Evening star., 1927-08-21
GUARDSMEN REST
AFTER BUSY WEEK
Camp at Fort Humphreys Is
Remarkably Free From
Illness and Injuries.
EY WILLIAM j. WHEATLEY.
Sfaff CnrresnnnIpnt OF The Star.


FORT HUMPHREYS, Va, August
"o.--Half OF their annual period of
military training in the field com
pleted. the officers and men of the
I2Ist Regiment of Engineers, Ma
tional Guard of the District Of Co
lumbia. settled down tonight for a
Well earned rest, to take stock OF
the military information they had
CLEANED during a week in the field.
Under ideal weather conditions.
they have engaged in constructive
endeaVOr in camp remarkably free
from sickness and injuries or other
incidents that have characterized
The field activities of the regiment in
recent years
During the first week. they have
learned most of the duties of engi-
neers, and are prepared to resume
their work on Monday. After few
more DAYS of engineering work, they
will engage in field maneuVers
which viii carry them as far as
Mount Vernon. During this activity
the men will get a real taste of field
operations, for they will be away
from camp on 10-mlle hike Tor the
entire day, and their meals will be
which will cook them while the
troons attempt to ferret out an
imaginary enemy.
After the heavy part Of the battle
Is over. the troops will storm the
gates of Mt. Vernon, arrangements
having been made for them to enter
the grounds free.
Construction of Bridge.
During the five days that they
engaged in engineering work, the
troops have completed about two
thirds of their major engineering
operation, which consists of the con-
struction of a spar bridge, including
the cutting of the timber in the for
ests, It is expected that the bridge
will be completed by Tuesday morn
ing, when motor equipment Of the
regiment will be run up on 1t to
show that it is capable of withstand
ing the heavy traffic of division of
troops.
Field Notifications and. in fact, prac-
tically the heaviest of the work has
been completed. The men have been
kept necessarily at the engineering
work and at infantry drills for long
hours each day, and when night came
they were too tired to engage in much
of the frolicking usual in such camps.
The barracks area in which the
troops are quartered while here were
practically deserted tonight, as most
of the men took advantage of the
brief respite to go back to their homes
in Washington, many OF them for the
purpose Of returning to camp tomor-
row with their friends and relatives,
to show them how they live while
in the field, and also to make their
best showing at the regimental
parade which is to be held tomorrow
afternoon at 5 o'clock.
Other Engineering Duties.
During the first three days of this
week the camp will be under command
of Lieut.. Col. Harry Gladman, execu-
tive officer Of the regiment, Col. John
W. Oehmann, the commander, having
been ordered to report to Maj. Gen.
Anton Stephan at Cascade, Md, for
participation in a 24-hour command
post exercise, which is to begin there
Monday night at o'clock. The Dis
trict regiment is the 29th National
Guard Divisions engineering outfit,
and Col. Oehmann has been ordered
there to solve the engineering prob
lens incident to the maneuver.
Instead of the usual camp stunt
night, put on by the men, they have
agreed to furnish talent for an enter
tainment to be held by the post Thurs
day night, the funds from which are
to be used for the purchase of a radio
set for the use of the patients in the
post hospital. The 121st Regiment
Band, Meyer Goldman, leader. will
furnish the music.
The officers of the regiment will en-
terrain their friends and relatives at
a dance, to be held at Harris Hall
in the camp Friday night. as the lead
ing social event of the camp.