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U.S. Cutting 5,400 From Com Z

WASHINGTON (The Stars and Stripes) Sunday, September 29, 1963 ― The Defense Department said it was closing down a group of military supply bases in France, firing their 6,200 French civilian employees and shipping home 5,400 U.S. Army troops who manned the bases.

Involved in the organization called the Communications Zone (Com Z) in France, which backs up U.S. combat forces of the 7th Army in Germany and other U.S. Forces in France.

Friday’s announcement said the reorganization means shorter, more economical routes of supply will be used fro the peacetime support of U.S. Forces.

The troops to be returned home were identified as the 4th Logistical Comd, headquartered at Verdun. There was no estimate as to when the reorganization might be completed. The Pentagon said action was being taken to close the port and depot facilities in France because shorter, more economical routes of supply will permit forward positioning of military stocks.

Function of Depots

The depots have served U.S. NATO troops in both France and Germany, the announcement said. The arrangements have been discussed with the French and German governments, it added. The bases will be closed over a period of time, the department said, with full consideration given to the problems created for approximately 6,200 French civilians whose services will no longer be required at the sites affected.

The move will eliminate nearly one-third of the French employees who totaled 19,000 last July 1. A Defense Department spokesman said disagreements with the government of French President Charles de Gaulle had nothing to do with the decision, which it said was taken purely in the interest of economy. The announcement said the bases were being closed because U.S. capabilities for massive sea and airlift make it feasible to reinforce installations if this becomes necessary.

Com Z

Army Secretary Cyrus Vance has said that when this readjustment is completed the United States will still have in Europe several thousand more than the 228,000 who were there at the beginning of the Berlin Crisis. A Pentagon spokesman said that the functions of the 4th Logistic Comd will be taken over by the Com Z headquarters at Orleans, France. He added: All U.S. depot activities, except maintenance, west of Orleans will be reduced or placed on a war reserve storage status.  Depot maintenance activities in western France will be shifted to forward depots and to the continental United States except for marine maintenance facilities at Rochefort.

Depot maintenance at Chinon and logistical activities at Saumur and Ingrandes will be reduced significantly.

In northeastern France some of the depot sites in the Nancy, Verdun and Metz areas will be closed or placed on a war reserve storage bases.  Depots in France will be reorganized into five general complexes: at Braconne, La Rochelle, Ingrandes, Nancy and Verdun.

Administration will be centralized at these locations so that satellite installations can be reduced accordingly. Port operations in western France will be reduced.

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