Wednesday, October 12, 2011

KP Duty - Peeling Potatoes



For Sepia Saturday 96, I have some WWII era military comic postcards featuring KP duty peeling potatoes. The first postcard was "furnished for convenience of men in the armed services by the Idaho State Department of Agriculture, Boise, Idaho." The state of Idaho is linked with potato production in the United States, and it produces one of the largest yearly crops.

The potatoes shown on the Idaho postcard are large and have an elongated shape. Although many varieties of potato are grown in Idaho, the Russet Burbank potato is the most common. Russet Burbanks have an elongated shape with rough skin and few eyes. If you have had much experience peeling potatoes, you know that large potatoes with few eyes are the easiest type to peel.



K.P. is the abbreviation for "kitchen police" or "kitchen patrol." KP duty is tedious routine kitchen work, not including cooking, assigned to junior U.S. enlisted military personnel. Images of enlisted soldiers peeling potatoes were once associated with the popular culture image of KP duty due to its frequent appearance in mid-twentieth century movies and comic strips about life in the service for Americans. (source: Wikipedia)

The first video at the end of this post is titled Recalling KP Duty & Kitchen Hell and is by a man recalling his KP experiences in the military. The second video is a humorous musical film made in 1942 about KP in the Army: Soundie - $21.00 A Day, Once A Month.














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16 comments:

  1. I loved the clip 21 dollars a month. I didn't realize how much KP duty and peeling potatoes was immortalized in so many postcards and even a film. amazing.
    Nancy
    Ladies of the Grove

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  2. I rather like peeling potatoes - and I have to do it often enough - but KP duty sounds awful.

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  3. An excellent collection of cards and clips, but what a ghastly duty it sounded.

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  4. Lovely. Especially As They Are Rooted In The Local Industry.The Artwork Remind Me A Little Of The Old Blackpool Seaside Postcards .

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  5. What a great assortment of 'tater postcards! I've always gotten a kick out of military comic cards, but seeing so many revolving around a common subject is really fascinating.

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  6. What an amazing collection of cards. The clips are great too. Twenty one dollars a month provides an interesting perspective.

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  7. Oh my potato goodness! which is wonderful cuz I love, love, love potatoes in oh so many ways, and these ads are wonderful!

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  8. I like biog spuds oven baked with skins on, thanks! ♥

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  9. I peeled a few thousand potatoes while doing fatigues in the Army. KP is not a term I would have recognised before but your selection of cards means that I won't forget it now.

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  10. Fantastic collection! I will be singing "for $21 a day once a month" for the rest of my day I think!

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  11. Lets not forget that peeling potatoes was preferable to being shot at. Great post, I loved the You tube link to the $21 a day.

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  12. Postcardy, awesome! I must admit to a fondness of potatoes - though I would love to have a crew on KP to peel them all. Great post, videos and all!

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  13. Great cards and videos! That guy is a great story teller, and that second video is really fun. $21 Once a Month, lol.

    Thanks!

    Kathy M.

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  14. Very clever use of this weekend's theme. The Idaho potato marketing board was also responsible I think for the promotion of French fries too.

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  15. Who knew there were so many cards about peeling potatoes! I've never really minded peeling them but of course never in that sort of bulk.

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  16. as far as this post goes,
    IT'S A HOMERUN!!
    great spin on the theme,
    and I'm now stuck with that song in my head...
    :)~
    HUGZ

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