You’ve undoubtedly heard about Robin Williams the actor tonight. You’ve undoubtedly heard about Robin Williams the comedian tonight. But let me tell you about Robin Williams, the guy who visited U.S. troops around the globe. Williams made trips to Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan for the USO dating back to 2002. In a heartfelt Facebook message this evening, the USO offered their condolences saying, “…one of the great comedic actors of his generation, Williams traveled around the world to lift the spirits of our troops and their families. He will always be a part of our USO family and will be sorely missed.”
Perhaps Williams’ most famous interaction with the troops occurred on Dec 6th, 2007 in Kuwait. During the middle of his stand-up routine, a bugle began playing “Retreat” indicating the lowering of the U.S. flag on a military base. Every single member of the audience turned their back on Williams, who, at first, was stunned by the development. After a few awkward moments, he caught on to the tradition, removed his cap and stood at attention.
When the song finished, Williams didn’t miss a beat saying, “I’m not going to forget that. I’ve never had an entire audience go ‘forget you'” The entire clip is vintage Robin Williams, improv comedy at its best.