Field Kitchen Impressions

[K. Schulte]

Hi
I've done a few searchs for this I promise that have come up with absolutly nothing. But I have been interested and have looked into starting a field kitchen impression for over a year now but I find it hard to attain materials to help me make it as authentic as possible. I know the basics, a field stove whether it me the m37's or the fire box type 1 or 2. some insulated canisters. etc. but does any one have any detailed pictures of some actual field kitchen, or know of someone that already has a great kitchen impression? If you can lend a hand in anyway possible (links, pictures, advice) I would really appreciate it.
Pfc. Imber

[sharpsburg]

I know there was someone at Reading this year who did a kitchen setup but i don't know who it was. Maybe someone else who was there can recall. He did a really great, informative demo.

[K. Schulte]

can anyone else chip in?

[T-5.Flibble]

There are some photo's in the US Army Cook manual. And a couple from The Netherlands do a small field kitchen impression.

www.schumulder.nl/elly/images/Santa%20Fe/SF72.jpg

[K. Schulte]

wow, that is quite a set up! ya know I'm really surprised this has not started more of a discussion. we are all used to medic, soldier, admin tents but you don't see too many mess lines at events. maybe later tonight I will post a few of the items I am seraching for and if anyone knows where I can get any of these items (other than ebay) it would be a big help... till then

[odjeep54]

I am trying to get one together. I have 1 M37 field range, a M44 20 man cook stove, a couple of m41 insulated containers. I have a mess kit field laundry battery (immersion heaters and trash cans) other than that, jerry cans, water cans, field tables, ration crates, utensils, a tarp etc.. I drag it out if our unit is going to be somewhere in force. a nice site to reference is:

www.seabeecook.com

I hope you have a big truck, if you have a cckw and a ben hur trailer, all the better!

from that site, you can link to a picture gallery For 11th Cav. it's run by Bob Hersey. Although it's Viet Nam, he has a lot of nice pictures of the field kitchen. while the equipment is not the same (some of it is. if you look closely at one of the pictures of the field kitchen, you can see the lid of a M1937, not the M1959, field range sticking up) The general feel is the same. Try the Quartermaster museum at ft Lee:

www.qmfound.com/history.html

they have a lot to learn there about rations and feeding the troops.

Finally, a spot on field kitchen is owned by one of the members of the 51st engineers. Unfortunately, I do not remember his name, perhaps you can contact him by their website.

someone had mentioned "The Army Cook" TM. I would suggest in addition to the WWII ones, get the '46 dated version. it has a lot of "lessons learned"

If you have any specific questions, I would do my best to answer them.

good luck,

Mike

[K. Schulte]

great information thank you very much

[35divmp]

odjeep54 said:

...someone had mentioned "The Army Cook" TM. I would suggest in addition to the WWII ones, get the '46 dated version. it has a lot of "lessons learned"

There's also TM 10-205 "Mess Management and Training" July 6, 1942.

I've got one that came with a Ration Breakdown sheet. it's neat.

And yes, it's for sale. Contact me via email or PM about it.

Jay

PS - It's been sold now! Thanks to young man who purchased it.

[Wagner]

There was a thread with a couple of links to US field kitchen guys. I'll try to dig it up

Travis

[Wagner]

Found It

ww2reenactors.proboards35.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=1137094256

Older thread related to the 2007? columbus airshow

Travis

[Pathfinder]

this is a GREAT idea. what would be a the correct tentage to use?

[chiefyeomanbb55]

trooper3306 said:

this is a GREAT idea. what would be a the correct tentage to use?

There is an Army cook tent and in the past they have been available through Coleman's Surplus in Pennsylvania. I just checked their website and did not see any for sale at the present.

If you go to the U.S. Army Center For Military History
www.army.mil/cmh-pg/
I have seen some photographs and combat artist paintings of field kitchens. I remember one painting in which the kitchen was set up under a canvas fly (tarp) as the only shelter.


Hope this helps. Good luck with getting started on this impression.

Mike

[odjeep54]

The only army cook tent I have seen available is the M1948; a little too new. I have not found a reference yet to a specific WWII design for a kitchen tent. A wall tent would be fine, maybe a 34 pyramid? I have, however, seen multiple pictures of flys being used. I only have a 42 version of TM10-405 "The Army Cook" now, but I remember the '46 version had a lot of specific information about setting up mess in the field, including buidling semi-permanent kitchens. (wooden frame, screen walls, canvas roof) Unfortunately my dog ate my '46 version last year, I guess the book spent so much time in the kitchen that it smelled like food.

As far as a a mess tent, anything big, GP medium or large, would be ok (if you can get 42 squad tents or larger from WWII; all the better) the tent would be the easy part. carting around enough tables and chairs or benches, well, you better have friends, lots of them...

for an infantry company kitchen in the field, I doubt the kitchen left the back of the cckw very often. you would have to work hard to convince me that we were going to be in the same place for a long time before I man-handled those m-37 ranges off the back of the truck.

[chiefyeomanbb55]

With regard to setting up your kitchen in a tent, keep in mind the importance of providing ventilation. This will be especially important if you plan on preparing meals at an event during the summer months.

Your stove(s) will be putting out a lot of heat and the canvas will be warm from the sun (unless you are at Reading and it's raining a lot).
;D

[ww2dave]

I'd say make yourself up a Fly and do a Company Cook. Forget those big Stove and oven Units... get a couple of the two Burner and one burner Gas powered stoves and some cook sets, a few mermite cans and a couple of 5 Gallon watercans.

Dave

[secondtonone]

A Infantry Company had 1 Mess Sgt, 4 Cooks and 2 cooks helpers.

2 14 qt galvanized buckets
1 10 gal corrugated can
1 16 gal corrugated can
1 24 gal corrugated can
1 32 gal corrugated can
3 heaters, immersion type for corrugated cans
20 water cans, 5 gal
4 round mermite cans, M1941
1 field range, m1937, 3 Unit

[K. Schulte]

thanks guys for all your input, as for the large m37's and the smaller 2 burners, I had an idea. In your opinion would it be too farby or beyond incorrect to fabricate a makeshift grill type device out of a 50 gal drum. everything used in it would be ww2 realted using things that were laying around at the time. but cooking on it would be simplified 100% over blowing myself up with gasoline stoves. any opinions? I believe a canvas fly, tables, Mermite canisters, pots n pans, K - C Ration and other crates, Burlap potato bags. 3 galvanized trash cans, a water lister and some water cans I should be all set. Would it be correct to use the oval m44 insulated canisters? The round ones are getting expensive. Also I have read that when immersion heaters where not available they just started small fires beneath them.

[odjeep54]

rangerjay,

I say, do the best you can with what you can get. If you are cooking for your unit, you are providing a valuable service that is really necessary for some events. I started by necessity, we needed to feed a large group, so I volunteered. when I started, it was propane and turkey fryers. hide the gas bottles under a shelter half. if you are trying to do it on the cheap, start at your local resturant supply house, pick up large aluminum pots and stainless steel utensils. commercial cookware is a pretty reasonable substitute. pick up a few items for display, buy or make c or k ration crates. I have never seen a WWII picture of a 44 mermite, I would shy away from them. big aluminum pots, that's the ticket. right now, the army and marines appear to be dumping all their m59 ranges. see if you can find a surplus dealer. they had a few of them at aberdeen last year. the range is not visually close, but all the pots are exactly the same (except for the WWII dates) check out government liquidation.com for the army and marine bases around you. they are a pain to deal with, but you can get things, it just takes some work (I just won a bid at Ft. Meade for 20 field tables-what am I going to do with 20 field tables, and how am i going to hide them from my wife!) . Hide what does not look good, and show off what does. most important, make good chow for your troops, make plenty of coffee, and have fun.

Mike

[odjeep54]

p.s. as far as immersion heaters, until you find some, sanitize chemically. (just a little bleach)

[K. Schulte]

just excellent, thankyou all for your help, hopefully I can put this great advice to use as soon as possible