The Washington times., 1922-05-07
AIR SQUADRON
IDEA INTERESTS
v|RG|N|AGUARD
Adjutant General Hopes Offer
of Federal Government Can
Be Accepted.

RICHMOND, Va, May 6.-Nego.
tiations now pending between the
office of the adjutant general OF
Virginia, at Richmond, and the war
Department, at washingt relating
to an offer from the Federal Govern
ment to furnish Virginia with an
aviation squadron OF eight army
observation planes. has served 10
center public attention on The Vir'
ginia national guard.
Acquisition of an air squadron Will
prove a notable addition to the mill
tary forces already so well recruit.
ed in the State, and IL can he said
that Adjutant General Sale regards Il
as most probable that a base for the
observation squadron can be secured
and the offer of the Federal Govern
ment accepted.
Guard Equipment.
A battery OF field artillery Is valued
at $27O, 900. There are now four such
batteries In Virginia, two at Rich
mond, one in Norfolk and one at
Portsmouth. The state has authority
to organize two additional batteries
after July /.
Virginia has two fully armed and
equipped howitzer companies, one at
Suffolk. the other at Chatham.
There are six machine gun com
panies. two at Richmond, one a New
port News. one at Alexandria, one
at Roanoke and one at Martinsville
Eighteen rifle companies; three at
Richmond, one at Norfolk. one at
Lynchburg. one at Petersburg. one
at Blackstone. one AT Parksley. one
NJ Nrd
one at Abingdon. one a Chase City,
one at South Boston, one at Farm
vile. one at Winchester. one at
Charlottesville. one at Staunton and
one at Hopewell. Eight companies OF
heavy artillery Uhe coast artillery,
which are ALTO armed and can be
used as rifle companies in emersen-
cies. located at Richmond. Lynch.
burg, Gordonsville. Clifton Forge.
Buchanan. Christiansburg, Chinco.
teague and Roanoke.
One tank company equipped with
seven tanks. and one hospital COM
pany. AT Danville. One brigade,
three regimental and seven battalion
headquarters companies, three At
Richmond. one at Berryvnle, one al
Petersburg. two at Norfolk, one at
Altavista. one at Chase City. one ut
Winchester and one AT Surry. Two
service companies OF infantry. one
at Richmond and one at Roanoke
Four bands. one et Petersburg. one
at Roanoke, one at Danyille and one
At No. solk
800 Men Elisted.
The whole OF the above force num-
bers approximately $500 officers and
men, divided a. follows: Staff corps
and departments. "a; infantry. 2,5o0;
coast artillery. sos; field artillery, 400;
tank company. 65; hospital company,
55
The guard 10 organized into one
brigade OF infantry. commanded by
Brig. Gen. :. g. Waller. OF Front
ROYAL. This brigade consists OF two
infantry regiments. commanded by
Col. J. Frilmer Bright. Of Richmond,
and Col. II. l.. Opie. of Staunton. The
two regiments comprise six nat.
talions. commanded by majors. tho
whole made up OF thirty seven com.
panies. The average strength is
sixty.five men. except the hesdauar.
ters companies of brigade and hat.
talions, which number forty-odd
men.
One battalion and one 80 Ndrste
battery OF field artillery with average
strength OF seventy.five men per
battery.
One coast defense command, or
regiment, OF coast artillery, Col.
Marshall NJ. Milton. OF Richmond,
This organization consists OF nine
companies. with average strength of
sixty-five men. together with the
tank and hospital companies.