Milk Deliveries at Camp Atterbury - 1943

Eighteen different slogans are used on the fleet of six trucks which deliver the pooled milk of all Indianapolis dealers to Camp Atterbury.  These slogans, one on each side and one on the back of each truck, make them virtually traveling billboards.

Just what is required of a group of milk dealers who jointly strive to service a big Army camp with bottled milk is revealed by C. W. Hunt, secretary of the Milk Bottle Service, Inc., Indianapolis Ind., who describes how this group of Indianapolis dealers is servicing Camp Atterbury.

"Camp Atterbury," advises Mr. Hunt, "lies 30 miles south of Indianapolis and is built on what formerly was very fine farm land.  Thousands of acres are involved and a year and three months ago this represented a typical Hoosier farm section.

Pooled Facilities

"Shortly after starting of construction, individual companies in the fluid milk business in Indianapolis were approached by Quartermaster officials concerning the supplying of Camp Atterbury with milk and diary products.  When we were informed as to the size of the camp to be constructed there and the number of men it was to house, it was readily seen that no single milk dealer in the city of Indianapolis, or within the surrounding area, could supply the camp with its requirements and still maintain its regular civilian trade.  The industry, feeling its responsibility and wishing to do its part in serving this camp and assisting in the war effort, pooled its facilities and producer resources in order that a sufficient supply of Grade A milk and dairy products could be maintained at all times.

"At first it was the thought that a new corporation would have to be created to handle this contract, but after advice from attorneys it was agreed that the industry had a ready made vehicle to use in Milk Bottle Service, the corporation that handles the market's universal bottle.  Bids for the camp's business were then presented and accepted by the Camp Quartermaster.  Contracts were then drawn between every distributor within the market to supply his proportionate share of each 1,000 quarts contracted with Atterbury in the same relation as the distributor's position, or percentage, of the Indianapolis market.  A proviso was also inserted in each contract that should the distributor fail to meet Army specifications as to milk, then Milk Bottle Service could draw from such company a like amount of raw milk and place it in any other company equipped to meet Army specifications.

Delivery Details

"Some difficulty was encountered in procuring trucks - more difficulty encountered in acquiring the material to construct bodies for them.  These things were eventually overcome and deliveries started on the contract.  The trucks are rated 2 1/2 tons, body dimensions inside are 14 by 9 by 6 feet high, semi-insulated.  The contract calls for kitchen door delivery between the hours of four and six a.m., with the exception of officers mess, service clubs and post exchanges, these deliveries being made in the afternoon.  The carrying capacity of the tires on these trucks approximates 2,000 quarts per truck.  This, we find, is also the driver's capacity.  That is, one man can deliver that amount of milk within the time specified.  After making their deliveries the drivers wait 30 or 40 minutes, until breakfast is over, then retrace their routes and pick up their empties.  Each truck picks up at not more than three milk dealers.  However at these diaries he may pick up three or four different companies' milk which has been brought to these central locations by outlying diaries.  The driver's number of deliveries, we find, is limited to about 44.

"Because of the fine cooperation of the Quartermaster officials, the mess officers, the KP's, and the employees of milk dealers at the loading points, capacity loads can be delivered, empties returned to the diaries, in approximately eight hours over all elapsed time.  Because of the immediate pickup after the milk has been served at breakfast time, bottle loss is held to an absolute minimum.  Our figures show an average of 90 trips per bottle.  The case float also is held to an absolute minimum which we estimate at approximately three and one-half cases, with no loss whatsoever.  Much credit can be given to the fine spirit of co-operation evidenced by the Quartermaster officials in being able to maintain the foregoing figures on bottles and cases.

Servicing Problems

"When the camp was at its capacity it required three of our trucks to fun hot - that is, they were used on morning delivery and again in the afternoon.  This created a servicing problem but by scheduling drivers to different trucks on alternate days this problem too was overcome.

"You will note in accompanying illustration that each truck carries a different milk slogan, without the name of any company at all.  In fact, 18 slogans are used - a different one on each side and also on the rear  of the trucks - making them in effect traveling billboards which have created a lot of favorable comments."

Some of the milk delivered to Camp Atterbury during the Korean War era was by contract to the Cedar Grove Dairy of Hope, Indiana, owned by Maurice F. Pile (my step-father) and his father.  Maurice said whenever he made deliveries, the cooks would be waiting for him with big platters of fried chicken.