US Army Training Center - Yearbook (Fort Bragg, NC)

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NUl'LllVl'xlUN Officer class receiving instructfon. OFFicers learning to cook dehydrated foods. B!-XHEHS fl ll Ellllli SIIHIJUI. The Bakers and Cooks School at Fort Bragg, a Fourth Service Command installation, opened in March, 1941, under the supervision of Major Ormond K. Cummings, who was sent here from Fort MacArthur, California, ex- pressly for that purpose. Major Cummings served as the first Commandant of the School and continued in that ca- pacity until October, 194-3, at which time he was appointed Post Food Supervisor for Fort Bragg. He was succeeded at that time by Lieutenant Conrad A. Knowles. Lieutenant Knowles continued in the capacity of Commandant of the school until January, l944, at which time Captain Sidney M. November was appointed Commandant. Captain No- vember held that position until October of 1944. ln October, 1944-, the Fourth Service Command School for Bakers and Cooks at Fort Bragg, its mission having been accomplished, was closed. While in operation an average enrollment of from 350 to 500 students was main- tained at the School. These students came not only from the various units stationed at Fort Bragg and other in- stallations within the Fourth Service Command, but many of them came from other Service Commands as far west as Enlisted men learning 'co dehydrate foods. the Pacific Coast. During this period the school graduated more than 750 officers, ranging in rank from Second Lieu- tenants to Colonels, more than 2,000 Mess Sergeants, and about 8,000 student cooks. During the past year and a half, in addition to the many hundreds of mess sergeants and student cooks that have been graduated from the school, more than 2,000 officers and enlisted men have completed the comprehensive courses in dehydrated foods. Up until the time it was closed, the Bakers and Cooks School at Fort Bragg was recognized as one of the largest and top-ranking schools of its type, not alone in the Fourth Service Command, but in the United States. ln the many overseas movements of troops during the past three years, there have been included a large number of men who have graduated from this school. These men have served as a nucleus for bakery companies and messes overseas, and they have been assigned to instruct the men under them in these arts throughout various theaters of operations. Re- ports coming back indicate that the School did a remark- able job during its three and one half years of existence. Some samples of dehydrated foods. ff' as -1- s a n f vgzfb 'f'e x o,,p Q, ,tlflylsui x c x s's '.-3' xxx' fx' 'ts ffxffi n,.!4 ,v,p n,,'s ul, . 'b xe .-

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WUHH Clearing duds from range lnduciion Station. Phermacf Regional I-'ospltal Supply Room, Personnel Center Regional Hospital Laboraiory. Ralzioning Board, Post Head quarters.

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Field Director Richard N. Hart and assistants. Day room equipment furnished by Red Cross. 1 l MEHIIIA RED IIHIJSS The services of the American Red Cross have been available to the personnel of Fort Bragg since l9l3, when a chapter was first established at this Post. As the num- ber of troops on the reservation continued to grow, the scope of these services increased accordingly. At the present time, in addition to the main ollice and two hos- pital sections, several branches are located throughout the Post to better serve the troops in the various areas. ln charge of Red Cross activities at Fort Bragg are Field Director Richard N. Hart and eight Assistant Field Direc- tors. Services rendered by the Red Cross to the members of the Armed Forces cover a wide variety of problems. Since these problems are so varied, it is futile to attempt to describe all the activities of the Red Cross. Suffice it to say that the Red Cross personnel on the Post are available 24- hours a day. The major services that they perform in- clude the following: they provide individual counsel and guidance, they obtain information and reports on home conditionsg and they grant loans or grants of money to enable soldiers to return home in cases of distress, sickness, or death in the immediate family. For the four year period from July l, l940 to June 30, l9-111, lO3,525 enlisted men and women were assisted with their problems by the Red Cross at Fort Bragg. Financial assistance in the form of loans or grants for emergencies, during the same period totaled 5l534O,599.39. Conscious of thc effect that personal and family prob- Welfare worlc at Regional Hospftal lems have on the ill and convalescent soldiers, the Red Cross maintains a program of medical and psychiatric social work in the Fort Bragg Regional Hospital. Work- ing under the guidance of the Medical Officers, and in co- operation with the patients and the Home Service Workers, the Red Cross Hospital worker obtains important data needed by the doctor for diagnosis and treatment. There is the task of looking after the comfort and welfare of rela- tives who may be summoned to the bedside of service men critically ill. Providing writing material, Writing letters for the incapacitated. and encouraging families to Write cheerful letters to patients are other services which go far toward alleviating worry and hastening recovery at the hospital. The recreational and entertainment activities which the Red Cross provides for convalescing soldiers help to fill in the long hours that the soldier must en- dure during his period of recovery. Shortly after December 9, 19411. because of its size and the efficient operation of the military sctup here. Fort Bragg was designated as one of the training centers for Assistant Field Directors. Several hundred Assistant Field Directors have received this training for domestic and overseas as- signnients. The Red Cross is a long-established link between the military and home fronts. From the far corners of our country this cross-How of Red Cross service safeguards the welfare of the enlisted men and women and their families both in peace and in war. Conducting occupational therapy.