Tracing the history of the procurement of dehydrated vegetables for the armed forces in World War II offers two interesting objectives: to compare the attendant problems and accomplishments of an industry which rose and flourished in one world war, and then died, with those of its successor in another war; and to learn about the complications that can arise in the relationships between a Government procuring agency and an industry when the latter must be built up quickly to serve a special purpose. The Chicago Quartermaster Depot has carried the central procurement assignment for dehydrated vegetables since the first purchase of these items, in 1941, and has been intimately associated with the development of the industry from infant-size to large-scale producer. For this reason, the account of the procurement of this form of subsistence seemed worthy of a monograph in the series prepared on the specialized activities of the Chicago Quartermaster Depot, and it has been prepared as No. 6. Chapters include: governmental provisions for production of dehydrated vegetables; dehydrated vegetables procurement assigned to Chicago Depot; problems and lessons of the first year's procurement; the Chicago Depot takes action on dehydration problems; characteristics of the 1943-44 buying season; and the industry and the Army in the fourth year of the war.

N16525.4 Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.