Oregon’s Gifts to the Friendship Train
Dorothy R. Scheele

The Friendship Train was an extraordinary and almost unknown event in American history.   In November 1947 Americans gave $40 million dollars worth of food to the starving people in Europe, chiefly taly and France.  Every state contributed to the Train.   A more complete history of the Friendship Train is on the home page of this web site. 

The Beaver state’s donations to the food-laden train  totaled three freight cars.  Three individuals who were instrumental in organizing the food drive were  Gilbert B. Christian, Secretary of the Oregon Council of Churches and Sate Director of the World Church Service,  Frank I. Shull, county chairman for Multnoman county,  and Battalion Chief,  Edward L. Bontright of the Portland Fire Department

The food was donated by the people of Oregon, and as was true  in every state, all aspects of the campaign were free: transportation, packing, loading and reloading were accomplished without any charge.  The owners of the ships, like the owners of the railroads, offered their services gratis.

Contributions, consisting of non-perishable items or cash, came from individuals and organizations. The Methodist Church in Halsey was among the contributors to theTrain.   Pendleton and La Grande donated wheat and peas.  School children were asked to donate wheat, canned milk, coffee, and fish. Washington High School registered an outstanding number of donations: the number of packages exceeded the number of students in the school. 

Undoubtedly, there were many other contributors, but these were the only names reported.   

All donations were to be in by Tuesday November 4th as shipment to Ogden, Utah, was to occur on November5th.  (The freight cars were destined for Utah because the Friendship Train did not stop in Oregon, but  traveled north to Sacramento and then headed directly east.)  Two carloads of wheat from Gilliam county were to be shipped the following week.     

In the November 5th, 1947,  Oregonian, is a picture of students who had helped to load the packages.  In the picture standing in from of a truck are Peggy Kershisnik Barbara Jeremiah, Jim Laurence, and Bill McLeon.  Standing on the truck are Earl Grove and Lee Puckett.

The Portland Draymen Assoc. and U. S. Army trucks and city and county trucks transported all donations from the fire halls, then to the waiting freight cars.  Undoubtedly, there were many other contributors, but these were the only names reported. 

Oregon, along with Washington, Idaho, Montana, and the territory of Alaska, had formed a group which had plans to create their own Friendship Train.  This conveyance would be known as the Pacific Northwest Christmas Train.  The intended departure date was December 31, 1947.  The development and history of the Pacific Northwest Christmas Train, is a topic which I will cover in a subsequent article.

Oregonians, like the citizenry of all the states, shared their wealth with the deprived Europeans.

List of Works Consulted

“Áid Due ‘Friendship Train’ From Churches in Oregon” Oregonian Oct. 30, 1947:  13.  
“Church Joins in Food Drive” Oregonian Nov. 2, 1947: 20. 
 “Food Collection Being Rushed For Friendship Train” Medford Mail Nov. 3, 1947: 1. 
“Friendship” Oregonian Nov. 5th, 1947: Section 2, 12.
“Hungry of Europe To Get Benefits” Oregonian Oct. 28, 1947: 14.
“Time Granted In Food Drive” Oregonian Nov. 5, 1947: 15.

The author welcomes any corrections or additional information which would add to this state's history.  Her email address is draetrain@gmail.com.

The Friendship Train was the genesis for the French Merci Train. Website www.mercitrain.org has information about that train. Copies of Mr. Bennett's Book The Merci Train, A Big Thank You From the French Merci Train is available at ebennett89@yahoo.com. The price is $25.00 per copy, including postage.

Return to Friendship Train History by State