Nebraskans show their support for overseas troops

Al Hansen remembers the North Platte canteen.

During World War II, volunteers in this Midwestern community served food and coffee - along with hefty portions of kindness - to about 8,000 military personnel daily.

Hansen, who lives in Fremont, was one of those men.

“I stopped at North Platte and enjoyed the goodies. Almost every guy on the train got off. There were enough people to serve you and take time to talk to you,” he said.

Now - more than 60 years later - Nebraskans are once again showing their support for those fighting a war overseas.

On Friday, North Platte residents loaded the historic Union Pacific train No. 844 with supplies destined for

U.S. troops.

Supplies were unloaded Monday morning in Fremont by Army Reserve personnel.

First Sgt. Dave Ibsen of the 394 CSS Battalion in Fremont operated the forklift.

Boxcar UPP 9336, built in 1964 by the St. Louis Car Company, carried those donated provisions.

“We unloaded 12 pallets - food, film, soap and basic supplies,” said crew member Darwin Brown of Cheyenne, Wyo.

Supplies were transported to Offutt Air Force Base to be shipped to the Middle East on an RC-135 transport plane.

“I think it's great. When we were deployed as the 809th Quartermaster Battalion, it was nice to get supplies,” Ibsen said.

Sgt. 1st Class Lonnie Kastrup of Lincoln, with the 728 Quartermaster, echoed those sentiments.

“It's morale. Soldiers aren't home with their loved ones and it's a simple way of saying thank you and we support you. It's like working as a team,” he said.

“The troops are a long way from home and don't have the niceties that we have. They need to know the country is behind them and they're not forgotten,” Ibsen said. “When I was in Vietnam a long time ago, we didn't get this support.”

James Barnes, director of media information for Union Pacific Railroad, helped with the unloading operation.

“We were happy to facilitate helping transport goods to the Mideast and to soldiers,” said Barnes, who also helped educate visitors.

Steve and Amy Hurst and their three children of Fremont were among those there to watch the train unload.

“Our littlest loves trains,” Amy said.

For other Fremonters, the train carried a load of memories of the North Platte canteen.

From 1941-46, the North Platte canteen served 6 million military personnel. About 50,000 people from 125 surrounding communities, including Union Pacific employees, volunteered at the well-publicized canteen.

“I did go through North Platte on the way home from California to Nebraska for furlough,” said Marv Welstead of Fremont.

While visiting the train Monday, Fremonter Donna L. Miller recalled hearing stories about the graciousness of the people of North Platte during the heyday of the canteen.

“This is history,” she said.

But for some, it was part of their lives.

“A lot of ladies were there at the time, meeting the train - there was a lot of activity,” Welstead remembered.

Hansen was traveling from Salt Lake City, Utah, to Alexandria, La., during the war.

“We were forming crews to fly TM,” Hansen explained.

Even during wartime rationing, cookies and doughnuts were available - and cakes.

“They served sandwiches and cakes of every kind. If you had a birthday, they had a cake,” Hansen said. “I cheated a little bit. I said I had a birthday and I shared the cake with the rest of the fellows on my crew.”

About 600 such cakes were given away monthly.

“I thought it was a marvelous place,” Hansen said, adding, “My wife, Frances, was with me once. They treated her the same - just wonderful.”