The Pledge of Alligence

[American Patriot]

I watched this show... I remember it vividly.

http://patriotfiles.org/Pledge.htm

Please go here and listen.

Rick

[Luke]

While I do not remember that particular episode I have many fond memories of watching Red Skelton in my youth. He was a true comedian,to my knowledge he never cursed, unlike so called comedians today.

[samizdat]

Cool. Red was on at 10 PM, so I wasn't allowed to watch. I was in the eighth grade then, and it was great to listen to it now. Incidentally, I was forced to pray at school and well educated about communism.

Even though I later engaged in the debauchery- (TV madness), I was always a critical watcher, and perhaps paranoid in selection if you will. Red's very chosen stage name turned me off. What's in a name?

Seems he got nervous during the war, like private Pvt. Eddie Slovik , offed by Eisenhower.


Skelton was drafted in March, 1944, and the popular series was discontinued June 6, 1944. Shipped overseas to serve with an Army entertainment unit as a private, Skelton had a nervous breakdown in Italy, spent three months in a hospital and was discharged in September, 1945. He once joked about his military career, "I was the only celebrity who went in and came out a private."

[samizdat]

Gentlemen,
I have just received my Fall 2002 issue of the World War II Chronicles and found it very interesting and enjoyable. I am sorry that I didn’t have any experiences worthy of print that I could contribute, but I would like to make an addition to your list of Stars who served in World War II. I came home from Italy in April, 1945 on board the USS West Point (formerly known as the SS America). Red Skelton was assigned on board he ship to entertain the troops going to and from Europe. I know because I have his autograph on my short snorter bill.
Sincerely,
Raymond W. Hinck

Gentlemen,
I was just re-reading the Chronicles Issue from Fall, 2002, which I do ever so often. In reviewing the stars that served in World War II, I did not see Red Skelton listed under the Army and Air Services. I was wounded on January 31st, 1945 during the Battle of the Bulge, and made my way back through the hospital channels to Patrick Henry, Virginia.
When we got there Red Skelton was running around with a broom, acting as an orderly with PFC stripes. We all assumed that he was in the Army. Red was kidding this WAC private and said, “Would you like to make PFC?” then continued to say, “I know one PFC that would like to make you!” I was with Co K, 358th, 90th Division at Normandy until I was wounded and we didn’t see such things as WAC’s, so Red’s jokes were funny to myself and the rest of the GI’s.
All these years I thought that Red was in the Army. If he wasn’t maybe I don’t need to know. If he was, give him credit in some future issue.
Thanks,
Emmett T. Boyd

Gentlemen:
How we could have left Red Skelton off our list I do not know! Fortunately a number of readers noticed this, and let us know. Unlike most entertainers who served during the war, Red was an enlisted man, not a Commissioned Officer. Word has it that when Red arrived at Camp Roberts in California, his fellow soldiers had nailed up a sign on his barracks that read, “Tour a Movie Star’s Home...Twenty-Five Cents!”
Regards,
WWII