Here in Nebraska, we reserve a special spot in our history and in our hearts for the North Platte Canteen. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the Canteen, a remarkable legacy of service and compassion. Serving over 6 million soldiers from December 1941 to April 1946, the Canteen and its volunteers provided our brave World War II service members moments of respite as they traveled on the Union Pacific railroad.
One of these volunteers was my mother, Florence Strobel, and like many of you, I grew up hearing the incredible stories of the Canteen.
In 1941, 10 days after the attack on Pearl Harbor, a train whistled through the heartland carrying with it the hopes of Nebraska families that their sons, brothers, and fathers were on board. In preparation, the Nebraskans had made egg salad sandwiches, cookies, popcorn balls, and other treats to share with their beloved family members, but upon arrival, the crowd gathered at the station found a different group of soldiers, ones who called Kansas home instead.
One young drug store clerk named Rae Wilson decided to gift her cookies to the soldiers on board. Immediately, the rest of the crowd followed. Hundreds of people distributed the gifts and food originally meant for their own sons to the service members and wished them off. The very next week, Wilson organized more women to meet the train, and thus, the North Platte Canteen was born.
Each day, up to 32 trains rolled into North Platte, carrying thousands of uniformed personnel. And as World War II raged on, donations and support from the communities surrounding North Platte poured in. In just one month, the North Platte Canteen received around 40,000 cookies, 30,000 hard-boiled eggs, 6,900 birthday cakes, and 2,800 pounds of sandwich meat.
Over the course of its nearly five-year existence, the Canteen brought in 55,000 volunteers — mostly women — from 125 different towns. In many cases, these volunteers commuted from distant rural areas, offering their time and money to our nation’s bravest. Still, they managed to meet every train with friendship and care, providing much needed morale to our servicemembers. This morale was returned through thank you letters and poems written by the soldiers served by the Canteen women.
As Nebraskans, we still remember the North Platte Canteen. In fact, April 1, 2026, marks the 80th anniversary of the last day of the Canteen. That is why Senator Ricketts and I reintroduced my North Platte Canteen Congressional Gold Medal Act to honor the thousands of Nebraskans who served our troops. This bill would award a collective Congressional Gold Medal to all of the individuals and communities who volunteered at or donated to the North Platte Canteen. This is the highest honor Congress can give civilians, and no one deserves it more than those who gave our soldiers hope during the war.
Under my bill, after the Treasury Department strikes this Congressional Gold Medal, it would be on display at the Lincoln County Historical Museum in North Platte, which displays a remarkable exhibit about the Canteen. The kindness and good deeds Nebraskans showed during World War II are a picture of the values we still hold dear in our state. I look forward to passing my North Platte Canteen Congressional Gold Medal Act to recognize and remember Nebraska’s incredible service, hospitality, and dedication toward some of our nation’s bravest during a time of great need.
Thank you for participating in the democratic process. I look forward to visiting with you again next week.