Evening star., 1951-02-16
New j. 5. Divisions
May Be En- Route 10
Europe Next Month
By John A. Giles

The first additional American
troops to be dispatched to Europe
probably will be on their way
early this spring, perhaps late
next month, officials said today.
Defense Secretary Marshall told
Congress yesterday of plans to
send four more combat divisions
to join the two already there. He
said about 100000 men, including
supporting troops, would be dis
patched. This would lift the total
of American land. sea and air
manpower in that area to around
250,000.
While officials kept secret just
what four divisions would go,
there was speculation that the
4th Infantry Division and the
I'd Armored Division, plus two Ma
tional Guard divisions would set
the orders. They would become
part of the 7th Army under COM
mand of 1t. Gen. Manton S.
Eddy.
Gen. Marshall also said that
Americas largest contributions
would be in the air and on the sea.
The Air Force now has two B-29
or B-50 groups and one fighter
group in Britain and two fighter
and one transport groups in Eu-
rope. While the greatest air con-
tribution will be strategic long
range aircraft. there are no pres
ent plans to base any of the giant
B-36 bombardment planes abroad.
since, as one official put it. they
can remain in this country and dc
the job"
Tactical Aircraft Buildup.
, There is likely to be buildup, of
tactical aircraft to support the
ground troops. directly in proper
ton to the increase in ground
strength and dependent on the de-
mands of the Korean campaign.
An increase in B-29 strength
abroad is not Immediately likely,
but a bigger rotational program
for those based in England may
come about.
The Navy's largest concentra-
ton of ships in the European
area is in the Mediterranean.
There, the 9Th Fleet includes the
45.00O-ton aircraft carrier Frank
lin D. Roosevelt.
To meet the threat of Russian
submarines, officials saw an early
buildup of naval forces. Such
forces include hunter-killer groups.
which are built around small
escort carriers and destroyers. The
Navy also uses land-based P2V
Neptunes for hunting submarines.
The 4th Infantry. converted last
fall from a training to a combat
outfit, has been organizing, equip
ping and training at Fort Ben
ming, Ca, for several months
Even though the division is not
fully trained, Army officials have
pointed out that training facili-
ties are available in Germany.
Tank Division Valuable.
Tank outfits have always been
valuable in Europe because of the
terrain. The I'd Armored is at
Fort, Hood, Tex, and the Army
plans to reform one of its war
time armored divisions soon.
The highly mobile 82d Airborne
Division is at Fort Bragg, N. c.,
but the Defense Department an
nounced only three days ago that
it would. along with two former
National Guard divisions, partici-
pate in maneuvers in the Caro-
linas in June and July. The former
Guard divisions are the 28th and
tbs 43d.
Not scheduled for the maneu-
vers and thus perhaps eligible for
earlier movement overseas are two
other divisions and one regimental
combat team which were brought
in from the Guard last Septem-
ber. They are the 40th and 45th
Divisions and the 196th Combat
Team.
Rear Admiral William M. CAL
laghan, commander of the Mill
tary Sea Transport Service, 1e-
ported meanwhile that the surface
shipment of men to the Far East
had leveled off at about $4,000
monthly. The peak was reached
last August when $4,000 were
transported.