505 Parachute Infantry Regiment combat statistics as of May 28th 1945.
Missing in action.........................146
Wounded not returned................1760
Wounded returned......................1081
Injured not returned.....................357
Injured returned............................263
Killed in action,
or
died of wounds.........................465
Distinguished Service Cross.........12*
Legion of Merit...............................4
Silver Star medal............................275
Bronze Star medal..........................596
{*Gen. Jim Gavin and Lt. Col. Ben Vandervoort
w/olc}
Development of the ASR Score - (Army Service Rating Score)
At wars' end the 82nd Airborne Division was assigned to occupation duty in Berlin. In order for the United States Army to determine how soldiers would be discharged and sent home, a point system was developed. It was decided that a total of 85 points was the number needed to return home.{See Below}
The 17th Airborne Division containing the 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment, the 466th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion, the 139th Airborne Engineer Battalion, and the 155 Airborne AA Battalion was scheduled to be disbanded and sent back to the United States. The low point paratroopers of the 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment were to be used as replacements for the high point troopers of the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment that had ASR scores over 85 points and wanted to return home. It was a soldier for soldier exchange between the two regiments. On June 21st 1945 approximately 1,000 high point veterans of the 505th PIR were reassigned and trucked to the 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment in Rambervillers, France. In early June there were two groups, containing about 100 paratroopers in each group that were discharged and sent home without being transferred out of the 505 Parachute Infantry Regiment. Of the 1,000 505 Parachute Infantry Regiment high pointers that were sent to the 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment some were high pointers that transferred into the 505 when the 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion and the 551st Parachute Infantry Battalion disbanded because of high casualty rates suffered in the Bulge.(Some say the War Department already had plans to disband both the 509th and the 551st prior to the Bulge.) The others were men that came into the regiment before Normandy. It was especially bittersweet for the men who came to the regiment in the "frying pan" days to be transferred out of the 505 PIR, but it is said there were 20 men or less in each company at this time. The high pointers sailed on the U.S.S. Mariposa out of France, on September 7th arriving in Boston Harbor on the 15th of September 1945.
80AA-Battalion
- Batteries A, B, C, D, E and F also transferred 416 paratroopers to the 17th Airborne division. On June 22,1945 the Battalion clerk recorded "The old 80th died today, as a wholesale transfer of 16 officers and 400 enlisted men to the 155 Airborne AA Battalion of the 17th Airborne Division was effected". The next day June 23,1945, Lt. Colonel Singleton
left the 80th AA to assume command of the 155AA Battalion,17th Airborne Division.
The clerk again noted " It was almost a man for man trade and little, if any, changes in efficiency was noted in either organization." The same conditions applied to this exchange as well, low point paratroopers of the 155 AA Battalion were to be used as replacements for the high point troopers of the 80th AA Battalion that had ASR scores over 85 points and wanted to return home.
456th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion - High point paratroopers from the 456th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion were transferred into the 466th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion.
307th Airborne Engineer Battalion - B Company - High point paratroopers from the 307th Airborne Engineer Battalion - B Company were transferred into the 139th Airborne Engineer Battalion.
The ASR Score - (Army Service Rating Score)
The Army came up with a point system to help them determine in what order an enlisted man or woman would be returned to the United States and released from duty.
A veteran needed 85 points to return to the States.
POINT VALUES AND CRITICAL SCORE POINTS
1.) SERVICE CREDIT - One point for each month of Army service between September 16th 1940 and May 12th 1945.
2.) OVERSEAS CREDIT - One point for each month served overseas between September 16th 1940 and May 12th 1945.
3.) COMBAT CREDIT - Five points for first and each additional award for service performed between September 16th 1940 and May 12th 1945, of the following:
a. Distinguished Service Cross, Legion of Merit, Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross, Soldier's Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Air Medal, Purple Heart, and Bronze Service Stars (battle or campaign participation stars worn on theater ribbon).
b. Credit will also be given to Army enlisted personnel who have been awarded the following decorations by the Navy Department: Navy Cross, Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross, Navy and Marine Corps. Medal, Air Medal, and Purple Heart Medal.
c. Credit will also be given for those awards and decorations from a foreign country which may be accepted and worn under War Department regulations in effect when the readjustment regulations are placed in operation.
4.) PARENTHOOD CREDIT - Twelve points for each child under 18 years of age before May 12th 1945, up to a limit of three children.
CRITICAL SCORE - The total number of points earned by an individual enlisted man or woman in the above four categories will be considered as a total point score. The score that individual must have in order to be eligible for separation from the Army will be known as the Critical Score.
The War Department will be unable to announce the official Critical Score until approximately six weeks after readjustment regulations go into operation. There will be one Critical Score for enlisted men in the Army Service Forces and Army Ground Forces and another for enlisted men in the Army Air Forces and a third one for enlisted women in the WAC.
Until it computes and announces the official Critical Scores, the War Department has set for the purpose of aiding immediate demobilization a temporary "interim" Critical Score of 85 points for enlisted men in the Service. Ground and Air Forces and 44 points for enlisted women of the WAC. Critical Scores will be replaced by official Critical Scores within the next two months.
