Logistics Matters and the U.S. Army in Occupied Germany, 1945-1949

323 Pages·2017·3.3 MB·English

by  Lee Kruger (auth.)

LOGISTICS MATTERS
AND THE U.S. ARMY
I N
OCCUPIED GERMANY,
1945–1949
LEE KRUGER
Logistics Matters and the U.S. Army in Occupied
Germany, 1945–1949
Lee   Kruger
Logistics Matters and
the U.S. Army in
Occupied Germany,
1945–1949
Lee   Kruger
Leavenworth, Kansas, USA
ISBN 978-3-319-38835-9 ISBN 978-3-319-38836-6 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-38836-6
Library of Congress Control Number: 2016958188
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For Suse and Jürgen
Your stories are now H istory!
My heartfelt thank you to you both for your friendship and support
A
CKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I wish to acknowledge the two people who really lived almost daily with
my project – one remains in Germany, the other here in the USA. Suse
Pfeiffer, a Württemberger, is 90 now but she was 20 at the end of the
war, and lived in the US Zone. The other person – four years old at the
beginning of the occupation – also lived within the US Zone. Suse, not only
provided me with her own experiences, but introduced me to a number
of others from her age group, who brought life to the subject. The other,
my husband, Jürgen, not only raised my often-sagging spirits, but also
provided focus and perspective and, more often than not, cleared a path
through the German archival system. I cannot over-emphasize the role
these two played in my completion of this narrative. As important as their
support has been to me personally, however, I could not have completed
this project without a mountain (a nice logistics term) of assistance and
support from professional sources.
First, my dissertation committee deserves the academic equivalent of a
military Legion of Merit for putting up with the legion of unmeritorious
questions I asked. My chair at the University of Kansas, Theodore Wilson,
suggested the topic, that at the time I thought to be a rather simple
subject. Ha! Ted Wilson, judiciously or otherwise, gave me full rein until
toward the end of my journey when he wisely intervened in my somewhat
haphazard navigations to suggest a few timely texts to add some necessary
baggage to the load. Two committee members, Eve Levin and Leonie
Marx, suffered the most from my uncertainties and diffi culties with focus
and preciseness. As a professional scholar and editor, Eve Levin’s talent
and expertise in information management set me straight more than once.
vii
viii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
To Leonie Marx, the Graduate Advisor in the German Literature and
Languages Department, fell the task of validating my German language
capability, as much of my research was conducted in German archives
using German language material. Additionally, in Leonie Marx’s world,
language matters, a skill I still struggle with. Without these two women,
I assure you I would not have completed the dissertation that preceded
this book project. My other committee members stuck with me through
muddle and puddle: Nathan Wood, Adrian Lewis and Jake Kipp, each one
providing expert knowledge in their specialties throughout my project.
Thank you, all!
No research project succeeds without the assistance and support
of dedicated archivists and researchers. Sabine Schrag and the staff at
Stadtarchiv Stuttgart in Bad Cannstatt, committed to providing world-
class support to all visitors, extended assistance and hospitality that made
us feel at home. Especially helpful with occupation history, my thanks
to Dr Ulrich Hussong at the Stadtarchiv Marburg. Tim Renick and
John Shields at the US Army Logistics University Library, Fort Lee and
Luther Hanson, curator at the Ft. Lee Army Quartermaster Museum
provided not only their time and encouragement but also convinced me,
“There is a story out there – you just need to fi nd it.” Randy Sowell at
the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum took me under
his wing, as he has so many professional scholars and students, opening
folders, documents, and in their wake, raising thoughtful questions about
the direction of my research and proposing counter-ideas. Likewise,
the archivists and staff at the President Dwight D. Eisenhower Library
were equally supportive. Of course, I had to return to the CARL at Fort
Leavenworth and Carlisle Barracks for visits, and the staff at both CARL
and the Army Heritage and Education Center, Carlisle Barracks, made it
worth my while. Thank you all!
Not connected to any of the offi cial archives, but an archive unto
himself, I wish to acknowledge the assistance I received from Allen Dale
Olson, whose career tracked with the development of the Dependent
School System (DSS), later known at Department of Defense Dependents
Schools (DODDS), and now Department of Defense Education Activity
(DODEA). Allen Dale Olson not only shared his own experiences in
Germany but also introduced me to many of the educators who also
taught in the US school system there in the early days. Thank you!
I would also like to applaud the University of Kansas Watson and
Anschutz Library staffs, and the Interlibrary Loan Department for their
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ix
diligence and creativity in assisting with this research. My thanks also to
the all-too-often nameless students working at the libraries who politely
withheld jokes about the two dinosaurs (my husband and me) check-
ing out all the material. Special thanks go to Pamela Rooks and Suzie
Johannes, without whose technical expertise, this project would surely
have fl oundered … u nd wie!
My heartfelt thanks go out to that small core of people who trudged
with me for the last four years, convincing me, “You can do this.” You
know who you are and I am grateful!
Finally, to all the Loggies, past and present, who have served their Army
and country over the years. Without your often unheralded efforts, the
missions would have faltered.
Leavenworth, Kansas Lee Kruger
December 2015
C
ONTENTS
1 Roots of the Post-Second World War Logistics Challenges
in Occupied Germany 1
2 US Strategic Planning for the Occupation of Germany 2 9
3 US Army Organizations and Missions
in Occupied Germany 7 5
4 Support the Military Forces, Their Families
and the Local Populations 105
5 Logistics, the Bridge to Cultural Exchange:
Bratwurst vs Burger 1 89
6 Conclusions: We Are in Country for the Long Haul 253
Bibliography 2 61
Index 2 75
xi
A : G
PPENDIX LOSSARY
ACC A llied Control Commission
ACC/AMG A llied Control Commission/Allied Military Government
ADSEC Advance Section
AEF American Expeditionary Forces
AG Adjutant General
ARGONAUT I nternational Conference held at Malta and Yalta,
January–February 1945
ASCZ A dvance Section, Communications Zone
Bn B attalion
CA Civil Affairs
CAD C ivil Affairs Division
CAHQ C ivil Affairs Headquarters
CA/MG Civil Affairs/Military Government
CATS Civil Affairs Training School
CCAC Combined Civil Affairs Committee
CCS Combined Chiefs of Staff
CG C ommanding General
CinC Commander in Chief
Class I Supply S ubsistence items, generally food and water
Class II Supply M ilitary clothing, individual equipment and administrative
supplies
Class III Supply P etroleum, oils and lubricants
Class IV Supply C onstruction and barrier materials
Class V Supply Ammunition
Class VI Supplies P ersonal demand items such as soap, toothbrushes, etc.
Class VII Supply M ajor end items, e.g. vehicles, aircraft
Class VIII Supply Medical material
xiii