| Miss USA 1972 | |
|---|---|
| Date | May 20, 1972 |
| Presenters | |
| Entertainment | Everly Brothers |
| Venue | Cerromar Beach Hotel, Dorado, Puerto Rico |
| Broadcaster | CBS |
| Entrants | 51 |
| Placements | 12 |
| Winner | Tanya Wilson Hawaii |
| Congeniality | Peggy Moore  Utah |
| Photogenic | Susan Peters  Texas |
Miss USA 1972 was the 21st Miss USA pageant, held at Cerromar Beach Hotel in Dorado, Puerto Rico, on May 20, 1972. Tanya Wilson of Hawaii was crowned by outgoing titleholder Michele McDonald of Pennsylvania.[1] This was the second time Hawaii has won the pageant.
Bob Barker (who later that year would begin a 35-year run as host of The Price Is Right on CBS) and singer Helen O'Connell hosted the pageant and the Everly Brothers were the guest entertainers.[2]
Prior to the final competition contestants participated in a number of public appearances, including an official parade held in Ponce and a televised ceremony with Governor Luis Ferre.[3]
This was the first time the pageant was held outside the continental United States.[2] The event was marred by two bomb blasts at the hotel during the pageant, thought to have been caused by anti-American activists.[4][5] There was severe property damage but no injuries were reported.[6][7] Earlier that day the venue had been picketed by the Puerto Rican Socialist Party.[8]
- ^ UPI (1972-05-22). "Hawaii Lass Crowned Miss USA Saturday". Lodi News-Sentinel.
- ^ a b "CBS Televises Miss USA Saturday, Susan Gordon ranks high in prelims". The Rock Hill Herald. 1972-05-02.
- ^ "Beauties compete for Miss USA". Lodi News-Sentinel. 1972-05-15.
- ^ "Explosions rock beauty pageant site". Toledo Blade. 1972-05-21.
- ^ Wilson, Earl (1972-05-25). "The Earl Wilson Column". Beaver County Times.
- ^ "Police Seek Beauty Fete Bomb Clues". The Spokesman-Review. 1972-05-22.
- ^ "New Miss USA". Ellensburg Daily Record. 1972-05-22.
- ^ "Bombs enliven Nori Anderson's trip". Tri City Herald. 1972-05-24.