Soap

[connie]

In an exchange about July 4th 1945 spent in Bingen Germany Floyd noted that soap was a hard item to come by and he had given some to a young man he met in Bingen to share with his family: 106thdivision.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=general&thread=550&page=1#1958

I remember my father also speaking about the soap shortage in the ETO and the fact that some trading for a soldier's soap took place.

Floyd, I was wondering about the soap that soldiers had. I'm assuming it was bar soap. Was it a name brand I'd recognize or something generic and strictly made for GI's?

Connie

[floydragsdale]

HI Connie:

The soap was not a commercial brand. Rather it was U.S. Army soap in a very plain wrapping with some printing on it. There was also a smaller bar that a soldier could carry in the field.

That's the best my memory can bring forth for now.

Floyd

[connie]

Thanks, Floyd,

In the world of wartime trivia that does help flesh out the picture with one more detail. I won't picture cakes of Ivory soap.

It is my understanding that these bars were used not only for washing hands and body (when that was possible) but also for doing laundry.

Dad mentioned that soap was impossible for civilians to obtain in England, too. I'm assuming that this was because the fats that go into making soap were also used in creating ingredients for military explosives...

Connie

[floydragsdale]

Connie:

I vaguely remember taking a bar of "army soap" with me to a creek where I washed some of my clothes. We also used the stuff to shave with.

It was an "all purpose" soap. Also it was generic white; my, how discriminating.


Floyd