Gary,
I think you've got a very strong match with Steiber.
I don't think I'm with y'all on the KP theory. Everyone else is dressed for the photo. If the KP guys stayed in their whites, you'd think everyone else would be in fatigues. When you say "medical detachment," are you talking about medics? They'd be with the unit, but I don't think they'd be in white, would they? And why would they be placed so prominently? It's definitely an interesting little problem. Too bad we can't see insignia on more of these guys.
I did give a copy of the Company A photo to the Camp Butner Society. I definitely want to get them some names, but you're adding so many names every day that I think I'll wait a while. Right now, they don't have a place to display it anyway. The museum is just a small room currently, and they told me they have quite a bit in storage. Based on what I've seen on their Facebook page versus what was in the museum, I'd have to confirm that.
Randy,
The original Company A photo is also lightly brown, almost sepia. It's too even to be aging, in my opinion, so I think the light brown is original. Looks good with the khaki in the uniforms. Just my opinion.
Lisa
Lisa,
I think I'm following what your trying to say, that the men in white are "out of uniform" or at a different level of dress than the all rest. If all the other soldiers were in their Class A (formal) uniforms, your observation would be absolutely correct, the men in white would be in a lower state of dress. I do not believe that is the case here, the Khaki (semi-formal) uniform is in between the everyday fatigues and the formal dress Class A uniform. You are correct that medics don't wear white, they wear the same uniform as everyone else. They do wear the white arm bands with the red cross during field exercises or in the combat zone to display their position. The men in white are not wearing any officers insignia, which pretty much rules them out as being doctors or dentists, such men would be officers. Officers would not be seen without wearing their rank (with the possible exception being in the combat zone, as to not make an inviting target for an enemy sniper). These men in white are privates, which I think helps to make the KP theory. In the end the answer could be something altogether different than the KP or the medical personnel ideas, something we are not thinking of. Perhaps if one of these men in white could be positively identified it might provide the clue that answers the mystery.
Randy