The North Platte Canteen (also known as the Service Men's Canteen in the Union Pacific Railroad station at North Platte) was a railroad stop served by local citizens of
North Platte, Nebraska
North Platte is a city in and the county seat of Lincoln County, Nebraska, United States. It is located in the west-central part of the state, along Interstate 80, at the confluence of the North and South Platte Rivers forming the Platte River. T ...
,
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
, that operated from
Christmas Day
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year, ...
1941 to April 1, 1946.
Located along the tracks of the
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , legally Union Pacific Railroad Company and often called simply Union Pacific, is a freight-hauling railroad that operates 8,300 locomotives over routes in 23 U.S. states west of Chicago and New Orleans. Union Paci ...
, its purpose was to provide refreshments and hospitality to soldiers who were traveling through the area on the way to war during their ten- to fifteen-minute stopovers. During its run, nearly 55,000 Nebraska women served almost seven million soldiers on their way to fight in
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
.
History
Beginnings
The history of the canteen can first be traced back to December 17, 1941. Just ten days after the
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service upon the United States against the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, j ...
, men of the
134th Infantry Regiment of the
Nebraska National Guard
The Nebraska National Guard consists of the:
*Nebraska Army National Guard
*Nebraska Air National Guard
See also
*Nebraska State Guard
References
External linksBibliography of Nebraska Army National Guard Historycompiled by the United States ...
were on their way from
Camp Joseph T. Robinson
Robinson Maneuver Training Center (Camp Robinson) a facility located at North Little Rock, Arkansas, which houses the Joint Forces Headquarters, Arkansas National Guard, the Headquarters, Arkansas Air National Guard, Headquarters, 77th Combat Avi ...
, near Little Rock, Arkansas
to an unknown destination. Rumor had it that the train would arrive at 11:00, but by noon it had not shown up. After another false alarm, the train finally rolled in around 16:30. By this time, at least five hundred relatives and friends of local servicemen had shown up at the depot.
The crowd cheered, but the soldiers were not members of the 134th. The crowd gave them the gifts and food that was originally meant for their own sons and wished them off.
The reason that the train stopped in
North Platte
North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography.
Etymology
The word ''north'' is ...
was because the town was a designated tender point for steam trains. Stopping the train allowed for the train crews to relubricate the wheels, top off the water levels in the tanks, and other tasks for the maintenance of the locomotive. This practice continued until the
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , legally Union Pacific Railroad Company and often called simply Union Pacific, is a freight-hauling railroad that operates 8,300 locomotives over routes in 23 U.S. states west of Chicago and New Orleans. Union Paci ...
switched to diesel locomotives.
Start of the canteen
Of the group of people that were originally at the depot on the seventeenth, twenty-six-year-old Rae Wilson, a drugstore saleswoman, witnessed the hospitality. Her brother supposedly was to be on the troop train as a company commander. As she walked away from the train that evening, she had an idea to meet all the trains that went through North Platte and give the soldiers the same type of sendoff. The next day she suggested that the meeting of soldiers become a permanent occurrence. She also wrote a letter to ''
The Daily Bulletin
The Southern California News Group (SCNG), formerly the San Gabriel Valley News Group and the Los Angeles News Group, is an umbrella group of local daily newspapers published in the greater Los Angeles area by Digital First Media, which is owned ...
'':
Editor, The Daily Bulletin:
:I don't know just how many people went to meet the trains when the troops went thru our city Wednesday, but those who didn't should have.
:To see the spirits and the high morale among those soldiers should certainly put some of us on our feet and make us realize we are really at war. We should help keep this soldiers morale at its highest peak. We can do our part.
:During World War I the army and navy mothers, or should I say the war mothers, had canteens at our own depot. Why can't we, the people of North Platte and other towns surrounding our community, start a fund and open a Canteen now? I would be more than willing to give my time without charge and run this canteen.
:We who met this troop train which arrived about 5 o'clock were expecting Nebraska boys. Naturally we had candy, cigarettes, etc., but we very willingly gave these things to the Kansas boys.
:Smiles, tears and laughter followed. Appreciation showed on over 300 faces. An officer told me it was the first time anyone had met their train and that North Platte had helped the boys keep up their spirits.
:I say get back of our sons and other mothers' sons 100 per cent. Let's do something and do it in a hurry! We can help this way when we can't help any other way.
-Rae Wilson
The next day she began work on the canteen. Calls to merchants came with requests for cigarettes and tobacco, while housewives were asked to contribute cake and cookies, with attempts to get the younger women to hand out the gifts and keep conversation up with the soldiers.
The first meeting was held on December 22 for the canteen committee.
Three days later, on
Christmas
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus, Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by country, around t ...
day, the next train pulled into the city, surprising the young men who were expecting just another boring stop.
At first, the women worked out of the nearby Cody Hotel. They were later allowed to move into a shack by the side of the tracks by the railroad company when a woman became friendly with the president of the
Union Pacific
The Union Pacific Railroad , legally Union Pacific Railroad Company and often called simply Union Pacific, is a freight-hauling railroad that operates 8,300 locomotives over routes in 23 U.S. states west of Chicago and New Orleans. Union Paci ...
. Eventually the movement grew and people from multiple organizations in surrounding communities began to contribute.
After a while, the women began to serve a thousand men a day, with those who were celebrating a birthday getting their own cake and a singing of "
Happy Birthday". Once, a serviceman lied about his birthday, but gave his cake to a boy suffering from
polio
Poliomyelitis, commonly shortened to polio, is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. Approximately 70% of cases are asymptomatic; mild symptoms which can occur include sore throat and fever; in a proportion of cases more severe s ...
after becoming grief-stricken.
Donations and sustainment
The goodness of random strangers helped to keep up the canteen. Donations include a coffee importer who sent a twenty five pound can of coffee, a woman who consumed food and later sent a check for two hundred dollars, and others. A fall scrap drive donated two thirds of its income to the canteen. Even the priest of the local
Roman Catholic
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
church, after donating twelve turkeys and hearing that they were consumed, personally transported his turkey over to the canteen. Expenses for the canteen averaged about two hundred and twenty five dollars a week.
Over one hundred and twenty five communities donated their time to work at the canteen. Some people travelled as far as two hundred miles to take turns on regularly appointed days. The groups also took responsibility in supplying food for the day. If a group was too small, multiple ones would band together and help fulfill the daily requirements. Benefit dances, pie socials, and other activities were held to also help raise money for the canteen. The youth also contributed to the workload, cleaning floors and raising money in all ways possible to support the troops.
One girl remembers writing their addresses onto the packaging of popcorn balls so that the troops would have someone to write to.
One twelve-year-old boy even sold his pets, toys, and the shirt off his back and donated the money to the cause. The railroad company got into the giving by donating a dishwasher and coffee urns.
Kindness
The women at the canteen went to great lengths for the servicemen. Those who worked at the desk would write cards and letters as well as send telegrams for servicemen who would not otherwise have time to do so. They even wired for flowers and sent gifts on special occasions. When a service member would call home and confuse the operator because of the hurry that they were in, a woman would help step in and clear up the confusion.
Women also were working on the platform, distributing the basics of fruit, matches, and candy bars for those who were unable to go inside. One of their most important jobs was to answer questions, including those surrounding the canteen and the basics of North Platte and Nebraska. Another important job was to tend to those on the hospital trains who were unable to enter the building. The men on the trains were naturally treated the same as those who went inside. Magazines, religious literature, and decks of cards were also distributed to the servicemen on the trains.
If they were unable to disembark from the cars, women would walk up and down the aisles distributing goods or hand up materials from the ground to the windows.
End of the war and closing
At the end of the war, the canteen continued to operate as men were returning home. Eventually it closed on April 1, 1946, having served over six million servicemen and women. Sixteen trains were scheduled on the final day and regular Monday workers were in charge along with Lutheran Church women from
North Platte
North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography.
Etymology
The word ''north'' is ...
, and
Gothenburg, Nebraska
Gothenburg is a city in Dawson County, Nebraska, Dawson County, Nebraska, United States. It is part of the Lexington, Nebraska Lexington micropolitan area, Micropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 3,574 at the 2010 United States Census, 20 ...
.
They would work from five in the morning until midnight, as they did not know when the troop trains would come through because their movements were secret.
Food was also donated during a time of rationing so that the soldiers could experience a taste of home of sorts.
Finances raised over the four and a half years: $137,884.72
1942: $10,429.83
1943: $23,417.45
1944: $42,931.20
1945: $51,565.35
References
Further reading
*
*
* {{cite book, title=North Platte Canteen, first=James J. , last=Reisdorff, year=1986, isbn=0960956859, publisher=South Platte Press
External links
Online Exhibits – The North Platte Canteenat the Lincoln County Historical Museum
North Platte Canteen: Where the Heartland opened its heart in WWII NPR
National Public Radio (NPR, stylized in all lowercase) is an American privately and state funded nonprofit media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It differs from other ...
, December 7, 2016
1941 establishments in Nebraska
1946 disestablishments in Nebraska
History of Nebraska
History of women in Nebraska
North Platte, Nebraska
Union Pacific Railroad
United States home front during World War II