Construction of the McCook Air Base

Susan Doak

Southwest Nebraska Genealogy Society

"Quietly Jubilant" was the response of McCook's businessmen, when Captain Wm. E. Grubb of Kansas City announced the building of what was known to him as the McCook Air Base. Secretary Murphy of the Chamber of Commerce had called a number of McCook citizens to join him for a luncheon with the Captain and the response was that this would be "of a permancy (sic) that would remain always a benefit to the community." (McCook Gazette Sept. 9, 1942)

The architect and engineering staff were immediately set up in the former Woolworth building (west side of Norris Ave in the 300 block) and completion was estimated to be December 1942. Because a half dozen or more "satellite "air bases were to be constructed in Nebraska, farmers and lumbermen on the eastern end of the state were afraid the supplies of lumber and cement (on which war works had the first claim) might be depleted to the point that storage for the large corn crop expected that year might not be able to be built.

While construction carried on, Don Kelley, in charge of buildings in the J.E. Kelley estate, readied two buildings downtown for worker dormitories. The main floor of the old Ace Pool Hall and the second floor of the former Schaffer's Café were stocked with steel cots for 60 men. Mrs. Jessie Couch of Sterling, Colorado, a wife of one of the workers, was hired to oversee the dormitories and make sack lunches for the men to carry to work. The men would be charged $3.50 per week for lodging.

By April of 1943, B. J. Hofer was announcing the Civil Service Examination for the many jobs opening for young women at the air base.

Miss Flora Dutcher chaired a Victory book drive for the base, collecting 450 books in McCook. Cambridge sent an additional 100. Lt. D. Fromer, special relations officer at the base, said the boys were delighted with the gift.

The McCook Junior College girls sold tickets for a benefit show to be held at the Fox Theater, raising funds for furnishing day rooms at the base. They sold $208.50 worth of advance tickets. Accompanying the girls as they sold tickets were Art Herrmann, Polly Bignell and Helen Shurtleff. Beverly Hatcher, Mary Swanson and Beryl Hamilton sold the most tickets. Mrs. Mary Bryan of Culbertson led that city's campaign to raise funds for the complete "outfitting" of one of the eight day rooms at the base, which was announced at the Fox during the benefit show by H.C. Kruse, master of ceremonies that night. McCook entertainers included Mrs. Harold Sutton, Doris Bohike, and Mrs. Von Blue, piano; Mary Gilma Kelly, trumpet solo; Lois Sutton, vocalist; Betty Harmon Grant and Mary Gochis, tap dance; Jackie Krogh and Jackie Morris McCartney, duet; Danny Peppler, accordion; Patty Burton, Mary Ellen Marshall, Dick Gruver, and Dale Waddell, quartet. Ray Search and Denton Snyder arranged the show.

In eight short months, Southwest Nebraska had become fully vested in supporting the war effort! Next we will take a look at the how various entertainments were created for the soldiers at the base.

May 16 will be Southwest Nebraska Genealogy Society's one-day workshop on "Basic Genealogy and using the Family Search website." Lunch is included and the cost is $25 for members, seniors and veterans; $30 for others. You can register by mailing the fee to SWNGS, PO Box 156, McCook, NE 69001.