I had a lucky opportunity today. I just happened to be home when on PBS they aired North Platte Nebraska, Canteen Spirit.
I had no idea what this was about so I sat down for a few minutes just to see what it was.
It turned out to be a wonderful learning experience. About the homefront in the US in a small town in the US. And what this small commuity provided for our fighting men and women. I thought about posting this in the O'Club. But knowing we have a large contingent of History officianados I thought it best to Post here so maybe more will see it. Skuzzy I apologize if you decide to move this.
This small community decided it wanted to do something for the War effort. It started harmlessly by just a few women deciding to bake some cookies for the North Platte Boys who might be traveling to the War. They went to the Union Pacific Station and waited for troop trains to come through and to see if any North Platte Boys were on the trains so they could give them cookies. On this train they didn't find any, so a woman by the name of Rae Wilson said "Well I'm not taking these cookies home." And in unison all the women went to the train and passed out the cookies to the servicemen and servicewomen onboard. The troop Trains only stopped for ten minutes in North Platte. And...they came from both east and west so it was possible two troop trains were there at the same time. From this point on a legend was born.
Over a span of 4 and one half years 55,000 volunteers from 125 communities in Nebraska, Northeast Colorado, and NW Kansas served 6 million of our finest Food, Coffee, Birthday Cakes, Cigarettes and so on. No one told them to do it. They just did it to support the war effort.
They were Wives, Grandmothers, Grandfathers and Sisters. All volunteered. Everything was donated. Everything was home made and fresh.
remember...at that time you had to pluck the chicken, clean the chicken, skin the chicken then cook it. Same with Beef and Pork. Flour had to be sifted before baking. Mayonaisse, Ketchup, Mustard, Pickle home made. Cold Fresh Milk was always available. All of this was donated by the farmers in that small portion of the country.And again it was only a ten minute stop! The Conductors would tell the servicemen that they were in for a treat. Don't go to the Club Car to eat, they would say. You're about to experience something special.
The Volunteers in the Union Pacific Depot would know when the train was coming. The whistle of the Steam Engine prompted them to say.
"Put the Coffee Pot on" When the troop trains pulled into the station the volunteers 30 to 50 at a time would stream to the deck to wave and Welcome them all. One Soldier related this story. "I got off the train...and a very nice Lady with a Birthday Cake approached me and asked if it was my Birthday?" I said "No M'am" She said well...we're going to make today your Birthday and presented me with the Cake. They gave 600 Birthday Cakes away a Month. To those that did have Birthdays or didn't. And remember this was only a ten minute stop!
All sorts of sandwiches, cake, donuts, cookies, fruit etc were available and all donated and all homebaked with Pride.
One touching story related by a Volunteer told that A good friend of hers was notified while at the Canteen that one of her Sons had been killed in action. Of course she went home right away to be with her family. The next day at 5AM she showed up for work at the canteen again. She said.."Well...I can do nothing for my Son now......but I can certainly help someone elses Son."
Some got on trains from communities outside of North Platte at 3AM in the morning so they could be at the Canteen by 5AM and prepare for the days troop trains. Some of the averages, 97 doz eggs, 50 loaves of home made bread etc. were made and donated on a daily basis. The Canteen was open everyday of the year from 5AM until 11PM. They NEVER missed a Troop Train until the Canteen closed on April 1st 1946.
Yes....they kept the Canteen open after the war to greet returning veterans. remember....no one told them to do this. They all volunteered.
The indelible effect they had on the Young Service People traveling through was huge. Just recently 300 vets that traveled through North Platte returned to North Platte. And a little over 300 Volunteers all met again. This....after only a 10 minute stop in a small Midwest town on the way to War.
The Cost of serving 6 million servicemen was...well they had 137,000 dollars donated to them (no Govt. Funding,1.3 million today) Not to mention the time they volunteered and again, remember most goods were rationed! Flour, Wheat, Gasoline, Shoes etc and the good people of this area donated from their rations to make our young people feel at home and loved while they were away from home. A few of the Soldiers stated that it was like seeing Mom and Pop. Most of them were away from home for the first time.
When the ten minute stop was over.........all the Canteen Volunteers would again exit the Depot and wave and smile as our best boarded the Train for parts unknown. This is truly a wonderful and touching story. I wondered how a 10 minute stop could effect someone. The Soldiers who returned to North Platte answered my question.
PBS has the DVD and VHS for sale. Or....look for it on your local PBS lineup. It truly is a great story. And think....would this happen today?
Sorry if long winded....but it's something that those who enjoy our wartime history would enjoy.
