Evening star., 1953-01-06
Alarming Rate
Of Desertions in
Army Charged
Figure No Higher
Than During War,
Authorities Reply

Authorities kePiy
The, Louisville CKy0 Times re-
ported today that desertions
from the armed forces have
reached alarming proportions"
but Army authorities at the
Pentagon said the desertion rate
is no larger than during World
War II.
A copyrighted article in the
Times said the situation has be-
come so bad that a well-in-
formed Army colonel called it "a
national disgrace"
1t said the wave of runaways
is motivated in a large number
of cases by the desires of young
men to get dishonorably dis
charged and avoid service in
Korea.
In Kentucky alone. the article
stated, from 5000 to 1000 de-
serters are tracked down each
year. And other hundreds roam
the country.
Many Reported in Stockade.
The Times said it had learned
that since the fall of 1850 the
Fort Knox stockade seldom has
contained fewer than 400 to 600
prisoners, practically all Of
them deserters and AWOLs."
The Army said 5000 soldiers
throughout the service were list
ed as deserters and 5000 others
as absent without leave on De-
cember 81. Army personnel
throughout the world total
1,558,000.
A soldier away from his unit
without authorization between "a
hours and 80 days is listed as
an AWOL. After that, he is
classified as a deserter.
"Eighty-f1ve per cent of those
who go AWOL are never dropped
over into the deserter column"
1t. Gen. Anthony c McAuliffe,
Assistant Army Chief of Staff
for Personnel, told The Star.
'They turn themselves in"
Gen. McAuliffe said the Times
figure on Kentucky was far too
high.
Turn Themselves In.
A large majority of those who
go AWOL, he explained. do so
just before their ship sails for
overseas and then turn them
selves in to the Army authorities
within five to six days.
1t was explained that many
of the AWOLs are innocent VIC
Tins of late buses, trains and
planes and that any one away
from his unit for "a hours is
automatically carried in that
status. The turnover in the
number of AWOLs and deserters
is large, it was said. The rates
are higher nearer centers of
population. since men who
come from those areas naturally
head for home when they leave
their units.
The Army would not release
detailed statistics on desertions
and AWOLs by areas. The Dis
trict area is in the End Army.
with headquarters at Fort
Meade. Md.
Men Declared Hiding Out.
Richard Harwood, Times staff
writer who wrote the article,
said:
"As of two months ago, at least
700 soldiers and sailors were hid
ing out in Kentucky cities, on
farms and in rural communities.
Some of them deserted two years
ago. Some of them live almost
like animals in caves and aban-
doned coal mines. Many of them
are protected and hidden by rel
atives and friends"
Nationally, Mr.. Harwood wrote,
enough facts are known to JUS
tify the estimate of some military
men that on any given day of the
year enough able-bodied men to
make up two complete combat
divisions are classified as desert
ers or AWOL. That indicates q
permanent force Of runaways
numbering $4,000 to 10000 men.
The Times said it's informa-
ton, obtained from responsible
military and civilian persons.
amply confirms that the deser-
ton problem is serious one.
Colonel Is Quoted.
Mr.. Harwood said he discussed
the situation with a full colonel
"a professional soldier with
long service in Europe and World
War IT,"
"The public ought to know
these things because it's a ma
tional disgrace" he quoted the
colonel. These young men
don't even seem to know the
meaning of patriotism. They
don't give a damn what happens
to their country.
nsIeI Al