Servicing the Troops

[jumpwings]

Before 1901, the enlisted soldier was satisfying laundry needs as best he could. In March 1909, the Quartermaster Corps was authorized to establish its own laundries.

In World War I, the Army realized that sanitation was a major problem. Under the stress of actual war conditions, laundry and shower methods helped solve Army problems with sanitation and troop morale.

The relationship between sanitary conditions and care of clothing became critical to Army authorities in World War I. They had not foreseen the problem of lice in the United States and Europe. The Army realized that fresh clothing not only helped the soldiers' morale, but also was a health measure. Because lice were acquired by contact and retained in contaminated garments, improving the efficiency of laundry activities and synchronizing the laundry with the showers and delousing functions became doubly necessary.

To men who had spent from a few days to several weeks in the trenches or in the camp areas just behind the lines, showers and clean clothes were indeed pleasing prospects. From the fighting soldier's point of view, the Army's efforts to provide them with showers and clean laundry were worthwhile. Any movement into a rest area inspired "clamor" for laundry and shower service by the troops.

 

Throughout modern Army history, it is impossible to compute the number of men that a single laundry and shower company has kept in fighting trim. In World War II, parasites were killed before the deadly organisms could thin the ranks of the regiments. If laundry and shower units had not been on the job, sick-call lists and hospital rolls would have lengthened immeasurably.

In World War II, the laundry and shower companies followed the combat troops as the line advanced. In the European Theater of Operations, typhus cases reached an all-time low. Major credit for these remarkable records belongs to the soldiers who organized and operated the laundry and shower companies.

June 1940, renewed interest in mobile units led to fund allocation for study and design. The most significant technological achievement was the reduction in size from six trailers to one. Mounted on a semi-trailer, this system consisted of a washing machine, an extractor, and two steam-heated tumblers for drying clothes. The new system had obvious advantages over the old one in ease of concealment, maneuverability, and increased capacity. Contracts were let for 1,331 systems. By October 1942, several hundred had been shipped to mobile laundry companies to begin training.

The 487th Quartermaster Laundry Company in Italy followed on the heels of the allied armies through the mud, sand and fire of North Africa and also the invasion of Sicily. The 487th, always within a stone's throw of the advancing combat soldiers, broke records in laundry production and service to frontline troops.

[jumpwings]

The FSSF though an elite fighting unit, possessed it’s own service battalion, which “was an experiment of sorts. It was created to relieve the Combat Echelon of any non-combat duties that might detract from it’s training or operations. The Service Battalion was divided into three companies. The headquarters company included the Force headquarters, clerks, air detachment, communications detachment, and a military police platoon. The maintenance company performed all vehicle and weapons maintenance. The service company provided cooks, bakers, riggers, barbers, supply sergeants, and porters to support the Force. Finally, the medical detachment, headed by the Force’s surgeon, provided medics and operated the unit aid stations. Frederick appeared to be satisfied with this initial organization of the FSSF into discrete combat and service echelons. The unit retained this basic form throughout it’s history.

The offical U.S Army history of WWII states that the FSSF was authorized 1,190 trucks and cars and 600 T-24 Waesels. It did not however, receive vehicles in such numbers. For instance, only a small number of Weasels, and these on a temporary basis. Throughout it’s operation in Italy, The Force periodically scrounged it’s needed transport” (And “borrowed” some I am told)…

 

Last weekend we tried a first with the addition of a laundry unit to our “service company” field kitchen impression, loosely based on and incorporating a somewhat “generic impression” of QM laundry, cooking services, and mechanics on the above information …

 

We hope you like our first attempt at laundry, as well as our usual but “improved” field kitchen :

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[jumpwings]

Truck maintenance:

 

 

 

 

 

Field Kitchen:

 

[flyer333555]

What does FSSF stands for???

[jumpwings]

What does FSSF stands for???

 

First Special Service Force...

[redjoshman]

What does FSSF stands for???

 

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=FSSF

 

Seriously? The first page says it all.

 

-Josh

[retrohead]

Very cool stuff there Jumpwings! :thumbsup:

 

Also, flyer333555, please don't quote the entire post just to ask one question, seeing as that all of it is already on the same page.

[mjerickson]

OH MAN, I was thinking by the title that this thread would have been diffrent but I gotta say gentlemen Im impressed. Excellent impression of a branch of service that deserves more credit. Thank you.

[ehrentitle]

For more background on Quartermaster laundry units see: http://www.qmmuseum.lee.army.mil/field_services_history.htm

[willysmb44]

Not only do I love these photos, I love the idea of an impression that isn't "high speed killer" in nature, as re-enacting has WAY too much of that (and of course, a ridiculous lean to the 506th PIR). For every Joe behind the trigger, there were dozens of guys and gals behind him. I’m glad to see someone wanting to show that at events!

:thumbsup:

I had an opportunity to run a service detachment in a SF group on active duty and ran into all kinds of resistance with my command at the time and never got over there, so this impression has a personal appeal to me for that reason.

[jumpwings]

Thanks for all your words of support guys, it's well appreciated... :thumbsup:

 

I have wrote to Ft Lee, and my contact there has promised me some more info...A lot of my opener is plagiarized from a couple of sources from their site, cut and pasted to give a condensed view of the situation in Italy... The impression we chose was, as said, loosely based on a generic QM impression, though the core was indeed Force, giving, we hope, honor to both of these vital participants...

 

The display we created was indeed a condensed version of the separate units within the organization: kitchen, laundry, mechanics "all in one place", but such as it is with displays iand impressions in a small site (and the small amount of group members)...We're glad you like it...

 

I don't want to sound pompous, but...Though the Force was an elite "high speed killer" unit, they did have their own services, and this impression is in honor of those guys (Gordy Simms, wish you could read this) as well as the QM in general...This was our first attempt at this, and we will be improving and expanding...

 

But can we get a laundry unit?...Like "looking for hen's teeth"... :w00t: Though, we will be rigging something up, watch this space

[ehrentitle]

Thank you for honoring the often forgotten contributions of Quartermaster soldiers during WWII. I've placed a link to this page on the Quartermaster Museum Facebook fan page at: http://www.facebook.com/QuartermasterMuseum

 

For more one Quartermasters in World War II, see the QM Musuem's WWII page at: http://www.qmmuseum.lee.army.mil/WWII/

[jumpwings]

Thank you for honoring the often forgotten contributions of Quartermaster soldiers during WWII. I've placed a link to this page on the Quartermaster Museum Facebook fan page at: http://www.facebook.com/QuartermasterMuseum

 

For more one Quartermasters in World War II, see the QM Musuem's WWII page at: http://www.qmmuseum.lee.army.mil/WWII/

 

Thank you for posting the links...And I have noted the facebook page...Brilliant! And again, thanks :thumbsup:

[odd.bod13]

Hi,

 

Nice thread.

 

Great photos.

 

Hope you do the same theme next show.

 

I'll pop in for coffee, and get my washing done.

 

The "Force" be with you.

 

:thumbsup:

[cco23i]

OUTSTANDING! It's gteay to see an impression doing what WAS done behind the lines. Glad to see we are not the only ones doing "noncombat" type of displays.

 

Scott

[jumpwings]

Hope you do the same theme next show.

 

I'll pop in for coffee, and get my washing done.

 

 

:thumbsup:

 

Hahahah...Ye wish Pete m'auld son...Not wi that Kiska patch on yer M43..

[odd.bod13]

Who said it's still there ?

 

:think: ............................about it

[jumpwings]

Who said it's still there ?

 

:think: ............................about it

:thumbsup:

[odd.bod13]

Jumpwings,

 

re: WW2 rations . Are you after info. re "field rations"? If so try the following, (if you haven't already) >

 

http://www.ww2rationtechnologies.com/History.html

 

Kind regards,

 

odd.bod13

[jumpwings]

Jumpwings,

 

re: WW2 rations . Are you after info. re "field rations"? If so try the following, (if you haven't already) >

 

http://www.ww2rationtechnologies.com/History.html

 

Kind regards,

 

odd.bod13

 

Thanks for that Peter...i have been aware of this company for a few years now mate, and TBH, their C ration tins leave something to be... No, actually, I'll leave my 5 years of intense researched opinion off site and speak later about this (Thought ye where coming down Bushey this Sunday?)... :thumbsup:

 

My own C Ration B Unit (with correct sized can):

Making a complete C ration is most hard, as ye simply can't get the M unit contents in same size cans, however, ye can get the modern equivalent (with correct-ish contents) .. Complete with what is labelled is what's inside:

 

My own K Ration (apart from the cheese can, all ingredients is as described, and the inner box was sealed and wax dipped):

 

My own Mountain Ration (again, what is labelled is what's inside):

 

My own 10in1 Ration (part of and again, what is labelled is what's inside)):

 

As you can see, in the 10in1 and Mnt rations, the small "Pet Milk" 6oz milk can label is, well, something to be desired, however, I have just recently improved with the "years for sought after" original:

 

Sorry for hijacking my own thread, but though this thread is basically about laundry, rations I suppose is part of service for the troops...And you mentioed it... :thumbsup:

[odd.bod13]

You asked the question re:- rations, it's added to your sign off statement .........its better to question, etc.