Milford chronicle., 1945-05-07

rnttm"tts For dcrahc period OF time the
actual number of soldiers in Europe will exceed
The requirements due to limitations in shipping.
We are mindful of the desire in the heart OF
cvcy soldier and every citizen to- have rs many
cf soldiers as he spared without diminishing
the force of our blows against Japan return to
civilian life as soon rs possible The Wan Depart
met fully "harcs this desire Tn" department
strongly urged the Congress to provide in the War
Mobilization and Rcconv vcrsion Act oG 1914 that
one should hc retained in the armed forces after ne
LONGER needed for the prosecution of the
This requirement is the law of the land. aud
the Wal Department will live up it in every
#pcCt.
Draft Calls After We Day
The reduction in the size of the Army from
9%"".oo0 to 696S.ooo represents drop of a l'ttlc
1.300ooo in total strength. This will not be
sufficient to permit the early discharge of all the
consider should be returned to civil life as
result of their extended overseas and combat scr
vice.
Consequently it is planned to hold sclcctivc ser
vice calls after We day at level above that nee
cssary to replace men lost through battle and normal
atrition and thus make it possible to release NOR"
men with record OF long and ardunus service.
This procedure of releasing the xmum of veterans
and their return to civil life will permit the call into
service of those men who have heretofore been de
tcrrcd for one reason or another
We will the time continue to release
men because of sickness wounds, age and such othc
factors which prevent their effective use i'll the ser
vice. During the last twelve months discharges from
all these causes totaled about 450ooo 1t is OK
rcctcd that discharges of this kind in addition to
those made of men with long overseas and combat
service will result in the release from the Army
during the next year of about 20o0,000 men.
With the exception of the men he released fpl
specific disabilities those who will Lave the Army
the next year will be selected from all parts of tn,
world, the Pacific well in Europe the basi,
of impartial standards recommended by the enlisted
men themselves.
Tie whole aim oG the system that hcci
developed is to insure that those men who have hccI
overseas longest and have fought hardest and thoHt
who have children. get first consideration in de
mobilization That is the way soldiers believe
it should lie and that is tic way it will be. subject
only to- tho continuing necessity of kccpinc in scrvic
until adequate requirements he found those mc
needed to defeat Japan.
Shipping Factor
\ preliminary survey made by the War Depart
mcut the basis of one-sixth decentralization u
the Army indicates that all but . per cent of III
to he released will he who have serve
overseas and that these > per cent will be father
who have boon in the Army long time.
About half of the 13oo000 who will be cIi.bl
for release from the Army due to extended and ardr
GUS service are now in Europe and about 0nc-thir
in the Pacific Most of the others are now
this country having been returned under rotato
after serving full tours of duty overseas
How the to be dcm0bilizcd can
brought home will depend the availability of sh
ping and air transport after the requirements
tho against Japan met. The transportatic
of eli iCiI, dicrh ho
in connection with the whole transportation probcl
We have about seventy combat divisions
Europe at the present time, exclusive of hundreds
thousands of combat troops assigned to- corps al
armies and huge force of supply and service trool
1t takes fifteen Liberty ships to move the equi
mcnt of single armorcd division. 1t takes sevent
five trains to move it to the port. That gives v
, some idea of the transportation problem
against
First priority must be given to the troops a
equipment going to the Pacific if are to "
that in the shortest time and with the smallt
cost in casualties. Otherwise must slow do
I the pace eff offensves and tho risk that
= enemy will have opportunity to rcorganzc
+ renewed resistance We will not ask any Amcric
y soldier to- lay down his life in order that anott
t American soldier rlay return home few days soon
Main Facts OF Redrpoymcnt
The main facts of rcdeploymcnt far as
II concerns manpower that:
II We believe that program which gives an Ar
= of 6,96S.00o in twelve months from will prov
h adequate force to defeat Japan.
g About 2.oO0000 men will be returned to civil
n life during the next twelve months.
- About two-thirls of the combat units will ca
through the United States and have furlOuGhE.
The larger proportion of service troops urgcr
,a needed in the Pacific will go her, directly.
Transportation shortages. with the
4 transport planes being used. will not get the
20 of the who to be discharged back to
II United States before twelve months
The problems involved in transferring
II strength to the Pacific and bringing home those
i'll who arc no longer needed complicated t
Is any we have experienced before. We cannot cxI
rr every phase of plans to work to perfect
n We count heavily upon the American people
IS continue to meet with courage and understand
i'll the tests that lie ahead. they have worked pra
ke and suffered for the great victories in Europe
r. Our great mission today is against
w enemy in the Pacific tie largest force that can
he effectively employed with every resource and pc
of we can put at it's disposal That process has alrt