Once upon a Town

The author of the New York Times bestseller Duty shows how a small town in Nebraska gave meaning, joy, and hope to every train of World War Two soldiers passing through their town. The town came to symbolise the patriotism of the American people during World War Two. North Platte, Nebraska, is alone on the plains in the middle of the country. But before the air age, the Union Pacific Railroad's main line ran right through town. When World War Two began, the trains transported young soldiers across the continent to both coasts on their way to battle. Then a local resident had an idea: why not meet the trains coming through, offer the servicemen and servicewomen some warmth and support? On Christmas Day, 1941, the first train rolled in and the surprised soldiers on board were greeted with welcoming words and baskets of treats. What happened in the years that followed was a miracle. The railroad depot was transformed into the North Platte Canteen. Every day of the year, every day of the war, the Canteen was open from 5 a.m. until the last troop train pulled away after midnight, staffed and funded entirely by private volunteers, to serve thousands of military personnel daily.