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Heart of a patriot
  
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By RUSTY GRAHAM
When Wayne Newton talks about his heart, he credits the late Dr. Michael DeBakey for saving his life.
When retired Marine Col. Stan Horton of Houston talks about Wayne Newton’s heart, it’s nothing biological.
“Wayne Newton has a heart that pumps full of patriotism,” said Horton. “He’s done as many shows for the military as he’s done in Vegas.”
And that’s saying something, since “Mr. Las Vegas” has done an estimated 40,000 shows there.
Newton was both honored and a guest of honor at the Nov. 7 “Salute to Veterans” luncheon, presented by the Houston West Chamber of Commerce at the Omni Hotel in West Houston.
Newton and William M. “Willie” Pena were presented “Heart of Service” awards; Newton for his longtime and ongoing support of military service members, and Pena for his service during World War II. Pena, 90, a retired architect and member of the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets, was medically retired as a captain following World War II, having lost his foot and ankle to battle in Europe late in the war.
This is the fourth year the Houston West chamber has recognized veterans with the luncheon and awards, said Jeannie Bollinger, chamber president. Veterans attend free, the cost underwritten by business sponsors.
Newton assumed chairmanship of the USO Celebrity Circle in 2000 from Bob Hope, the legendary and seemingly indefatigable entertainer who since World War II had traveled wherever U.S. service members were stationed overseas.
“When I was made chairman, President Bush told me the job had a duration of 60 years,” the 66-year-old Newton said. “I told him I don’t have 60 years.”
No matter. Newton is as seemingly indefatigable as Hope, who he traveled with for years. Newton and his brother first performed as guests of the USO in Washington, D.C., for President Harry Truman, in “1951 or ‘52.” He went to Vietnam twice to entertain troops, and has entertained service members in every conflict since.
Barbara Hayley, a longtime friend of Newton’s and a member of the Houston West chamber, told the estimated 560 attendees that after a recent trip to the Middle East, Newton and his wife Kathleen called family members of service members he’d encountered to tell them their loved ones were all right.
The rest of the story comes from Susan Barlow, Houston USO director. “(Newton) goes into places where he’s only expected to shake a few hands or something, then leave,” said Barlow. “But somebody will hand him a guitar, and he’ll start performing.” That includes the forward operating bases, outposts where soldiers don’t have hot showers and eat MREs. That’s where Newton had been when he took the list of names and phone numbers to call the family members — at a forward operating base.
“It’s divine intervention,” said Barlow. “The USO is blessed to have someone like Wayne Newton.”
Yet Newton would say it’s he who is blessed; he’s able to bring some light into sometimes enduringly bleak situations.
A humble and self-deprecating man, Newton is quick to tell stories in which he is the brunt of the joke. Friday, he gave luncheon guests a behind-the-scenes glance at himself, the “other side” of the story.
After telling his mother that he’d won Native American entertainer of the year, she asked “Who else was in the running?”
After Houston Mayor Bill White noted how special it was to have a street named after a living person (Wayne Newton Boulevard runs from McCarran International Airport to downtown Las Vegas), Newton said the only name available had been Bugsy Siegel.
After asking Bob Hope why the two didn’t always travel together (Hope often went to larger bases while Newton would go to smaller, more remote places), Newton said Hope told him “You’re not too bright, are you?
“The first thing we do in times of trouble is send out an Indian scout. And if he comes back, then we know we can go.”
The chamber award and the attention humbled him, he said, “because so many have given so much more.”
Newton told the group that the United States today faces more “fanatics who want to destroy us” than ever before.
“Not a day goes by that I don’t drop to my knees and thank God for our armed forces,” he said to a thunderous standing ovation. Newton exited the stage, gave a few hugs then was whisked out the room’s back doors by security.
A portion of the event’s proceeds benefit the USO to help purchase and distribute MEGS — Mobile Entertainment/Gaming Station. The self-contained hard-shelled units can be air-dropped to remote units and come with everything needed to watch movies, play video games and listen to music.
Newton’s show business career spans nearly 60 years, and includes the hit singles “Danke Schoen” and “Daddy Don’t You Walk So Fast.” As an actor he’s appeared in numerous movies and television shows.
Horton, though, who’s met Newton three times throughout his career, said it’s Newton’s service work that most veterans remember.
“We need more entertainers like him,” said Horton. “We need more role models like this.”
When retired Marine Col. Stan Horton of Houston talks about Wayne Newton’s heart, it’s nothing biological.
“Wayne Newton has a heart that pumps full of patriotism,” said Horton. “He’s done as many shows for the military as he’s done in Vegas.”
And that’s saying something, since “Mr. Las Vegas” has done an estimated 40,000 shows there.
Newton was both honored and a guest of honor at the Nov. 7 “Salute to Veterans” luncheon, presented by the Houston West Chamber of Commerce at the Omni Hotel in West Houston.
Newton and William M. “Willie” Pena were presented “Heart of Service” awards; Newton for his longtime and ongoing support of military service members, and Pena for his service during World War II. Pena, 90, a retired architect and member of the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets, was medically retired as a captain following World War II, having lost his foot and ankle to battle in Europe late in the war.
This is the fourth year the Houston West chamber has recognized veterans with the luncheon and awards, said Jeannie Bollinger, chamber president. Veterans attend free, the cost underwritten by business sponsors.
Newton assumed chairmanship of the USO Celebrity Circle in 2000 from Bob Hope, the legendary and seemingly indefatigable entertainer who since World War II had traveled wherever U.S. service members were stationed overseas.
“When I was made chairman, President Bush told me the job had a duration of 60 years,” the 66-year-old Newton said. “I told him I don’t have 60 years.”
No matter. Newton is as seemingly indefatigable as Hope, who he traveled with for years. Newton and his brother first performed as guests of the USO in Washington, D.C., for President Harry Truman, in “1951 or ‘52.” He went to Vietnam twice to entertain troops, and has entertained service members in every conflict since.
Barbara Hayley, a longtime friend of Newton’s and a member of the Houston West chamber, told the estimated 560 attendees that after a recent trip to the Middle East, Newton and his wife Kathleen called family members of service members he’d encountered to tell them their loved ones were all right.
The rest of the story comes from Susan Barlow, Houston USO director. “(Newton) goes into places where he’s only expected to shake a few hands or something, then leave,” said Barlow. “But somebody will hand him a guitar, and he’ll start performing.” That includes the forward operating bases, outposts where soldiers don’t have hot showers and eat MREs. That’s where Newton had been when he took the list of names and phone numbers to call the family members — at a forward operating base.
“It’s divine intervention,” said Barlow. “The USO is blessed to have someone like Wayne Newton.”
Yet Newton would say it’s he who is blessed; he’s able to bring some light into sometimes enduringly bleak situations.
A humble and self-deprecating man, Newton is quick to tell stories in which he is the brunt of the joke. Friday, he gave luncheon guests a behind-the-scenes glance at himself, the “other side” of the story.
After telling his mother that he’d won Native American entertainer of the year, she asked “Who else was in the running?”
After Houston Mayor Bill White noted how special it was to have a street named after a living person (Wayne Newton Boulevard runs from McCarran International Airport to downtown Las Vegas), Newton said the only name available had been Bugsy Siegel.
After asking Bob Hope why the two didn’t always travel together (Hope often went to larger bases while Newton would go to smaller, more remote places), Newton said Hope told him “You’re not too bright, are you?
“The first thing we do in times of trouble is send out an Indian scout. And if he comes back, then we know we can go.”
The chamber award and the attention humbled him, he said, “because so many have given so much more.”
Newton told the group that the United States today faces more “fanatics who want to destroy us” than ever before.
“Not a day goes by that I don’t drop to my knees and thank God for our armed forces,” he said to a thunderous standing ovation. Newton exited the stage, gave a few hugs then was whisked out the room’s back doors by security.
A portion of the event’s proceeds benefit the USO to help purchase and distribute MEGS — Mobile Entertainment/Gaming Station. The self-contained hard-shelled units can be air-dropped to remote units and come with everything needed to watch movies, play video games and listen to music.
Newton’s show business career spans nearly 60 years, and includes the hit singles “Danke Schoen” and “Daddy Don’t You Walk So Fast.” As an actor he’s appeared in numerous movies and television shows.
Horton, though, who’s met Newton three times throughout his career, said it’s Newton’s service work that most veterans remember.
“We need more entertainers like him,” said Horton. “We need more role models like this.”
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