United Service Organizations (U.S.O.) Rochester Records

The United Services Organization (U.S.O.) was founded on February 4, 1941, at the insistence of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The organization brought together six major civilian charitable groups (the YMCA, YWCA, National Catholic Community Service, the National Jewish Welfare Board, the Traveler’s Aid Association and the Salvation Army) to provide recreation, moral support and entertainment for American service personnel. The Rochester citizens' committee of the U.S.O. began in June 1942, under the leadership of Eastman Kodak Company president Thomas Hargrave. It carried out fundraisers ranging from carnivals to open houses at local retailers, along with lending its voice to civic activities such as scrap drives. The U.S.O. opened a center in Franklin Square on December 1, 1942, and this facility reamined in operation until June 23, 1946. The center was directed by Julian P. Hargrove, but its daily operations relied on a large contingent of volunteers from the Rochester community. It provided rest and recreation facilities for service personnel of all Allied nations as they passed through Rochester.