantially rebuilt, with a West Gates satellite concourse added. Outside of
2121-563: A veteran who asked her to sign a photo he took of her performing in Vietnam. Although the book's publishing representative for the signing event would not allow her to sign anything other than her book, the veteran's wife recalls: She took one look at the photo, tears welled up in her eyes, and she said, 'This is one of my gentlemen from Viet Nam and I most certainly will sign his photo. I know what these men did for their country and I always have time for 'my gentlemen.' In November–December 1968
SECTION 20
#17327733169652222-576: Is a design illusion, created by topping four steel-reinforced concrete legs extending approximately 15 feet above the ground with hollow stucco -covered steel trusses. To counteract earthquake movements, the Theme Building was retrofitted in 2010 with a tuned mass damper without changing its outward appearance. Constructed near the beginning of the Space Age , the building is an example of how aeronautics and pop culture , design and architecture came together in Los Angeles. The original design for
2323-523: Is not good for morale as it implies that there are no showers or other comforts for soldiers in military camps." The film starred Ronald Reagan , then a captain in the Army Air Force . Fundraising was also aided by non-USO entertainment groups. Soldier Shows, which troops – often experienced actors and musicians – organized and held their own performances, were common. The army formed a Special Services unit that organized such shows and supervised
2424-556: Is served by LADOT Commuter Express line 574 to Sylmar and Encino . This bus stop is also served by some of the same routes as the LAX City Bus Center: Los Angeles Metro lines 40 (overnight only), 117 and 232 and Torrance Transit line 8. The FlyAway bus is a nonstop motorcoach/shuttle service run by LAWA , which provides scheduled service between LAX and Union Station in Downtown LA or
2525-417: Is the world's fourth-busiest airport by passenger traffic and eleventh-busiest by cargo traffic , serving over 87 million passengers and 2 million tons of freight and mail in 2018. It is the busiest airport in the state of California, and the fifth-busiest (2022) airport by passenger boardings in the United States. In terms of international passengers, the second busiest airport for international traffic in
2626-630: Is the busiest airport in the Greater Los Angeles area, several other airports serve the region including Burbank , John Wayne (Orange County), Long Beach , Ontario , and San Bernardino . In 1926, the Los Angeles City Council and the Chamber of Commerce recognized the need for the city to have its own airport to tap into the fledgling, but quickly growing, aviation industry. Several locations were considered, but
2727-844: The Army Emergency Relief Fund. The following year the show was made into a film by the same title, again starring Ronald Reagan. The This Is The Army stage production toured worldwide until it closed in October 1945 in Honolulu . The USO was also supported by the National War Fund . War correspondent Quentin Reynolds , wrote in an article for Billboard magazine in 1943, that "Entertainment, all phases of it – radio, pictures and live – should be treated as essential. You don't know what entertainment means to
2828-623: The Mantan Moreland & Ben Carter duo. One female entertainer wrote about conditions while performing: We've played to audiences, many of them ankle deep in mud, huddled under the ponchos in the pouring rain (it breaks your heart the first two or three times to see men so hungry for entertainment.) We've played on uncovered stages, when we, as well as the audience, got rain-soaked. We've played with huge tropical bugs flying in our hair and faces; we've played to audiences of thousands of men, audiences spreading from our very feet to far up
2929-550: The National Jewish Welfare Board . They were brought together under one umbrella to support U.S. troops, as opposed to operating independently as some had done during the First World War. Roosevelt said he wanted "these private organizations to handle the on-leave recreation of the men in the armed forces." According to historian Emily Yellin, "The government was to build the buildings and the USO
3030-539: The United States Armed Forces and their families. Since 1941, it has worked in partnership with the Department of War , and later with the Department of Defense (DoD), relying heavily on private contributions and on funds, goods, and services from various corporate and individual donors. Although it is congressionally chartered , it is not a government agency. Founded during World War II ,
3131-682: The United States Marine Corps and elements of the United States Sixth Fleet which operated out of the Mediterranean Sea . Carrying on a tradition he had begun in World War II of spending Christmas with U.S. forces overseas, Bob Hope and his troupe of entertainers gave a show on board the battleship USS New Jersey on December 24, 1983. Four hundred Marines stationed in Beirut attended
Theme Building - Misplaced Pages Continue
3232-573: The Vietnam War , USO social facilities ("USOs") were sometimes located in combat zones. The organization became particularly known for its live performances, called "camp shows", through which the entertainment industry helps boost the morale of servicemen and women. In the early days, Hollywood was eager to show its patriotism, and many celebrities joined the ranks of USO entertainers. They went as volunteers to entertain, and celebrities continue to provide volunteer entertainment in military bases in
3333-499: The West Coast of the United States , LAX is a major international gateway for the country, serving as a connection point for passengers traveling internationally (such as East and Southeast Asia, Australasia , Mexico, and Central America). The airport holds the record for the world's busiest origin and destination airport, because relative to other airports, many more travelers begin or end their trips in Los Angeles than use it as
3434-525: The Westchester neighborhood of the city of Los Angeles, 18 miles (29 km; 16 nmi) southwest of Downtown Los Angeles , with the commercial and residential areas of Westchester to the north, the city of El Segundo to the south, and the city of Inglewood to the east. LAX is the closest airport to the Westside and the South Bay . The airport is operated by Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA),
3535-547: The "outboard" runways as little as possible and, between midnight and 6:30am, the air traffic pattern shifts to "Over-Ocean Operations", under which departing aircraft continue to take off to the west, but arriving aircraft also approach from the west, over the ocean. There are times when the Over-Ocean and Westerly operations are not possible, particularly when the winds originate from the east, typically during inclement weather and when Santa Ana winds occur. In those cases,
3636-657: The 1930s, US airports used a two-letter abbreviation and "LA" served as the designation for Los Angeles Airport. With rapid growth in the aviation industry, in 1947, the identifiers were expanded to three letters, and "LA" received an extra letter to become "LAX". The "X" does not have any specific meaning. "LAX" is also used for the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro and by Amtrak for Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles . Runways 24R/06L and 24L/06R (designated
3737-768: The American people, for it was their contribution that made it possible. It is an important part in the life of your sons, your brothers, your husbands, and your sweethearts. In 2011, the USO was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Barack Obama "for contributions to lifting the spirits of America's troops and their families through the arts". After being formed in 1941, in response to World War II, "centers were established quickly ... in churches, barns, railroad cars, museums, castles, beach clubs, and log cabins." Most centers offered recreational activities, such as holding dances and showing movies. And there were
3838-640: The Employee South Lot. Route E – Economy Parking connects the Central Terminal Area and the West Intermodal Transportation Facility , the airport's economy parking garage. Route M – Metro Connector connects the Central Terminal Area with the Aviation/LAX station on the Metro C Line and the Aviation/Century station on the C Line and K Line . Buses also stop at the "Remote Rental Car Depot",
3939-572: The FlyAway terminal at the Van Nuys Airport in the San Fernando Valley . FlyAway buses stop at every LAX terminal in a counter-clockwise direction, starting at terminal 1. The service hours vary based on the line, with most leaving on or near the top of the hour. Buses use the regional system of high-occupancy vehicle lanes and high-occupancy toll lanes ( Metro ExpressLanes ) to expedite their trips. LAX does not currently have
4040-446: The G.I.s in the USO audiences "tended to see these women in a different light – as reminders of and even substitutes for their girls back home, as a reward for fighting the war, as embodiments of what they were fighting for." Edward Skvarna remembers 1943, when he met Donna Reed at a USO canteen and asked her to dance. "I had never danced with a celebrity before, so I felt delighted, privileged even, to meet her. ... But I really felt she
4141-523: The K Line can travel to Aviation/LAX station on LAWA Route M (Metro Connector), and from there take the C and K Line Link (line 857 ) to Westchester/Veterans station while the rest of the K Line connecting to the APM is being built. USO The United Service Organizations Inc. ( USO ) is an American nonprofit-charitable corporation that provides live entertainment, such as comedians, actors and musicians, social facilities, and other programs to members of
Theme Building - Misplaced Pages Continue
4242-710: The LAX City Bus Center, which is located away from the Central Terminal Area on 96th Street, east of Sepulveda Boulevard. LAX Shuttle route C offers free connections between the LAX City Bus Center and the Central Terminal Area. The LAX City Bus Center is served by Beach Cities Transit line 109 to Redondo Beach , Culver CityBus lines 6 and Rapid 6 to Culver City and UCLA , Los Angeles Metro Bus lines 102 to South Gate , 111 to Norwalk , 117 to Downey and 232 to Long Beach , Santa Monica Big Blue Bus lines 3 and Rapid 3 to Santa Monica , and Torrance Transit line 8 to Torrance . During
4343-646: The North Airfield Complex) are north of the airport terminals, while runways 25R/07L and 25L/07R (designated the South Airfield Complex) are south of the airport terminals. LAX is located with the Pacific Ocean to the west and residential communities on all other sides. Since 1972, Los Angeles World Airports has adopted a "Preferential Runway Use Policy" to minimize noise levels in the communities closest to LAX. Typically,
4444-457: The Rat Pack. George Peppard, successful star of stage, TV and motion pictures, arrived in Vietnam for a USO HANDSHAKE TOUR in 1970 to visit the military in the hospitals and out in the "boonies."... He showed a keen interest in the men's mission while they were hungry for news of life back in the "World."... Polaroid pictures were taken by Mr. Peppard's escort officer, autographed, and given to
4545-635: The Sig Sakowitz troop from Chicago performed over 36 shows in South Vietnam with the USO in: Pleiku, Dalat, Danang, Cam Ran Bay, Phu Bai, Phu Loy, Hue, Natrang, Tan Son Nhut Airbase, Saigon and places in the boonies known only to military intelligence and the lonely soldiers yearning for a taste of home. The troop consisted of Doublemint Twins Terrie and Jennie Frankel, Gaslight Club singer Sara Sue, Comedian Tony Diamond and personality Sig Sakowitz. Shows were also performed with comedian Joey Bishop of
4646-489: The U.S. and overseas, sometimes placing their own lives in danger by traveling or performing under hazardous conditions. In 2011, the USO was awarded the National Medal of Arts . Currently, the USO maintains over 200 locations in 27 U.S. states and 13 foreign countries. During a gala marking the USO's 75th anniversary in 2016, retired Army Gen. George W. Casey Jr. , the chairman of the USO Board of Governors, estimated that
4747-575: The USO had more than 3,000 clubs, and curtains were rising on USO shows 700 times a day. The USO's fundraising efforts were controversial. An MGM film, Mr. Gardenia Jones , created to assist the USO in its fundraising campaign, was nearly withdrawn from theaters due to objections by the War Department, mainly because of scenes showing soldiers jumping with joy at the opportunity to shower in canteens and rest in overstuffed and comfortable USO chairs. The Army, noted The New York Times , "feels this
4848-604: The USO has served more than 35 million Americans over its history. The USO was founded on February 4, 1941 by Mary Ingraham in response to a request from President Franklin D. Roosevelt to provide morale and recreation services to U.S. uniformed military personnel. Roosevelt was elected as its honorary chairman. This request brought together six civilian organizations: the Salvation Army , YMCA , Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA), National Catholic Community Service , National Travelers Aid Association and
4949-587: The USO sought to be the GI 's "home away from home" and began a tradition of entertaining the troops and providing social facilities. Involvement in the USO was one of the many ways in which the nation had come together to support the war effort, with nearly 1.5 million people having volunteered their services in some way. The USO initially disbanded in 1947, but was revived in 1950 for the Korean War , after which it continued, also providing peacetime services. During
5050-460: The USO was disbanded, due partly to lack of funds. In 1951, when the United States entered the Korean War, Secretary of Defense George Marshall and Secretary of the Navy Francis P. Matthews requested that the USO be reactivated "to provide support for the men and women of the armed forces with help of the American people." According to war historian Paul Edwards, between 1952 and 1953, not
5151-592: The USO, and the experience from the Soldier Shows led to Irving Berlin 's Broadway show This Is the Army . Performers and writers from throughout the army were recruited for the production; they remained soldiers and continued drills. Berlin, who had written and produced the similar Yip, Yip, Yaphank during World War I, took the entire 165-person cast on tour in Europe in 1942, raising nearly $ 10 million for
SECTION 50
#17327733169655252-523: The USO. During his show, he said, "This is the most privileged moment of my life, the opportunity to be here with you." The following month, Camp Shows began in Normandy. Until fall 1944 overseas units contained five performers or fewer; The Barretts of Wimpole Street , using local theaters in France and Italy, was the first to use an entire theater company, including scenery. At its high point in 1944,
5353-703: The United States, behind only JFK in New York City. The number of aircraft movements (landings and takeoffs) was 700,362 in 2017, the third most of any airport in the world. In the secure area of the airport, tunnels or above-ground connectors link all the terminals except for the regional terminal . LAX Shuttle route A operates in a counter-clockwise loop around the Central Terminal Area, providing frequent service for connecting passengers. However, connecting passengers who use these shuttles must leave and then later re-enter security. LAX operates several shuttle routes to connect passengers and employees around
5454-602: The United States. Overseas shows began in November 1941 with a tour of the Caribbean. From Laurel and Hardy Central : The Flying Showboat, was the first revue. The troupe of show business professionals toured U.S. military bases in the Caribbean. It included comedians Chico Marx , Laurel and Hardy , singer Jane Pickens, dancer Ray Bolger , and actor John Garfield , who acted as master of ceremonies. These stars performed under some extremely trying conditions, as
5555-624: The airport area: Route A – Terminal Connector operates in a counter-clockwise loop around the Central Terminal Area, providing frequent service for connecting passengers. However, connecting passengers who use these shuttles must leave and then later re-enter security. Route C – City Bus Center connects the Central Terminal Area and the LAX City Bus Center which is served by transit buses from Beach Cities Transit , Culver CityBus , Los Angeles Metro , Santa Monica Big Blue Bus and Torrance Transit . Buses on this route also serve
5656-405: The airport created by Pereira & Luckman in 1959 had all the terminal buildings and parking structures connected to a huge glass dome, which would serve as a central hub for traffic circulation. The plan was eventually scaled down considerably, and the terminals were constructed elsewhere on the property. The Theme Building was subsequently built to mark the spot intended for the dome structure, as
5757-478: The airport shifts to the non-preferred "Easterly Operations" air traffic pattern, under which departing aircraft take off to the east, and arriving aircraft approach from the west. The South Airfield Complex tends to see more operations than the North, because there are a larger number of passenger gates and air cargo operations areas on the south side of the airport grounds. In 2007, the southernmost runway (07R/25L)
5858-532: The airport, LAX prefers to use the "inboard" runways (06R/24L and 07L/25R) for departures, closest to the central terminal area and further from residential areas, and the "outboard" runways for arrivals. Historically, over 90% of flights have used the "inboard" departures and "outboard" arrivals scheme. During night-time hours, when there are fewer aircraft operations and residential areas tend to be more noise sensitive, additional changes are made to reduce noise. Between 10pm and 7am, air traffic controllers try to use
5959-440: The airport, with Pan American Airways (Pan Am) joining the next month. The airport was renamed Los Angeles International Airport in 1949. The temporary terminals remained in place for 15 years but quickly became inadequate, especially as air travel entered the " jet age " and other cities invested in modern facilities. Airport leaders once again convinced voters to back a $ 59 million bond on June 5, 1956. The current layout of
6060-538: The armed services in their Stage Door Canteens. Funds from the sale of film rights for a story about the New York Canteen went toward providing USO tours of shows for overseas troops. Following the Invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944, Edward G. Robinson was the first movie star to travel to Normandy to entertain the troops. He had already been active back home selling war bonds, and donated $ 100,000 to
6161-429: The clubs. According to Westheider, "The young women wore miniskirts – no slacks were allowed." Each club had a snack bar, gift shops, a barbershop, photo developing, overseas phone lines, and hot showers. When providing entertainment, the USO did its best to attract known stars from back home to help relieve the stresses of war. Senator John Kerry recalled how important this kind of diversion would become. He remembered
SECTION 60
#17327733169656262-489: The desegregation of USOs had begun during World War II, and it finally paid off." Women were also key entertainers who performed at shows. Stars such as Marlene Dietrich , Judy Garland , Betty Grable and Rita Hayworth had traveled over a million miles. Yellin notes that on one tour, Hayworth visited six camps, gave thousands of autographs, and "came back from Texas with a full-fledged nervous breakdown from over-enthusiasm!" Opera singer Lily Pons , after she had performed
6363-402: The experience: We went from ward to ward to ward, singing and dancing and trying to boost the morale of these men. It was just hell. ... I just fell apart and I think the shock of seeing those men with their arms and legs blown off – it was just frightening. But when you do it, you do it. You try to help them, try to sing and dance. You try to keep their spirits up. It's heartbreaking. In 1947,
6464-489: The film For the Boys , which told the story of two USO performers, and starred Bette Midler and James Caan . It covered a 50-year timespan, from the USO's inception in 1941 through Operation Desert Storm , in 1991. Another movie was planned in 1950 but never made. Just 10 days after Al Jolson returned from entertaining troops in Korea, he agreed with RKO producers to star in a new movie, Stars and Stripes for Ever , about
6565-523: The final choice was a 640-acre (1.00 sq mi; 260 ha) field in the southern part of Westchester . The location had been promoted by real estate agent William W. Mines, and Mines Field as it was known had already been selected to host the 1928 National Air Races. On August 13, 1928 the city leased the land and the newly formed Department of Airports began converting the fields, once used to grow wheat , barley , and lima beans , into dirt landing strips. The airport opened on October 1, 1928 and
6666-647: The finest talents Hollywood had to offer. Within five months 36 overseas units had been sent within the Americas, the United Kingdom, and Australia, and during 1942 1,000 performed as part of 70 units. Average performers were paid $ 100 a week; top stars were paid $ 10 a day because their wealth let them contribute more of their talents. These overseas shows were produced by the American Theatre Wing, which also provided food and entertainment for
6767-654: The first USO club opened in Saigon in April 1963. The 23 centers in Vietnam and Thailand served as many as a million service members a month, and the USO presented more than 5,000 performances during the Vietnam War featuring stars such as John Wayne , Ann-Margret , Sammy Davis Jr. , Raymond Burr , Phyllis Diller , Martha Raye , Joey Heatherton , Wayne Newton , Jayne Mansfield , Redd Foxx , Rosey Grier , Anita Bryant , Nancy Sinatra , Jimmy Hawkins , Jimmy Boyd , Lola Falana , George Peppard and Bob Hope . Philip Ahn ,
6868-453: The first actor of Korean descent to become a Hollywood star, became the first Asian American USO performer to entertain troops in Vietnam. In addition, the USO operated centers at major U.S. airports to provide a lounge and place to sleep for American servicemen between their flights. Vietnam historian James Westheider noted that the USO "tried to bring a little America to Vietnam." Volunteer American civilians, who did 18-month tours, staffed
6969-473: The first floor of the Theme Building in 2018. LAWA currently has several plans to modernize LAX, at a cost of $ 30 billion. These include terminal and runway improvements, which will "enhance the passenger experience, reduce overcrowding, and provide airport access to the latest class of very large passenger aircraft"; this will bring the number of LAX's total gates from 146 to 182. Recently completed improvements include: Future improvements include: It
7070-463: The first structure, Hangar No. 1 , was erected in 1929. The building still stands at the airport, remaining in active use and listed on the National Register of Historic Places . Over the next year, the airport started to come together: the dirt runway was replaced with an all-weather surface and more hangars, a restaurant, and a control tower were built. On June 7, 1930, the facility was dedicated and renamed Los Angeles Municipal Airport. The airport
7171-438: The goal of every fighting American far away from home." Maxene Andrews wrote, "The entertainment brought home to the boys. Their home." Actor George Raft stated at the beginning of the war, "Now it's going to be up to us to send to the men here and abroad real, living entertainment, the songs, the dances, and the laughs they had back home." USO promotional literature stated its goals: The story of USO camp shows belongs to
7272-472: The guys who do the fighting until you've been up there with the men yourself. ... You can quote me as saying that we should use entertainment as an essential industry so long as it's for the boys in service. Anybody who has been there would insist on it. ... Hell, you should have seen how happy the G.I.s were when they heard the ballplayers were coming over. And John Steinbeck , just back from a chore as war correspondent, ... also applauded show business as part of
7373-438: The loudest operations at an airport are from departing aircraft, with engines operating at high power, so during daytime hours (6:30am to midnight), LAX prefers to operate under the "Westerly Operations" air traffic pattern, named for the prevailing west winds. Under "Westerly Operations", departing aircraft take off to the west, over the ocean, and arriving aircraft approach from the east. To reduce noise to areas north and south of
7474-530: The men could forget they were soldiers at war. After the show, they returned to the fighting in the hills. Some in that audience never made it back." By the end of the war, over 113,000 American USO volunteers were working at 294 centers at home and abroad. And 126 units had given 5,422 performances to servicemen in Korea and the wounded in Japan. The USO was in Vietnam before the first combat troops arrived, with
7575-455: The men. In 1983, a bloody civil war was raging in Lebanon. In an effort to stop the violence in the region a Multinational Force of peacekeepers composed largely of U.S., Italian and French armed service members was created and sent to the region to attempt a restoration of order. As part of the multinational force the United States mobilized an expeditionary force composed of members of
7676-402: The other titillating personalities who would have made us feel so at home hung around us for a while until we saw three Chinook helicopters take off from the field and presumed that our dreams had gone with them." But for GIs who saw the show, it was worth it: "We turned to watch Ann perform, and for about two minutes of American beauty, the war was forgotten. Everyone fully understood just what
7777-503: The overnight hours, Los Angeles Metro line 40 offers service to Downtown Los Angeles. The LAX City Bus Center will eventually be replaced by the LAX/Metro Transit Center station , which will be connected to the rest of LAX by the Automated People Mover system. There is also a bus stop at Sepulveda Boulevard and Century Boulevard that is a 1 ⁄ 4 -mile (0.40 km) walk away from Terminals 1 and 7/8 that
7878-422: The passenger facilities was established in 1958 with a plan to build a series of terminals and parking facilities, arranged in the shape of the letter U, in the central portion of the property. The original plan called for the terminal buildings to be connected at the center of the property by a huge steel-and-glass dome. The dome was never built, but a smaller Theme Building , constructed in the central area, became
7979-524: The restaurant had been closed for repairs in March 2007, after a 1 ⁄ 2 tonne (500 kg) piece of the stucco skin on the upper arches crashed onto the roof of the restaurant. The restaurant reopened on November 12, 2007. Delaware North Companies Travel Hospitality Services operated the restaurant. In 2018, the Bob Hope USO at LAX relocated to the ground floor of the Theme Building, opening
8080-504: The road, it equated the nation with showbiz. USO camp shows were designed in their export to remind soldiers of home." They did this, he noted, by "nurturing in troops a sense of patriotic identification with America through popular entertainment." An article in Look magazine at the time, stated, "For the little time the show lasts, the men are taken straight to the familiar Main Street that is
8181-428: The show by going to the microphone, looking at his large audience, and shouting, "Who's holding back the enemy?" The GIs roared with laughter. We were thrilled to have Kaye and his entertainers in our area. We especially liked the young women in the show. Danny was okay, with his stories and jokes, but after all, we knew what American men looked like. Author Linda Granfield in describing the show, writes, "For two hours,
8282-716: The terminal area, the LAX West Intermodal Transportation Facility with 4,300 parking spaces opened in 2021, replacing the former Lot C. A new LAX/Metro Transit Center station and a LAX Consolidated Rent-A-Car Facility (ConRAC) are being built. All will be connected to the terminal area by the LAX Automated People Mover . In the near future, airport managers plan to build two more terminals (0 and 9). All together, those projects are expected to cost of $ 14 billion and bring LAX's total gates from 146 to 182. Before
8383-405: The tours made a "deep impression" on the stars as well. Singer and actress Connie Stevens remembered her 1969 tour with Bob Hope, when she decided to go despite the fact she had two children both under the age of two. Today, she claims that "veterans were still stopping her and thanking her for visiting Vietnam over 30 years later." Similarly, Ann-Margret during a book signing was approached by
8484-455: The troops. She later married the co-pilot who saved her life in that crash, and her story was made into the 1952 film With a Song in My Heart , with Froman providing the actual singing voice. Others, such as Al Jolson , the first entertainer to go overseas in World War II, contracted malaria , resulting in the loss of his lung, cutting short his tour. One author wrote that by the end of
8585-420: The troops. USO historian Julia Carson writes that this "nostalgic hour," designed to cheer and comfort soldiers, involved "listening to music – American style" and "looking at pretty girls, like no other pretty girls in the world – American girls." African-American women scrambled to rally the community around the soldiers and create programs for them. By 1946, hostesses had served more than two thousand soldiers
8686-656: The war "the USO amounted to the biggest enterprise American show business has ever tackled. The audience was millions of American fighting men, the theatre's location: the world, the producer: USO camp shows" Performances continued after the end of the war in 1945. 60 new units went to Europe after V-E Day , and 91 new units went to the Pacific after V-J Day . The USO dissolved in December 1947, after having spent $ 240 million in contributions on Camp Shows, canteens, and other services. Special Services productions grew in number as replacement. In 1991, 20th Century Fox produced
8787-493: The war effort and its importance as a morale builder." According to historian Paul Holsinger, between 1941 and 1945, the USO did 293,738 performances in 208,178 separate visits. Estimates were that more than 161 million servicemen and women, in the U.S. and abroad, were entertained. The USO also did shows in military hospitals, eventually entertaining more than 3 million wounded soldiers and sailors in 192 different hospitals. There were 702 different USO troupes that toured
8888-499: The war, the aviation manufacturers located around the airport were busy providing aircraft for the Allied powers , while the flying schools found themselves in high demand. In January 1942, the military assumed control of the airport, stationing fighter planes there, and building naval gun batteries in the ocean dunes to the west. Meanwhile, airport managers published a master plan for the land and, in early 1943, convinced voters to back
8989-462: The weather was brutally hot and many of the camps were not equipped to host theatrical performances. Chico, whose "shoot the keys" piano solos were the heart of his act, often had to do without a piano at all. Thankfully, Laurel and Hardy's Driver's License sketch needed only a few simple props. In any event, even the most ramshackle shows brought loud cheers from the troops, overjoyed that anybody had come to perform for them, let alone some of
9090-514: The well-known free coffee and doughnuts. Some USO centers provided a haven for spending a quiet moment alone or writing a letter home, while others offered spiritual guidance and made childcare available for military wives. But the organization became mostly known for its live performances called Camp Shows , through which the entertainment industry helped boost the morale of its servicemen and women. USO Camp Shows, Inc. began in October 1941, and by that fall and winter 186 military theaters existed in
9191-403: The world as a "Home Away from Home" for GIs . The USO club was a place to go for dances and social events, for movies and music, for a quiet place to talk or write a letter home, or for a free cup of coffee and an egg. The USO also brought Hollywood celebrities and volunteer entertainers to perform for the troops. According to movie historian Steven Cohan, "most of all ... in taking home on
9292-583: The world, some spending up to six months per tour. In 1943, a United States Liberty ship named the SS U.S.O. was launched. She was scrapped in 1967. Twenty-eight performers died in the course of their tours, from plane crashes, illness, or diseases contracted while on tour. In one such instance in 1943, a plane carrying a USO troupe crashed outside Lisbon , killing singer and actress Tamara Drasin , and severely injuring Broadway singer Jane Froman . Froman returned to Europe on crutches in 1945 to again entertain
9393-600: Was completed before the Encounter Restaurant opened there in 1997 but is no longer in business. Visitors are able to take the elevator up to the observation deck of the "Theme Building", which had previously been closed after the September 11, 2001 attacks for security reasons. A memorial to the victims of the 9/11 attacks is located on the grounds, as three of the four hijacked planes were originally destined for LAX. The Bob Hope USO expanded and relocated to
9494-508: Was completed before the Encounter Restaurant opened there in 1997. Visitors are able to take an elevator up to the Observation Level to get a 360-degree view of arriving and departing planes. An airport spokeswoman said that because of its appearance and views, some people thought it revolved after visiting it, even though it did not. After the September 11 attacks , the Observation Level was closed for security reasons. Following
9595-533: Was like a girl from back home." Jay Fultz, author of a biography of Reed, states that soldiers "often wrote to her as if to a sister or the girl next door, confiding moments of homesickness, loneliness, privation and anxiety." Like much of American society and its World War II military, USOs were segregated. In Riverside, California a Negro USO was established to serve the March Field service population. Celebrities visiting this USO included Clarence Muse and
9696-497: Was moved 55 feet (17 m) to the south to accommodate a new central taxiway. Runways in the North Airfield Complex are separated by 700 feet (210 m). There were plans to increase the separation by 260 feet (79 m), which would have allowed a central taxiway between runways to have been built, but faced opposition from residents living north of LAX. These plans were scrapped in 2016, in favor of lifting
9797-507: Was really worth fighting for. ... The show was fantastic, but the escape the Bob Hope tour provided us in expectation for days before, and after, helped us keep in touch with what we were there for – God, Country, apple pie ... and Ann-Margret!" The visits by the stars meant a lot to the men and women in Vietnam. "It was not just the entertainment; it meant that they were not forgotten that far away from home," writes Westheider. He adds that
9898-499: Was that the restaurant was in a non-secure area of the airport, so travelers were reluctant to spend time there when a possibly lengthy security checkpoint lay ahead, or leave after being screened and have to go through security again upon returning. The observation level of the building was then open on weekends until 2016 when its schedule was reduced to one weekend per month, before closing permanently in September 2018. Previously,
9999-470: Was the first to volunteer, but due to lack of USO funds traveled to Korea at his own expense (he was also the first to entertain troops during World War II). Veterans have recalled many of the USOs events, sometimes in vivid detail: On that cold, overcast day, there were more than five thousand troops in the audience. They sat on the ground or up on the hillside. When everyone was settled, Danny Kaye opened
10100-529: Was to raise private funds to carry out its main mission: boosting the morale of the military." The first national campaign chairman was Thomas Dewey , who raised $ 16 million in the first year. The second chairman was future senator Prescott Bush . The USO was incorporated in New York on February 4, with the first facility erected in DeRidder, Louisiana, 1941. More USO centers and clubs opened around
10201-528: Was used by private pilots and flying schools, but the city’s vision was that Los Angeles would become the main passenger hub for the area. However, the airport failed to entice any carriers away from the established Burbank Airport or the Grand Central Airport in Glendale. World War II put a pause on any further development of the airport for passenger use. Before the United States entered
#964035