Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Who Remembers Operation Cookie-Lift 1967?

Back in the late 60's during the Vietnam war, one way Burbank supported the troops was via "Operation Cookie Lift" which was started by Doris Vick, former WAVE and mother of 1967 classmate Sally Vick (1949-2007).

People baked cookies for the soldiers from Burbank and shipped them to Vietnam in old film cans from the studios. Being in Z club we baked and packed hundreds of cookies! It was fun.

Here is a 1967 article from Wes Clark/Mike McDaniels website, Burbankia (click to enlarge or click here):


(Thanks to Cathy Coyle for article link)

Funny... when I first read the article and saw the word COOKY, I thought, oops, a typo, but COOKY or COOKIE are both right. Also the 1967 article says the price to ship from Burbank to Vietnam was $2 and then reduced to .80 cents. Just a couple of weeks ago I mailed some homemade cookies and banana nut bread to family in Scottsdale, Arizona from Panama City Beach, Florida and it cost $22. My how times have changed!
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6 comments:

  1. Anonymous1/10/11, 3:42 PM

    I remember Operation Cookie Lift. Although I was stationed in Germany and not Viet Nam, I got a huge film can filled with cookies and a couple of letters. The cookies were delicious and I shared them with my team. Thanks to all who sent these to our troops on both sides of the world!!!

    Randy Cotter BHS 65

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  2. Anonymous1/12/11, 2:41 PM

    I did this during Girl Scouts, and the recipient of my cookies was actually from Burbank, his parents lived up off of Sunset Canyon; I got to meet the entire family once he got back and we also donated baby clothes to another charity the family was doing work for. There was a spread about it in the Daily Review, I believe. Thanks for the walk down memory lane.

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  3. Anonymous10/24/11, 9:56 PM

    I do and I've lost my cookie lift cookbook somewhere over the years. Does anyone know where I might find a copy? If so I can be contacted at 520-990-7821. Thank you.
    Patti

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  4. Cathy Palmer10/25/11, 6:17 AM

    Don't have the cookie cookbood but found a interesting article from 2002 that mentions it: http://www.thefreelibrary.com/TROOPS+TO+GET+GIFTS+FROM+VALLEY+VETERANS+COLLECT+PACKAGES+FOR...-a082582934

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  5. Rein DeBoer10/25/15, 11:49 PM

    I was from Burbank and stationed at Utapao Airbase Thailand. I received a a film can filled with cookies and several Letters. I shared both with other airmen. We wanted to respond, but the oil from the cookies pretty much distorted the ink and destroyed the letters. Made it difficult to respond. So a big thank you now!!!

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    Replies
    1. Cathy Palmer10/26/15, 6:06 AM

      You're welcome, Rein! Thank you for sharing :)

      Delete

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