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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060

"Magic Carpet" Press Release

UNITED STATES
PACIFIC FLEET and
PACIFIC OCEAN AREAS
(For Immediate Release to Press and
Radio, Sunday, 17 October 1945.)

Press Release No. 828

Nearly a quarter million Pacific servicemen have been disembarked at United States Ports since the surrender of Japan.

The exact number of veterans returned by all vessels putting in at mainland ports from the Pacific was 243,632 as of October 15. Of this figure, 129,538 were Army personnel; 90,543 were Navy men; 12,783 were members of the Marine Corps, and 1,396 were Coast Guardsmen. In addition, 9,422 civilians were returned to the United States.

Besides those already returned to the United States, 73,810 Pacific veterans are at sea, en route to the West Coast.

Of these, 16,171 were embarked in Okinawa and Japan; 25,694 came from the Philippines; 25,754 left from the Marianas, and 2,444 from Hawaii. In addition, 3,747 were embarked from remote islands and stations.

Additional "magic carpet" shipping with a total passenger capacity of 114,150 has been assigned to the four principal staging areas and will arrive and begin loading high point men within three weeks.

Shipping in this category includes vessels with a passenger capacity of 29,500 destined for Okinawa and Japan. Vessels able to carry 19,200 are headed for the Philippines and ships with the same load capacity are being sent to the Marianas. For Hawaii, the figure is 36,850, while vessels which can carry 9,400 will put in at smaller ports not adjacent to the four principal staging areas.

The loading of Army and Navy separatees is controlled in accordance with directives from the Joint Chiefs of Staff in. Washington. These directives insure that proportionate space will be allocated to both services based upon the total number of personnel in each service eligible for transportation at each staging center.

Loading priority as established by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, gives first preference, regardless of service affiliation, to patients scheduled for U.S.


28 Nov 2006