ae
b.
sonnel.
The advanced force was also weak in supply per-
Depots must be opened and operated as soon as cargo
begins to move ashore.
once.
Supply accountability must commence at
It is easier to start supply accountability right in the
. beginning, than to go back later and correct past omissions.
This
was particularly obvious in the post exchange stock account.
c.
In an operation of this character, incoming cargoes
contain many special instruments and much delicate apparatus.
It
is of utmost importance that ships’ cargoes be carefully handled
and wmerringly accounted for.
A port director mst be present
with the arrival of the first ship and must so organize his port
that every packing case or crate is accurately accounted for,
because the loss of any one of them might prejudice the success
of the entire operation.
A port identification number (SANDRA)
is placed upon every item of cargo by ports of embarkation in
the United States for the purpose of establishing cargo accountability.
It was successfully used on this operation, for no important
item of cargo was lost.
In order to tie this system of cargo aocounta-
bility into the general supply system, a Transportatim Corps officer
with the duty of maintaining port cargo accountability records must
be on the staff of the Island Commender.
At the
outset, we had only
a port director, but later were ‘assigned a ohief of transportation
on the island staff.
Section Vie
The improvement in cargo control was so great