Operation Magic Carpet
| Operation Magic Carpet | |
|---|---|
| Part of the aftermath of World War II | |
 Homeward bound GIs on board the carrier USS Enterprise during Operation Magic Carpet. |
|
| Objective | Repatriation of American military personnel from Europe, Asia, and the Pacific. |
| Date | October 1945 – September 1946 |
| Executed by |
 United States
|
| Outcome | Successful operation |
Operation Magic Carpet was the post-World War II operation by the War Shipping Administration to repatriate over eight million American military personnel from the European, Pacific, and Asian theaters. Hundreds of Liberty ships, Victory ships, and troop transports began repatriating soldiers from Europe in June 1945. Beginning in October 1945, over 370 navy ships were used for repatriation duties in the Pacific. Warships, such as aircraft carriers, battleships, hospital ships, and large numbers of assault transports were used. The European phase of Operation Magic Carpet concluded in February 1946 while the Pacific phase continued until September 1946.
As early as mid-1943, the United States Army had recognized that, once victory was won, bringing the troops home would be a priority. More than 16 million Americans were in uniform; and more than eight million of them were scattered across all theaters of war worldwide. Army Chief of Staff General George Marshall established committees to address the logistical problem. Eventually organization of the operation was given to the War Shipping Administration (WSA). Eligibility for repatriation was determined by the Advanced Service Rating Score.
The Navy was excluded from the initial European sealift, as the Pacific War was far from over, and the task of returning the troops was the sole responsibility of the Army and Merchant Marine. The WSA ordered the immediate conversion of 300 Liberty and Victory cargo ships into transports. Adequate port and docking facilities were also serious considerations along with the transportation necessary to take the veterans to demobilization camps after they reached America's shores.
...
Wikipedia