Miss USA 1953
Miss USA 1953, the 2nd edition of Miss USA pageant, was held on July 16, 1953 at Long Beach Municipal Auditorium in Long Beach, California. Myrna Hansen of Illinois, won the competition and was crowned by outgoing titleholder, the first Miss USA, Jackie Loughery of New York. Hansen was 1st runner-up to Christiane Martel of France at Miss Universe 1953.
Placements
| Final Results | Contestant |
| Miss USA 1953 |
|
| 1st Runner-upMiss World USA 1953 |
|
| 2nd Runner-up |  Alabama – Doris Edwards |
| 3rd Runner-up |  Washington – Nancy Petraborg |
| 4th Runner-up |  Utah – Shauna Wood |
| Top 20 |  California – Marcella Roulette Colorado – Jeanie Carroll Iowa – Marilyn Shonka Kentucky – Mary Ann Stice Louisiana – Jeanne Thompson Maine – Jackie Lee Miami Beach, FL – Kay Duggar Minnesota – Mary Ann Papke Nebraska – Berneta Nelson Nevada – Earlene Whitt New York – Reta Knapp Ohio – Eleanor Mack Pennsylvania – Jeri Bauer South Carolina – Susan Day Texas – Joan Bradshaw |
Illinois – Myrna HansenSpecial awards
Historical significance
- Illinois wins competition for the first time. Also becoming in the 2nd state who does it for the first time.
- Myrtle Beach, SC earns the 1st runner-up position for the first time.
- Alabama earns the 2nd runner-up position for the first time.
- Washington earns the 3rd runner-up position for the first time.
- Utah earns the 4th runner-up position for the first time.
- States that placed in semifinals the previous year were Louisiana, Minnesota and New York. All of them made their second consecutive placement.
- Alabama placed for the first time.
- California placed for the first time.
- Colorado placed for the first time.
- Illinois placed for the first time.
- Iowa placed for the first time.
- Kentucky placed for the first time.
- Maine placed for the first time.
- Miami Beach, FL placed for the first time.
- Myrtle Beach, SC placed for the first time.
- Nebraska placed for the first time.
- Nevada placed for the first time.
- Ohio placed for the first time.
- Pennsylvania placed for the first time.
- South Carolina placed for the first time.
- Texas placed for the first time.
- Utah placed for the first time.
- Washington placed for the first time.
Contestants
- Alabama - Doris Edwards
- Arizona - Eleanor Ruth Cross
- Arkansas - Jackie Stucker
- California - Marcella Roulette
- Colorado - Jeanie Carroll
- Connecticut - Beverlee Burlant
- Idaho - Patricia Rose Carter
- Illinois - Myrna Hansen
- Indiana - Edith Mae Krumme
- Iowa - Marilyn Shonka
- Kentucky - Mary Ann Stice
- Louisiana - Jeanne Vaughn Thompson
- Maine - Jackie Lee
- Maryland - Diane Gale Durham
- Massachusetts - Joan Daly
- Miami Beach, FL - Kay Duggar
- Michigan - Jo Ann Page
- Minnesota - Mary Ann Papke
- Mississippi - Jessie Wynn Morgan
- Missouri - Donna Gardner
- Montana - Billie Jean Tyrrell
- Myrtle Beach, SC - Mary Kemp Griffin
- Nebraska - Berneta Nelson
- Nevada - Earlene Whitt
- New Hampshire - Muriel Roy
- New Jersey - Susan Ruth Harris
- New York - Reta Knapp
- North Carolina - Libby Walker
- North Dakota - Marilyn Caufield
- Ohio - Eleanor Mack
- Oklahoma - Barbara Bond
- Pennsylvania - Jeri Bauer
- Rhode Island - Barbara Deignan
- South Carolina - Susan Anthony Day
- South Dakota - Kathleen Herman
- Texas - Joan Gail Bradshaw
- Utah - Shauna Wood
- Vermont - Kathleen Surrel
- Virginia - Dorothy Lee Bailey
- Washington - Nancy Petraborg
- West Virginia - Fay Higley
- Wisconsin - Jacque Marie Kimmel
- Wyoming - Nancy Rogers
Panel of judges
- Jeff Chandler
- Rhonda Fleming
- Arlene Dahl
- Constance Moore