Evening star., 1926-08-22
ENGINEERS TO GET
EXTRA CLOTHING
Officers Take Prompt Meas
ures When Inadequate
Equipment Is. Shown.
BY WILLIAM j. WHEATIEY.
Staff Correspondent of The Star.

FORT HUMPHREYS, Va, August
21.-Criticism Of the condition Of the
clothing and shoes worn by the 121st
Regiment Engineers, District National
Guard, voiced by officers following a
sudden inspection of the outfit today
brought remedial orders from Col
John w. Oehmann, comma nding the
regiment, who directed company com
manders to see that their men were
adequately and properly protected
against the inclement weather.
The inspection, ordered by Col. Och
mann, was made by Lieut. Col. Harry
f. Gladman, executive officer of the
regiment and Maj. George J. Allen.
commanding the Medical Detachment,
and chief surgeon. Many of the troops
We're sent into the field for the annual
training possessing only one change of
clothing, the officers found. Although
the afternoon was to be free, Col
Oehmann ordered all company com
manders to stay in camp, make a thor
Ough inspection of their men and
send in acquisitions for sufficient shoes
and clothing.
Wants Men Protected.
Col. Oehmann has let 1t be known
to his company commanders that he
wanted the health of the men pro
tected first, and admonished them that
they should have given attention to
this important detail before they left
Washington. The quartermaster de-
partment of the District Guard was
informed that acquisitions would be
forthcoming for the shoes, and that
prompt preparations should be made
for filling them SO that the troops
second week Of training.
Capt. F. F. Bernsdorff, Quartermas-
ter. informed the regimental officers
that the organizations supply Of
shoes was stored in commercial
warehouse and that 1t would be i'm
possible to get them before Monday.
but said that he had some shoes in
the armory at Washington. 1t was
disclosed, however. that the matter
was not wholly the fault of the quar-
termaster department.. when 1t was
learned that many OF the company
commanders had sufficient shoes in
their respective store rooms at the
armory, but they were not issued.
Col. Oehmann announced also he
would make a recommendation that
wooden socks instead of cotton be
made part Of the National Guard
issue.
Leaks In Barracks Roofs.
The barracks buildings, which were
supposed to have been made habitable
for the District troops at a cost OF
$4,000, have developed leaks in the
roofs, sending streams of water into
the sleeping quarters of the men. This
fact has been called to the attention
Of the Regular officers of the post. as
the local troops are not permitted to
make any repairs to these buildings.
To check up on the results of the
disclosures made today and the steps
being taken to correct them, Col.
Gladman announced that he would
make an inspection when the troops
report for duty again at O'Clock to-
morrow afternoon.
After the check-up Of the shoe and
clothing equipment was made the en-
listed personnel were given passes
which allow them to remain out OF
camp over night and until O'Clock
tomorrow, when they will report back
for duty.
There will be little going on in camp
tomorrow during the day, but II the
weather permits the troops will snow
ND in their finest and march In a
dress parade at the post tomorrow
afternoon. A regimental parade and
review is on the program, and 1t IS
expected that there will be a large
number Of visitors from Washington
to witness this ceremony. The troops,
1t was indicated. will bring many of
their friends back to camp with them
on their return to duty.
Rain Prevents Marching.
The officers and men have chalked
up the past week as nil, viewed from
a f1eld-training standpoint. They had
only one march into the nearby terri
tory to engage in their engineering
work when the rain set in, and 1t
has been a continual downpour ever
since, with the result that the men
were kept in their barracks to be
given the same instruction as they
have been receiving at the armory
during the year. but which they are
supposed to put to practical use
during the encampment period.
They have had enough Of Army
barracks life, the troops say. and they
want to get out on the march, and
though the first rainy day seemed to
be welcomed. as a day of partial
rest. the continued wet spell has put
them in a fretful mood and they are
craving to get out and work.
The week is to be big one for
the troops, provided the weather
changes. There are many practical
engineering problems to be tried out,
and there VIII be two days of a mimic
battle, during which this divisional
engineer regiment Will try to show
its ability to build roads and bridges
under all kinds of conditions to make
1t possible for a division of troops
to move with ease.
Dinner in Alexandria.
Tomorrow night the non-commis-
stoned officers of the regiment will
give a dinner at the Mason Hotel, in
Alexandria, for the purpose of launch
ing the Non-commissioned Officers
Association of the 121st Engineers, an
orga niZation designed to work for the
building up of the regiment to one Of
the largest organizations which has
ever existed in the militia of the Ma
tional Capital
Thursday the troops, weather. of
course, permitting, will show them
selves off to official and civic Wash
ineton in grand parade and review
which will be rendered to Lieut.. Col
j. Franklin Bell. Engineer Commits
sioner Of the District of Columbia.
Maj. Gen. Edgar Jadwin, chief of
Engineers of the United States Army,
and other officials of the Federal and
District Governments, as we'll as lead
ers of civic bodies. have been invited
10 be present and to participate in a
dinner to be given at Harris Hall, the
officers quarters at the post by the
regimental officers, following which
Lieut.. Col. Thomas J. Dickson, former
chief chaplain of the Army. will de-
liver his lecture on America and
Nerdun.
While the troops have been receiv.