Milford chronicle., 1938-02-18
STATE GUARD LEADS
u. S. ANTI-AIRCRAFT
UNITS In FIRING
TConfinHed from First Pagel

Summers; G, Dover, Capt. William
A. McWilliams, and H, New Castle.
Capt. David B. Harrington. all of the
19sth Coast Artillery, and Battery
B, Capt. Ralph L. Baker Of George
town, 261st Coast Artillery Battalion.
Harbor Defense. D. N. G..
The ratings are based on firing at
Bethany Beach last August by the
19Sth Coast Artillery, and at Fort
Hancock. N. j., last June by the
261st Coast Artillery Battalion.
Battery B Praised
Battery B, the down-State unit,
made the excellent" rating despite
the fact it was newly organized and
for the first time was attending Fort
Hancock and firing the 10-inch guns.
Major X. Roscoe. commanding Off
Ger of the battalion, spoke highly of
the unusual achievement of Battery
B.
Battery C, 19sth Coast Artillery,
received its fifth annual rating as
excellent" which is believed a uni
que record among the national coast
artillery batteries.
Based On Actual Firing
All ratings are based on actual
gun firing. All units of the Second
Battalion, 19Sth c. A., including
Batteries E, F, G, and H, all ma
chine gun units, received the rating
/ of excellent. Battery C was the only
three-inch gun unit to receive this
rating.
officers and all enlisted men OF
the six DeIaware kafteries receiy-
I ing the high rating viii be privileg-
ed, under War Department orders,
to wear the coveted red "E'' excel
/ lence in coast artillery shooting on
their coat sleeves.
Wants Additional SearchlIghf
Colonel Schulz was highly pleas
ed by the record.
''The report shows the firing of
the regiment has continued to inn
prove in spite of the constant rails
ing of the Standards" he said, "and
it is our hope to have all batteries
rated excellent in next summers
encampment. This is dependent upon
receiving additional searchlight
equipment fro mthe War Depart
ment which we have been asking
for for the past two years"
Battery A, searchlight battery in
cluded in the competition, has been
notably lacking in equipment. It
participated in firing practice for
the first time last year.
Trophy Won In 1886
The Coast Artillery trophy award,
made largely upon the firing re-
ports, was won by the 19Sth Coast
Artillery in the national competi-
tion among National Guard units in
1886. The regiment has been a close
runner-up each year since that
time.
Brig. Gen. Weller E. Stover. adju-
tant general of the Delaware Ma
tional Guard, in his endorsement Of
the report to Colonel Schulz, said
he wanted "to convey his commen-
dation to the officers and enlisted
men Of the units" for their splendid
work in obtaining the rating of 'ex-
cellent' during the training year Of
1887"
Army Instructor Pleased
Iieut-Col. Harry w. Stark, G. A.
c.. U. S. Army, army instructor with
Delaware National Guard. spoke
highly of the work of the 19Sth Coast
Artillery Regiment. "The 19Sth Coast
Artillery is maintaining its high rat
ing although the standard is going
up steadily all over the country"
Colonel Stark praised the record
of Battery C, 19Sth c. A.. in securing
the rating for five consecutive years,
and Battery B., 261st C. A. Battalion,
for winning the high rating the first
time they fired the big guns at Fort