Letter from Chet Van Peursem to Edna Neid, Jessie Hutchins and Rose Loncar
- Date
- Creator
- Van Peursem, Chester
- Format
- letter
- Category
- Stories
- Subcategory
- Canteen
- People
- Van Peursem, Chester
- Neid, Edna
- Hutchins, Jessie
- Loncar, Rose
- Roddy, Francis Vincent
- Roddy, Pauline
- Places
- Sioux City, Iowa
- Maurice, Iowa
- North Platte, Nebraska
- San Francisco, California
- Orange City, Iowa
- Data URI
- soh.sto022.00003.xml
Veterans of World War I of the U.S.A. Inc. DEPARTMENT OF IOWA
CHET VAN PEURSEM
Box 221
Past-DEPARTMENT COMMANDER
Phone Code 712-737-2210
Orange City, Iowa 51041
Feb. 16, 1977 Dear Ms Edna Neid-Jessie Hutchins and Rose Loncar: Canteen Ladies:-
An item in today's Sioux City Journal, "GI's Still Remember North Platte Canteen" drew my attention. This article refers to the many meals served to World War 2 Service-men by the ladies at North Platte. Now please permit me to go back 58 years to the time immediately after Nov. 11, 1918.
I am a World War I veteran and on Jan 15, 1919, I received my discharge from the U.S. Navy at San Francisco. On Jan 17, 1919 I with many other service men were on the UP train( I was going back to my farm home near Maurice, Iowa) when we stopped at North Platte (about 15 minutes as I recall) there was a group of ladies at the depot who served us sandwiches and coffee and gave us fruit and cigarettes. I am sure we thanked these ladies but if you know any of the ladies who might have been there in Jan. 1919, please thank them again.
There is another reason why North Platte means a lot to me. It was the home of my Navy Buddy, Francis Vincent Roddy who after he married, lived at 621-West "B" St. in North Platte until he died in Nov. 1975.
"Vince" and his family and my family met twice during these years and always exchanged Christmas Greetings. Christmas 1975 his widow Pauline informed me of his death. If you know Pauline, please say Hello for my wife and I.
Thank you for your service to your country and your fellow men. May God Bless America but may we as Americans also be worthy of His favors.
Respectfully, Chet Van Peursem 305-5th St.N.E.Orange City, Iowa 51041
Iowa Dept- Veterans of WW1
Grange City, Iowa 51041
Served Goodies then
ORANGE CITY, IA
THIRD WEEK
ORANGE CITY, IA
Feb 17
PM
1977
51041 Canteen Ladies
Ms. Edna Neid-Jessie Hutchins-Rose Loncar
North Platte, Nebraska.
69101