When Marilyn Monroe wooed the troops: Never-seen-before photos of the star entertaining 100,000 soldiers at the end of the Korean War

Marilyn Monroe in Korea

The blonde bombshell visits a war zone

Image: Bettmann/Getty Images

In January 1954, Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio married in San Francisco and jetted off to Japan for their honeymoon.

While DiMaggio attended to his baseball clinics, Monroe took a solo detour to the Korean peninsula, which had been recently divided by the armistice which ended the Korean War the previous year.

Over the course of four days, Monroe took a whirlwind tour of American military bases, putting on 10 shows for an estimated 100,000 very excited servicemen.

The tour was a welcome respite from Monroe’s tense relationship with her new husband, whose jealousy and controlling behavior would contribute to their divorce just eight months later.

It was also a chance for the film star to overcome, believe it or not, a degree of stage fright.

[The trip] was the best thing that ever happened to me. I never felt like a star before in my heart. It was so wonderful to look down and see a fellow smiling at me.
MARILYN MONROE

Image: Bettmann/Getty Images

Image: Bettmann/Getty Images

The fans included many who had staked out an early claim on the choice first few rows of seats seven hours before the performance began. There were those who huddled in blankets while Mrs. DiMaggio braved a 30-degree cold in a summer dress.
STARS AND STRIPES, FEB. 23, 1954

Image: Bettmann/Getty Images

Monroe in her makeshift dressing room at an airbase in Chuncheon.

Image: Bettmann/Getty Images

Image: Bettmann/Getty Images

Image: PhotoQuest/Getty Images

Image: USMC Archives/Wikimedia Commons

Image: USMC Archives/Wikimedia Commons

I was with a group of Navy guys who happened to be at Daegu Air Force Base when we heard Marilyn would entertain there that night. We convinced our transport pilot to find something wrong with our R4D transport, so we could delay the return flight to our ship in Tokyo Bay for that one night.
TED SHERMAN

Image: PhotoQuest/Getty Images

Image: Bettmann/Getty Images

Image: Wikimedia Commons

Image: USMC Archives/Wikimedia Commons

Image: USMC Archives/Wikimedia Commons

Related Posts

Prince Harry’s secret visa files released – but key question remains over drug use

The conservative Heritage Foundation had campaigned to have Prince Harry’s Visa application released after he admitted to taking cocaine, marijuana and psychedelic mushrooms A US judge has…

Zara McDermott shakes off Sam Thompson dig as she ‘moves fast’ with Louis Tomlinson

Zara McDermott was recently spotted on a date with Louis Tomlinson as pals have claimed the pair are ‘moving fast’ but are ‘happy’ for them – while…

Paddy McGuinness puts lavish £6.5m home on the market as Christine ‘desperate’ to move on

Christine McGuinness is said to be feeling ‘desperate’ to start a fresh as her estranged husband Paddy McGuinness has put their former marital home up for sale…

Victoria Beckham confirms part in Jennifer Aniston’s ex Justin Theroux’s wedding

Victoria Beckham confirmed she had a huge role in Jennifer Aniston’s ex-husband Justin Theroux’s wedding to Nicole Brydon Bloom Victoria Beckham confirms part in Jennifer Aniston’s ex…

Celebrity Big Brother star Bradley Riches joins Emmerdale in mysterious new role

Celebrity Big Brother star and Heartstopper actor Bradley Riches has joined the cast of Emmerdale in a mysterious new role, with the scenes set to debut in…

Coleen Nolan interrupts Loose Women co-star to take swipe at ex-husband

Loose Women took an awkward turn on Tuesday when Coleen Nolan made a savage Alfie Moon comment Loose Women: Coleen asks Charlene about her first child’s name…