Evening star., 1939-08-13

phase of the exercises. The whole
maneuver, including the major
phase opening tomorrow at Platts-
burg, is under command of 1t. Gen.
Hugh A. Drum, commanding the
lst Army, who was visitor in
camp here last night and today.
Tactical Situation.
The assumed tactical situation. as
of Sunday night. has been outlined
at corps headquarters as follows:
"A large Black force, after land
ing at several points in New Eng
land and New Jersey, had advanced
westward and has finally been held
up by a Blue defensive army. In
order to weaken the Blue defensive
force by compelling it to withdraw
troops from its lines, the Black
commander has determined to Gre
ate a diversion by raiding Washing
ton. For that purpose the Blacks
have forced the defenses of the
Chesapeake Bay and have moved
transports carrying small motor
lied division to Quantico, where the
mobile unit has debarked to raid
the Capital and to draw to the de-
fense of that city troops that might
otherwise move to strengthen the
Blue army in New York. The de-
barkation has been completed on
the night of August 1914.
Two National Guard divisions
which were mobilized at the out
break of hostilities as a mobile coast
defense force have moved to the
vicinity of Washington to oppose
the advance of the Black motorized
division. III Corps Headquarters
and the 28th Division are camped
in the vicinity of Manassas, just
south of the town; the 29th Division
is close to the old battlefelds of Ma
.nassas, some miles northwest of
the town. Observation squadrons
are based on Frederick and on Boil
ling Field. Railroads are at Manas-
sas and at Gainesville. The rail-
heads and the area generally will
be protected from air attack by two
anti-aircraft regiments.
Attacking Force Outnumbered.
although the defending Blue
forces will greatly outnumber the
attacking Black troops, the latter
are organized essentially for speed
and mobility, and should be able to
move much faster than the defend
ing corps"
The invading army, with approx
mately $500 officers and men, will
have, in addition to rifles, automatic
rifles. machine guns. mortars and
infantry howitzers, % field guns, 10
light tanks and enough trucks and
other vehicles to move the combat
troops of the 18th and 34th Regular
Infantry Regiments.
The Blacks are divided into five
groups: First, Special Troops, in
Guiding the. 5th Engineers; a Pro-
visional Reconnaissance Detachment
with eight scout cars and three
radio command cars; the End Sep
arate Chemical Battalion, and the
1st Observation Battalion, an en-
tirely new army organization which
locates enemy artillery by the sound
and flash of its guns; second, the
Motorized Brigade, composed of the
18th and 34th Infantry and 9Th
Field Artillery, all of which will be
moved by truck; third, the 66th
Infantry (tanks) and Battery A,
18th Field Artillery. motorized; !;
fourth, the Sd Cavalry. less one
squadron; the Machine Gun Troop
of the 10th Cavalry and the 1st
Battalion, 18th Field Artillery, less
Battery A, all of which will be
horse" outfits; and fifth, the 3rd
Observation Squadron, based on
Langley Field, Va.
10000 Men Available.
Against these invaders Gen. Par
sons will have at his disposal for
actual combat, aside from the sup
ply service, approximately 10000
officers and men, tanks, 96 field
guns and "a howitzers. Both d.
visions, organized along conven-
tional lines, will have the usual
supply and administrative services
in addition to the above.
The combat troops of the 28th
Division, commanded by Gen. Mar
tin, adjutant general of Pennsyl-
vania, are the 55th Brigade, com.
posed of the 109th and 10th In
fantry Regiments: the 56th Brigade
111th and 112th Infantry Regi.
ments: the 53rd Field Artillery
Brigade. composed of the l07th
108th and 109th Field Artillery
Regiments; 103rd Engineers, 103rd
Medical Regiment, 103rd Quarter
master Regiment, and 103rd Oh.
servation Squadron.
The combat troops Of the 29th Di.
vision, commanded by Gen. Reckord