Re: dirty clothes and who cared?

[<RonaldS842@aol.com>]

   Yes indeed, cleanliness was an important issue where men were asked to 
give maximum effort. This is what Lt. Col. Kenneth O. Schellberg, 
quartermaster of the 7th Infantry Division recalls.
   "We learned that the quartermaster's shower and clothing exchange was a 
great economy in spite of the additional equipment necessary to allow the men 
to bathe and to launder their clothing.
   "When the clothing exchange began we collected all the duffel bags and 
limited each soldier to the clothing on his back plus a change of underwear 
and socks. Thus the total number of uniforms per man dropped from three sets 
to one and a half.
   "There were many advantages to the clothing exchange system. It cut down 
the weight the soldier had to carry, it also eliminated duffel bags and the 
thirty man detail in each regiment to guard and handle them. This increased 
our mobility. The cleaner clothing improved the hygiene of the troops and the 
automatic exchange of clothing eliminated all requisitions below division. 
Exchange made possible early repair of shirts and trousers before they became 
unsalvageable.
   We learned that in combat there is no need to publish a shower schedule 
because company commanders preferred to send men to showers whenever the 
tactical situation permitted. From experience we learned that the shower 
units should not be moved farther forward than regiment.
   "The shower and clothing exchange was a great morale builder for the men. 
After an attack in which a regiment was unable to release men to get showers 
we would augment its bathing facilities and see that every man could bathe 
and change within four days. Normally the men had a shower once a week.
   Company commanders watched their men for signs of excessive fatique and 
sent them to the showers when a relief seemed necessary, Often a shower and a 
hot meal at regiment were enough to restore a soldier's efficiency. If the 
fatique were serious the soldier could be sent to the regimental rest camp 
for a day or two of sleep hot meals and regular baths. This was an excellent 
way to prevent combat fatique."

Ron