The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1917-04-27
INFANTRY Main
FIGHTING FORCE
Makeup Of American Army Is
Given Here,

In every army Of the world the foo,
soldiers or infantry form the main
fighting force All other branches oi
the service are organized m ratio -
the strength Of the infantry Thu, the
number OF cayalrymcn or artl'0crymcr
enlisted depends upon the numerical
strength OF the infantry organization
For this reason let Us consider 'ao nu
merlcal units by which infantry
strength is estimated
Squad Comes First
First, there is the squad made up of
eight men under the command u' a
corporal. a platoon made up OF five
squads and comprising from forty 'c
ilfty men IS under the command OF a
sergeant or lieutenant 4 compln,
comprising two, three or four pIa'OOn'
is under the command OF a captain a
company's roll contains from eighty to
40 men Four companies make up
battalion under the command of q
major while three batiallOnS form q
regiment led by a colonel Three regi
ment, form a brigade under the com
mand oi brigadicr general and three
brgadcS make a division Three d.
visions, If they represent various
| branches OF the service, are groupc'
INTO a corps or field army The d.
vision is commanded by major gcncr
al as is also the field army Ih'
Army" in It's entirety consists OF a
many field armies as a.country is abl'
to muster, plus the entire military OF
! ganlzatlon and its accessories,
There are few slight differences be
tween the cavalry and infantry organ
yations, for the infantry company u
cavalry terms becomes a troop and th'
battalion becomes a squadron.
In the artillery branch Of the scry
! ice there are several subdivisions \
i the present time We hear much about IN,
| coast artillery, which IS made up o
/ fixed Or stationary cannon. set IN bat
/ tcrleS made up oi two or more gun
within proper iortlilcationS at yariou
strategic points, where th"S may ei
iectivcly oppose naval attacks Arullcrl
! ior for,iiitation, is OF a character sim
/ liar To coast artillery Siege guns arr
| oi as heavy a callbcr or power as th'
guns used in fort'fcatons. but ar
mounted so that they may be moved bl
motor power or train from one point e
another. Field. horse and mountain ar
/ ,illcry arc exactly what their name
imply-thc mobile adaptable gun' o
an army
Smallest Unit OF Arms.
Such arc the three main arms o.
the army. The smallest unit in whicl
any two OF these arms arc joinc'
/, the cavalry brSsdc, which some
times contains light artillery. Thus ",
may call tho brigade the largest "un
mixed" unit. while the division is IN
smallest mixed units, that IS, ,h
smallest unit made M OF infantry, cav
airy and artillery The average Strengt
OF field army Of corps throughout IN
world is between 10000 and 4Ow met
The ficld army is supposed to COZ
tain representation from every brapc
OF the army organization, and 10 b
able 10 act as a complete and ind,
pendent unit
Virtually every activity of civil lii
is represented IN the army organirs
ton, either on itS technical or admir-
iStrative side. The more one dolyt
into army organization the keener b,
comes the appreciation OF the ncccsSit
Of properly classifying every civilian {
military age, that, in emergency, !
may be called forth to serve his cour
ny in that capacity in which he IS be
fitted to give the highest results EveT
,radcsmen. mechanic laborer, proie
sional man. artist or poet can be iiitt
into the vas, organization wheel in sue
way that his vocation or ayoca,lc
will be turned TO his country's a,
, vantage Wars are no longer entire
.. decided on the firing line They ar
rather, struggles between the resourc,
} al nations and that country posscssir
. the greatest industrial stamina is a
. most certain TO win, providing i, has
reasonable representation OF arms
.. the iield.-kanSaS City Star.