Middle Island
Mail
May 28, 1941
It May Be
“Yip, Yip, Yaphank” Again After Irving Berlin Visits Camp Upton
Visiting the
surroundings that were so familiar to him during the World war,
Songwriter Irving Berlin was personally escorted on a tour of the
new Camp Upton by Col. C. W. Baird, commanding officer, and Col. R.
T. Snow, executive officer, last Monday.
A former sergeant
at Camp Upton, Mr. Berlin remarked enthusiastically about the many
changes at Camp Upton since he was here in 1918, pointing out the
new wooden barracks, the all-electric kitchens and the
better-fitted, up-to-date uniforms now being issued.
Mr. Berlin holds a
particularly warm spot in his heart for CampUpton, for it was here
that he wrote “Oh, How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning,” “God Bless
America,” “Yip, Yip Yaphank,” and a dozen other hit songs and shows
which helped entertain the soldiers back in 1918.
Now Mr. Berlin is
thinking of swinging back into the Army saddle again, not as a
soldier, of course, but as a guiding hand in reviving the play,
“Yip, Yip, Yaphank.” He discussed with Col. Baird the possibilities
of staging the show again, both for the entertainment of the
soldiers at Camp Upton and possibly other posts in the country.
While Mr. Berlin
was at camp, Col. Baird announced that additional funds have been
appropriated for the enlarging and remodeling of the “Opry house,”
where the amateur entertainment shows have been held the last
month. Mr. Berlin stated he would be very happy to assist in any
way toward getting material, scripts, music and other incidentals
for staging a play.
Mr. Berlin felt
right at home in his old stamping grounds. During a visit to the
Recreation hall he sat down at the piano and rattled off “Oh, How I
Hate to Get Up in the Morning” as soldiers stood around and joined
in the chorus.