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Stage Door Canteen


Tinman
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Very cool, thanks for posting. I had ever heard of Stage Door Canteen until you did that presentation at military club. By the looks of those two young ladies, I think it is a very manly thing to collect, haha.

 

Tyler

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  • 2 months later...

Hello,

 

Great post!! Thanks for sharing all the photos & info. I remember one of the WWII mags had a nice article on the Stage Door Canteen not long ago. The only item i've come across is this Guest Card that was amongst an extensive GI grouping. I thought I recalled that admission & refreshments were free to service members at the Canteen. This card made me wonder if my recollection was correct on this. Otherwise why would you need this unless it was for a non service memeber? It's a 2 3/4 by 4 in piece of paper.

 

I apologize if this was inappropriate to add on here.

 

thanks,

CR :)

 

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Hi CR – Your post is perfectly appropriate and thanks for posting. I’m assuming that if a Serviceman or Merchant Seaman brought a date to one of the clubs he may have needed a guest pass of some sort. All refreshments were non-alcoholic and were free to Servicemen. I have pass (?) for the New York Merchant Seaman’s club for a play. It states: Your guest for ‘Petrified Forest’ (Matinee) is one Merchant Seaman. – I’m not sure what that means. Jim

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One of the first ATW documents I acquired is a two page printed copy of ‘Rules For Hostesses’ which lists twenty-one rules. One rule that caught my attention is rule number twelve: “If hostesses see any service man in the Canteen wearing their overcoats, they are not to dance with them, but should ask them to go to the Check room and check their coats. This is a house rule.” – I think I know what the rule is implying but you can decide for yourself.

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Another photograph I had to have. Although the young women are wearing the Stage Door Canteen uniform of a red, white and blue apron, none are wearing any insignia that I can see.

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  • 10 months later...

post-20555-0-11195400-1350334121_thumb.jpgThis is the latest addition to my collection. This is an original apron worn by Mrs. Della Napier Shatto. She volunteered at the Washington D.C. Canteen from 1943 to 1945. She died in 2009.

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I picked up a mint pair of those big 2 1/2"wings on eBay few months ago, really neat item... but was a little surprised when my girlfriend REALLY LIKED IT!

 

These posts fill in a few of the gaps about the history of it. Thanks!

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  • 1 month later...
  • 1 year later...

I am impressed!

I had a basic awareness of the stage door canteens, but no idea there were so many cool artifacts!

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