DeRidder USO Traditional Cache
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located south of the Beauregard Memorial Hospital, thus high muggle area!!! That is why this is moderately difficult!
The first peace time draft barely passed Congress. On the eve of another global war, the Army was ill equipped to received the draftees and there was little support for the military. The new Army Sprung up overnight and overwhelmed many small communities. Soldiers wanted social contacts, like home. However, those communities were ill prepared to provide for them. This led to the birth of the United States Dervices Organizations (USO), in February 1941.
The War Memorial Civic Center was the first building built for and donated to the United Services Organization (USO) in 1941. It was one of the largest of five different sizes of Type A buildings designed for USO's by the Quartermaster Corps. Off-duty soldiers from Camp Polk and DeRidder Army Air Base made it a home away from home.
The USO was open to any enlisted man in 'good standing' - no drinking or fighting was allowed. Dances were held three nights a week, and local girls were carefully chaperoned to and from each event. Dances lasted until twelve and the people would be wall to wall. You had to come by yourself or with your parents and leave the same way. Nobody left with a soldier. It was a place to have good, clean fun, that continued to serve the military throughout the Korean Conflict era.
The need for off-duty recreational centers in towns such as DeRidder became abundantly clear during the massive September 1941 maneuvers. The small community of about 3500 was literally teeming with soldiers, and a small recreation center was set up at the city hall which provided much appreciated shower facilities and various entertainment opportunities. Because of the extreme need, the USO Building at DeRidder was among the very first authorized to be constructed by the Government.
Center open Mon -Fri. 8:00am - 4:00pm. Please go in and check it out!
The cache is a camo waterproof match stick holder w/ log only. Cachers bring a pen!
Congratulations to 4naFord for FTF!!!
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Ba fbhgufvqr bs srapr, yrsg bs Jrfg Oeb. cbyr ng onfr bs gerr.
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