Evening star., 1936-08-24
FIFTH BATTALION
|. DUTY |SPLEASURE
Washington Marine Reserve
Training First Time in
Mountains.
BY WILLIAM S. TARVER,
Stan Correspondent Of The Star.

Mountains, Is encamped the lusty in
FAINT of Washington's military organ
izations. the 5th Battalion, Fleet Ma
rine Corps Reserve, which already has
outstripped Its older, brothers In
growth.
Training so far from any consider
able body of water is an innovation
for Washington's soldiers Of the sea-"
who hitherto have spent their two
week Summer field duty either at the
Quantico, Va. Marine base, or at Vir-
ginia Beach. When they feel the cool
mountain breezes, however, and read
the weather reports from Washington,
most Of them hope they may return
next year to this permanent National
Guard reservation, which was made
available through the courtesy of Maj.
Gen Milton A. Reckord, adjutant gen.
eral of Maryland.
Although the 5th is the top-ranking
Marine Reserve Battalion In the
United States, because Of its youth, it
Is relatively little known to the average
District citizen, who for years has read
of the National Guard and its largest
washington contingens, the 121st
Engineers.
Outnumber Engineers.
Yet the Marines, with their SOC
officers and men, slightly outnumber
the Engineers, who have seen service
both on the Mexican border and in
France.
Under the guidance Of Maj. Harvey
L. Heinie) Miller, commanding Off
I Ger and familiar figure in District
athletics, there has been inculcated
in the battalion the feeling OF CON-
radeship between officers and men
| which had its birth in the A. E. F.,
and which the high command of the
Marine Corps Is desirous Of perpetual
ing.
All last week, the battalion concen-
trated on the basics Of military train
ting-close order drill, hygiene, cour-
tesy, shooting, tent pitching. gas
drill, bayonet practice. scouting and
patrolling. and platoon and company
combat principles.
Small-scale war games begin this
week and reach q climax Thursday,
when the entire battalion will enact
combat maneuver, pretending it IS
the advance guard Of raiding COL
umn, landed from a "Blue" naval
squadron with instructions to destroy
large munitions factories at Sabillas-
vile, few miles east Of here.
For the purposes of the problem,
the terrain hereabouts will be con-
sidered an island-"Ritchie Island
about 800 miles from the nearest
home port Of the Blue squadron.
which is en- route to engage a Red
squadron now being supplied with
munitions by the Sabillasville plants
through the port" of Pen-Mar.
Hundreds of Washingtonians are
expected to visit camp Saturday.
when sunset parade will be held in
honor of Brig. Gen. Richard P. Will
liams, U. S. M. c., general ofiicer in
charge Of Reserve, who will be pres
ent. Mai. Miller will lead his men
across the grassy parade ground in
honor of the battalion's distinguished
| guest The District Commissioners
and other municipal ofdcials have
been invited to attend.
The 5th was organized in 1880
around the nucleus of a group Of
Washington policemen who composed
what was then known as the 401st
Company. Within few years it ex-
panded to a skeleton brigade. but q
| reorganization brought 1t down to q
full battalion. with seven line COM
panies Of 60 men and headquarters
company. In addition, the outfit has
an excellent band Of IS pieces, led
by First Lieut.. Leon Brusiloff. popu-
lar Washington orchestra conductor.
Three of these companies were re-
cruited outside Of washington. Com
pany E Is from Alexandria, F from
Rockville and G from Roanoke, Va.
The second platoon of Company B IS
from Indian Head, Md.
Sickness at Camp Rtchie has been
kept to a minimum. Maj Don s..
Knowlton. senior medical officer, fig
ured that there were 50 per cent
fewer men answering sick call this
year than last. He said he felt the
health of the regiment was due to
sanitary precautions and the salu-
brious climate. Not bed in the
spic-and-span hospital has been oc-
cupied so far.
Since the Marine Corps has no
medical force, the physicians are
members of the Naval Reserve. Be-
sides Maj. Knowlton, they are Capt.
William l.. Shafer, who In civil life
Is sanitary ofiicer for Alexandria;
Capt. Howard H. strine and Lieuts.
Alfred H. Palmer and Francis J..
Fabrizio.
Maj. Miller's stan includes Capt.
Paul Sullivan, quartermaster; Capt.
william w. sticmey, plans and train
ing officer and acting executive Of
ficer; First Lieut.. Brusilofi, First
Lieut.. Rex r. Hill, commissary oficer;
First Lieut.. Winslow H. Radolph, jr,
adjutant; First Lieut.. John e. Fon-
dahl, range ordinance and transporta-
ton officer, and Second Lieut.. Neil g..
Payne.
The following officers are assigned
| to companies: Capts. Ralph M. King
and Charles B. Nerren; First Lieuts.
John w. Augustine. Earl E. Holmes,
James A. Hennessy. Justice M. Cham
bers, Otho L. Rogers, Martin d. De-
laney. jr.; Robert E. Copes, jr, and
William R. Via, and Second Lierts. Al