Ohio led the nation in terms of track side canteens during WW II, The reason becomes obvious when one realizes that troop flow to points of embarkation heading to Europe and then returning and heading for the Pacific battles. Almost every heavy main line railroad crossed the state and most of the troops rode trains across Ohio to port of embarkation or returning back to the states. Thus twelve community canteens plus five USO lounges and two cookie brigades were established to meet the trains. The list of canteens is as follows: Alliance, Athens, Bellefontaine, Bucyrus, Crestline, Dennison, Galion, Lima, Mansfield, Marion, Springfield and Troy.

ALLIANCE -- At the station of the Pennsylvania Railroad. This was a large canteen, started in November 1943 and served an average of 1,500 troops daily on two main lies of PRR..

ATHENS -- At the station of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. This canteen was started in May 1945 and operated on Friday and Saturday evenings only. They provided brown-bag snacks to troops

BELLEFONTAINE Click on name to open a special web page.

BUCYRUS -- Site unclear, Little is known of this canteen other than it served troops coming to Camp Millard and was a direct spin-off of the Crestline Canteen.

CHILLICOTHE -- Local reports indicate there was some effort on the platform of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad to meet trains and offer some refreshment to passing troops.  No other information discovered to validate this effort.

CRESTLINE Click on name to open a special web page.

DENNISON Click on name to open a special web page.

GALION -- At the New York Central station. This was the shortest operating canteen in Ohio. It was operated for just six weeks in July and August 1942, by the Ladies Auxiliary of the Galion hospital. It was closed by the War Department after word of pending troop train arrivals was leaked to the general public. The ladies shifted their support to the Crestline canteen, four miles away, and continued to support that canteen until it closed.

 LIMA  Click on name to open a special web page.

MANSFIELD -- At the Erie - Baltimore & Ohio Station. It was known as the Mansfield Service Center and was a direct spin-off of the Crestline Canteen.

 MARION  Click on name to open a special web page.

SPRINGFIELD  Click on name to open a special web page.

TROY Click on name to open a special web page.

FOR OTHER CANTEENS AROUND THE UNITED STATES Click here

FOR USO LOUNGES Click here

Read selected letters from the soldiers who stopped at many of the canteens CLICK HERE