# Miss USA 1952

Miss USA 1952 was the first Miss USA pageant, held at the Long Beach Municipal Auditorium in Long Beach, California on June 27, 1952.
At the end of the event, American actress and Miss America 1941 Rosemary LaPlanche crowned Jackie Loughery of New York as Miss USA 1952. It is the first victory of New York in the pageant's history. Contestants from 42 states competed in this year's pageant.

## Results
### Placements

| Placement | Contestant |
| Miss USA 1952 | New York – Jackie Loughery |
| 1st Runner-up | Louisiana – Jeanne Thompson |
| 2nd Runner-up | Missouri – Carolyn Carlew |
| 3rd Runner-up | Tennessee – Jean Harper |
| 4th Runner-up | Oklahoma – Trula Birchfield |
| Top 10 | Indiana – Virginia Johnson Michigan – Judy Hatula Minnesota – Jodell Stirmlinger Montana – Valerie Jackson New Jersey – Ruth Hampton |

### Special awards

| Award | Contestant |
| Miss Congeniality | Montana – Valerie Jackson |

## Contestants

42 contestants competed for the title.
| State | Name | Age | Hometown | Notes |
| Alabama | Doris Edwards | 23 | Gadsden | |
| Arizona | Charlene Hendricks | 18 | Tempe | |
| Arkansas | Barbara Wathen | 20 | Jonesboro | |
| California | Gloria Maxwell | 20 | Los Angeles | |
| Colorado | Josephine Barbie | 22 | Colorado Springs | |
| Connecticut | Jo Kuhlmann | 22 | Hartford | |
| Delaware | Sue Langton | 23 | Wilmington | |
| Florida | Yvonne Pearis | 23 | Jacksonville | |
| Georgia | Betty Jane Wood | 18 | Decatur | |
| Idaho | Cherrie Jean Lindsey | 20 | Idaho Falls | |
| Illinois | Sherry Matulis | 19 | Peoria | |
| Indiana | Virginia Johnson | 19 | Indianapolis | |
| Kansas | Bette Renick | 18 | Liberal | |
| Kentucky | Jean Tingle | 19 | Lexington | |
| Louisiana | Jeanne Thompson | 21 | Baton Rouge | Later competed at Miss USA 1953. Previously Miss Louisiana 1951 |
| Maine | Jean Marie Lemire | 20 | Old Town | |
| Massachusetts | Vel Dorne | 24 | Boston | |
| Michigan | Judy Hatula | 19 | Detroit | |
| Minnesota | Jodell Stirmlinger | 20 | St. Paul | |
| Mississippi | Carolyn Thomas | 20 | Jackson | |
| Missouri | Carolyn Carlew | 18 | Sikeston | |
| Montana | Patricia McGinty | 21 | Missoula | |
| Nevada | Barbara Jean Clark | 19 | Las Vegas | |
| New Jersey | Ruth Jane Hampton | 20 | Merchantville | |
| New Mexico | Kay Nail | 20 | Albuquerque | |
| New York | Jackie Loughery | 21 | Brooklyn | Semi-finalist at Miss Universe 1952 |
| North Carolina | Doris Stanley | 23 | Greensboro | |
| North Dakota | Gloria Rowe | 26 | Fargo | |
| Ohio | Margie Broering | 18 | Cincinnati | |
| Oklahoma | Trula Birchfield | 21 | Oklahoma City | |
| Oregon | Beth Bailey | 27 | La Grande | |
| Pennsylvania | Jeanne Ferguson | 22 | Philadelphia | |
| Rhode Island | Delores Selinder | 22 | Providence | |
| South Carolina | Margie Allen | – | Spartanburg | |
| South Dakota | Marlene Rieb | 20 | Parkston | |
| Tennessee | Jean Harper | 18 | Memphis | Previously Miss Tennessee 1951 Top 15 at Miss America 1952 |
| Texas | Charlene McClary | 25 | Houston | |
| Utah | Carol Jean Isbell | 20 | Salt Lake City | |
| Vermont | Elizabeth Whitcomb | 18 | Essex Junction | |
| Virginia | Elizabeth Glenn | 24 | Roanoke | |
| Washington | Adele Slaybaugh | 18 | Kennewick | |
| Wisconsin | Jeannie Eleanor Huston | 20 | Milwaukee | |