McCook women on the home front in World War II

Today it is refreshing to see how we are honoring our men in uniform, even though we seem to disagree on almost everything else. World War II was the last time, perhaps the only time, that our nation was near universally united in a common cause---that of defeating our enemies in Europe and in Asia. Our young men (and some women), between the ages of 18 and 35, who were physically able, served in one or another branch of Service. Those not physically fit for combat found a way to serve their country in vital war industries, building tanks or planes for “our boys”, as did so many women.

Here in McCook women also found ways to serve their country. Of course, everyone sacrificed when it came to commodities. For four years there were no new cars, or refrigerators and other household appliances, and there was rationing of sugar, lard, coffee, tires and gasoline and more. People grumbled to be sure, but the general feeling was that our boys overseas were sacrificing so much more, and people were all glad to do their bit to help the war effort---and women came up with ingenious ways of stretching the rationed commodities.

There is a story of one woman who came to her Project Club meeting very much excited to share a new recipe---Rhubarb pie which did not use any precious sugar. “Is that good?” asked one of the members. “Oh yes”, was her reply. “I made it this week and Frank said it was really good---but he said that I didn’t need to make it again”.

One way that McCook women found to help “our boys” was to meet the troop trains that traveled through McCook almost daily, to greet the boys with coffee and donuts, or candy, or cookies (made with the family’s rationed sugar), writing paper, playing cards, and the like. At the time, McCook was a division point, so a train passing through had a short layover while the train was serviced and changed crews. It was always something of a mystery how the ladies learned that a train would be coming through at a particular time. Security dictated that the movement of these trains be kept secret, yet somehow, dispatchers managed to let the ladies know that a train would be coming through, and there was always a group to meet that train.

40 years after he made a brief stopover in McCook, Robert Meagher, from California, wrote to the Gazette. He told of the surprise and pleasure that his stop in McCook had meant to him. He was treated like a hero, which he said he was not, yet the warmth and hospitality that the ladies showed him, was an experience he never forgot.

Shirley Axelson (Mrs. Milt Johnson) was a high school girl during WW II. She remembers the thrill of going with her friends and their mothers to help distribute goodies to the boys on the troop trains. They were so grateful for the attention that the ladies of McCook gave them, along with the snacks. (I’m sure that being served by pretty young girls added to their appreciation for the cookies.) She says that the girls sometimes gave their addresses and the boys would write. Some of these pen pal friendships continued through the war.

Mrs. Olive Harris remembered the Beta Sigma Phi (a social sorority) as a McCook group that seriously took on the chore of meeting troop trains, and the added responsibility of organizing other groups. The sorority was still in existence in 1982.

Mrs. Helen Anderson was the leader of a group of women who operated a small Canteen, located in the lobby of the depot. The Canteen served (free of charge) to the soldiers on the troop trains, apples, pie, cookies, cake and other edibles, as well as gum, tobacco, magazines and writing supplies. To collect goods for the Canteen (here in McCook) the city was divided into 12 sections, with a captain in charge of each section. In each section there were three lieutenants, who went door to door each week, asking for goods and 10 cents in cash to buy needed supplies. The women who operated the shop came from area towns, from Bartley to Imperial, as well as McCook. At times the work could be quite hectic, when boys would pour out of the trains in droves, but Mrs. Anderson said, “We loved the work. It was hard to see all those young boys going off to war, but we wouldn’t have missed it for the world. The boys were so appreciative!”

Betty (Mrs. Lester) Harsh spent two years as the leader of the Busy Bees Club, a volunteer group from Bartley. She remembered, “There were about three troop trains a day that passed through McCook. We enjoyed the work immensely. Everyone felt that they were doing something worthwhile. The boys were always glad to get out and stretch their legs and get a homemade cookie.”

The Red Cross was a highly visible organization in McCook during WW II, providing services to hundreds of service men and their families. One of the several units of the Red Cross donating time and assistance was “The Volunteer Service”, headed by Mrs. Chet Hileman, and Mrs. Harold Sutton. Their services thrived through most of the local churches. Each church had a key representative: Mrs. E.M. Morse, Methodist; Mrs. John O’Brien, Catholic; Mrs. V.V. Greg, 1st Congo; Polly (Mrs. Max) Merrill, St. Albans; Mrs. Art Hein, Baptist; Mrs. Art Steele, Christian; Mrs. Hileaman, West Side Congo; Mrs. L.M. Fiddler, Lutheran; Mrs. Joe Downs, Assembly of God.

There was a surgical dressing room at the Court House, run by Mrs. E.C. Green. The room was open four days per week, and it was here that volunteer ladies prepared bandages for use by combat medics in battlefields in Europe and The South Pacific.

During WW II the government promoted the planting of “Victory Gardens”. McCook took up this project with enthusiasm. The Municipal Defense Council (headed by R.H. Porter), provided Victory Garden Placards, which were placed in the gardens with the owner’s name prominently displayed. It was said that there was not a vacant lot left uncultivated in town. Even curbsides were planted with healthy vegetables.

The Navy Mothers’ Club conducted a fund-raiser for the benefit of the Servicemen’s Club, which was located in the basement of the Methodist Church. They sold knitted socks, with the slogan, “Buy a sock, sock a Jap!”. At the same time the McCook Elks Club conducted a drive, “Soldiers Smokes”, to provide cigarettes for servicemen. John O’Brien was Chairman and Max Billesbach was Treasurer of the drive, but it was the wives of the Elk’s members that put the drive across.

There were a number of other Service Clubs in town, for troop train stopovers and personnel from the McCook Army Air Base. Women ran these clubs---from preparing snacks and washing dishes, to lending a sympathetic ear to lonely soldiers. Mrs. Charles DeForest was the Chairman of the club in the 100 block of Main St. (Norris Ave.)

In the 300 block of Main St. there was another Service Club, but this one was restricted to civilian workers at the Air Base, to relax and have fun. On the first floor there was a dance floor and a bar, where workers could get soft drinks. In the basement there was a pool table, and several tables were set up for card games.

It is safe to say that the women of McCook eased the pain of being away from home for countless young men during WW II by volunteering for one or a number of these wartime projects. This was in addition to opening their homes in many instances for Air Base servicemen and their families, to share a family meal.

Families also cooperated with the Chamber of Commerce to convert garages, basements and spare rooms into living quarters for many of these wartime visitors to McCook. In doing so friendships were formed that lasted a lifetime.

These volunteers sacrificed their time (and money) be help “our boys in uniform”, yet it would be difficult to find volunteers in any of these projects who did not feel that they had been more than richly compensated by their contacts with the servicemen, and the satisfaction they derived from doing their part in winning the war.

— Source: McCook Gazette Archives