Description: Taken in 1971 by U.S. Army medic Charles Tweel, this photograph shows women performing at Camp Evans as part of a United Service Organization (USO) show for the 101st Airborne Division during the Vietnam War. This performance was part of the 1971 Miss America USO Show, which featured that year's Miss America, Phyllis George, and some of the state winners. Pictured here, left to right, are Hela Yungst (Miss New Jersey), Vicky Jo Todd (Miss Nevada), Karen Shields (Miss Arizona), Phyllis George (Miss America), Donna Connelly (Miss Arkansas), Bellinda Myrick (Miss Texas), and Cheryl Brown (Miss Iowa). The USO is an American non-profit organization dedicated to providing services to troops abroad and those returning home, including hosting concerts and performances at military bases overseas This photograph is part of the Charles Tweel Collection (AV 324) at the Ohio History Connection. Charles Tweel grew up in Columbus, Ohio, and attended The Ohio State University. After graduation in 1968, he enlisted in the U.S. Army as a non-combatant, first training as a medic at Fort Sam Huston, followed by nine months of additional training at Valley Forge General Hospital in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. He finished his training as a Specialist 3 and 91C, MOS, and went on to serve in Bamberg, Germany, with combat engineers for one year. In January 1971, Tweel served in Vietnam with the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion (Air Mobile), 506th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, based out of Camp Evans near Phu Bai, north of Hue, until December of that year. Tweel spent most of his service on various firebases as the medic in charge, and occasionally shared firebases with South Vietnamese soldiers. He also visited MedCAP stations (Medical Civic Action Programs) where he treated civilians. Tweel received the Bronze Star Medal for meritorious achievement, and was promoted to Specialist 5 in 1971. After discharge from the Army, he went to medical school and was in private practice as a family practitioner from 1979-2016, and now works part-time in inner city medical clinics in Columbus, Ohio, and Charleston, South Carolina. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AV324_B01F01_012
Subjects: Vietnam War (1961-1975); United States. Army. Airborne Division, 101st; Entertainment; Military life
Places: Camp Evans (Vietnam)