The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-08-10
By PETER EDISON NEA Staff COrrespOndent

NEA Staff Correspondent
 New York Port of Embarkaton, Aug. 10-Between the time a soldier leaves his training camp and the time he steps abroad a transport for his voyage overseas to war, a lot of things happen to him that up to now have been restricted in- formation. Soldiers weren't per- mitted to write home about them. But recently, so perfected has this routine become that the Army Service Forces permitted a group of newspaper correspondents to in- spect the whole show in the New York Port of Embarkation area, so as to tell the folks back home what happened to their soldier after he lept camp.
 The whole job of moving the troops is handed by the Army Transportation Corps. When giv- en units is ready for overseas service, the Troop Movement division of ATS gets letter from the War Department, setting up a shipment. The shipment is given a code letter and number by which it is known thereafter. Thirty copies of this letter are then made to send to all the agencoies around tht port who need to know that this troop movement has been scheduled.
 SHIPPING SPACE MEASURED
 When priority has been set up, the unit commander is notified that his troops are about to be moved into what's known as the staging area, a camp somewhere near the port where troops or supplies are being made ready for overseas. shipment. Embarkation and training regulations are sent them SO they'll be ready to go.
 Then, at the port of authorization, the number of ships that will be necessary and available is caluculat- ed. As these ships arrive in port, a check is made as to the number of troops and the amount of equip ment each can carry, putting whole regiments or battalions into certain ships so as to fill all the transports and still not break up the different commands.
 Troops are held in the staging area for as short a time as possible In that time, the soldiers are in- spected, reinspecteds then inspected some more. For everything.
 First inspection is to make sure they have every item of equipment and clothing-more than 100 items, weighing more than 100 pounds carried in a pack on his back and in two barracks bags. There are an A bag which he takes with him and a B bag which goes into the hold of the ship and which he doesn't zee till he gets to the other side. All these items have to be laid out on and around his bunk just-so, and every item is checked to be sure it's as good as new and fit for war Anything unserviceable is replaced with something that is.
 There's special inspection of gas mask and gas equipment. Inen there's a special inspection for teeth. to make sure that every soldier going abroad has enough teeth to masticate the Army ration. That means a monimum of twelve teeth, that meet. Men who need nttle tooth carpentry get it.
 PHYSICAL EXAMINATION
 Fourth comes the medical lnspec- ton, and it's a dandy, conducCeo on the assembly line technique. The ment strip down to their dog tags and pass in review before nve ooc- tors. The first doctor pspects the dog tag itself to make sure the wearer has had all the necessary shots and that his blood has been tvped so he can be given trans fusions quickly in case o1 emer- gency. If there are reJectlons, the staging area, from it's detachment of casuals, supplies men to Ill tlle ranks so that the unit can go over seas absolutely full strength.
 Finally, firearms are lnSpecIea rifles, tommy guns, automatics oi whatever the men carry.
 During all this time in the stag ing area. the men have some leisure. They live in barracks, sleep on cots. The company cooks, for the only time in their Army life, don't nave to fix chow. That's done for them bv the staging area permanent oe- tachment, so that the troops m transit can spend all their time on inc necessary inspections.
 There are officers and clerks rom the Adjutant Generals office avail ahle to help men apply for insur- arce ar fix up their wills, or make nav allotments. or, if necessary c.ean up the loose legal ends oi divorce. or patch things up with n wife from whom he is separated
 visits from the folks are dis outraged during the time in the
 When a unit in the staging area is alerted for movement, the ha ,.,ncs down and things begin to cct tense. No more leaves. NO more ,uteoing mail. A final meoicai III, .naction. Sale arrival cards are hiiea 'n, hv each man, addressed to ms ext of kin. held for maiiihg VII
 gets overseas.
 Plans and schedule have now ,cen made as to how these troops are to be moved tf shipside, An advance party goes aboard early