Remember Martha Raye?
The most unforgivable oversight of TV is that her shows were not taped.
This is a great story about a great woman. I was unaware of her credentials or where she is buried. Somehow I just can’t see Brittany Spears, Paris Hilton, or Jessica Simpson doing what this woman (and the other USO women, including Ann Margaret & Joey Heatherton) did for our troops in past Wars. Most of the old time entertainers were made out of a lot sterner stuff than today’s crop of activists and whiners.
The following is from an Army Aviator who takes a trip down memory lane:
It was just before Thanksgiving ’67 and we were ferrying dead and wounded from a large GRF west of Pleiku. We had run out of body bags by noon, so the Hook (CH-47 CHINOOK) was pretty rough in the back. All of a sudden, we heard a ‘take-charge’ woman’s voice in the rear. There was the singer and actress, Martha Raye, with a SF (Special Forces) beret and jungle fatigues, with subdued markings, helping the wounded into the Chinook, and carrying the dead aboard. ‘Maggie’ had been visiting her SF ‘heroes’ out ‘west’. We took off, short of fuel, and headed to the USAF hospital pad at Pleiku. As we all started unloading our sad pax’s, a ‘Smart Ass’ USAF Captain said to Martha…. Ms Ray, with all these dead and wounded to process, there would not be time for your show! To all of our surprise, she pulled on her right collar and said…..Captain, see this eagle? I am a full ‘Bird’ in the US Army Reserve, and on this is a ‘Caduceus’ which means I am a Nurse, with a surgical specialty….now, take me to your wounded. He said, ‘yes ma’am…. Follow me.’
Several times at the Army Field Hospital in Pleiku, she would ‘cover’ a surgical shift, giving a nurse a well-deserved break.
Martha is the only woman buried in the SF (Special Forces) cemetery at Ft. Bragg.
Hand Salute! A great lady…
Charlie Company Vietnam 1966-1972 
This should be sent to Jane Fonda as an example of what real women did during Viet Nam.
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did forward area special service with Maggie….Roll and soul show’ then ,me Maggie and Rich Hendly played forward area bunkers…! Maggie was quite a Girl !!!..Jimmy
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Thank You.💟 For all you did.
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I️ vaguely remember Martha Raye, but we haven’t lost this veracity of individual in the U.S. yet despite the over abundance of snowflake people. One day something large is going to happen and the greatness of America will once again show the world who is great, and the sissy activist generation will learn that living in the U.S. has the best benefit of all.
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What a great lady loved her voice funny actor
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Wonderful performer.
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She was born in my home town, Butte Montana, but I love her for what she did for service men in WW11, Korea and Vietnam. Very special person. I served in the U.S. Navy on the USS Providence CLG-6 from October 1966 until January 31,1968.
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Now here is a REAL American ! GOD Bless you Martha ,.Thank-YOU for your service ! Ed M. U.S. Army 66-68
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What a great story
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I loved her comedic antics. But at the same time her serious side was never far from the surface. As a kid in the 1950s I watched her movie Four Jills in A Jeep about her WWII activities many time.
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Thank You Martha Ray. You were not only a great performer, but also a humanitarian to boot. You helped many in the hospital heal as well as in the many USO shows for a few moments of laughter in horrible conditions. RIP!
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