Evening star., 1925-03-22
|U.S. FORCES GATHER
| FOR BIGGEST TEST
Cooperative Work of Sea.
Air and Land Defense to
Try Out in Pacific.
BY WILLIAM j. wHEATLEY.

sea, air and land-are being mobil-
lied to test their separate and com
bined ability to guard the Nation, and
to determine the strength OF one of
It's island territories-Hawaii the key
to a Pacific theater of war-to with
stand attack from an enemy. At the
same time, the United States fleet, a
mighty armada, now being modified
in the harbors of California, will at
tempt to show it's ability to take an
enemy shore position and land troops.
However, the landing party in this
instance will be made up of marin es
from the Marine Corps east coast ex-
pedltionary base at Quantico, Va. as
the Army has not enough men to send
on transport with the fleet to handle
Its side of such a problem.
The maneuyers at this time will be
OF particular interest because OF the
controversy stirred up in Congress
by Gen. Mitchell in favor of a unified
air service. Both the Army and the
Navy will have its separate air forces
and 1t is expected the maneuvers will
show the absolute necessity of hav-
ing an air service in each branch
of the military instead OF a unified
control. The problems are so dis
enlisted personnel must be trained
for their particular duties
Ships of the Navy from the east
coast are now going through the
Panama Canal and heading for the
mobilization point at San Pedro,
where they will remain until March
81, when the entire fleet will steam
for San Francisco.
127 Ships I'm Fleet
There will be 127 ships, includin &
battleships, cruisers, destroyers, SUBJ
marines. repair ships, supply ships.
transports, mine layers and tugs, In
fact all types of auxiliaries, and 130
planes, with the fleet.
The big war game will start on
April is. when the great fleet will
steam out of the Golden Gate, but
the actual battle will not begin until
April % and will continue until
April 80, or until either the land
forces or their supporting planes sink
the fleet, or the fleet lands it's forces
and Its attached planes succeed in
Flevelltng the fortifications on the
shore.
Because OF the strategic location of
the Hawaiian Islands, called the
cross roads of the Pacific" the
maneuvers are of particular interest,
and much valuable military informa-
tion, which will be used in strength
ening the weak points. Is expected to
be developed during the course of the
fight"
The problem. as approved by the
Secretaries of War and Navy. con-
templates a war between the
Blue" and BLACK" forces, the
Hawaiian Islands belonging to the
latter. The occupation of the is
lands for naval operating bases is an
essential element of the Blues"
plans. The Blues" feet is as
sembled on the west coast, together
with the Marine expeditionary forces.
Its forces consist OF the battle fleet,
the scouting fleet. the control force
and the fleet base force. The BLACK"
iorcesr defending the Hawaiian Is
landsfwfl include the Regular Army
garrison of Oahu, the National Guard
OF the. Hawaiian Islands, the Army
reserve force OF the islands. the
District naval forces, submarine and
mine squadrons, and the Naval Re
serve in the Hawaiian Islands.
Train In Joint Operations.
The purpose of the impending
scrap is to train the army and
naval forces in joint operations. his
tory having taught that most Joint
army and navy operations failed he
cause of lack of corporation. lack OF
teamwork, this lack of teamwork
being the result of lack of training.
according to both military and naval
experts Also the maneuvers will test
the defensive arrangements of the
Hawaiian group and try out the
methods of attack against a defended
locality
The importance OF sea and air
rorces In the protection of the islands
is recognized by strateg1sts in all
branches of the service Because of
their location and coast lines they
have to be defended in an arc of $50
degrees, or a complete circle They
can only be taken by an overseas ex-
pedition on a considerable scale, and
similarly in case Of enemy attack
they can only be relieved by a la
naval force.
The center of the attack of the blue
forces VIII be on the Island Of Oahu.
on which Honolulu is located. With
out that island, the possession of the
other islands of the group would be
of little value to an enemy, as there
are no harbors Of any Importance
elsewhere in the territory. At the
same time, the possession of Oahu
would render comparatively simple
the capture of the remaining islands
of the group. For this reason the
principal detencss are located on this
island.
Great StrategicaI Test.
Apart from the necessity OF defense
of Hawaii as part of the territory
of the United States, the location of
| these islands is such that were they
held by an enemy, they would con-
| stitute threat Of formidable d.
! mension against the Pacific coast OF
the United States. At q speed of Is
knots, which Is well within the capa-
| bflities of modern fleeet, an enemy
| departing from Honolulu could ar
| rive off any United States port from
| San Diego to Sftka in six to seven
days. Lying as they do In or near all
| trade routes. across the Pacific and be-
tween the United States and Australia,
an enemy in occupation OF the Hawaiian
Islands would be favorably placed tc
intercept effectually ali these trade
| routes. On the other hand, an enemy
! fleet advancing to attack the United
| States must pass near the Hawaiian
Isls nds, and IL the United States Gee,
| were based there, the enemy would
| hardly dare to pass them by leaving
our fleet to fall upon his rear and line
of communications With the United
| States fleet based on these islands, il
| may be assumed that the Pacific Coast
| Of the United States is secure from
! invasion, at least, until the Amer.
lean fleet Is eliminated.
Pearl Harbor now is being devel.
oped as a naval base and, while 1t IL
| conceded that certain improvements
| would have to be made in case OF
war, the base will receive a real test
4
| there before 1t splits up for a cruise
| to Australia and New Zealand