New in the Library - Book Featuring RAZORBACK Sailors

McFarland Publishing has just released a new book, titled Food in the American Military - A History. Written by John and Carol Fisher, it covers the entire gamut of ways and means for feeding men under arms, both in the field and in the barracks. Each chapter is devoted to a particular conflict or era, and the food practices of each service are examined within the context of that era.

An entire section is devoted to food preparation in the submarine service. Razorback cooks Maurice Barksdale and Mark Marmon were both interviewed about their experience about cooking for diesel submarine crews underway in the 1960s. AIMM staff member Joe Mathis was also interviewed about his more recent experiences aboard nuclear submarines, but from the viewpoint of a crewmember being cooked for.

Particular attention is paid to both the technological advances and to the social pressures that changed military food over time. Drawing heavily on first-person accounts throughout the book, the Fishers have constructed an interesting and often compelling narrative.

AIMM will be ordering this book, so if you would like a copy, please let us know. Retail price for Food in the American Military - A History is $38.