A big part of the WWII home front war effort in Los Angeles was the opening of the Hollywood Canteen at 1451 Cahuenga Blvd. Bette Davis and John Garfield came up with the idea, but it took months of work from hundreds of studio personnel volunteering their time and skills to make it happen. I’ve not come across many photos of the Canteen under construction, so it’s pretty neat to see these men painting the exterior. The big, permanent sign over the entrance “Hollywood Canteen For Servicemen” isn’t up yet, nor is the awning from the front door to the sidewalk. But the place is taking shape ahead of the October 3, 1942 opening.

I understand that an old wooden structure like the Hollywood Canteen wouldn’t be practical in this busy modern world, but if you’re going to build a parking lot where it used to be, surely a plaque commemorating what once was there would be a nice gesture…? (This image is from October 2019):