This is a training film for the US Army which will take a detailed look at the Quartermaster’s position and what his responsibilities are. These are military officers responsible for providing quarters, rations, clothing, and other supplies. The film opens with a shot of a Sergeant and his family in a US Army housing development stationed in Germany (:09). All personnel, including dependents, are the Quartermaster’s responsibility (:25) though most soldiers did not have their families with them. The QM is in charge of all food supplies (:33), troops’ clothing (:51), of running the commissary from which soldier’s families buy their food (1:01) and of milk and bread are deliveries (1:20). The Uniform Department is shown (1:43) and these are located in all foreign localities and under the charge of the QM. In areas with smaller concentrations of troops, a railroad engine is used to pull the mobile store around (1:50). Giessen, Germany housed six of the big warehouse installations in Western Europe (3:05). Two million tons of supplies are delivered and stored at the QM Depot annually (3:08). Inventory is conducted and checked through a cumulative system of punched out machine record cards (3:27). The record control here is the master control for all of the supply depots in the area (3:34). Supplies are ordered through procurement offices (3:46) which are set up in the major marketing centers of Europe. Secretaries work to keep contact between all of the offices to ensure everything is bought at the lowest price (3:48). A procurement office in Frankfurt, Germany follows (4:01) with a QM drafting up needed supplies. Cargo is unloaded in the harbor and about 2/3rds of the annual supplies shipped here arrived from the US (4:13). Incoming shipments are checked by the US Army Checker (4:34). Tankers are seen as gasoline must be shipped in (5:34). The QM Corps is in charge of storage of the fuel (5:45). The QM might also purchase produce from farmers and an auction is held in The Hague, Holland (6:49). Livestock is purchased in Europe (7:42) only for the sale at the QM commissary and frozen meat is shipped from the US for troop messes (7:49). The Army Veterinarian checks all meat for purchase and leaves his stamp on what is approved (8:04). Eggs are purchased fresh for immediate use with some being stored for off season when they will be of higher price (8:18). Often times, the QM operated an overseas food processing plant (8:39). Servicemen had become known for their appetite of dairy desserts like milkshakes and ice cream which pushed the Army to ensure it always had stocks of supplies for them (8:52). For other facilities in which the QM Corp didn’t own or operate though was a steady purchaser of goods at, such as the milk processing plant in Amsterdam (9:08), all of its routine operations become the QM’s responsibility. The Army Inspector works alongside the US Army Veterinarian ensuring quality and sanitation standards are met (9:56). Permanent installations to check quality of gas and oil are set up (10:59) and all purchases including clothes (11:28) and plates for mess halls are tested for quality (11:38). Sacks of coffee beans had been shipped in from South America (12:02) and facilities to roast and ground coffee are installed and operated by the QM (12:18). In order to save money, the QM Corp makes its own bread (13:49) and conducts its own laundry facilities (14:33) or installs a smaller portable laundry facility (15:40). A QM plant operating in Munich, Germany that disinfects, washes and refurbishes Army pillows and mattresses (16:58). Another plant refurbishes 55-gallon oil drums (18:08) and 5-gallon cans (19:06). Furniture and upholstery are also under the charge of the QM (19:28). Clothing undergoing quality checks shows a canvas bag reading ‘Repacked August 1953’ (20:19). Silverware, pots and pans are refurbished at a metal re-plating shop in Munich (20:38). The Army Cost Consciousness program included the saving of bread crumbs to be used for stuffing (21:05). Eggshells were salvaged (21:15) and sold to farmers to feed to their chickens. During the Holland flood disaster (21:37) the QM supply was sighted for its contribution to the US Military Relief efforts. The QM Corps operates a training facility in the Bavarian Alps in Germany (22:00) and here students learn doctrine, typing, how to use a punchcard computer, stenography (23:18), how to cook and prepare food (24:14) as well as how to be an effective butcher (24:41). They also participate in regular combat training (24:56). This film was from ‘The Big Picture’ series, a documentary television program airing from 1951 to 1964 (25:53).

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