individuals who have been working regularly at the Canteen for nearly four years. … “Of course, we cannot stop now, even though the war is over. We must continue operations for the next 10 months — possibly 12 — to welcome our fighting men home from overseas. There are many ways in which we must show our appreciation to these men who have fought for our country and for us, and maintaining the Canteen is one of the ways. … Let’s do as much for these men in peace time as we have done in war time,” she urged. Telegraph Editorial | Aug. 21, 1945 The war is over for most of us, but the Canteen still carries on, feeding more service men than before. It will continue to carry on, thanks to the splendid spirit of cooperation shown by the various com- munities, until these large troop movements cease. No, we do not have any war factories in this city. WE HAVE SOMETHING MUCH BETTER — THE NORTH PLATTE CANTEEN. Time would tell how long the Canteen’s human and financial resources would hold up. Meanwhile, the workers were seeing more return customers, even from their earliest days. Daily Bulletin | Aug. 29, 1945 In a letter received at the Canteen Monday, a sailor who visited the Canteen in 1942 expressed his sur- prise to find that after three years, the people serv- ing at the Canteen are still so kind and considerate.
Japan’s formal surrender would not take place until Sept. 2. But postwar fundraising began the night of Aug. 16, with a “Victory Dance” (which netted $187) reinforcing that North Platte and western Nebraska wouldn’t be finished with its morale mission until all — or at least most — of the troops had come home. Telegraph | Aug. 21, 1945 Mrs. Adam [Helen] Christ, on behalf of the staff of the North Platte Canteen, today expressed appreciation for the services rendered by the many groups, organizations, communities and
This Daily Bulletin editorial of Aug. 21, 1945, urged western Nebraskans to stay the course with the Canteen as troops headed home. The North Platte Telegraph
“Dear Friend,” he said, “I really mean friends. It was my pleasure in May 1942 to pass thru your town, and I was surprised and pleased to find people so considerate and kind to men in the service at that early stage of the war. But my greatest surprise was tonight, upon returning from the Pacific, to find you just as kind and considerate as you were three years ago. “You really must have a big task to take care of as many service men as must pass thru your town. It makes it seem that we who went over- seas really had something to go for and some- thing to go back to. So again I wish to thank you for myself on two occasions and for the boys with me in the hospital train that arrived at 9:30 tonight.”
The North Platte Telegraph
108 CANTEEN: AS IT HAPPENED
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