Evening star., 1945-08-22
Overseas Shipment
I0f Men With IS or
More Points Banned
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
The Army is banning overseas
shipment of enlisted men with
IS or more discharge points.
At the same time. it was learned
the War Department soon will direct
all branches to cut the age limit
for overseas duty below 81.
At present, the Army ground
forces are screening all men 81 or
older out of divisions slated for
Japanese occupation duties. The
ground forces embrace all troops,
including the infantry, except those
in the service forces or air forces
The latter two now are wedding
all men 38 or older from redeploy-
ment units.
just how far the age limit may be
reduced has not been determined.
One problem is that men in the
service forces. chiefly supply troops,
are older on the average than those
in the ground and air forces.
Enlisted men now can get out of
| the Army on request if they are 80
or have point discharge score of
! IS, based on a rating system that
! grants credit for combat, service and
| dependency.
The announcement that men with
Is or more points are not being sent
overseas indicates that the dis
charge score may be reduced to that
figure. However, this may be done
In two separate cuts because the
Army says the score must be geared
to available shipping.
Both Divisions Screened.
The War Department said the
95th and 86th Divisions, the first two
redeployed from Europe for service
In the Pacific, were screened to
eliminate all men with rs or more
points. The 37-year age limit also
was used in screening the 95th but
not the 86th, the Department re-
ported, because there was insufi-
clent time to make the necessary
personnel changes after the dis
charge age was lowered from 40 to
80. The age limit In the 86th was SO.
Some men in both the e5th and
Both Divisions have protested
against being sent to Japan after
service in Europe. The 95th now
is DIT Camp Shelby. Miss, and the
86th is on the West Coast awaiting
shipment to Japan.
Charles G. Ross. presidential sec
retary, said the White House had
referred to the War Department a
telegraphic protest from $50 mem
bers of the 95th Division, against
being sent to the Pacific. Beyond
that, Mr.. Ross would not comment.
Butler Protests Redeployment.
Senator Butler, Republican, of
Nebraska told reporters he had pro-
tested to the War Department
against redeployment both the 86th
and 95th.
The department said the average
age of the men in the 95th is as
years and that the average point
score of the division is SIS. The 95th
went overseas in July of last year
ahead of Is other divisions which
were sent to Europe and the Medi-
terranean area before the war
ended. the department reported.
The department reported that
through combat losses, normal attri-
ton. and the screening out of high
point and older men, only 40 per
cent of the original personnel of the
division at the time it went to
Europe still remain in the unit.
The screening process being used
on divisions designated for service
in the Pacific does not apply to
officers, The department said the
officers are being processed on an
individual basis with important
consideration" being given to the
officers pOint scores