Chewing Gum, Candy Bars, and Beer: The Army Px in World War II

201 Pages·2009·1.56 MB·English

by  James J. Cooke

´ Chewing Gum
´ Candy Bars
´ and Beer
Chewing Gum
´
´ Candy Bars

´ and Beer
Chewing Gum
´
´ Candy Bars

´ and Beer
The Army PX in World War II
James J. Cooke
´ ´ ´
University of Missouri Press
Columbia and London
Copyright © 2009 by
The Curators of the University of Missouri
University of Missouri Press, Columbia, Missouri 65201
Printed and bound in the United States of America
All rights reserved
5 4 3 2 1 13 12 11 10 09

Library of Congress Cataloging‑in‑Publication Data

Cooke, James J.
Chewing gum, candy bars, and beer : the Army PX in World War II /
James J. Cooke.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978‑0‑8262‑1867‑4 (hardcover : alk. paper)
1. United States. Army and Air Force Exchange Service—History. 2.
Military exchanges—United States—History—20th century. 3. World
War, 1939‑1945—United States. 4. United States. Army—Military
life—History—20th century. I. Title.
UC753.C665 2009
940.54’8373—dc22
2009031957

This paper meets the requirements of the
American National Standard for Permanence of Paper
for Printed Library Materials, Z39.48, 1984.
Designer and Typesetter: Kristie Lee
Printer and Binder: Thomson‑Shore, Inc.
Typeface: Adobe Garamond
In 1960 I was a young GI in Europe. I walked into the Special
Service Club and met a new hostess. Forty‑eight years later we are
still married and have the first piece of household furniture that
we bought in the Post Exchange. She has been an editorial queen
for many books, and for this book my adviser, having worked
with PXs and Special Service Clubs.

Contents
Acknowledgments ix
Introduction 1
1. From the Sutler’s Tent 10
2. Preparedness and War 24
3. Regulations and Agreements 42
4. Expansion and Shortages, 1943–1944 60
5. No Beer! 77
6. To Final Victory 105
7. 1945 and V‑Days 123
8. Consequences and Aftermath 142
Notes 163
Selected Bibliography 175
Index 182

aCknowledgments
No one person writes a book. There are many people involved, and
many need to be recognized. The staff and the historians at the Na‑
tional Archives at College Park, Maryland, made hundreds of cartons
of World War II documents available for research. They are public
servants at their best. Betty Bradbury of Bloomington, Indiana, took
very messy drafts and turned them into readable and comprehensible
chapters. Her thoughts and suggestions were invaluable. Tim Frank,
a professional historian and researcher in College Park, Maryland,
obtained the photographs from the National Archives. His selection
was invaluable for this book. My wife, as always, labored through
pages and chapters, correcting my constant errors—a comma here,
a semicolon there. I am indebted to Beverly Jarrett, Sara Davis, and
Annette Wenda of the University of Missouri Press, who contributed
their professional opinions and editorial expertise. Last of all were the
many veterans of World War II who gave comments and memories of
the PX, the Service Clubs, and many other military institutions. Their
ranks thin day by day. To these great men and women we owe a debt
that cannot be fully repaid.