Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-06-01
HARD WORK IS
A BIG PART OF
TRAINING MEN
N-on-comrnissioned Officers
Are Taught How to De-
fend Themselves.

Camp Kearny, San Diego, Cal, May
31.-Some danger and a quantity Of
hard work make up the lot Of the gas
non-commissioned officers who stage
the gas attacks" being given troops
stationed here Is part of their in
struction in defense measures against
gas. They go at their tasks with a
spirit of fun, however, and tighten the
most arduous work by a Jest about
what its result will be on the men IN
III trenches, awaiting the onslaught
with bomb or cloud that will result
from that work. The men on the
defense" end Of the operation. too,
the forces waiting in the trenches for
the gas attack to commence, often
furnish a good deal of humor.
The correspondent Of the Associ-
ated Press recently was permitted to
accompany the gas non-commissioned
officers representing the attacking
force in a large gas demonstration, in
which a battalion of the 159th Cali
%fornia) infantry and some attached
troops held a series of trenches dur
ing repeated gas attacks.
From the time the infantrymen
went into the trenches the "gas men,
kept them in a state Of expectancy by
means Of minor showers Of tear gas
bombs, but the principal show" as
one gas officer called It, did not begin
until late in the evening. several
hours after the trenches had been oc-
cupied. Everything went by schedule.
At a stated time the gas men massed
their forces along one OF the trenches.
OF gas bombs. At other times they
gathered around the big cylinders Of
chlorine gas that were to be let loose
on the infantry.
After they had strung themselves
along the trench for the first general
attack, which was to be with bombs,
and take cover wherever they could,
there was nothing to do but chat in
whispers and wait until the Zero
point"-the hour set for the operation
to commence-arrived. On the min
ute when that time came, they be-
gan tossing bombs toward the trench,
taking care, however, that none fell
inside the walls.
As the first bomb. which happened
to be loaded with tea a exploded
near the front line trench. the cry
of Gas" came from the support
trench. we'll outside the affected area.
A moment later gas alarms were
rafting all over the trench r . One
0OSSAoA A0AhSN RIOPCIN 616I1Al, Oul
made n Of a tin can and some
pebbles. For a few seconds there
were cries of gas in every direction,
muffled because coming from inside
the masks. III ~
TO stimulate battle conditions the
better, one Of the gas men tossed
dynamite bombs about the centH of
the area, their heavy decorations re-
sembling those Of high explosive
| ohn1Ie a. Ia
ibombardment continued, after which
the gas men moved on to another To-
cation, the dynamite man carrying his
bombs in5ea small tin box slung over
hts shoulder. The other bombers carl
ried canvas pouches filed with bombs.
As they moved on, the dynamite
bomber picked up 4 piece of cloth
from the ground. II want that" he
said. "Ill tie a couple of bombs to-
gether with 1t and make. sonaSboAy
squeal."
AZ the attackers distributed them.
selves about the ares for another aA-
satlt, n Of them had occasion to
read his orders. Puff up on that Gig
arette," he told another bomber.
Lets have a light" He read the or
der by the glow OF the cigarette,
which he shielded In his itAnds, rather
than disclose the bombers'apoxtion ~
striking q light
The second ZERO point arrived while
the dutter OF fans removing the: gas
from the trench last attacked, still
minutes then the hsavyathud 81 the
dynamite bombs mingled with
sharpAf explosions OF tSS~sft1ir.EAs
lbombs. The hrst sxploston brought
the cry Of Gag from q trench hAfeiy
SO Yards away. One Of the b0mb6rs