Preface
This volume completes a series of four on the history of the Quartermaster Corps in World War II, which has been in preparation for some sixteen years. Two earlier volumes dealt with QM organization and activities in the zone of interior, and another was devoted to the Quartermaster role in the war against Japan. The present volume deals with two major overseas theaters of operations—the Mediterranean and the European—and specifically with Quartermaster operations in those theaters. The term “Quartermaster operations” has deliberately been used in a somewhat restrictive sense, as referring to the highest level of active QM participation in military operations. The role of staff adviser on quartermaster matters in a senior headquarters has received only minor emphasis. Rather, the primary focus of attention has been upon varying levels within the military structure at different periods of the narrative. In particular, the reader will note that the European theater has been delineated from the point of view of the Theater Chief Quartermaster, whereas in the Mediterranean theater the roles of corps, army, and base section quartermasters receive far more emphasis. This difference in approach stems from inherent differences in the two theaters. The Mediterranean theater evolved slowly, and always under strong British influence, so that theater-level logistical developments to a great extent bore a British stamp. Moreover, there was a tendency for junior logistical commanders and staff officers in that area to exert an influence upon operations that had no counterpart in the more elaborate and tightly knit theater organization to the north.
The positive and energetic control over QM operations in the European theater exercised by Maj. Gen. Robert M. Littlejohn should be regarded, not as stifling the initiative of his juniors, but as assuring an effective hearing for the Quartermaster point of view within the somewhat monolithic structure of the ETO Communications Zone. Thus, much of the history of QM operations in Europe is to a considerable degree a narrative centering about one man, his actions and reactions, his frustrations, mistakes, and triumphs in maintaining a strong position with respect to G-4 and to the other technical services, some of which were also commanded by strong and colorful personalities. While such a situation is seldom beneficial to a headquarters, it represents good fortune to the logistical historian, who is
thereby rescued from a drab recital of routine compliance with policy directions from higher levels of command.
This history had its origins in 1948 when Dr. Alvin P. Stauffer, visiting the AGO Records Administration Center in St. Louis to collect material for his own volume—The Quartermaster Corps: Operations in the War Against Japan—also assembled a large amount of data on Quartermaster activities in the ETO. During the following year, Dr. William H. Chaikin collected more material, and wrote a brief portion of a first narrative. Thereafter Dr. Irving Cheslaw completed a preliminary draft that was judged to need rather extensive revision and some expansion. When Dr. Cheslaw left the employ of the OQMG, the task of revision was entrusted to Mr. Charles F. Romanus, who had already collaborated in the writing of three official Army histories of the China—Burma—India Theater. Mr. Romanus worked on the manuscript for about eighteen months, during which time he revised and extended the chapters dealing with Mediterranean operations. He also collected all known wartime histories of Quartermaster troop units, a useful contribution to subsequent research. In March 1957 the undersigned inherited the task of completing the volume, which involved a further revision and extension of the opening chapters and rewriting the larger portion of the manuscript, covering operations in the European theater, to conform to the revised Mediterranean chapters.
The authors are grateful to many people, both military and civilians, whose cooperation and assistance made possible the production of this volume. Only a few can be mentioned by name. For example, it would be impracticable to list the more than forty participating officers, regular and reserve, who read reproductions of the preliminary draft by Dr. Cheslaw and made extensive comments. The comments of Dr. Kent R. Greenfield, the former Chief Historian, who read the entire draft for both form and content, were particularly helpful. All of the authors have profited from the supervision and friendly interest of Dr. Stauffer, and I myself have benefited from the similarly helpful advice afforded by Dr. Erna Risch, who succeeded Dr. Stauffer as Chief, Historical Branch, OQMG. My thanks are due to Dr. Stetson Conn, the present Chief Historian, whose constructive criticism had much influence upon the final form of this volume, and whose counsel and critical judgment added much to its content. General Littlejohn not only made available all of his relevant personal papers but also contributed freely of his time both for interviews and to read and annotate draft manuscripts. Maj. Gen. William H. Middleswart, Brig. Gen. Joseph P. Sullivan, and Mr. William F. Pounder assisted the authors by making available their personal papers. Lt. Gen. Andrew T. McNamara and Brig. Gen. Georges Doriot (Ret.) each read entire chapters and made detailed comments.
The editor was David Jaffe, Chief of the Editorial Branch, whose concrete suggestions and recommendations were always appreciated, and
especially during the task of abridgment. Mr. Jaffe’ was assisted by Mrs. Loretto Stevens, who demonstrated unusual patience in disentangling various problems occasioned by the varied working methods of successive authors. Mrs. Norma B. Sherris selected the photographs. Maps, with one exception, were prepared by the Cartographic Branch, OCMH. The climatic map showing temperature zones in Europe was prepared by the former QM Research and Engineering Command at Natick, Mass. Over a period of many years, the volume has had the benefit of neat and conscientious typing of repeated drafts by Mrs. Hadasel Hill and Miss Helene Bell.