American Historical Ephemera & Photography

Bob Walsh was an 18-year-old student at Boston University in 1948 when he decided to withdraw because of “indecision as to [his] life’s work.” At the time, young men his age were being recruited for one year in the armed forces, as long as they agreed to serve in the reserves, going to a two-hour meeting each week. In a newspaper article to advise new G.I.’s in July 1951, he notes that the first week of “boot camp” consisted of “processing.” During this time they received their uniforms and equipment, immunizations, and took a number of psychological and “intelligence” tests. During this process, Walsh seemed to have a high medical aptitude, and was assigned to the Third Medical Battalion and went to Fort Benning for advanced training. He was released to return to civilian life in November 1949, but in a few months the conflict in Korea heated up and he was recalled to active duty. The recruits sailed to Japan, and Walsh found himself in a special service unit in charge of all of the entertainment for the Far East Command. Over the past few years Walsh had made a hobby of impersonations, which came in handy in the entertainment field. 

This unit produced a “variety review” they called “Too Far East,” which included original music by 1st Lieut. Art Keeney, who was also the director of the show. As one of the newspaper clippings in the lot notes: "Although the Sons of the Nipponeers, a western group organized for the show, and the Sackrats, the ‘Too Far East’ band, are both making their debut, others are old-timers in show business.  Among them are comics Ray Fry and Vince Drankwalter, Bobby Mosley, the show’s ‘boy with a million-dollar voice,’ and Bob Walsh, MC and impersonator of well-known entertainers.” 

This lot contains 27 photographs, most black-and-white and taken with a civilian camera. The images of the production Walsh has labeled on verso. There is another group with no identification, including some of Korean girls and women. There are also a couple that seem to have been taken by someone in the Army whose job was photography. 

After returning from Korea, Walsh seems to have been employed by WHIL. One newspaper photograph (Medford, [MA] Daily Mercury, June 14, 1956) shows Walsh with another station disc jockey and Diamond Records’ representative feting Gloria Wood. He also apparently started back to Boston University again, since there is a letter from the Chairman of the Division of Communication Arts, Department of Radio, 11 October 1954, asking him to contact them regarding his recent withdrawal and trying to arrange for him to finish his work since he was so close to being done.

There are some other miscellaneous items, such as a customs tag from Korea declaring the enclosed items to be bona fide gifts. It also includes a lettersheet with a list of things that are good about America. Near the end: “I am a Korean high school boys. I have seen many magazine., so I know America. America is a good country. We must beat our human enemies (Communists). We want a good life.” It also includes a pencil sketch of Walsh by another Korean. Plus some newspaper clippings that give context to these items.