Evening star., 1945-06-01

street. Ne. (WlLQ Une DearQ), b
North Edgewood street, Arling
in the Army from 825 per cent in
the last war to per cent in this
one. This is due to many factors:
The high professional skill of the
surgeons and nurses, the available
ity Of blood and blood plasma, peni-
cillin and other new miracles of
the devotion of the Med
ical Corpsmen who rescue the
wounded under fire, the advanced
position of surgical staffs right up
behind the front lines.
Shifting our ground and air
strength from Europe to the Far
East presents transportation prob
lens even greater and more COM
plicated than those involved in the
initial deployment of our forces to
all parts of the world. Millions of
men and millions of tons of sup
plies must be moved half way
around the globe.
The movement OF troops from
Europe has been swift in getting
under way. They are coming by ship
and they are coming by air. Every
day the process of transfer gains
momentum.
After the first World War-when
the only problem was getting men
home and there was no bitter, pow
erful enemy left to f1ght-it took
nearly year to complete the evacu-
alton of 1886 men. This time
the Army Transportation Corps and
the Air Transport Command plan to
move 100000 troops out of Europe
before a year passes.
1t is not easy to visualize the VOL
ume Of supplies that must precede,
accompany and follow the soldiers
going from Europe and the United
States into the Pacific. To main
tain our forces in Europe, the Army
shipped across the Atlantic SO, ,000,-
600 tons Of equipment and food
nearly eight times the total shipped
in all the First World War.
Must Reclaim All Serviceable
and Keep Producing.
Now we must reclaim all of this
equipment that is still serviceable.
We must supplement 1t with new
And we must make
shipments Of comparable size to the
Pacific over supply lanes which are
three times as long as those to
Europe.
The initial requirement of equip
ment for each man fighting against
Japan is about six tons and an addi-
tional ton is needed each month for
maintenance.
Finding the ships to transport
these supplies is not the only diff
flculty. We must continue to de-
velop in the Pacific new harbors and
bases out of practically nothing, in
stall roads and build power systems.
Great as these problems of re-
deployment are, we are not losing
sight of the human aspect in shift
ing men from one side of the world
to the other. Wherever it can be
done without slowing down the pace
Of our projected operations in the
Pacific, we are deploying our SOL
diers by way Of the United States
so that they may have a chance to
visit their homes and loved ones be-
fore they go on to tackle the jap
anese.
On the basis Of present estimates
only a small fraction Of the men
now in Europe will have to 60 di-
rectly to the Far East without first
stopping off at home.
The remainder of our present
European force will go to the Pa
cific through the United States,
will be assigned to necessary mill
tary duties in this country, will be
discharged or will be kept in Europe
for occupation duty. Most of those
who will go directly to the Pacific
are in supply and service units
whose presence in the new theater
is essential to the immediate con-
struction of harbors, bases, commu-
nications and airfields-from which
to step up our blows against Japan
Army Speeds Up Furloughs
For Troops Home From Europe.
The Army is mindful that those
who come through this country
want to get home with the least pos
sible delay once their ship docks or
their plane lands. Everything is
geared for speed to accomplish this
at the air and sea ports. Within "a
hours in most cases they are aboard
a train at Government expense
bound for one of the 19 Army per-
sonnel centers, where the men i'm
mediately eligible for discharge are
separated from those who are des-
tined for further service.
Men who are to remain on active
duty are promptly ordered" home
from the personnel center at Gov
ernment expense for a period up to
80 days, plus travel time. for rest
and recuperation.
The period spent at home is not
charged against the mans furlough
time nor Is it classed as leave Of
absence. 1t is temporary duty"
and the soldier draws full pay for
the period. His only instructions
are to have the best time he knows
how until he reports back to the
personnel center. That is what I
mean when I say that We have not
forgotten the human side of rede-
ploynent.
Relatives and friends OF service
men can do their part in this pro-
gram by not crowding around the
ports and personnel centers through
which the men pass. The men will
get home as soon as is humanity
possible. Troop movements on the
Nations railroads will become In
creasingly heavy from now on.