Evening star., 1946-05-26
By the Associated Press

American Army personnel in France so
long as there is an American Army of
Occupation in Germany.
Units which will remain in France for
an indefinite period include the Air
Force personnel at Orly Airfield in Paris,
Graves Registration Command, Crimi-
nal Investigation Division, several
Quartermaster Corps depots and vari-
Gus Air Force commands.
Meanwhile the Office of the foreign
liquidation commissioner is disposing
of surplus Army property almost as
rapidly as it can be classified. AS of
April 26 more than $131 100000 worth
of property had been sold, of which
more than $7O,O00,OO0 was transferred
to UNRRA for use in Czechoslovakia,
Poland and the Balkans. Another
s1o,ooo,ooo worth was shipped to Bel
gium against that country's S45 ,000 900
reverse lease-lend credits.
ITALY AND THE MEDITERRANEAN: {:
The United States forces in the Med
iterranean theater, which numbered
100000 at peak strength in August, 1914,
have dwindled Ito the point where it
hurts" 1t. Gen. John c. H. Lee said
recently.
Because of the delicate Venezia Giulia
situation the American officer declined,
| however, to disclose the actual size of
the American force left in Italy.
1t was estimated previously that re-
deployment would cut the Americans
down to 10000 men by April /, compris-
ing one division on occupation duty in
Venezia Giulia-10,000 air force and
10000 service troops. 1t is believed gen.
orally that British troops far outnumber
the Americans in Italy.
Lee said that in addition to the 88th
Blue Devil" Division assigned to
! Venezia Giulia, American troops would
be needed in Italy until installations
are handed back to the Italians and
to guard surplus property.
A surplus property source estimated
in April that well over half" of the
American equipment put up for sale
already has been sold to the Italians
for more than 100000, ,000-about so
per cent of the original value.
The Americans, as they pull out of
| Italy have handed back many in
stallations to the Italians. The big
gest of these, Naples, which grew to
be one of the worlds largest seaports
at the peak of the Italian campaign,
was turned back by stages starting last
fall. Leghorn, however, still remains
| in American hands.
AUSTRIA:
| United States military forces in
Austria have been reduced from a
peak strength of approximately 100000
men a year ago to about 100000 The
American Government has proposed
that the occupation of Austria be cut
to bare minimum as soon as possible.
The 42d Rainbow" Division, last
division remaining in the country, is
scheduled to be replaced by some
armored units and Regular Army gar
rison troops.
AFRICA-MIDDLE EAST:
Remnants of the American Army lie
scattered in tiny bands totaling 17O0
men in desert outposts and villages
| from Iran to Liberia.
I The great African Middle East thea
ter now is manned by less than half
a combat regiment of American officers
and men. Their commanding officer,
Maj. Gen. Henry S. Aurand, must keep
| the thin lines of communications op-
Grating between pinpoints through the
western coast bases of Africa from
| Liberia across the desert to Algiers,
through Libya, Egypt and Sudan, thence
across to Turkey and the Asiatic coun-
tries of Iran, Iraq and Arabia.
Thus, holding the smallest command
in numbers of any major general,
Aurands troops cover the widest area
of any single command.
The troops are guarding $25O,0O0 900
worth of army materiel until it is dis
posed of by sale, gift or demolition.
Some $60,000,000 to s70,000,000 in
stocks, principally in military installa-
campaign, have been written off as
'unrecoverable. The surplus-trucks,
| radio and weather stations, airports,
planes, buildings and heavy machinery
is for sale.
CHINA-BURMA-I INDIA:
There were approximately 250,000
American soldiers, most of the Air Force
personnel, in this theater at the peak
period at the wars end OF these It's, 900
were in India and Burma and $4,000
in China.
All but 400 now have been sent home
or to other theaters. The 400 will re-
main for considerable period to close
out business details in disposing of
Army equipment and to handle claims
against the Army.
Private sales of Army goods to Indians
were halted when the press and the
public complained of high prices, so
an arrangement was made to turn over
all stocks to the Indian government
| The China theater command. as such,
went out Of existence May /, leaving