Sneesby, Jack T. Memoir, ca. 1993-1995 (selections)

              December 23, we are moved into permanent barracks. What crowding. Bunks three decks high, two men per bunk. Wood slatted bottom, no mattress, no blankets. So we put one overcoat beneath us and one over us. The bunk is so narrow, we can only sleep on our sides, spoon fashion. We have lost so much weight that our bones protrude. I think we changed sides every 15 minutes when the pain of our protruding hip bones became too great. And there was no heat!
Many men, in order to conserve heat and strength, seem never to leave their bunks. Wes and I have decided that, to keep our morale up and to stay healthy, we will not bunk out during the day. I'd been up to the Library and drawn a couple of books: Physiology and German. And had enrolled in classes on Selling and German, if I remember correctly. Due to the cold, the classes had been discontinued for the time being. The daylight hours passed in reading, conversation and cooking. We hiked the compound perimeter daily.
Food, of course, was our deepest concern. Our rations from the Jerries were about as follows: Warm coffee first thing in the morning. We were never sure from what it was made. Many of us found it served well as warm water for morning washup and shaving. At noontime, more or less, we were issued a number of boiled potatoes. Quality and number variable. Later, our soup. This at III B was usually a dehydrated rutabaga soup, I think, with a few leaves thrown in. I always considered the floating maggots an extra bonus - extra protein. Finally, our bread ration. A two-kilo loaf of black bread to be divided between four to eight men, depending on circumstances. This miaht be accompanied by a morsel of sausage, jam (beet), or grease, or cheese. These were all