The 1947 Friendship Train and Tennessee
by Dorothy R. Scheele

The Friendship Train, America’s gift of food to France and Italy after World War II, was an enormous and unmatched gift of kindness and caring .  (A more complete history of the Friendship Train is available on the home page of this site).  Even though the train traveled through only 11 states, all of the states contributed to this conveyance of generosity and kindness.

A Case or a Can for the Friendship Van

Tennessee participated in the Friendship Train drive with absolute, robust enthusiasm; the response was an all-out reaction to the slogan, ‘a case or a can for the friendship van.  The Summers-Whitehead post of the American Legion formulated the very well organized plan for ivy.  The drive officially opened on November 17th and continued to the 21st.  Ed Green was the publicity chairman, and E. A. Harrell chaired the committee to collect food..  Mayor Hugh P. Wasson declared Friendship Train week November 9 – 15.  The Chattanooga New Free Press on November 14 has a picture of the mayor signing the proclamation.

 November 20th was designated as Merchants’ Day.  Those donating were instructed to call an American Legion number for pick-up.  Local schools were also scheduled for this day.  A van was parked on Broad Street between 8th and 9th Streets for citizens to drop off their donations.

Contributions from businesses were explosive: (a list of the companies is at the end of this article).  In fact, donations were so numerous and appeared so quickly that the need for a third van became a distinct possibility.  A picture of the first collection day is in the November 17th edition of the Chattanooga News Free Press.

Some of the pick-up points were the American Legion parking lot, Red Bank High School, Lakeview High School, TVA offices, Incline Drug Store, Roseville Fire Hall, St. Elmo Appliance Company, and Paramount Pharmacy.

On November 22nd two vans with foodstuffs totaling 35 tons departed from Chattanooga: the destination - Pier 42, North River, New York.  One van left at 10:00 a.m. and the second at 4:00 pm.  The reason for different departure times is curious because originally there had been talk of a caravan.  The idea of a caravan probably became a developed when the initial response to the food drive for the Train had  been so enormous that the need for a third van seemed a  definite possibility.  In fact, the Chattanooga Times Free Press on November reported that three vans would leave Chattanooga at 11:15 on the 22nd.  That turned out to be erroneous.  Only two vans departed for New York.  The organizers for the journey to New York had planned way stops along the trip.  Reminiscent of the Pony Express, there were six stops on the way for new drivers to continue the journey. Three of the six stop were Bristol, Tennessee, Roanoke, Virginia, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The Chattanooga Motor Company provided the vans gratis, as was true national wide, for everything about the Friendship Train.  Ralph Rogers was chairman of the transportation which had arranged all details of the trip.  Member of the transportation committee were J. C. Mulkey, the American Legion representative, Ralph Rogers, chairman of the Chattanooga Motor Carriers committee and representative of the Dixie Ohio Express; C. M. Vinson, Service Lines; W. A. Shipp, Hoover Lines, and A. D. Cogburn, Mason-Dixon Lines: Palmer Allard, Super-Service; Fred R. Blansit, resident truck driver local 515, and W. Sparks, White Motors.

Mayor Wasson, a group of America Legion members, and several other civic leaders were present for the departure occasion. Ed Green spoke: “I want to take this opportunity to express my appreciation again to everyone who had anything at all to do with this splendid drive.  Everyone’s co-operation was wonderful.”

 
Those helping in the final hours before departure were employees of the Carolyn Chenille Company who worked through the night packing individual or single contributions.

Nashville

Chattanooga was not the only city of the Volunteer state to contribute.  Nashville began its food collection for the Train by setting up a miniature boxcar and also a trailer at Church Street and Capital Blvd.  The city’s goal was $5,000 needed to purchase a boxcar of flour. Ultimately, residents donated over $6,000.  The Nashville Exchange Club promised 100,000 pounds of flour.  Also helping to fill Nashville’s contribution was the 8,000 of wheat which farmers from Corn, Oklahoma, gave to the Train.  The 8,000 bushels amounted to five carloads.  The farmers then drove to a nearby town to have the grain milled.  The population of Corn at that time was 500.  This fact humbles  and also emphasis that Americans did care.

John W. Lenon was the manager of the transportation committee.   Other participating in the send-off program were Russell Brothers, Exchange Club president; H. Phelps Smith and Joe C. Carr who were both chairmen for the day; John Tess, president of the Big Brothers, and E. B. Stahlman, president of the local Red Cross. A representative for Governor Jim Nance McCord was also in attendance.

An official send-off from Nashville was enacted the morning of November 21st.  The Tennessee Motor Transportation provided the truck-trailer.  Its destination was Cincinnati.

Contributors to Chattanooga’s boxcars:  Lesley Produce Co.; George Hormel Co.; Independent Grocers Cooperative; Jacob Wholesale Candy Company; Red Food Stores; “Friendship Starts on 3rd Trailer: Chattanooga News Free Press Nov. 22, 1947: 5
Ragland Brothers Company; G. W. Bagwell Preservation Company: “Friendship Van With 35 tons Departs Coty” Chattanooga New Free Press Nov. 22, 1947: 5.
Richmond Hosiery Mils; Cecil M. Rogers, George Steward, Southern Railway; NC&SL: “Food Flows In To Legion For Friendship Van” Chattanooga New Free Press Nov. 18, 1947: 5.

List of works consulted

“All Aboard for Friendship Train” The Nashville Tennessean Nov. 18, 1947, 1+.
“Food Flows in To Legion for Friendship Van” Chattanooga Free Press Nov. 18, 1947: 5.
“Food For Europe” The Daily-News Journal [Murfreesboro, Tennessee] Nov. 26, 1947: 6.
“Friendship Van Drive Starts On 3rd Trailer” Chattanooga News Free Press Nov. 22, 1947:  5.
“Friendship Van Rapidly Grows Into Caravan” Chattanooga News Free Press Nov. 18, 1947:  1+.
“Friendship Van Rapidly Grows Into Caravan” Chattanooga News Free Press Nov. 18, 1947:  1+.
“Friendship Van With 35 Tons Departs City” Chattanooga News Free Press Nov. 22, 1947:  5.
“Legion Post, Truckers Join In Filling ‘Friendship Vans’” Chattanooga Times Free Press,  Nov. 14, 1947: 5.

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.

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