UNITED STATES ARMY

V CORPS GUIDONS  •  D-DAY ORGANIZATION  • QUARTERMASTER ASSETS 1944 Regulations

Corps Quartermaster assets consisted of battalions and separate companies configured to provide various services: transportation, supply, graves registration, etc. Service companies received and broke down all classes of supply except fuel and munitions, truck companies distributed them, and gas supply companies combined both functions for fuel and lubricants. Car companies and platoons were primarily tasked to provide transportation services for corps headquarters personnel. Normally they were equipped with three-quarter-ton weapons carriers and quarter-ton jeeps but on D-Day V Corps had an amphibious car company equipped with the M29 Weasel—actually a tracked vehicle designed to operate in deep snow that proved adaptable to the amphibious role. Many truck battalions were also amphibious, being equipped with the DUKW amphibious cargo truck. Command and control of Quartermaster assets at corps level was provided by quartermaster battalion headquarters, consisting of the staff and a small support detachment. These HQ units could command up to ten companies and platoons of various types. The 97th Quartermaster Battalion functioned in this manner. Though only two of the corps' eight QM units were formally attached to it, the battalion coordinated the operations of all eight under direction of the corps G-4. Guidons for Quartermaster units had a buff field with insignia, numerals and letters in ultramarine blue. All guidons were made of cotton or wool bunting; dimensions were 20 inches at the hoist by 27 inches on the fly with a 10-inch fork.

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