USO Tour takes Murray Sawchuck to Cuba — PHOTOS
Planet Hollywood headliner magician Murray Sawchuck performed for members of our armed services on a USO Tour while on a two-week break from his show, and the most memorable stop was at the Guantanamo Bay base where overseas terrorists are held in Cuba.
Murray was invited to join fellow magicians Howard Blackwell and David Chandler, who both have served in the military for more than two decades. From Gitmo, Murray told me: “This is a city of its own and in size similar to Barstow (California).
“In addition to it being a top security prison, they have a McDonald’s, a few other restaurants and bars on the base and a gym. We have had an escort the entire time while we have been on the base for our three days here. I am performing two shows here for the troops. They gave me a nicely furnished apartment while I am here.”
I asked Murray what he was thinking as he flew in to the island that houses America’s worst terrorist enemies. “I thought about the men and women who serve our country who live on the base and protect our southern end of our country.
“Also the real Cuba and what they have gone through. I was thinking of all the history that Gitmo has,” he said. “The wars, intelligence and also how short a flight it was from the coast of the USA to Gitmo. Flying into Gitmo is very interesting, as the U.S. plane can’t really go into Cuba’s airspace.
“The Cuban authorities have become a little more lenient in recent times, but you have to come in a certain way where they have to turn the plane 180, then drop it right down for the landing so that they don’t go into Cuban airspace.
“That landing was really different compared to landing anywhere else — nothing like a smooth arrival at our McCarran Airport in Las Vegas. We landed on the airstrip, then walked to the hangar, checked in with our identification, which had to match our name on the list they had for each flight coming in.
“We didn’t get to see the terrorists but were driven by them in Camp 5 and 6, so we were about 80 feet away from them and the walls, barbed wire and surveillance. I heard about Camp 7 but never saw it, as I heard it was over the hill from where we were.
“I also got to see Camp X-Ray, the temporary camp before our military moved them to Camp Delta, which we saw but is now empty, then Camp 5 and 6 where they are now kept. We were on the other side of the mountains, so they never got to hear our shows.
“The police and military officers who deal with them daily came to our shows. I have great respect and honor for them. Some of them are very young, and it’s amazing what they are doing for our country.”
Murray told me about the reaction to his visit from the military men and women and Cubans: “The U.S. military has been so kind to us and thankful. They are so appreciative of us flying in to perform for them as we are of them giving their service to our country. The audiences have been just amazing, and this way of giving back makes you feel just great!
“We were taken on a tour around the base, and they drove us up to the north end where the U.S. fence meets Cuba. It was really something to see this long fence running along the landscaping separating Cuba from Gitmo, along with the guard shacks of the Cubans and Americans. To hear the stories about Fidel Castro and what they did when he got into power was really fascinating.”
Just as incredible was that Murray was permitted only one suitcase for his show, so none of the Planet Hollywood contraptions of folding volunteers inside a box or inserting swords into a box they stepped inside were permitted on the plane.
Said Murray: “The places we are performing on the base at Gitmo and the other bases are whatever they have available, so there are no trap doors, no escape hatches. One was outside on a makeshift area, the other inside their most popular bar.
“A few have a mini-type multipurpose-room theater, but when you tour like this, you have to be prepared to perform anywhere. After all, these bases were built to fight a war, not to present magic shows.
“My whole show fit into my one suitcase, which is basically my comedy club show ‘Pack Small, Play Big.’ I wanted to make sure whatever I brought to entertain them I could perform in any setting, be it in an airport hangar, open field or one of the base bar stages. My show is out of a suitcase, easy to set up and easy to break down and hop on a plane the next day.”
Murray’s USO Tour began on bases in Florida and The Bahamas. After Cuba, Murray entertained troops at our military outposts in Puerto Rico and Greenland. “In entertainment, it’s always great when you can meet your heroes,” Murray summed up.
