Issue 3.13
This is a letter written to me by Paula Struckman of Grand Junction CO.
Dear Mr. Wyrouck,
A high school friend thoughtfully sent me your letter to the editor of the Idaho State Journal. My friend Marg, remembered that my mother had been associated with the USO Hut in Pocatello. I would be glad to tell you something about “The Hut.”
There was no formal organization sponsoring this endeavor; it was the brain child of Edna Service, who was my mother’s best mend. I have never been involved with anything more exciting, interesting and worthwhile. My father had died, so when mother had duty at the hut, she had no one to leave me with; I tagged along and soon became an integral part of the work.
Edna felt the community wanted to be involved in the war effort. Since troop trains came through
Pocatello on the way to the northwest coast, she decided to help “the boys.” The schedule of troops moving in and out was classified; however, those involved in troop transportation (train, but not bus) agreed to give Edna 30 minutes notice before the trains arrived. Remarkably, she organized women to give one day a week to help.
Although the hut closed at about 10PM, if there were a train coming in during the night, women had less than 30 minutes to dress, get to the train station, prepare coffee and set out the cookies. To my knowledge, they never missed serving a train!
Gas was scarce, food was rationed. Edna had the cooperation of organizations in every town within 50 miles to send cookies or cake to the hut. The goodies came by way of laundry trucks, vegetable trucks, whatever happened to be coming to Pocatello on the scheduled day. Edna invented recipes using leftover cookie crumbs to make batches of cookies for the soldiers, sailors or marines. The outpouring of help and love from Pocatellans and their neighbors was memorable.
Merchants donated coffee and, during Christmas season, hundreds of razors, books, cigarettes, etc. to be handed out Christmas Eve and Christmas. My fellow Campfire Girls and I wrapped these hundreds of gifts and gave them out to the troops. The girls also went door-to-door with wagons to gather comic books. Our living room floor was covered with comics and, of course, I had to read them, too!
I’ll never forget how grateful the men, very few women were to receive a smile, a cup of hot coffee and a cookie. I was talked with one soldier who had come back from the battles in Italy. The train was leaving, and ht pressed a beautiful cameo into my hand saying, “You remind me of my sister and thank you for being here.” I looked up and he was gone. I never saw his face, never knew his name, but I treasure the cameo.
The wonderful thing about the USO was not only that it did something for the service men, but it gave a sense of “being needed” to the community. That is what is missing in today’s world. Being showered with hi-fi, computers, cars, etc. cannot take the place of the wonderful feeling of doing something for someone else.
Thank you, Edna Service, from all of us. Thank you, Sam Wyrouck, for nudging me to remember and Marg, for forwarding his letter.
P.S. I mistakenly stated that “there was no formal organization sponsoring this endeavor.”
Although Edna Service was the Director of the USO Cookie Hut, the American Legion
Auxiliary, the U.S.O., the Military Club of Pocatello the “American Federation of Labor, the Union Pacific Railroad were responsible for the establishment and continuation of the
U.S.O. Hut.
My youthful memory of Edna Service was that of such a dynamic woman that I remember her doing everything. Further reflection and research, turned up a few more facts!