Quartermaster Supply Operations - US Army Combined Arms Center ...

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to aim$ truckheads and return to Class 1 breakdown aroatt.28
b. 4th &more8 Division: ,,Class I supply I.oints
during the dash to the Rhine werc at times newly 150 miles
behind our control point and approximately 200 dies behind
our forward elementslf.29
c. 83d Infantry Livision: ftnuring the drive to
the hlbe, Division wartermaster trucks oofitinue@ to haul
“Att rations from ”hen-Gladbach (P-0909) This involvcd
a distance of 20 milos extending to 1 0 mllcs, as the ,
division moved further into Germany”.%
142. O&arations, The railheaa coqmy normally issuud
rations to Lain$ unfts at tho suglly point. Oprations
were generally efficient and the organlzation adequate.
The platoon sergeant, or railheocl forem, su1;ervisad the
receipt, unloadiiig, issm and loading of tiiu su&pliea. The
chlof storokeeper in tlach rlatatn calculated the ,“roper
breakdown end was charged with the aocuraoy cf all reports
and inventories. Efficient checkers were essential as they
formed the contact between the comijany and the drflwing units
and were charged with making conplete and Lrober issues.
The laborers were utilizsdmin the loadiw, unloading and
wayehousing of supkllce. rhe tables of organizfltion and
equipment, however, do not krovide sufficient laborers for
all types of operations, and augmentation by cuartermaeter
Service Companies or prisoner of war labor was often neccessary.
It was at tises recomaended that the ratinga
of various olasscs of personnel, particularly storekeepers
and oheokere e made more commensurate with their reeponsi-
bilities .l9, ’22:
143. Liscussion. The function of the 6,uartermaster Railhead
Company in the-Iuroyean Theator of operations we8 the
rocoipt, storage and issue of Glass I supplies. It WRS wcll
suited for this funotionexcapt for tha laok of vehicles,
Thosv companies assigned to armios were ofton operating two
or moro supply points. Transportation avuilablc to this
company ima often insufficient for ir.ternal compenj adain-
istrotion. It is highly dosirable that tho officers selected
for warternaster Railhead Companies bt of superior ability.
Tho propr breakdown of rations, tho intelligaat substitution
of itoms, and a thorough broad-mindod knowlodRu of ourront
menu instructions rcquiro an ospocially wall-qunlifiud
offioer, The onlistud assistants in n roilhead coupmy must
also be well trainud. In the Luropeun Theater of Operations
thoy become speciallets as StGrekeeper.9, aheckors or clcrks.
144. COpClUSiDIlS.
a. artermster Refrigeration Units. The tech-
nical aquipmen?and personnel were sufficient to accoeplish
the designated mission. The transportation and distribution
of perishable item wes oarrled on with slight delays dependent
mostly upon the tactical situation.
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