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

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The system outlined above was predicated
on the Idea that the records in the OPfice
of the Chief Qusrtermaster, Comrounj cations
Zone, were sufficiently complete and upto-date
to enable the Quartermaster Supply
end Distribution Division to rscaive the
daily telegram from the armies and to
parcel out to the various Quartermaster
supply Installations the demands of the
armies. Such provea not to be the case
in frequent instances. Directions for
shipnent were sometines made by the Chief
Quartermaster on depots whose stock condl-
tions were insufficient for the shipAents
required. This was partioularly true in
Class I1 and IV sup~lies.l3,15 Adding
to the difficulties of the situation, shor-
tage of transportation did not permit
adequate stocking of forward depots from
port ar8as and, for the same reason, it
was also lmoossible to make inter-depot
shipment beeween forward depota .I3 Backorders
for Class I1 and IT items increased
to serious oroportions. The armies, in
order to be certain of suppl -requisitioned
back-ordered itms.Y3,3f By
December 194b the situation was so serious
that the 12th Army Croup caused an investigation
tc be made by Its own personnel
(See Appendix 2). Representatives from
the Army Service Forces in 'Vashington
visited the Comunications 'Cone Headquarters
to examine tho procedure.l4,15
In December 1944, the Class 11 section
wqs eliminated from the dally telegram on
the basis that a daily call was a too Prequent
requisition for Class I1 supplies,
back-orders being too numerous. The prpcedure
was also adopted whereby daily talsgrams
wore routed direct Prom the rogulating
station to depots previously desig-
nated by the Chief nuartarmaster 30 supply
each army. In addition, the Class I11
solid fuel section was eliminated from the
daily telegram, and it we8 also prescribed
that Cl8,ss IV end Post =change tens would
not be included on the telcgmm.:3
Throughout the remainder of the campaiqn,
the prooedure adopted in December 19l+,4for
the preparation and routinpl of the dailv
telegrai wagyetained anti isad in supplying
the armies.
d. Commmting on the procedure finally evolved
whereby the regulating station reoeivsd the daily telegram
and directed shipment from spec3.f ic depots oreviously deslgnated
by the Chief Quartermaster, the ideal ooncept of the
regulating station which would facilitate this procedure was
outlined b>v the Chief "unrternsster in a memorar?dum to The
Penrsal i3oerd Ssrvice Section, 17 November 1945!1p Rroa&
Phases of Organization and Cperation for Supply.
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