The FReeper Foxhole Remembers Thankgiving "Over There" - Nov .25th, 2004

www.pilgrimhall.org ^ | Peggy M. Baker, Director & Librarian, Pilgrim Society.

[SAMWolf]

Lord,

Keep our Troops forever in Your care

Give them victory over the enemy...

Grant them a safe and swift return...

Bless those who mourn the lost.
.

FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer
for all those serving their country at this time.

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Thankgiving "Over There"
The Story of Thanksgiving
and
America’s Armed Forces.

The first national annual Thanksgiving was proclaimed in 1863 by Abraham Lincoln. Amid the wrenching strife of the Civil War, the tradition of a national holiday centered on home and family and peace was established.

From that first Civil War Thanksgiving to today, sometimes against overwhelming odds, Americans have always found a way to celebrate Thanksgiving. Troops "over there" forged new families with their comrades. Families back home endured fear and loneliness with grace and courage, in hope for the future. During peacetime, special efforts are made so that American armed forces stationed away from home have a traditional "family" celebration.

The Civil War

The dispute over slavery, as well as rivalry between northern industrial and southern agrarian economies, divided the United States in the mid 1800s. Hostilities began in 1861, shortly after the election of Abraham Lincoln, an Illinois Republican, as President.

Early Confederate successes on land were balanced by a Union naval blockade of southern ports. The war did not turn until 1863 when Lee was defeated at Gettysburg. It took another two years of bloody warfare to establish final Union victory. The cease-fire was signed in May of 1865, one month after Lincoln was assassinated. Before its conclusion, 3/4 of a million men had died and another 1/2 million were wounded. Three million men had served in the Union forces and 750,000 in the Confederate forces. No American family escaped this disastrous conflict.



During the Civil War, rations for the Union troops were ample.

Some foods were not, however, available in the field. Even when full rations were provided, they were not nutritious or appetizing : a diet of hardtack, salt meat and no vegetables quickly leads to scurvy.

The food needs of the armed forces were enormous. The scale of purchasing gave plentiful chances for swindling. The defects of the system lay primarily, however, in unsupervised or inexperienced contractors and supply officers. Canned foods, an economical and reliable source of nutrition, were first used during the Civil War. Condensed milk, invented by Gail Borden in 1856, was occasionally available as were desiccated (or in the language of the troops, "desecrated") fruits and vegetables.

The first national annual Thanksgiving of 1863 was not officially observed by the United States military. Providing a special Thanksgiving dinner for the troops was beyond the capabilities of the Commissary.

Individual units, however, particularly those with New England roots, did find their own unofficial ways to celebrate the day.

Special dinners were organized, and toasts to absent family and friends were drunk.



Thanksgiving 1864 did not go similarly unrecognized. The Union League Club of New York City launched a public campaign to provide Thanksgiving dinner for Union soldiers and sailors :

We desire that on the twenty-fourth day of November there shall be no soldier in the Army of the Potomac, the James, the Shenandoah, and no sailor in the North Atlantic Squadron who does not receive tangible evidence that those for whom he is periling his life, remember him...

We ask primarily for donations of cooked poultry and other proper meats, as well as for mince pies, sausages and fruits... To those who are unable to send donations in kind, we appeal for generous contributions in money.

The response was overwhelming. In 3 weeks, the Club collected over $57,000 towards the purchase of 146,586 pounds of poultry. Donations of an additional 225,000 pounds of poultry were received, along with an enormous quantity of other meat, cakes, gingerbread, pickles, apples, vegetables, cheese, and mince pies.

Captain George F. Noyes reported from General Phil Sheridan’s Army of the Shenandoah

The want of proper appliances compelled most of the men to broil or stew their turkeys, but everyone seemed fully satisfied, and appreciated the significance of this sympathetic thank-offering from the loyal North. One soldier said to me, "It isn’t the turkey, but the idea that we care for," and he thus struck the key-note of the whole festival.

The Spanish American War

The United States became involved in the war between Cuban nationalists and colonial Spain when the Maine, a battleship sent to Havana to safeguard American interests, was blown up. The United States declared war on Spain in April of 1898. Within a few weeks, Spanish troops had been ejected from both Cuba and from the Spanish possession of Puerto Rico, gaining fame for Teddy Roosevelt and his "Rough Riders." Meanwhile, Admiral George Dewey and the American fleet in the Pacific destroyed the Spanish fleet in Manila harbor, ending Spanish rule in the Philippines. Active hostilities ceased by October of 1898.



The Spanish-American War was America’s first military venture overseas. Problems of transport were overwhelming; inspection was totally inadequate. Food, especially the notorious "embalmed beef," was spoiled by heat and there were numerous cases of deadly food poisoning among the American troops in Cuba.

The need for reform was obvious. A clearer understanding of nutrition led to more balanced rations. Ordering procedures were upgraded and bureaus combined for increased efficiency in transportation. The first school for military cooks was established. Better cooking utensils and mess gear were developed, field ranges replaced campfires. Improvements brought about by the Spanish-American War made future celebrations of military Thanksgivings possible.

World War I

Large-scale war broke out in Europe in 1914, but America maintained its neutrality for several years. After six American ships were sunk by German submarines, President Woodrow Wilson asked Congress to declare war on Germany. The first American troops reached France in June 1917. Over 2,000,000 American soldiers were sent to France before the end of the war in 1918 and nearly 2,000,000 more were in training at home for service abroad if needed.

During the First World War, special efforts were needed to feed five distinct groups : American troops stationed in the U.S., American troops abroad, the U.S. civilian "home front," European allied troops, and European civilians. Herbert Hoover was given sweeping power to set prices and to take measures against hoarding and profiteering. Americans were urged to save on sugar, wheat, fat, and meat. Civilian Thanksgiving recipes reflected this patriotic austerity, as pumpkin pies were sweetened with molasses and served with sugarless ice cream.



There was an appreciable upgrading of the standard overseas ration.

The "doughboy" diet now included a greater variety of food and a wider use of fresh foods, even in the field. The military’s ability to produce food and send it to the troops overseas was greatly improved. American troops celebrated Thanksgiving at camps in the United States and overseas during the First World War. Soldiers and sailors from every region of America, men who often had little in common, gathered together to celebrate a unifying and patriotic holiday, a day that was uniquely American. This unifying theme was emphasized by the military Thanksgiving menu, a menu that centered almost entirely on "traditional" New England food.

Between the Wars

After World War I, the country turned its back on Wilson’s "internationalism" and tried to avoid political entanglements in the wider world. The United States continued, however, to be involved in significant commercial interests overseas.



American entrepreneurs continued to pursue their business interests (on occasion, with military support) in the Pacific, and in Central and South America.

The number of American military personnel, which had reached a peak of 2,396,000 in 1918, generally hovered around 137,000 throughout the more peaceful 1920s and 1930s. This smaller military force developed a special camaraderie during the 1920s and 1930s. A "family" feeling was promoted by military Thanksgiving celebrations with abundant food and festive printed souvenir menus.

[Iris7]

Sounds like some kind of wax. There is a lubricant used in making float glass, but I don't know what it is.

Alpha6 is correct, ammonia first. High pH stuff. Should break the bond with the glass. You need what is called "free hydroxyl alkalinity." Solution should feel very slick between thumb and forefinger. The slickness is caused by your skin turning to soap. Stuff is still there, add more ammonia, up to 100%. Apron, goggles, rain jacket, and gloves. Don't let it run up your sleeves, if needed duct tape. Nasty in the eyes. Next thing to try is to test apply energine or kerosene. Next test vinegar and water. Low pH stuff. Muriatic acid next. Likely need to scrub the test spots, I like the white Scotchbrite. The green has strong abrasives. If you do use solvent remove residue with ammonia water. Don't mix this stuff up in one bucket, don't want to lose you. Hose off the chemicals well then squeegee. This will remove anything but epoxies and similar from glass.

This doesn't work there is a good glass cleaner made to clean laboratory glasswear, high pH. Safe to handle with gloves, apron and goggles. Hazardous chemicals are next, should not be needed.

Really, I will be surprised if the ammonia - water does not work. Keep it out of your eyes. Really. Use the slippery between the fingers test to be sure the solution is the right concentration. Have a bucket of clean water to rinse off the stuff from your hand.

Do some of this sort of thing for a living, amongst other stuff, always try to keep my people healthy. Piece of cake, no sweat GI, the precautions are adequate.

Most building type guys are too casual with materials they don't understand. That epoxy you guys were using is dangerous to handle especially on an everyday basis. Sometimes even a drop will cause serious allergic sensitivity. After the catalyst is added but before it is really set up it is toxic. During the period when it stinks.

[Iris7]

Speaking of moderation in all things, I figure that this rule means moderation in all things including moderation. Got to be moderate in your moderation, Hey!!

[Iris7]

Should work. Good abrasives, expensive, super gentle. The floor pads are a good idea, should have thought of it. No abrasives at all you can see or feel even in the red ones. Look like straight nylon.

Snip says some sort of ag spray on the plants maybe got on the windows. They use some funny stuff to keep that sort of thing from washing off. Odd polymers, heavy duty chemistry. My earlier advice should work. Windex is real puny because it doesn't need to be otherwise and because they don't want lawsuits. Only good for B.O. condensed on the glass.

Phil, read your pieces with enjoyment, as always. Sometimes I think you may be a little Right of me, at least in some ways. Amazing.

[Iris7]

Those "HIWI", "Hilfswillige", "Willing Helpers", people were a pretty vulgar bunch. But then so were the Nazis. Made a nice fit.

Most of the old Wehrmacht officers, the ones trained in the prewar officer schools, thought attaching HIWIs to your outfit in very poor taste.

Don't get me wrong, the Wehrmacht was perfectly willing to invade Poland, and fought the 1944 Battle of Warsaw against the Home Army.

The Wehmacht had quite a few good soldiers, but nothing compared to the Monte Cassino Poles, though. Even Student's early war men were not of that sort of quality. The old Wehrmacht stories of Monte Cassino are most intense.

I'm an easy going guy, but those people Hitler surrounded himself with really show what a deformed and nasty creature he really was. How about Stalin's creepy buddies? Mao's love life? You guys could have done a lot worse than Jaruzelski, speaking of HIWIs, this time the Soviet's boy.

The Soviets would never have listened to anyone not a believing Communist. I am not saying Jarulzelski was not responsible for the deaths of very good men. Sure was. A nice miltary court martial showing that he was responsible for his subordinate's actions, and a nice hanging, is OK by me. A Court Martial could get a lot of that stuff from those days out in the open.

[Iris7]

"Hitlery: das Butch von Buchenvald"

Bet that gets her goat. Ah, well, I am on the same sort of lists you are, never figured to live forever anyway.

Besides, I talk to my children's friends, and I think maybe we win this thing.

Tried talking about Hilary, though actually I think Bill is even worse. No go, too emotional. Justice would be sweet.

[E.G.C.]

BTT!!!!!!!

[SAMWolf]

Thanks Iris7. I figure we'll try the ammonia and the vinegar and see if either work. I figured that there had to be some sort of "film" on the glass that regular window cleaners don't really get off, they just sort of "move it around". Since we're the first occupants, the windows have never beeen cleaned.

I think we'll stay away from the hazardous chemical stuff. Let the building manager handle those.

[Professional Engineer]

Thanks Sam. I'd never thought about this, but the chow hall did go all out for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. I was pretty cool, and yummy. The Wing and Base commanders and families always were in attendance as well.

[The Mayor]

I will, Thank you for your interest.

[gc4nra]

"A US soldier shops at the PX, the name given to such stores on US bases across the world"


FYI: It stands for Post Exchange.