Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-07
BY TOM WHITE.

BRISK interchange Of notes, q
~ sudden rupture of diplomatic
IN relations, extras every hour,
srirn-faced guards in khaki pa
trolling stragetic centers, slim
wasted destroyers outward bound I'M
der sealed orders.
out on the West Coast feverish ac-
tivity is under way day and night:
and although the lights of every city
from Seattle to San Diego are blotted
out by smothering war clouds, the
swirling bank of high fog behind the
Golden Gate is ominously dark. The
Preside, the coast defenseS on both
sides of the Gate-every local unit
of the Army and Navy is making hec-
for according to all the logic of war
fare the enemy fleet will make its
initial mass attack on San Francisco,
unload their troop transports and
penetrate the coast region before
troops can be assembled and rushed
from the Mississippi Valley and the
Eastern Seaboard, even before the
United States fleet, engaged In ma
neuvers in the Eastern Caribbean,
could pass through the canal, pro-
viding the Isthmian CUTOFF were not
already put out of commission, TO reach
California waters.
Enemy Planes sighted.
A radio flash comes from an OBJ
servation plane far out beyond the
Farralone Islands. Enemy planes have
been sighted and far down on the tw1-
light horizon is the faint smudge from
countless tunnels borne in on the wings
of the brisk west wind. San Francisco
is to be attacked.
Although such stage setting Is pure
t.,
questions involving defensive measures
were just as real when the Pac1f1c ar
mazda, known as the Black force, pro-
ceeded from q port of the Northwest TO
capture San Francisco. Their prob
able date of arrival, direction OF ap-
proach, formation and method of attack
were a sealed book to the defending
Blues.
Sixty Vessels in Enemy Fleet.
The armada flying the Black flag was
made up of so vessels under command
of Rear Admiral Schoheld, who with his
staff directed feet movements from the
battleship Tennessee, one OF nine cap
ital ships. The vessels looked to to play
the biggest part in 1.-The battle of San
Francisco" we're the huge carriers Lex
ington, Saratoga and Langley, whose
floating nests can disgorge upward OF
L
was made up of "a deStroyerS, led by
the cruiser Omaha; IA submarines and
supply ships, hospital ships, mine
sweepers and other miscellaneous units.
The harbor defenses, the Blue force,
we're directed by Col. John T. Geary,
whose headquarters were at Fort Win
field Scott. The Blue air force was
made up of the 7th Bombardment
Group, consisting of the 18th Bombard-
ment Squadron of 90 bombers and the
95th Pursuit Squadron of 20 pursuit
San Diego under command of Maj.
Carl Spatz. The 9Th Coast Artillery. a
detachment from the 14th Coast Artil-
lery at Fort Worden, Wash; six de-
stroyers, FIVE Coast Guard cutters, the
airplane tender Aroostook, with six
twin-motored flying boats and body of
Organized Reserve officers, made up
the balance of the defending group. The
Blue air forces were based at Mills
Field.
Combat Conditions Observed.
Although the Capture" of San Fran
cisco was the general objective of the
Black feet, no decision was sought. The
problem was to determine the degree
of cooperation possible, based largely
on the system of communication be-
JWGGIl JLlc DUO I'LL IOICCo db bLlC tdLIOuo
forts and at points where mobile anti
aircraft guns were stationed.
On both sides of this 1and-andwater
war game actual combat conditions
were observed-as though, on one hand,
the feet were seeking to capture an
enemy port. and, on the other. the land
forces we're pooling every available man,
gun and plane in a concerted defense.
The floating Black force cleared from
Seattle on August IL, steamed out
through the Straits of Juan de Fuca
and by nightfall was swallowed up in
the dim haze of the Pacific. The Blue
fleet being thousands of miles from its
home waters, the Black ships steamed
southwark without fear of moleStation
To avoid any possibility of "Spotting"
or detection on the part of venturing
Blue planes, portfolios were darkened
and every customary wartime precau-
ton was observed. The carriers were
in the lead, followed by the destroyers,
in whose wake rolled the battleships.
$50 Black Planes Attack.
AS the armada moved to within
striking distance of San Francisco, but
well outside the beat of the average
patrol plane, men were ordered to their
battle stations, the scouting force was
sent out and everything made snug and
shipshape against the impending bat
tle." On the morning of the 18th the
feet took up its position of San Fran
cisco, but well out at sea.
Meanwhile the defending Blue planes
had maintained a ceaseleSs watch over
the coastline 800 miles on either side
of their base, flying at an altitude of
$4,000 feet. Twenty planes kept up the
watch, one taking of every 80 minutes.
It was one of these O-25s, the Army's
new standard type of observation plane,