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WWII Marine's Voice Saved by 1944 USO Recording
14 Nov
Summary
- A 19-year-old Marine recorded his voice for his mother in 1944.
- The recording captured his thoughts on Hollywood and family life.
- He was killed at Iwo Jima eight months after the recording.
A rare recording from 1944 preserves the voice of Marine Henry L. Keen, a 19-year-old who visited a Hollywood USO on July 4. He sent a personal message to his mother in Braxton, Mississippi, sharing his experiences in California and asking about his father fishing. This message, part of the "Voices of Victory" project, was recorded on a lacquered cardboard disc.
Keen described the USO as a welcoming place and mentioned anticipating his return home around the fourteenth. His tone was relaxed, filled with casual remarks and an affectionate sign-off to his family. This audio memento is the sole surviving recording of the young Marine.
Tragically, PFC Henry L. Keen was killed in action at Iwo Jima eight months after making the recording. The Battle of Iwo Jima, a costly conflict in the Pacific Theatre, claimed his life. The recording offers a unique, personal glimpse into the everyday thoughts of a young serviceman during World War II, highlighting a life cut short but a voice preserved.
