Evening star., 1942-01-04
Portable Army Laundry Takes
Baths, Clean Clothes to Field
In Camps, Big Modern Plants
Operate on 24-Hour Day Bosis

BY means OF the portable steril-
iZation units hot bath, a physical
examination and fresh supply of
clothing can be supplied 100 soldiers
all hour, or approximately $4,000 a
week. They are manned by enlisted
men and oficers who have special
lied for their assignment through
an intensive Is weeks course on
this type Of equipment at either
Camp Lee, Va, or at Fort Warren.
Wyo
Showers for IL at q Time.
In the operation of these steriliZa-
ton units in the field four tents
are set up near the trailer. These
are used for undressing, the physi-
cal examination following the bath,
Salvaging the soiled clothes and pro-
viding clean, new ones. After steril-
iZation the serviceable articles of
clothing are later sent to the near
est Army base camp for repair and
subsequent reissue.
Twelve soldiers can take warm
shower baths at q time in these
mobile sterilization units. six shower
heads being placed on each side of
the unit. Each soldier surrenders
his soiled clothing in a net bag for
sterilization as he enters the trailer.
1t is then completely sterilized in Is
minutes.
A soldier in one of these mobile
units hasn't time to sing in his bath.
for only five minutes is allotted for
the entire soaping and bathing
process. according to the fixed
schedule set for him. From the
trailer he moves to an adjoining
tent. where he undergoes q physical
examination. In the next tent he
is issued complete set Of clean
clothing. Then, Spic and span, he
steps out again. ready for another
detail OF service for his country.
The operation OF mobile laundry
and sterilization units and fixed
camp laundries is under the supervi-
sion and direction OF the laundry
branch. Once Of the Quartermaster
General. The chief of this branch is
1t. Col. Frederick H. Koerbel. @.
NJ c.. who served with the A. E. F.
in France during World War I.
He is an authority on Army laundry
operations. He has every detail OF
its service at his finger tips without
recourse to his files, but he never
fails to check them for aCcuracv'S
sake when making a statement con-
corning than, cisto L., f.
Thomas M. Duff. a Reserve Corps
offlcer. who is also a veteran of the
first World War. Washington born
and bred, Maj. Duff is a commercial
expert In the laundry business by
choice and training. having served
as an executive Of one of Washing
tons leading laundry concerns be-
fore he was called to active duty.
Training Manual Compiled.
This interviewer was told that tho
Army's present mobile laundry unit
was revived about eight years ago
by the Quartermaster Corps from
the crude, cumbersome ones on
slow-moving iron wheels, which
dLlACC lIlSCIluAty cNOlNcO lOI use
in France with our troops. The
portable laundry units built during
World War I for use In France
consisted Of four trailers each. De-
spite their cumbersomeness and
makeshift inadequacies. they man
aged to do the laundry work of
10000 men per week. All of the
four trailers in each unit, however,
were essential to do a complete job.
The Interpretation Of any one of
these trailers would completely i'm
mobilize an entire laundry unit.
All of this is changed with the
Army's new mobile units. Each
functions with entire Independence
Of any other unit. Even while one
Of these units is moving to its desti-
nation it is possible to start the
boiler and hot water in operation
so that the laundry work and steril-
ization can begin Immediately ON
arrival.