Across America thousands of volunteers greeted soldiers on trains with friendly smiles, welcoming words, and baskets filled with food and other treats during the brief moments their train paused at the railroad station.

Upon stopping at a canteen, the troops were invaded by a swarm of angels—beautiful girls and charming women, boys and men all with a smile and cheery word—and food, drinks, desserts and candy and all the other things of home they needed. 

People, to whom the troops were all were strangers, did all they could to make the brief stop comfortable. People gave their time in such a small but powerful way that it really brought home to the troops. The volunteers showed the troops that this was the real America; this was what they were fighting and working for and wanted to come back to. . . .

In those volunteers the troops saw their mothers, wives, sisters, daughters and sweethearts; fathers, brothers and children—but above all this, they saw—America.

This is their story!

In those coaches were green troops, soda jerks and farm boys, teachers and dentists, students and lawyers, service station attendants, iron workers and store clerks who in the prime of their lives were going to war. Many had no idea where they would be going and it shown on their faces. Most had never been this far from home. These were the men and women destined to stand in harm’s way.

Many were homesick, perhaps tired and maybe a little scared. At designated railroad stops, the soldiers only had time to stretch their legs, some were on trains for as long as five to seven days.

Many troops procured a short furlough before moving to a port of embarkation. They made every effort, sometimes extraordinary efforts to make the solemn journey home. In many instances their funds did not stretch much beyond purchase of a train ticket home. The need to get home was so important that they would go without food while on the train in order to make that all-important final trip home to see the folks, a favorite girl or young wife and family before leaving for foreign shores. Soldiers on furlough were not being fed by the government and did not have a travel voucher to cover personal travel expenses.

Food from the dining car was expensive and railroads were being squeezed with food rationing to serve only two on-train meals daily. Meals ranged from $1 to $1.50, prices that were excessively high for the GI who earned just $21 a month. Soldiers on furlough sometimes traveled four or five days, existing on water, and perhaps a few cookies offered by a kind stranger. The boys going home on furlough or traveling at their own expense more often than not were downright hungry.

At Towns like Reno, Nevada; North Platte, Nebraska; Bellefontaine, Ohio; Lima, Ohio; Troy, Ohio; Clinton, Iowa and Connellsville, Pennsylvania, local groups recognized a greater need to provide a little food, a few moments of comfort and distraction at track side.

Many were small towns but major railroad terminals where train crews were changed, locomotives serviced and freight trains were yarded. The hub in these towns was the busy passenger station, usually close to the center of town. Railroads were the major industry in town. There were also towns like Troy, Ohio that had no major rail facilities but were water stops where the trains only paused long enough to take on locomotive water. It was enough time to warrant some kind of canteen service for the benefit of the troops.

As the war deepened hometown people were routinely visiting the local train station to watch as the troops passed by. In those spectators were a few people who were moved in powerful ways to do something compassionate for the boys. They wanted to give them some brief relaxation, a distraction, a few moments of home with something to eat and drink.

These canteens welcomed the many strangers, fed the hungry, gave drink to the thirsty.  They were the modern day version of the biblical story of the loaves and fishes.  Never did a canteen run out of food.  They met every soldier and saw to his needs via the sacrifices and generosity of the communities.  It was a grass roots effort that brought hundreds of local residents and their offering of comfort and kindness for each trainload of soldiers. Those kind hearted souls promoted peace and inspired others to also extend kindness to those many young men and women, most being total strangers.

Their duty of service and gladness helped all the soldiers they served to freshen into smiles as fears and anxiety were dissolved. This was the unselfish love of those patriots.

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