Scarlett Johansson to headline USO tour

By Stone Martindale Jan 18, 2008, 18:52 GMT

Scarlett Johansson - © Lee Roth / RothStock / PR Photos

Stars and Stripes reports that actress Scarlett Johansson will brighten up the day for the servicemen and women overseas.  Some of those serving around the Persian Gulf region will have a chance to meet her thanks to an upcoming USO tour.

Johansson reportedly will meet with servicemembers during a five-day tour, the organization announced Thursday.

Dates and locations have not been announced due to security concerns. Stars and Stripes reports that a USO news release said the tour would be held “soon.”

Johansson has been voted as one of the sexiest women alive in recent years by magazines such as FHM, Maxim, Esquire and Playboy.

The 23-year-old said in the release that she has long received letters from U.S. servicemembers and looked forward to meeting with them and signing autographs during her tour.

“This USO tour to the Gulf region truly means a lot,” she said in the release. “I’ve wanted to go over and visit for some time, and now my moment has arrived. It’s one thing to reply to a letter or extend your thanks to servicemembers in a speech, but it’s another thing to visit them and spend time with those that do so much for us back home.”

Scarlett was booked for a prior visit, but those tours were postponed and were rescheduled for January or February — which are traditionally slow months for USO tours.