After 18 months, the Canteen’s signature sign ap- peared outside the depot.
Not only the Canteen women received thank-you letters from the troops. Young Gene Slattery was getting them, too. Daily Bulletin | Aug. 4, 1943 Gene Slattery, now famous for his shirt auctioning for the Canteen throughout this part of the state, re- ceived a letter of thanks for his efforts to win the war, signed by 85 members of the U.S. Army Air Forces. The letter reads as follows: “Dear Gene, and all your generous friends in North Platte, Nebraska: This little note is an effort to express our sin- cere gratitude for the kindness shown us at your Canteen. We’ll remember these little places when we get farther from home doing the real job,” signed U.S. Army Air Corps, by Pvt. Jim Murray, Essex Jct., Vermont. Signatures of 85 other mem- bers of the air corps follow. The letter was mailed from Lowry Field, Colo. Carpools, commonplace during America’s 1970s energy crises, were equally necessary under wartime gasoline rationing. This club of carpool- ing businessmen made the Canteen its particular charitable cause. Telegraph | Aug. 16, 1943 North Platte’s Share Your Ride club, with a mem- bership of 89 commercial men who travel in and out of this city, was advised today that they are to take care of the Canteen during Sunday, Sept. 12. … [It] organizes the commercial men so that they
Telegraph | July 17, 1943 A new sign is in place over the door at the Canteen telling everyone that this is “The North Platte Canteen.”The sign was donated by John Hanson of the Sixth Street Market and is placed so that it can be seen from either end of the station platform. Daily Bulletin | July 24, 1943 A fireman’s carnival will be held at the Union Pacific athletic club grounds the week of August 9th, Fire Chief Cecil Hines announced last night, following a special meeting of the city council. All the proceeds above expenses [which would total $955.02] will be donated to the Canteen. … Telegraph | July 27, 1943 A new organization is being formed in North Platte today, known as the North Platte Canteen Dollar-a-Month club. R.A. Self, Canteen treasurer, is starting the organization today by selling membership cards to all citizens in the community. The cards being pre- pared today cover the rest of the current year, and as membership is paid each month, the card will be punched for the corresponding month. … This club, properly conducted, will provide the Canteen with a steady income and take much of the worry of finances from the shoulders of the Canteen board.
This photo was taken sometime after the Canteen’s iconic sign was installed above the Union Pacific Depot’s trackside doors (see next column).
from the truck well filled with food items that will be served to the boys in the armed forces that pass through the Canteen today. Behind the editor were two men with a large gas popcorn machine that will furnish fresh popcorn during the day. As the boxes taken from the truck were unpacked, Canteen workers found 80 loaves of bread, 73 fried chickens, 60 pounds of sandwich meat, 135 dozen cookies, 40 dozen doughnuts, 20 gallons milk, two birthday cakes, six large cakes, four gallons cream, nine gallons pickles, three and one-half cases of hard-boiled eggs and other items too numerous to mention, Majors said. In addition to all the food and other supplies, 35 men and women from Callaway and vicinity were present to serve during the day.
60 CANTEEN: AS IT HAPPENED
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