Evening star., 1925-04-08
OAHU AIR DEFENSE TO GET TEST
IN COMING ATTACK ON ISLAND
Planes Of Land Forces to Enter Battle With Big Ad-
vantage Orer aircraft With Navy in
ManeuUers

mounted on railway carriages and
anti-aireraft artillery.
The fishtinE infantrymen, OF course,
can so anywhere to resist enemy at
tempts at penetrating the Island.
During the maneuvers they will
march from their central post at
Schofield Barracks to any threatened
point on the coast line. The mobility
of the artillery units has been tested
in actual operation. On the railway,
which eventually will circle the en-
tire island of Oahu, but now actually
only goes a little more than half
way round, the railway mortar resi.
ment has been thoroughly tested at
speeds of 25 miles an hour on the
tangents and 20 miles on all curves.
The tracks and curves and bridges
were proved capable Of carrying the
80 odd tons OF material loaded on
the cars. During the year just passed
several test marches OF motorized ar
tillery were made around the island,
with the result that the equipment
was found capable OF being moved at
high rates Of speed over the first
class roads OF Oahu under all weather
conditions. Our tests conducted prior
to the maneuvers have proved the
mobility of the artillery.
Three Phases of Campaign.
There is a more modern method of
defense still to be considered-the
defense by airplane--a method that
has undoubted value, though not as
yet such certainty as to warrant sole
dependence upon aircraft to the
neglect or other tried methods of
combat. Our final line OF defense
will be the lighting infantrymen,
supported with machine guns and
los, placed to cover the shore line
and repulse enemy attempts TO land.
But before the enemy gains contact
with this force ne will have to deal
with the huge mobile 1865 and with
the fixed coast guns. which. can lay
down a heavy fire on any ship comm 6
within $4,000 yards of any shore line
of Oahu.
Yet the shore fight will be the
third phase of the maneuvers and
the big gun fight will be the second
phase: The first phase will be the
long distance phase, the aircraft and
submarine phase. during which the
approaching hostile fleet will be out
of range Of projectiles from our
shore batteries. The Air Service will
its bombing planes and the submarine
units OF the naval districts must be
depended on to make life uncom-
Portable on any enemy warships the [
dare to approach the shores. Both OF
these weapons. the aircraft and the
submarine; will, of course. be espe-
cially perilous to hostile troops on
transports. Possibly the Blue feet
will never be able to reach the Ha-
waiian shores at all.
Air Equipment Important.
The air equipment and facilities on
oahu consequently become of prime
Importance, and, in spite of plane
shortages. strenuous attempts are
constantly made to keep air equip
rnent and facilities on Oahu at max
imum efficiency. They have just been
replenished so as to be ready for the
maneuvers. Six separate landing
fields have. been established. we
have provided for Oahu an observa-
ton squadron to assist in adjust
ment of long-range fire. which has
demonstrated real efficiency during
target practice.
In addition we have established
there bombardment aviation for at
tacking hostile fleets; and also pur-
suit. or fighting, planes to combat
Whatever aerial forces an enemy
might bring along with him. The
training of these units, has, rs the de-
partment commander reports, reached
the desired standard And. all air units
are indicated to be 'shighly ef1icient' -
The flyers have continually worked
In cooperation with mobile ground
troops, with artillery Of all calibers,
and with the services of information.
Land and Sea Planes.
The aviators rising from the is
lands have a distinct advantage over
any avfators an attacking fleet could
bring. Afrplane carriers have lin
tied capacities. Their planes would
have .dffficulties in re-alightfhg for
refueling or repairing. The Earri-