"Look, the V.A. does the best it can," a Vietnam-era mess sergeant told me, as we waited in line to have our photographs taken with Mr. Mills.
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Clooney is fun to watch as the bullheaded Scheisskopf, and a few other performers manage to make an impression, like Daniel David Stewart as the uber-capitalist mess sergeant Milo Minderbinder and Graham Patrick Martin as the resourceful pilot Orr.
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Three of the central characters are essentially similar in all three of Jones' World War II novels, but their names are altered. From Here to Eternity features First Sergeant Milton Warden, Private Robert Prewitt, and Mess Sergeant Maylon Stark. The Thin Red Line (1962), features similar characters named First Sergeant Edward Welsh, Private Robert Witt, and Mess Sergeant Maynard Storm. In Whistle (1978), analogous characters again reappear named Sergeant Mart Winch, Bobby Prell, and Johnny "Mother" Strange.
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Manuel Maloof was born in Atlanta, the second of seven children of Gibran "Brownie" Maloof and Lillian Shikany Maloof. His father had emigrated from Lebanon in 1907; his mother was born in Savannah to Lebanese parents. After graduating from Tech High School he served in World War II as an Army Air Forces mechanic and mess sergeant. While stationed in England he met his wife, Dolly Green.
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E. Mathews Preston Diary and Regimental History, SPR393, Alabama Dept. of Archives and History, page 31. one Mess Sergeant was even jokingly advised to throw away his scales, since the men believed that no more rations would ever be issued and the man should not have to haul the unnecessary weight. Local farmers had fled the area, leaving their fields unplanted and their stock scattered or dead.
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According to a 1995 letter by Bertoldo's company commander, William Corson, Company A's only discipline problem was Bertoldo, who did not get along with the company mess sergeant. As a result, when his battalion headquarters requested three soldiers per company to stand guard duty at the 1st Battalion command post (CP) during the German Operation Nordwind offensive in December 1944 and January 1945, Corson included Bertoldo in his company's contingent.
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In 1905, a mess sergeant was added to the company's senior NCO staff and the company quartermaster sergeant was renamed supply sergeant. Due to mobilization for World War I, the army adopted its "square division" organization structure, significantly increasing unit sizes from platoon up. In 1917, a fourth platoon was added to the company, increasing its size to 256 officers and men, including six officers (a captain as commanding officer, a first lieutenant as executive officer, and two first lieutenants and two second lieutenants as platoon commanders).
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That night, the Luftwaffe bombs Bastogne. Denise dies, and Bettis, slowed by his fear of returning to the lines, is killed by a collapsing house. The "walking wounded", including Hansan and a mess sergeant he befriended (George Chandler), are recalled for a last-ditch defense of the town. As the platoon is down to its last few rounds of ammunition, the weather finally clears, allowing Allied fighter aircraft to attack the Germans and C-47 transports to drop supplies, enabling the 101st to hold.
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Named after the Filipino form of martial arts, Sergeant Escrima is the company's mess sergeant. Hot-tempered, he is a talented chef; he dislikes insults towards his own food or food in general. He is a master in all forms of Philippine martial arts: hand-to-hand combat, knife fighting and especially arnis, Philippine stick fighting. He represented the Omega Mob in a competition against an elite Regular Army unit with the Olympic light saber in Phule's Company and almost defeated him, despite never having fenced before.
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The same day they receive a letter from "Freckle-Faced Haynes, the dog-faced boy," their mess sergeant from the war, asking them to look at an act that his two sisters are doing. Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye When they go to the club to watch the act ("Sisters"), Phil notices that Bob is smitten with Betty (Rosemary Clooney). Phil has eyes for her sister, Judy (Vera-Ellen). Betty and Judy join Bob and Phil at their table, and Phil dances with Judy, so that Bob and Betty can get to know each other.
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At the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950, rather than waiting for the draft, he volunteered for the U.S. Army at age 18 to have some choice in assignments. Having food production and service experience, Thomas requested the Cook's and Baker's School at Fort Benning, Georgia. He was sent to West Germany as a mess sergeant and was responsible for the daily meals of 2,000 soldiers, rising to the rank of staff sergeant. After his discharge in 1953, Thomas returned to Fort Wayne and the Hobby House.
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In 1917, the Army reorganized under the "square division" plan. The size of units from company up increased significantly and there were now four rifle platoons and 12 sergeants per company, along with three "staff" NCOs (first sergeant, supply sergeant, and mess sergeant). While there were still two sergeants assigned as section leaders in each platoon, a new position of "assistant to platoon commander" was filled by the senior ranking sergeant of the three assigned to assist the lieutenant in leading the unit. The 1939 "triangular division" reorganization eliminated sections in rifle platoons.
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Lindenberg is provoked to report Asch for insubordination, but Kowalksi, who is named as witness, doesn't support the claim. The mess-sergeant, Rumpler, reports Asch for mutiny when he controls the food and gets a result of unwarranted decrease. Rumpler withdraws his report when Schulz is threatening to inspect the kitchen food himself. Platzek tries to cover up the loss of the ammunition that Asch has kept, and though Asch helps him to falsify the documents he makes clear to Platzek that he is in his hands now.
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However, from 1775, each regiment/battalion (these two terms were also used interchangeable during this time period as mentioned above) was authorized a sergeant major and a quartermaster sergeant. While the number of sergeants (including the first sergeant) authorized in an infantry company fluctuated from three to five during various periods of history, by the United States Civil War it was relatively fixed at four sergeants, a first sergeant, and a company quartermaster sergeant (added in 1861). In 1898 the infantry company was expanded to three platoons, increasing the number of sergeants in each company to six, along with a first sergeant and a company quartermaster sergeant. In 1905 the company quartermaster sergeant was renamed as company supply sergeant and a mess sergeant was added to the company.
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Enlisted strength became: three senior NCOs (first sergeant, supply sergeant, and mess sergeant), 12 sergeants, 33 corporals (one company clerk and 32 squad leaders with eight per platoon), eight specialists (four cooks and four mechanics), two buglers, 64 privates first class, and 128 privates. Of the 12 sergeants, while eight of them continued to serve as section leaders (with two in each platoon), the four senior ranking sergeants were assigned to a new position in each platoon headquarters as "assistant to platoon commander". This was the forerunner of the modern platoon sergeant slot created in 1943 (originally known in 1940 as the "platoon leader", as the officer was styled as the "platoon commander" until 1943) to provide an experienced senior NCO as an advisor and second-in-command to the officer commanding the platoon. Cavalry companies (not officially re-designated as "troops" until 1883) had a similar organization to the infantry, but with fewer men, companies rarely exceeding around 70 men.
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