Evening star., 1945-06-11
Five Film Fayorifes
Receive GI Oscars
In Ceremony Here
Five Veterans Present
EmbIems to Sturs at
Walter Reed Hospital

The oscar" has gone to war. The
GI version Of fllmland's emblem Of
distinction today belongs to five mo-
ton picture celebrities chosen by
battle zone soldiers as favorite en-
tertainers.
Ten thousand wounded veterans
picked as representatives of their
buddies in fighting areas everywhere
saw the presentations at Walter
Reed Hospitals formal gardens yes
terday.
They saw the plaques presented
to Rita Hayworth, titian-tressed
glamor girl; Crooner Bing Crosby,
Comedian Eddie Bracken, Academy
Award Winner Jennifer Jones and
Director Leo McCarey by Maj. Gen.
Norman Kirk, surgeon general Of
the Army.
Film Folk Praised.
: Five veterans, selected to present
the citations, praised the film folk
for their contribution to morale
The recipients responded with the
Kind OF show that has cheered sery-
lcemen throughout the war.
The best perhaps, was reserved
for Pvt. Martin Leeds of the Bronx.
who received kiss as the piece de
resistance" in introducing Miss
Hayworth.
Beaming at her radiant best. Mis-,
Hayworth heard Pvt. Leeds extol her
as the best of the glamour girls be-
cause she "symbolized for GIs the
beauty Of American womanhood for.
which they have fought and to
which they hope to return"
Like many Of his hospital mates
who dotted the green lawns in wheel
chairs, on stretchers and crutches.
Pvt. Leeds was battle casualty. He
suffered hand wounds in North
Africa.
Gen. Kirk Presents Awards,
To Gen. Kirk went the honor Of
making the actual presentations. TT
seems only fitting that the presen-
tation of the awards should be
made here at Walter Reed General
Hospital, because you men have
seen service in all parts of the world
and are truly representative of your
buddies still over there fighting" he
said.
In presenting the silver plaque to
Crooner Crosby legless Sergt. Lou
Norulak, Newark, N. Y, said: "You
nave demonstrated rare ability in
creating the delivering weapons de-
signed to eliminate the mental
heaviness attendant upon GIs."
Bing responded with two numbers
in his dulcet best to the cheers
OF the red-robed audience.
Corpl. Arthur Chenoweth of Jen.
nings, Kans., told Miss Jones shs
had by her outstanding perform
ances distinguished herself In the
eyes OF this Nation and the men
who are dghting for it,
Brseken Delayed.
Mr.. McCarey's award was for di-
recting the picture Going Nv
Way" which Pfc. John Goodrich Of
Hanover, N. H., said had main.
tained in the minds Of the Ameri-
can home front the principles for
which American soldiers are fight.
ing"
Mr.. Bracken added a comic touch
by hurrying in at the last minute
TO hear Pfc. Carroll Beohtel praise
him for bringing laughter to mil
lions of GI's throughout the world.
when they were serving under con-
dltions that rendered laughter
almost impossible"
Distinguished guests included Mai.
Gen. Shelley U. Marietta, command
ing officer of Walter Reed Hospital:
Maj. Gen. Harry C. Ingles, chief
signal officer; Maj. Gen. J. A. Code.
assistant chief signal officer: Brig.
Gen. George r. Calender, director.
Army Medical School; Brig. Gen.
Frank T, Hines, administrator of
Veterans Affairs, and DR.. Thomas
Parran, surgeon general, United
States Public Health Service.
The five Oscar winners were Sc
lected in poll by the Army Pic
torial Service, Signal Corps, In
eight theaters of operation.
Patients Joined the stars on the
program as did Miss Josephine
Houston, singer. The announcer
was Sergt. Mark Austed and ths
pianist TT Johp C;Iroora