The Nome nugget., 1943-11-08
Soldiers Aid At Mckinley Park Hostel
By CPL. TOM LOVE
Army Correspondent)

putting steam shovel operators behind typewriters, and vice yer sa, the enlisted personnel now working at this world famous mountain resort were planned for their functions by nature or ex- perience, or both.
 The trek of "G.-I." resort men, entertainers and expert sportsmen to the northward started at the latter part of last winter when the Alaska Railroad offered it's super-swank Mckinley Park Ho- tie for the use of the service men in Alaska.
 The Army, reasoning that lux ury and relaxation among na- lures most splendid wonders might do world of good for the weather-beaten Alaska soldier, forthwith sent a pioneering crew of various talents to the closed tight hotel, and in temperatures of 45 degrees below, these hardy souls defrosted the water system, got the undred-thousand dollar steam and electric plant in oper- ation, dusted out the million dollar hotel itself and performed other yeoman service.
 The Special Service section, Headquarters Alaska Depart ment, resorting to the files, all most immediately found that there was stationed at Nome, a former skier from Sun Valley who had made Class "A" in the International competitions before he got in the Army. and, accord ingly, Cpl. Jack N. Yokel was dispatched to his new station.
 During the long summer months, Cpl. Yokel issued fishing tackle to the soldier guests, but his heart was waiting for winter, and he labored after hours wax ing skis the Red Cross had pro- vided, and he built a e00-ft. ski tow, which Special Service had made possible by wang1ing Q 41- h.p. motor together with 1200-ft of cable, and be cleared three large areas for the winter sports Several ski runs were leveled including IF mile down-hiE trail for beginners, and severa runs for more advanced skiiers In addition, a l100-ft. toboggar slide was laid out just in back of the hotel.
 At the present, snow having fallen at last, soldiers are riskinf life and limb to varying extent. a on the ski run. Cpl. Yokel, how. lever, strives to prevent accident. lby giving illustrated lectures or 2 controlled skiing" subject he i, is we'll qualified to talk on. .g | Almost simultaneously with ! the discovery of the skier, Spec | ial Service discovered in the hos pital at Sitka, q soldier by the name of Cpl. Harry [. Silver who had owned, operated and starred in an ice-skating known as "The Ice Review" in and around Wichita, Kans. So Cpl Silver was sent to Mckinley, and he filled-in during the summer months clerking al the desk and taking dramatic parts evenings in "The Corntented Hour" for the amusement and ediflcation of the guests. However, the rows and rows of Red Cross skates were waiting patiently i'll the Sports Shop, and picturesque Horseshoe Lake, now having frozen solid, Cpl. Stiver, who used to charge $8 to $10 for instructing, now guides the amateur c. l. skaters around for the usual Army re- muneration. .'s'st. | Another man, who was discov- cred personally Iby: u. Gen. Si- mon Bolivar Buskner, Jr., com manding general, Alaska Depart ment, is first-rate violinist Charles Van Brunt has played with concert groups all over the world and with Don Vorhiis' or 1 chestra at Radio City, N. Y. As General Buckner, himself, seated at the piano at the officers club discovered, Charlie could also get in the groove when the occasion demanded and he xuac oivey, a