USO Activity

If the National USO hadn't kept well in touch with Army plans Pratt might have had a USO without an army. In July 1942, three weeks after the War Department's first announcement of an installation here, Pratt received a visit from an FSA official. He was Dr. Robert S. Wilson, here to check recreational facilities for army personnel. His conferences were with members of OCD - Office of Civilian Defense - of which Amos W. Glad was head of the Civilian Defense Service. Frank Adams was the county coordinator.

Then came the Army's announcement that plans for the Pratt base were in the discard. As mentioned above the National USO was keeping in close touch with the army so it dropped its plans also. Apparently, Dr. Wilson's visit had been in vain.

Nothing more was heard from the USO, although construction at the base had in the meantime eventually gotten under way, until January, 1943. On that date a second USO representative met with local citizens and tentative arrangements were made. However, the proposed size of the base at that time, according to the representative, was not great enough to justify a paid director. The USO was to be operated locally, entirely by volunteers, and was to be known as a drop-in center.

At their regular meeting on February 11th the City Commission voted to turn over the club rooms of the Municipal Building to the center together with such other available room as might be needed. Included with the room were free water, light and heat. The following day Louis McCoy was named chairman of a USO committee by Mr. Glad.

One of the biggest dances in the history of the Municipal Building was held at about this time. It was sponsored by the American Federation of Labor, well represented in the construction crews at the base. From the proceeds from the dance the local USO committee received nearly $700.00. This provided pocket money for the subsequently formed USO Council. The fund has been used largely in providing Christmas parties for children of servicemen stationed at the base and in meeting other small expenses of the USO which were not provided for in the regular USO budget.

The club was officially opened on March 2, 1943. Furnishings were loaned or donated by local citizens.

On the 10th of June, because of the increase of base personnel, the National USO officially took over the center. It was placed under the direction of the National Catholic Community Service, one of six organizations comprising the USO-United Service Organizations. The others were the Y.W.C.A., the Y.M.C.A., the Salvation Army, the Jewish Welfare Board and the National Travelers Aid Association. Reverend John J. Butler, pastor of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church here, was appointed moderator.

W.P. (Hap) Whalin was the first paid USO director. He assumed his duties June 10th and served until the close of the year when he was transferred to Hawaii. He was succeeded by Frank Adams on January 1, 1944.

From its inception until the first of this year such door counts and other checks available indicate, according to Mr. Adams, that approximately 500,000 visits have been made to the club.

In April, 1944, a national representative of the USO, who made an inspection of the club, gave it a 4 Star rating. This is an excellent rating. In fact, the USO doesn't give any that are higher. But because it's an enlisted man's club perhaps it should have been rated in terms of chevrons rather than stars.