After a soldier on duty in Vietnam purchased a lifetime subscription to Playboy, the brand had to follow through on an offer made years prior – that the first issue of a lifetime subscription would be hand-delivered by a Playmate. Jo Collins, Playmate of the Year 1965, was requested… and in January 1966, she flew to Saigon and spent three days touring combat areas. We’re overviewing her history with the brand – from Miss September 1964 to a Bunny Mother and Playboy representative at Veterans Day events in the ’90s. Plus, the details of her three days touring Vietnam, visiting American troops and signing photos of her pictorial that had been crumpled into helmets.
Photos in the video version of this episode are primary by Larry Gordon for Playboy, sourced from “GI Jo: That Time We Sent a Playmate to Vietnam,” May 26, 2026.
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Time stamps:
00:00 Intro
03:08 Jo Collins, Miss September 1964
03:54 Playmate of the Year 1965
05:48 The request – “G.I. Jo”
07:33 Making it happen
09:04 Warm welcomes in Saigon
10:50 Day 1: Meeting Lt Price + hospital rounds
13:06 Day 2: Combat zones
15:02 Day 3: Honorary Sky Soldier
16:23 Post-POTY: acting, marriage, divorce
17:04 Playmate Forever
18:13 My curiosities
19:00 Playboy Magazine + Vietnam War
20:58 Conclusion
Watch…Women of Playboy/Girls Next Door Laura Diez hosts guest conversations and shares stories and pop culture history…on SloppBoxx.Com.
Could you give away something that directly benefits the women of Playboy? Like their books?
I know this story because there was a parody of it in the movie Apocalypse Now
Yes!!!
Playboy definetly had a way to get involved in such important political moments somehow !! i remember in secrets of playboy they mentioned how playboy was doing videos educating people on hiv during the hiv crisis starring a playmate who had hiv herself ?? damn i was so impressed when i found out !
I enjoyed this different angle. Im surprised Hugh Hefner didnt go with her for more publicity for himself and Playboy. Im also surprised that it wasnt done more often and Hef didnt brag about it in interviews or in his bios. I didnt realize they sold lifetime memberships. I wonder if it is still valid with the new ownership. Im going to look up the price and convert it to todays $.
Prize giveway …hmmm….maybe a bio on one of the people that youve covered. Like shannon tweeds autobiography.
Thanks for all the research!
GI Jo should have been a huge movie star. Her beauty was so natural and not manufactured. For me, I separate Playboy from Hef and the true legacy of PB is the Women brave enough to share their beauty. All 3 contenders for PMOTY are so refreshing as compared to the then-future Pam look-a-likes. I hope the war was not the reason the Asian American lady was not picked, as the war was so controversial! And that pink car was insane😍
Love the Playboy videos! I think with the magazines, they were read seriously by many. You need to remember that Playboy used to contract high-hitter serious accomplished authors to write opinion-pieces and do actual journalism in the magazine. The older magazines especially are much lighter on the naked women than most people even realise.