The 33rd Division was the 33rd Infantry Division, formed from the Illinois National Guard in 1917 for service in the Great War. Members of the division received nine Medals of Honor during the war. “Black and gold” refers to the division’s logo, a gold cross on a black circle.

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The menu says it was used while “Traveling via the Burlington Route enroute to the National Legion Convention, Los Angeles, September 1938.” By “national legion” the menu means national convention of the American Legion, which held its 20th annual convention in Los Angeles on September 19 through 22.

The unpriced menu offers a choice of No. 1 or No. 2. Both include fruit or fruit juice, cereal, a choice of three or four entrées, bread, and beverage. For some reason, No. 2 has seven fruits and seven cereals while No. 1 has only five each. What’s missing from No. 1 are orange juice, grape fruit juice, puffed rice, and Rice Krispies. The entrées seem comparable, so there doesn’t seem to be any sensible reason for offering fewer fruits and cereals in one than the other. I suspect if someone said, “I want No. 1 but with orange juice and Rice Krispies,” the dining car steward would be happy to comply.