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World War II Honoree

Civilian on the Home Front

Rae Wilson

Hometown

North Platte, Nebraska

Honored By

J. Wright

Relationship

Fellow Citizen

Branch Seal
Activity During WWII

RAE WILSON STARTED THE NORTH PLATTE CANTEEN, WHICH SERVED OVER 6 MILLION SERVICEMEN AND WOMEN. AS MANY AS 23 TROOP TRAINS CAME THROUGH THE CANTEEN CARRYING AS HIGH AS 8,000 SOLDIERS. THESE TRAINS CAME THROUGH ALL HOURS OF THE DAY AND NIGHT AND THEY WERE ALWAYS MET BY THE CANTEEN VOLUNTEERS WHO PROVIDED HOMEMADE FOOD, CANDY, CAKES, CIGARETTES, MAGAZINES AND MORE. ALL OF WHICH WERE DONATED BY PRIVATE CITIZENS AND LOCAL BUSINESSES. MOST OF THE SERVICEMEN WERE YOUNG TEENAGERS AWAY FROM HOME FOR THE FIRST TIME. NORTH PLATTE CANTEEN MADE THEM FEEL SPECIAL AND APPRECIATED. THE CANTEEN STARTED IN 1941 THROUGH 1946 OPERATING 10 MONTHS AFTER VICTORY DAY TO SERVE THE RETURNING SERVICEMEN.