Telegraph | Dec. 10, 1943 The Christmas spirit is much in evidence at the North Platte Canteen today, with the Municipal Light and Power company installing the decora- tions furnished by the business men of the city and a sizable pile of Christmas presents, to be given the men passing through the Canteen on Christmas day, all ready on hand. … Gifts not to exceed fifty cents in price, tied and ready for delivery, will be accepted now at the Canteen.
The plans for receiving the Canteen’s Meritorious Service Award had been finalized — apparently.
Telegraph | Dec. 15, 1943 Word has been received at the Canteen that Col. G.B. McGary, who will make the presentation of the citation for meritorious service to the war effort from Maj. Gen. [F.E.] Uhl, will arrive in North Platte Sunday afternoon about 2 o’clock. Col. McGary is forced to return to Cheyenne on the earliest train, so the time of the presenta- tion can not be definitely determined but will be brief. A transcription will be made and broadcast by KODY immediately following the Army Hour [program]. But North Platte’s recently renamed radio station changed its plan. It had been KGNF-AM since it went on the air July 5, 1930, but the daytime- only station had just been purchased by Omaha’s WOW-AM and changed its call letters in honor of
Two soldiers enjoy a cup of coffee, circa 1943.
Telegraph | Nov. 30, 1943 It was decided to issue immediately a bulletin [ask- ing merchants] to give their regular 15 cents per foot for decoration as usual. The money this year is to be used in decorating the Canteen and furnishing special treats for the service men passing through North Platte. … The decoration committee plan to use the street lights and evergreen to decorate the front of the Canteen and also to decorate a large Christmas tree that will be placed on the outside, so that men who are not allowed off the trains will enjoy the Christmas spirit.
certificate will be presented to the Canteen for its outstanding accomplishments in serving the U.S. armed forces. Through his public relations officer, Lt. Col. Robert W. Reed, Gen. Uhl said today to sponsors of the Canteen, “the work of the organization you represent unquestionably contributed much to the comfort, welfare and morale of the members of the armed services.” Meanwhile, North Platte’s downtown merchants were taking charge of supplying the Canteen’s Christmas needs.
64 CANTEEN: AS IT HAPPENED
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