Continuous Replacements For American Army

Manawatu Times, Volume 69, Issue 123, 27 May 1944, Page 5

Continuous Replacements For American Army

REASON FOR RAPID ADVANCE Received Friday, 7.55 p.m. WASHINGTON, May 26. The gams scored by the American units of the Fifth Army in Italy are attributable to the new policy of pouring continuous replacements into the combat divisions, the Secretary of Wa* (Mr. H. L. Stimson) disclosed at a press conference. He said the Fifth Army’s 60-mile advance from the Gustav Line was due to the tireless energy of the American troops in the Second Corps whose strength and freshness had been kept up by a new system of immediate replacements. This system, which had also been applied to the French units fighting with the Fifth Army, consists of sending replacements into the battle as casualties occur and while the action continues. Thus, instead of the previous practice of allowing a division to take its losses and then replace it with a new unit, it is maintained constantly at fighting strength. Mr. Stimson added that LieutenantGeneral Jacob Devers, senior American commander in the Mediterranean, had advised that the gains were made possible because the troops were able to uush forward with a continuous freshness and vigour which they would otherwise have not had.