The cost of running a first-rate conflict

Al Weibel, managing editor of the McCook Gazette in 1943, was invited to dinner at the McCook Army Air Base mess and wrote about it for the readers in the April 22 paper.

He wrote that he had to pick his words carefully describing the delicious food, as his wife at home might just speak to the draft board and arrange for him to eat there from then on. Not saying how great it was though wouldn't be fair to the mess sergeant and his crew or to Lt. Dave Fromer who paid for his meal.

"Let's dispose of the whole thing with the observation that nobody who is able to sit up and take nourishment would suffer if he had to live on such food for the duration." The portions were huge, they didn't have to stand in line and since he was eating with the officers, he didn't have to pick up his utensils or his dirty dishes.

At the time Weibel ate at the McCook base, one mess hall served enlisted men, officers and base workers. Later there would be additional messes, each a long frame building with a spacious kitchen at one end, a counter over which the food is served and long rows of "eight-passenger tables" with attached benches. Capt. Jack Carson poured coffee for Weibel in cups that he described were "of a size and heft that would be a decided asset to a man in a good lively gang fight."

Lt. Fred Greene was asking questions at the table about the possibility of some changes in the floor plan of the new PX (post exchange) which was under construction. Capt Carson said, "We (meaning the Army Engineers) build 'em like the book says. When we're through with 'em you guys (the Air Force) can do what you want to with 'em, " After a few additional joking remarks Capt. Carson gave the lieutenant the information he wanted in the first place ... how to go about requesting the changes he wanted.

These officers in their time off Weibel said, were pretty much the same sort of guys they had been a few months before when they weren't in Uncle Sam's service. He wrote, "When they really are in harness during the course of a day's work in winning the war, they are a little bit different. Something new has been added. There is a little more crispness, more forthright action and considerably more military manner. One gets the idea that, despite all of our pet peeves about the cost of running a first-rate world conflict, the war around McCook is in pretty good hands."

Speaking of "the cost of running a first-rate world conflict," which we seem to be trying to do again now ... I think you'll be surprised at the extent to which Nebraskans and McCookites were involved.

Rotarians Ken McGooden, Earle Wiltse and Phil Johnston came up with an auction idea to help raise $180,000 worth of War Bonds during the month of April. That amount was to be over and above any regular bond purchase plans that the Rotarians had in effect already. The Red Willow County bond quota for the month of April, 1943 was $395,000. That's a tall order, I thought!

As I read on down the article I was rather blown away by Frank Hamilton's goal. McCookite Frank Hamilton was the retiring district governor of Rotary and he had set a goal of $7 million in War Bonds to be bought or sold to others by Nebraska Rotarians that month.

"That amount of money would be enough to finance the purchase of a new submarine." Can you imagine? A submarine bought and paid for in one month by Nebraska Rotary members! It's hard not to read ahead and see if they actually make this goal ... if I were a betting woman, I'm afraid I'd have to bet against them ... I didn't think people in 1943 could even conceive of seven million dollars ... much less raise it in a month during war-time.

Anyway, this auction idea that McGooden, Wiltse and Johnston came up with reaped pretty good results at the April 20 meeting. A ride for three Rotarians in a jeep with Capt. Leo Mellon, post commander at the McCook Air Base brought $1,975.

They paid $75 to $1,000 for cards that exempted them from the usual 10 cent fine for not wearing their name buttons at meetings. In their first auction, the trio had even gone to the wives of their fellow Rotarians and gotten items such as childhood photos, their favorite pipes, razors etc. that the men then had to buy back at the auction.

At the conclusion of the second auction at the meeting on the twentieth, the club had raised $23,193.75. What do you think?