Along with specializing in one-liners and rapid-fire delivery of jokes—which were often self-deprecating, Bob Hope was celebrated for his long career performing United Service Organizations (USO) shows to entertain active service American military personnel. He made 57 tours for the USO between 1941 and 1991, and Hope was declared an honorary veteran of the United States Armed Forces in 1997 by act of the U.S. Congress.
