Daily Bulletin | Jan. 16, 1942 Postcards and letters, some [via] air mail, are roll- ing into North Platte from soldiers and sailors all over the nation who have been treated by the local Canteen. Many are addressed individually to girls in the Canteen who gave the service men their names and addresses. … Last night especially was an interesting one at the canteen with a score of girls who had received letters from soldiers passing the missives around and exchanging notes. … Recently a sailor was stranded here without funds, and thru the efforts of the Canteen he was given a room and board for four days. He wrote: “Just a few miles out of North Platte and I feel like going back. Your welcome to North Platte was friendly. My stay there was so enjoyable and swell all around that I can never thank you all enough. Now that I am leaving North Platte behind for a while I want to wish the U.S. No. 1 canteen good luck and thanks for a great work you are doing. Your sailor.” A letter from Fort Warren addressed to Miss Virginia [Julia] Schlueter said in part: “I told you on the train that I’d write. No doubt you’ll remember which one I am by the fact that you girls loaned us your lipstick to write your address with — We were all from Ohio and thru our 1,400 mile trip your town was the only one to do anything for us. …” Yesterday was Logan County day at the Canteen, and 28 women and girls from Stapleton spent the
day at the station. Mrs. C.F. Haines was in charge of the group. The Logan County women came in several cars and brought along their own treats for the soldiers. They were assisted by women from the Presbyterian church. Stapleton’s example would be duplicated over and over. Heartened by the region’s response and their uniformed visitors’ gratitude, Rae Wilson and her friends resolved to greet and serve every train, no matter when it arrived. And when funds and supplies ran low, their local and regional neighbors were there to replenish. Daily Bulletin | Jan. 20, 1942 Work at the Canteen has now been placed on a better organized basis, Miss Rae Wilson said
As word about the Canteen spread, neighbor- ing towns began showing interest in serving the troops. Stapleton, the Logan County seat 30 miles northeast of North Platte, earned the first place on the Canteen’s “Honor Roll.” Daily Bulletin | Jan. 13, 1942 More than 9,000 men of the armed forces have been served by the Canteen here since it opened Christmas day, Miss Rae Wilson, chairman, said yesterday. During the past weekend alone nearly 3,000 soldiers were treated by the committee as the heavy movement of troop trains thru North Platte went on. Interest not only in this but in surrounding com- munities in the Canteen is growing. From Stapleton yesterday came this card to the committee: “I will bring my group of girls over Thursday, Jan. 15. As we only have three small towns in this county, we are going together and call[ing] it Logan County day. We will all be there as near 1 p.m. as possible.” Daily Bulletin | Jan. 14, 1942 The airwaves, too, herald the work of the Canteen. Several local persons heard a broadcast yesterday from Los Angeles in which two soldiers told about the Canteen in North Platte, saying it was the first time in their trip from coast to coast they had been greeted by anyone.
The Daily Bulletin’s front page of Jan. 17, 1942, documents Stapleton’s place (with help from its Logan County neighbors) as the first “Honor Roll” town outside North Platte to volunteer to serve at the Canteen. The North Platte Telegraph
34 CANTEEN: AS IT HAPPENED
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