United States Army in World War II
European Theater of Operations

Logistical Support of the Armies
Volume I: May 1941--September 1944

by
Roland G. Ruppenthal

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF MILITARY HISTORY
DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
WASHINGTON, D.C., 1953


. . . to Those Who Served


CONTENTS

Forward vii
Introductory Note

viii
Preface

ix
Chapter     Page
  Principal Commanders and Staff Officers 1
  THE UNITED KINGDOM BUILD-UP  
I. Origins of the European Theater of Operations, 1941-June 1942 13
  (1) The United States "Observes" the War in Europe 13
  (2) The Occupation of Iceland 17
  (3) American Troops Go to Northern Ireland 19
  (4) Establishing an Air Force in the United Kingdom 26
  (5) The Formation of the Services of Supply and Activation of ETOUSA 31
  (6) The Heritage of SPOBS and USAFBI 44
II. The SOS and ETOUSA in 1942 52
  (1) BOLERO Is Born 52
  (2) BOLERO Planning in the United Kingdom, May-July 1942: the First Key Plans 59
  (3) The SOS Organizes, June-July 1942 76
  (4) TORCH Intervenes 87
  (5) BOLERO's Status at the End of 1942 99
III. The Build-Up in Stride, 1943 114
  (1) BOLERO in Limbo, January-April 1943
  (2) The Troop Build-up Is Resumed, May-December 1943
  (3) The Flow of Cargo in 1943
  (4) Troop and Cargo Reception
  (5) Command and Organizational Changes in 1943
  PREPARING FOR CONTINENTAL INVASION  
IV. The Inception of OVERLORD and Its Logistic Aspects 175
  (1) Early Planning for Cross-Channel Operations 175
  (2) Logistic Considerations in the Evolution of the OVERLORD Plan 178
V. Command and Organization, and the Assignment of Planning Responsibilities, January-June 1944 190
  (1) Formation of the Major Commands 190
  (2) Consolidation of ETOUSA and SOS 195
  (3) Assignment of Command and Planning Responsibilities 203
  (4) Forward Echelon, Communications Zone (FECOMZ) 207
  (5) Advance Section, Communications Zone (ADSEC) 211
  (6) Continental Base Sections 216
  (7) Final Command Arrangements 219
VI. The Completion of BOLERO 231
  (1) The Flow of Troops and Cargo, January-May 1944 231
  (2) Construction and Local Procurement, 1943-May 1944 240
  (3) The SOS on the Eve of OVERLORD 258
VII. The OVERLORD Logistical Plan 269
  (1) The Artificial Port 269
  (2) Beach Organization 282
  (3) Port Reconstruction 285
  (4) Troop Build-up and Replacements 297
  (5) The Supply Plan 306
  (6) The Depot Structure 312
  (7) Transportation 314
  (8) The Supply of POL 319
VIII. Training and Rehearsing for Cross-Channel Invasion 328
  (1) Earlier Amphibious Experience 328
  (2) The Training Schools and First Exercises 334
  (3) The Assault Training Center and Engineer Special Brigades 339
  (4) Major Exercises 345
  (5) Final Rehearsals 350
  OVERLORD IS SET IN MOTION, MAY-JULY 1944  
IX. Mounting the Operation 357
  (1) The Mounting Problem and Plan 357
  (2) The Mounting Begins 363
X. Launching the Invasion: Organizing the Beaches 374
  (1) Tactical Developments in June 374
  (2) OMAHA Beach on D Day 377
  (3) UTAH Beach on D Day 384
  (4) Development of the OMAHA Area 389
  (5) Development of the UTAH Area 397
  (6) The Beach Ports 402
  (7) The Great Storm of 19-22 June 406
  (8) The Build-up to 30 June 415
  (9) Cross-Channel Movement 422
XI. The Logistic Outlook in June and July 427
  (1) Tactical Development, 1-24 July 427
  (2) The Normandy Supply Base 430
  (3) The Status of Supply 439
  (4) Troop Build-up 449
  (5) Replacements 458
  (6) The Ports 463
  THE LOGISTICS OF RAPID MOVEMENT, AUGUST--MID-SEPTEMBER 1944  
XII. Breakout and Pursuit 475
  (1) Tactical Developments 475
  (2) The Logistic Implications of Changing Plans 481
XIII. "Frantic Supply" 489
  (1) The Character of Supply Operations in the Pursuit 489
  (2) Gasoline--"the Red Blood of War" 499
  (3) Classes I, II, and IV Supply 516
  (4) Ammunition 525
XIV. Transportation in the Pursuit 544
  (1) The Railways 544
  (2) Motor Transport 553
  (3) Supply by Air 572
 
  GLOSSARY  
  CODE NAMES  
  BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE 591
  INDEX 597

 
TABLES
 
1. Troop Build-up in the United Kingdom, January 1942-February 1943 100
2. Cargo Flow to the United Kingdom, January 1942-May 1943 103
3. Troop Build-up in the United Kingdom in 1943 129
4. Cargo Flow to the United Kingdom in 1943 135
5. Troop BUild-up in the United Kingdom, August 1943-May 1944 232
6. Cargo Flow to the United Kingdom, November 1943-July 1944 237
7. Supply Build-up Over the Beaches, 6-30 June 1944 416
8. Vehicle Build-up Over the Beaches, 6-30 June 1944 418
9. Troop Build-up Over the Beaches, 6-30 June 1944 420
10. Gasoline Supply of First and Third Armies, 30 July-16 September 1944 503
11. Cargo Transported by Air, 20 August-16 September 1944 581

 
CHARTS
 
1. Early Command and Staff Organization of ETOUSA 45
2. The BOLERO Administrative Organization in the United Kingdom 63
3. Organization of the Services of Supply, ETOUSA, 109 August 1942 79
4. ETOUSA and SOS Command and Organizational Structure, August 1943 165
5. ETOUSA's Organization After the Consolidation of 17 January 1944 199
6. Planned Command Arrangements for OVERLORD 224

 
MAPS
 
1. European Theater of Operations, 16 June 1942 41
2. Regional Organization of SOS in the United Kingdom 85
3. ETO Boundary Changes 112
4. Ports Considered in Invasion Planning 180
5. The Final OVERLORD Plan  
6. U.S. General Depots and Major Training Sites, May 1944 249
7. Plan for MULBERRY A at OMAHA Beach 279
8. The CHASTITY Plan 295
9. OVERLORD Rail and Pipeline Plans 316
10.  
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
 

ILLUSTRATIONS
 
  The Special Observers Group 15
  Headquarters, ETO 17
  John G. Winant, U.S. Ambassador to Britain 24
  Nissen Hut Quarters 25
  General Lee 34
  Crates of Partially Assembled Jeeps 67
  British "Goods Vans" 68
  English Railway Station Scene 69
  General Hawley 72
  Headquarters, SOS, Near Cheltenham 82
  Headquarters, SOS, Near Cheltenham 82
  General Littlejohn 98
  General Moore 101
  Deck-Loaded General Grant Medium Tanks 102
  Motor Convoy 143
  Motor Convoy 143
  Tenders Alongside the Queen Elizabeth 147
  US-Built Locomotives 151
  Roadside Storage 153
  Roadside Storage 153
  General Depot at Ashchurch 155
  General Depot at Ashchurch 155
  Jeep Assembly Line 157
  General Crawford 166
  General Lord 167
  General Moses 206
  General Plank 212
  Stocking Supplies and Equipment 228
  Stocking Supplies and Equipment 228
  Invasion Equipment 229
  Invasion Equipment 229
  Typical Medical Installations 245
  Typical Medical Installations 245
  Aerial Views of a Station Hospital 247
  U.S. Airfied Construction in England 252
  U.S. Airfied Construction in England 252
  General Stratton 266
  Caissons 274
  Caissons 274
  Lobnitz Pierhead 276
  Aerial View of Cherbourg 291
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 



Transcribed and formatted for HTML by Stephen Svonavec, HyperWar Foundation