ETO, Logistical Build-Up in the British Isles

RESTRICTED
It was found poselble to fuipish the above Information in general
terms without divulging the spccific geographical locntion or the
qeciflc date of the operation.
The document omitted irfonation and asau$ptions on two factors
which later proved to be of consideraole iqorbce:
a. Xn evaluatio2 of necessary swly responaibllities for
the civilian population. Zhis omission nay have been inevitable, as
determimtion rf such rebponsibillty ma not forthcoming from higher
levels until a much lehr &ate.
b. Bn evaluation of tho eupply implications of mounting tki
opcration fron the British Isles.
During July end August 19&3,the coaptation of specie1 re-
quiments wce complotcd by Supoly Services in the fon of projects, each
limited to a spcciflc Item or eroup of items and each containing c coilplete
justiflcntloa. Eeyirenents fo? likc items were consoliGated by
the Service having promemcnt reponoibllity in the United Statc6.
Thesc projects, a6 supplemented end mended from time to time, f0rmCd
the besls for all special supply requirements for the entire operation.
They were referred to as flPROC0 Projeots", both in the Suropean Theater
cnd in thc UnPtod States.
3. &e of Surcial projects. %hare developed a signifloant diff0IEnCe
h Ouinion betrtcen the War Dmartment and the Eurorwan Theater
e6 to tile pripcr scope cf thsse Iong-iange eatime.tes.
The SOS, Europeen "heater h d prepared prcjeots on the ~ssmption
that thcy should Include all Itens of supuly for iqhlch the estiua-
ted necd would be aubatmtially greater than the nornal coubet u-s
factors. The Suropean l'beater realized th@tcombat factors, thc ocels
On which the 'Iar Departnent was estinatiry procurement, did not t&e
into considcration csrtdn peculiarities of thc cantaplated operation
in kropo such es ship-sinkince between the Sritish Isles and France.
Therefore, chc initial projccts submitted bjr the SOS, Eurqeen Theater
in July and August1943 h d Included nsny cormon items (c.g., rations)
as vel1 88 special items md snjor equipment.
E%?Ver Dcpartnent, on the other hand, had iatendcd their dirrective
to cdL for spccid requirements of ncjor itms only, and in
Septmbor 1943 it propoeeZ. tllat dl projects co-Jeering excess issue of
nomil itcma be rithdrarm by the European Thcater and subnlttcd by
normal rcquisitiming procedure. 4
There followcd an exfitCqeof cnbles in wkich the 'Yar DepmL
mcnt agreed thRt projects alrerrdjr gubrdtted would 'sc processed, but
epecified that additioznl projects would not include excess roouireacnte
of common iterns.5
However, in Ootobor 1943, the Var Departnent recoueldercd its
previous daclsions and t-pproved the we of PROCO projects for all rcquiremcnts,
including comon items, in xcess of nomal supply as had
beenlnitially recamended by 50s. Z"O.& This deolejon permitted thc
immediate editihg and prochasainp, of the projects by tho Zone of Interior
4.
5.
6.