Evening star., 1941-02-23
Feeding 29th Division
AT Fort Meade Is
Expensive Job
Even at AZ Cents q Day,
Supplies for 10000 Men
Add Up Quickly
By Staff Correspondent of The Star.

By a Staff Correspondent of The Star.
FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md.
Feb. 22-Ten thousand men have
moved into about 900 new barracks
in the mobilization of the 29th Di-
vision here for a years Federal
training.
When the division is expanded to
war strength of about 10000 with
recruits from Selective Service in
the spring it will occupy approx
mately 1,200 buildings.
These temporary barracks, many
of them still under construction, are
of wood and special compositions.
The living quarters are two-story
buildings, the mess halls, headquar-
ters, supply depotS and amusement
centers single story. All contain
overhead hot-air heating and ven-
tilating systems and each living unit
has showers and lavatories.
The Government is spending about
S18.OO0OO0 to build these barracks
and make other Improvements re-
uuired to expand Fort Meade into
one of the big training centers OF
the country.
It's a bulky and expensive job to
clothe and nourish the 10000 Ma
tional Guardsmen from the District,
Maryland, Virginia and Pennsyl-
vania already here.
AZ Cents a Day for Food.
The War Department allows a
maximum of AZ cents day for each
soldiers food-a little more for the
first week in camp, so that staples
like salt, sugar and condiments may
be bought in quantity.
Thus it costs about $4,000 a day
to feed the division at its present
peace strength.
The company-or, in the case OF
artillery, the battery-iS the ad-
ministrative unit. and each COM
pany acquisitions food, 10 days ahead
for staples and 3 days ahead for
meat.
The acquisitions from the COM
panies 60 to the division quarter
master, Col. Ralph Hutchins, for ap-
proval, and are forwarded by him
to the post quartermaster to be
filled. The post quartermaSter'S de-
partment, a Regular Army organl-
zation. does all the buying.
Sixty per cent of the food IS
purchased in huge quantities any,
where in the corps area. The other
40 per cent is bought nearby under
contract and includes perishables,
such as fresh meats, eggs, milk and
vegetables.
54 Tons OF Food a Week.
Col. HutchinS figures that divi-
sion consumes something like 54 tons
of food a week.
A typical current requlSltiOn from
a combat company of the division
includes 100 pounds of beans, so
pounds of bacon, 60 pounds of beef,
600 pounds of potatoes and 30 eggs.
These acquisitions are subject to
revision at the division and post
uuartermaster's offices. They must
conform. roughly at least, to formu-
las worked out by the quarter
master general at the War Depart
ment. and if unusual quantities OF
certain foods are requested, the
company commander must explain
why.
But every soldier gets plenty to
eat, which is the main thing.
Menus, surprisingly varied, are
worked out at the cooks and bakers
school, under the supervision of
dieticians. The school also makes
fresh bread, cakes and pies for the
entire post.
Ia Supply Warehouses.
The division at present is using
10000 blankets and quilts, 10000
sheets, 10000 mattress covers, 10000
pillow cases and 10000 towels. Each
man gets three blankets or two
blankets and a quilt, four sheets,
two pillow cases, two mattress
covers and three towels.
Being National Guardsmen, most
of the men had uniforms when they
were called out. But supplementary
clothing, shoes and high golashes
for the severe weather prevailing
are issued as needed.
The division has IA big supply
warehouses and will have 18
The commissioned officers draw
what they need, but there's differ
ence-they have to pay for every
thing in the way of food, clothing
and other personal equipment.
Most of the bedclothing and wear
ing apparel is washed at the post
laundry. The enlisted men have to
pay for this service, but they get a
"cost" rate of ST. so a month, which
includes everything. The officers
pay at rate more nearly approxi-
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