The Museum’s collection contains hundreds of menus from meals shared while in service, many of them from Christmas feasts. The fact that so many of these were saved and mailed or brought home tells us just how important these holiday meals were. Holiday gatherings fostered a sense of unity between troops and lessened the loneliness and homesickness that many felt all of the time, but most keenly during the holidays. The special meals prepared for Thanksgiving Day, Christmas and New Year’s Day were undeniably important morale boosters.

Supply for these meals was certainly an issue. In order to feed the US Army, Quartermaster units were mobilized, including QM baking companies and QM refrigeration companies. Refrigerated vans were utilized to prevent spoilage. Sacrifices had to be made in the weeks prior to the holidays to prepare for upcoming feasts. Meals before the holidays generally contained less meat; in fact the recommendation was to decrease meat servings from twelve to seven per week in order to accommodate for the supply of meat for holiday meals and the extra refrigeration space to keep it fresh. An Army couldn’t function with food poisoning.

On ships and on shore, Navy commissary and galley chiefs, stewards and mess attendants worked overtime to provide special holiday meals. They worked from supplies from storerooms, local stocks, and from “reefers,” refrigerated ships, some of which had been requisitioned from the United Fruit Company by the US Maritime Commission.

Holiday menus were printed on bases, in hospitals, or aboard ship. The wartime holiday menus are often illustrated with patriotic, sentimental, or humorous themes. Usually the commanding officers of the outfits are listed on the menus, but sometimes the cooks, butchers, and bakers make an appearance as well. Some menus did double-duty as rosters, These were printed as souvenirs and some featured a space for autographs, where shipmates and friends could sign for posterity. Some of these were printed with space reserved on the back for stamps and addresses, able to be mailed in themselves. There were often messages from commanders. Many echoed the sentiment of Col. Francis Pruitt, Commanding Officer of the 297th General Hospital, who said in his greeting in the Christmas 1944 menu “It is hoped that the coming year will be a Happy and Victorious one, restoring Peace on Earth and Good Will to All.”