Imperial Valley press., 1926-12-17
BATTLE FLEETS
PLANNING FOR
BIG MANEUVERS
Strategicak Problems to
Be Worked Out by
Means of Sham Battles
Ey LOUIS J. HEATH
United Press Staff Correspondent

WASHINGTON, Dee. II. - The
scouting fleet and the Pacific battle
fleet of the United States navy are
soon to leave their bases to engage
in the most extensive peace time
combat maneuvcrs ever held.
War problems of the widest STRAIT.
c9ical Significance, affecting both
the military and naval forces, will
be worked out in the maneuvcrs.
commencing with the departure of
the scouting fleet from home ports
January ), via Hampton Roads for
southern waters and with the sailing
Of the battle fleet from Pacific
coast bases on February 10. They
will be concluded with navy war
games i'll the vicinity Of Narragan-
sett Bay during the week of May lG.
BattleShips, light cruisers and de
strOyerS Will cooperate with the air
squadron of the scouting fleet i'll tac-
tical and gunnery exercises in the
Guantanamo area during January
and February.
Three battleships, eight light
cruisers, thirty-ninc dcstroycrs, two
destroyer tenders, three air craft
tenders, and eleven auxiliary ships
with sixty planes will compose the
scouting fleet forces participating
in winter mancuVcrs.
The Pacific coast armada, con.
siSting of Scvcnty-scvcn ships of the
battle fleet carrying 90 airplancs,
sailing February 18Th, will conduct
battle mancuVers cnrOutC to Pana-
ma. AS in previous years the army s
Panama canal dcfcnscS will be the
object of attack.
While basing at Guantanamo the
combined forces of the United
States fleet Will stimulate rival
naval forces and work ont problems
in strategy and tactics.
Stcaming northward on April 23rd
the entire wartime fleet of the
United States, except for the battle
ships of the scouting fleet and the
submarinn divisions of the battle
fleet will reach New York on May
LIST. The vessels will anchor there
for two weeks. Crews will be
granted shore leave and liberty.
On May l6 the United State 5
fleet composed of l33 vessels of all
classes with approximately $50 air!
planes will proceed TO an area off
Narragansctt Bay.
The light cruiser divisions OF the
scouting fleet are scheduled to car
ry out the full program and in addi-
tou to the maneuvcrS III southern
water will participate in the grand
joint operations, during May
The flight schedule of the aircraft
squadron going south will be:
Hampton Roads to Charleston, Jan
uary I; Charleston to Fcrnandina,
January 10; Fcrnandina to Miami,
January 10; Miami to Key West,
January II; Key West to Cienfuc.
goS. January IS; Cicufucgos TO
Guacanayabo Bay January 20.
While cn route the planes will
mamcuvcr in formation flying, tor
pcdo and bombing approaches and
exercises in visual communication
On March the two squadron of
planes will fly to Guantanamo where
thcv will participate in the war prob
ltlllS VI INC tpIHDlHNl llttNS. 4 utSC
completed, the planes will return to
Hampton Roads station and in May
join in the Narragansctt Bay opera
tionS.
BattlcshipS, dcStroycrs and air
craft suadronS will base ON San Di-
ego from January | to February Is
where anti aircraft practice, long
range battle practice, night battle
practice and visual signal COMPETE
tions will be held On January II
ana - battle fleet tactical exercises
will be staged.
Battlcships, dcStroycrS with flag
ship, Omaha, tenders, submarines
with tenders, eagle boats, airplanc
carrier Langley airplamc tenders
with aircraft Squadruns will leave
San Diego for the canal zone Fchyu-
AIRY 10 arriving March 1, holding
fleet tactics cnroutr.
From March 30 the fleet will be
at the canal zone, BattlcShips, de
stroycrs and air forces will 80
through the canal. Submarines with
tenders and eagle boats, however,
will return to west coast ports.
From March 1J.22 the llect will