Evening star., 1932-08-21

the 'talkies." The rookie of the future
will learn squads right not only under
n the personal supervision of a hard
boiled sergeant or corporal, but he also will be
permitted to see that elementary military
movement executed with machine-like pre-
cision on the screen, to the accompaniment of
Staecato barks proceeding apparently from the
rear of the picture. Likewise budding artillery
men will be able to view batteries of artillery
going into action, the positions and technique
OF gun crews, commands and all other details
Already attention is being concentrated on
instruction and training by motion pictures
in the handling of 155-mm. howitzer batteries
and anti-aircraft batteries. Later it is expected
that it will be extended to all classes of Coast
Artillery, Field Artillery, and even close order
drill.
In the beginning Of the use of sound film
instruction will be directed primarily to officers
but later the films are expected to be used in
the training OF men as well. Capt. Melvin E.
Gillette. Signal Corps, U. S. A., has been
relieved from duty with the Second Corps
Area headquarters, Governors Island and
ordered to Hollywood for course in photogra-
ply and motion picture work. He will undergo
this training at the Academy of Motion Picture
Arts and Sciences, and it is expected will pay
particular attention to sound work. Ever since
the World War the Army has had a photo
graphic section, this branch reaching a high
state of development during the war.
In addition to the aerial Photographic service.
conducted with automatic cameras from air
planes in order to map enemy terrain, there
was with every division of the A. E. F.
Photographic unit, consisting of a motion
picture cameraman, a still cameraman and an
assistant Thousands and thousands Of still
photographs and thousands of feet of moving
pictures were made of every phase of activity
OF the A. E. F. The dominant idea was to
obtain as nearly as possible a Photographic
bv
famous Brady collection Of Civil War photo
graphs, War Department authorities were
determined to preserve for scientists historians,
military strategists and others of posterity as
much Of the actual record Of the war as 1t
was possible to retain.
The photographs were assembled at one of
the plants Of Pathe Freres pioneers in the
Photographic and motion picture industry.
Here they were developed, printed, titled,
1ndexed and cross -indexed later to be shipped
to the United States for filing in the archives
Of the War Department., after such current use
as was possible had been made of them.
Among the personnel Of the Photographic
division, Signal Corps. were some Of the best
known photographers in the moving picture
and still Photographic world. Men who had
been cameraman for such stars as Mary
Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks or Charlie
Chaplin worked with news photographers
who had made pictures for great metropolitan
newspapers, or picture concerns In New York.
Washington or San Francisco.
One Of the outstanding achievements OF the
Photographic section Of the Signal Corps was
the making OF tremendous propaganda film
OF the activities of the A. e. F., afterward
called Americas Answer to the Hun" This
picture, which included many actual battle
scenes, depicted the activities Of the A. e F.
from the training camps in the United States
including conveys by destroyers across the
Atlantic, ports Of debarkation, training areas
In the rear and scenes at the front. The work
Of obtaining these pictures was frequently very
= dangerous, since cameras on tripods at the
front invariably drew fire. Several Signal Corps
photographers were killed or wounded.