Chef With Thanksgiving Menu, Norman Rockwell, Saturday Evening Post Cover 1942
"Norman Rockwell gives us a humorous take on KP, or Kitchen Patrol, duty at the start of WWII.
We are not privy to whether or not this chef is a full time chef or just one of the kitchen staff.HT: 10engines Posted by gerardvanderleun at November 28, 2013 7:38 AMOne things is certain. He had his work cut out for him. He has prepared a Thanksgiving Feast for 137 men, a whole brigade stationed at Fort Ethan Allen in Vermont.
The menu shows lots of items. I count 34 total.
The list includes:
Roast Turkey
Giblet Gravy
Mashed Potatoes
Apple and Raisin Dressing
Candies Sweet Potatoes
Scalloped Corn
Brussel Sprouts
Chocolate Cake
Pumpkin Pie
Fruit Cocktail
Olives and Celery
Lettuce and Tomato SaladThe meal was scheduled to be served at 12:15. The time is now 1:22. The meal has been served.
Now our chef can unwind. He is sitting down. His boots are off. He is stretching and wiggling his toes.
He is also free now to enjoy a cigarette and a cup of coffee.
This Thanksgiving chef may not be actively involved in battle, but he has sure seen plenty of action!
Now it's time to take a deep breath and start cleaning up."
He needs Robert Ervine.
Posted by: Christopher Taylor at November 28, 2013 8:27 AMImagine the look that would be on his face two years later as he tried to fry some spam and get the coffee to boil while in the rain on some Pacific island also occupied by the Japanese.
Posted by: Lazarus Long at November 28, 2013 9:27 AMNot to pick nits, but it was Kitchen Police not Kitchen Patrol, and a brigade would have many more than 137 men.
Posted by: Walt Erickson at November 28, 2013 5:18 PMYes, 137 men is about the size of a company, way smaller than a brigade, but many companies of the day ran their own mess halls. That's probably what this is showing.
Here's a bit of Military 101: In the US Army of WW2, three line companies (plus a Hqs company) made up a battalion, three battalions made up a regiment, and three regiments made up a division (I'm talking maneuver units--infantry or armor (tanks)--and leaving out the numerous support units for the sake of simplicity). A brigade was usually a hybrid of one or more maneuver battalions of one type and an artillery or reconnaissance unit, and some support units, and was expected to operate independently. The modern army has reversed this nomenclature--divisions are made up of brigades now, while regiments (typically designated "cavalry") are independent combined-arms units.
If someone was an actual cook, he was not on KP; that was his job in the Army. The KPs were ordinary soldiers who were picked to help the cooks with meal preparation and cleanup for a specified period of time (a day, a week, etc.). It was always considered lousy duty, especially in garrison, since the work started early, ended late, and the cooks tended to give all the crap jobs they could to the KPs.
Posted by: waltj at November 28, 2013 6:24 PMMy sympathy was not with the Army cook, but with the poor bastard on KP who had "outside pots and pans". Been there. Done that.
Posted by: twolaneflash at November 29, 2013 7:22 AMMy sympathy was not with the Army cook, but with the poor bastard on KP who had "outside pots and pans". Been there. Done that.
Posted by: twolaneflash at November 29, 2013 7:22 AM
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