The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-09-13
TRANSPORT CORPS
 CREATED FOR ARMY
Will Take Over Control of All Vehicles Except Tanks
 and C!aterpillars.

tion of a Motor Transport Corps, to take over complete control Of all ve- nicles in the army-from bicycles to motor trucks-was announced by the War Department last night. This purpose is the more rapid movement of troops and supplies of the Ameri- can Expeditionary Force in France.
 The new corps is being organized v Colonel Charles B. Drake, a West Joint graduate of the class of 1896, on officer experienced in motor trans port work. Eventually his command will consist of approximately 5000 officers and 100000 men. Motor transport service up to the present time has been under the control of the Quartermaster Corps. It has grown to such proportions that it is deemed necessary to establish it as separate corps and take steps for it's further rapid expansion.
 The War Department Is following in the footsteps of the British and French armies, which some time ago adopted the plan of putting the whole motor equipment under a single head. Experience in handling American sol diers in the field in France has demon strated the need of similar action on the part of the American govern ment.
 All equipment and personnel in the various corps, with the exception of tanks and caterpillar tractors, are transferred to the new corps. Tanks have a distinct service to perform iYoUn1No tho of troops and for that reason are not brought into the new Motor Trans port Corps. Caterpillar tractors which are to be used for hauling guns re- main under the supervision of the ar tillery and ordnance branches. But everything else in the motor transport line goes into the new corps.
 Among the many advantages sought by the creation of the Motor Trans port Corps is the more perfect stand ardization of equipment, resulting in greater efficiency and economy of op- eration and permitting a more fluent interchange of drivers and parts. The problem of supplying parts and mak' i..g repairs will be greatly simpli- fled. Motor trucks are taking g CNS battle. In the recent counter offens- i've of the French and Americans al Chateau-Thierry, motor trucks car ried several regiments of troops tC critical points in the line and sup. piled them with heavy and light guns, ammunition, horses mules, and even wagons for supply train use oyer different terrain.
 Motor trucks made it possible fol the French to concentrate troops ammunition, and supplies sufficient tC stop the Germans at Verdun. Wher German aviators destroyed the rail road facilities General Joffre called motor trucks into service to replace , the wrecked trains, which they die with entire success.
 In attacking along the Marne re gently the American units were sup ported by machine guns mounted or trucks and even passenger cars which swept the enemy lines with storm of fire. Trucks were also use, extensively to bring up reserves. Mucl of the work of the corps must be don at night, and it is we'll known tha much used roads near the front ar regularly searched by the enemy ar tillery, so that the motor transpor service, while technically non-com batant, Is really quite as active ant dangerous as many fighting branches
 The present motor establishment i France includes many repair stations some of them operated >by from 50 to 1,500 mechanics and other skille men each. The program of the Moto Transport Corps provides for greatl increased facilities along these line! Repair work is carried on in garage parks, depots, and reconstructio shops. A service park is a mobil garage which can be moved rapidl to any point where it is needed. A overhaul park is large station wher heavy repairs can be made, and a re construction park Is equipped completely rebuild broken down ( shell-shattered machines. Under tf new organization the work of salvat ing damaged machines, already high developed, is to receive increased a tention. All this work is necessari in the hands of skilled men, and tf personnel must be greatly increase to provide the transport service thu will be needed next year.
 While the Motor Transport Cor handles many kinds of motor pr pelled vehicles, the army truck is u most important, and the demand men especially qualified to drive al handle the trucks is great. Men qua flied for this work by their expel ences in civil life have offered thel selves in numbers, but 1t has be found necessary to establish sever motor transport schools, in additi to the one at Jacksonville, Fla.
 these schools candidates will leal under competent instructors, the int cate mechanism of gas engines, N. that they will be qualified to Ike their trucks running under the tl ing conditions existing along the fire lines, where their principal work W be done.
 Men sent to these camps will
 carefully chosen, as the work requil
 initiative and ability. Among thu who have already enrolled are ma
 who occupied positions of respon bility in civil life. At Jacksonvi
 now are bankers, high salaried exec
 tives, engineers and men of ma
 professions who have been attrac to the corps by it's opportunities
 active service overseas after a co
 paratively short course of traini
 With the increasing use of mo
 transport in moving troops fir
 point to point on the battle line,
 life of the motor driver is becom
 progressively more adventurous g
 exciting.
 DIED