#FlashbackFriday: The Scoop on Ice Cream and the Exchange
In 1984, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed July as National Ice Cream Month and the third Sunday in July as National Ice Cream Day. Ice cream has its own role in Exchange history—learn more about the Exchange’s connection with the frozen treat below.
1956: An all-Europe ice cream plant opened at the Gruenstadt depot, replacing six smaller European Exchange System-operated plants (five in Germany and one in Paris) as well as two operated by the Army Quartermaster Corps in Germany and Italy.
1977: Baskin-Robbins became the Exchange’s first brand-name restaurant, opening in a train car at Edwards Air Force Base. Although the Edwards location closed a few years ago, Baskin-Robbins has maintained its relationship with the Exchange, with more than 20 BR locations at Exchanges worldwide
A Baskin-Robbins mobile unit serves troops deployed to Kuwait during Operation Desert Storm in 1991.
1991: A mobile Baskin-Robbins unit served troops deployed to Kuwait during Operation Desert Storm.
2005: The Exchange opened its first Baskin-Robbins in Iraq, inside Logistics Support Area Anaconda’s “Sustainer” Reel Time Movie Theater. The ice cream was made at the Gruenstadt Ice Cream Plant, then shipped to Iraq via Turkey in refrigerated trucks.
Got an ice cream memory – or more Exchange ice cream trivia to share? Tell us about it in the comments.
When I lived in Germany in the 70’s and 80’s we would go to the Air Show’s which were opened to everyone. The Germans would come with their ice chests/cooler so that they could take home the ice cream that were served in little pint size boxes. The flavor was neopolitan.
(Strawberry/vanilla/chocolate). They never had that available to them at that time and would just go crazy over it. My father came from Germany and his family would always ask us to bring Ice Cream when we came to visit. We would always laugh about it and of course, we always show up with plenty of ice cream for then and later.
Lovely memories, Sueann. Thanks for sharing.
Robert Philpot
The Exchange Post