Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-20
TROOPS LINING UP
FOR BIG BATTLE
Nearly 1000, 900, Theoreti-
calIy, to Meet in Mimic
Fight Tomorrow.
BY J. S. EDGERTON,
etaf Correspondent Of Tne Star.

nations, e&ten0lng from Lake Erie 10
the Ohio River between Dayton and
Columbus.
Patrols of the Blue advance brigades
today are feeling their way toward the
Red position. which, observation planes
have reported, have been established in
light intrenchments hastily dug along
the eastern bank Of peaceful and slug
gish Big Darby Creek, across which
nearly 100000 men will meet, the
oretically. in battle tomorrow.
Fairfield took on a distinctly martial
appearance today as the commanding
generals. STATS and ground troops of the
two Army Corps and nine divisions
which will be represented in the Blue
battle line began to arrive in prepara-
ton for the movement forward to field
headquarters farther to the front. Tent
camps have been pitched here by COM
panies of the 10th and 18th Infantry
Regiments, and there are great parks
of khaki painted Army motorized field
transport cars and trucks.
Final Reports Submitted.
Final reports submitted by the various
squadron commanders to the Blue Army
air headquarters here today on the eve
of the battle showed Ill Army planes
Of all types ready for military duty.
These planes have been engaged with
phase of the battle during the past
week. Owing to the military situation.
reports of the precise strength of the
Red aerial units at Columbus, capital
of the mythical red nation, are not
available. though 1t is understood that
approximately 100 planes are ready to
take the air tomorrow against the Blue
attackers.
The strength reports submitted this
morning to Col. Horace c. Pratt, COM
mander of the Blue air forces, show the
following planes available for DUTY
Second Bon1bardment Group, Langley
Field. Va. Maj. Hugh J. Knerr COM
nanding, is planes; e5th Pursuit Squad
ron, Rockwell Field. Calf. Capt. H. M.
Elmendorf. IS planes; Third Attack
Group. Fort Crockett, Tex, Maj. John
J. Jouett, 80 planes; 9Th Observation
Squadron, Mitchell Field N. Y, Capt.
Francis NJ Brady. l9 planes; 1nstruc-
ton and students Air Corps Tactical
School, Langley Field. IA planes; Con-
troll STAFF. planes, and Transport, 10
cargo planes.
Luncheon for Correspondents.
This afternoon newspaper CORE
spondents in the field with the Blue
army will be guests of Brig. Gen. Will
liam E. Gilmore, commander OF the
Air Corps material division, Wright
Field, Dayton, at luncheon followed by
an inspection tour through the great
aeronautical laboratories under his COM
mand. Tomorrow the correspondents
will move forward to the corps and di-
visional headquarters of the Blue army
in the field.
Real and imaginary troops represent
ing the two armies total 805, 295 men.
The blue forces number three corps to-
falling 432,543 men, commanded by Col.
A. T. Ovenshine, while the red forces,
commanded by Col. w. e. Waldron,
number but 372,67l men.
THE Air Corps unit, which for the
past week have borne the brunt of the
sham fighting over the Ohio theater of
action, will continue their operations
during the coming week as units OF the
armies.
The actual ground troops which will
participate in the field maneuvers will
be 10th Infantry Of Fort Thomas. Cow
ington, KY, and the 18th Infantry, Fort
BENJAMIN Harrison, Indianapolis. Ind.
These troops will be utilized for placing
and moving the ground panels repre-
senting the two armies. The broken
ground along big Darby Greek. which
will represent the battle line, is marked
for nearly II miles today with the pam
els representing the opposing armies.
Orders TO Go Out Tomorrow.
In the Blue Army the Army Corps and
division posts of commands are organ
tied and will be operated as in the
case of war, with the Ohio and Indiana
National Guard and the organized Re
serves participating Orders for the
assault of the Blue forces on the Req
line of defense will be issued tomorrow
to the Blue Corps commanders, Brig.
Gen. George H. Jamerson, LIST Corps, at
Mechanicsburg, Ohio, and Maj. Gen;
Benson w. Hough, Ohio National
National Guard, I'd Corps, at London,
Ohio. The Sd Corps will be imaginary.
The six divisional. commanders, rep
resenting the Regular Army. the ONO
and Indiana National Guards and the
Organized Reserve, will receive their or
ders for the attack soon after noon
Tuesday at their headquarters at Re-
SAGA, Chuckery, Unionville Center, La,
fayette, Lilly, Chapel and PlumWooo, all
peaceful little Ohio farming communi-
ties in the prosperous farming country
between Dayton and Big Darby Creek
The orders will be issued precisely
as in actual warfare and the ground
panels will be moved by the troop in
accordance with these orders. while the
umpires determine the results of the
action. The air forces will operate on
IA
represented by the panels and reporting
their positions or attacking them, de-
pending upon circumstances. The air
forces also will be called upon to raid
strong points behind the enemy lines
and aerial clashes between the oppos-
ing air units will be fought over no
mans land" along Darby Creek.
In Shelter Tent Camps.
On both sides Of the battle lines
the Infantry companies which will
operate the panels viii live in shelter
tent camps near the division command
posts. Communica ton between the
headquarters will be by leased and field
telephone. telegraph, radio and couriers,
Ranking National Army officers Ma
tional Guard officers, members of Con-
gress and foreign military attaches will
observe the maneuvers, among them F.
Trubee Dawson, Assistant Secretary of
War: Hans j. Adamson his assistant :,
Mai. Gen. Preston Brown. command
ing the 1st Corps Area, Brooklyn, N. Y;
Mai. Gen. Fred w. Sladen, command
ing the Sd Corps Area, Baltimore, and
Mai. Gen. Frank Parker, commanding
the 6th Corps Area, Chicago: Col. Ed
ward Croft, Lieut. Col. Clement H
Wright of the War Department, Repre-
sentatives H. @ Hoffman of New jersey
and Melvin j. Mas of Minnesota. and
groups of Pennsylvania and Connect
cut National Guard officers.
Yesterday, a lull having occurred in
the mimic warfare, the air went on
dress parade before $4,000 visitors who
hocked to Fairfield Air Depot from al
parts Of Southern Ohio and Indiana tc
look over the great concentration Of
Army planes staked down along the
field in long orderly rows. More than
5000 automobiles we're driven into the
huge Fairfield Military Reservation dur
ing the afternoon.