Special Services (entertainment)

Special Services are the entertainment branch of the American military. The unit was created on 22 July 1940 by the War Department as part of the Army Service Forces.[1] Special Services would not only use their own specially trained and talented troops but would often engage local performers.[2]

Special Services were one of the few U.S. Army units to be integrated during World War II. Special Services opened their first Recreational Officer school at Fort Meade Maryland on 1 April 1942.[3]

Military Occupational Specialties

Military Occupational Specialties of the Special Services were as follows-

Famous Special Service soldiers

US Marine Corps

The Special Services Division, the forerunner of today's Special Services Branch, was formed on 1 March 1943. Its mission was to provide recreational and informational services to Marine Corps personnel for the purpose of maintaining morale.[5]

The MOS 9913, Special Services Officer supervises and coordinates special services activities involved with command morale, welfare, and recreation programs.[6]

Notes

  1. ↑ P. 415 Emerson, William K. Encyclopedia of United States Army Insignia and Uniforms 1996 University of Oklahoma Press
  2. ↑ p.57 Monod, David Settling scores: German Music, Denazification, & the Americans, 1945–1953 UNC Press 2005
  3. ↑ http://www.army.mil/cfsc/docs/history_army_sports_program.pdf?bcsi_scan_A4C9E8056B19D97F=0&bcsi_scan_filename=history_army_sports_program.pdf
  4. ↑ Kovner, Guy (2013-03-26). "Robert Nichols". The Press Democrat. Retrieved 2013-04-09.
  5. ↑ Page 82 Leatherneck - Volume 44, Issue 3
  6. ↑ http://usmilitary.about.com/library/milinfo/marineofficerjobs/bl9913.htm