Camp Kaiser, South Korea, December 1958: Lynne Kaelber (seated) and Didi Hasson (standing) chat with two of the men of the 7th Military Police Company at Camp Kaiser. The two women are American Red Cross workers who travel around South Korea to deliver coffee, donuts and some human interaction to American and allied troops stationed in Korea.

Colloquially known as the “Donut Dollies,” the American Red Cross started — at the request of the U.S. government — refreshments at railroad junctions for military on troop trains. By the end of the war, the Red Cross operated some 700 fixed canteens, many operated by several of the 55,000 women Red Cross volunteers.

The service again mobilized in World War II, creating clubmobiles using single decker English Green Line buses, outfitting them with coffee and donut machines and a lounge in the back. Staffed by three American Red Cross volunteers, their aim was to bring a taste of home to the front lines.

The service was resurrected again during the Korean War, during which some sources say they earned their enduring nickname, but became most visible during the Vietnam War when between 1962 and 1973 the “Dollies” logged over 2 million miles by jeep, deuce-and-a-half, and helicopter, but — according to the Army Historical Foundation — did not pass out a single donut. Instead they brought smiles, songs, games and as always, a touch of home to the guys in country.

Read how the troops reacted to the “Dollies” in 1958 and check out additional photos here.