Evening star., 1939-08-19
DC. Engineers
Return as Rain
F|oodsCanp
Pup Tents Offer Little
Protection, Departure
Beoins at 2::30 A.M.

rain that drenched their encamp-
ment and drove them out of it last
night, the 121st Engineers, District
of Columbia National Guard, re-
turned today from the spectacular
maneuvers around Manassas, Va,
which involved close to $4,000
Guardsmen and Regulars from the
adjacent Eastern seaboard.
The engineers, one of the last out
fits to leave camp, went to sleep in
pup tents last night. Around mid
night torrents of rain began pouring
into the camp. flooding the tiny
tents. Some of the Guardsmen
actually found themselves floating
down a slope, according to the re-
turning warriors, but no casualties
were reported.
The regiment, commanded by Col.
John w. Oehmann, started leaving
the inundated camp at 2:30 am.
instead of this afternoon, as had
been planned. Trucks brought them
in all during the early morning and
the entire regiment had arrived
before noon.
Officers reported that all equip
ment apparently had been salvaged
from the storm.
Since this was the only organiza-
ton in pup tents, other District
Guard and Virginia regiments re-
manning in the camp overnight were
not much affected by the down.
pour The others were sleeping
in large tents, engineer officers said.
Wearily Home.
The engineers moved in to armory
In gradual relays. storing their tents,
rifles and other equipment and leav-
ing wearily for home to get dry
clothes.
Other District Guard outfits NOV
ing back home today are the 260th
Coast Artillery, commanded by Col.
Walter w. Burns. which fulfilled
during the maneuver the mission
of defending the Gainesville rail-
road station, rail center of the 29th
Division; the 10Th Division Special
Troops, commanded by Maj. Will
liam T. Roy and the lst Battalion,
le4th Quartermaster Regiment,
under Maj. Fletcher Bernsdorff.
The Washington Quartermasters
helped operate the central motor
pool for the division, including the
movement of troops and supplies.
approximately 1,5OO District Off
GERS and guardsmen participated
in the Sd Corps Area phase of 1st
Army maneuvers in the Bull Run
area. Their departure for home.
along with thousands of guardsmen
from Maryland and Virginia, left
this Lee highway crossroads point
virtually deserted.
Pay Day Today.
Today meant not only returning
home, but pay day as we'll for the
District guardsmen. They were to
spend most of the day moving in,
storing equipment at the Armory
and then collecting their camp
pay" In the case of private, it
is ST day for the 15-day encamp-
ment period.
The Engineers assembled yester-
day before their pup tent camp
near Stone House for field and rifle
inspection by Col. Oehmann and
other officers. Maj. Joseph j.
Greenlaw, regimental surgeon, made
final health and sanitary in
spection.
The District National Guard rifle
team departed yesterday from
Groveton for Camp Perry, Ohio,
where the members will shoot in
the annual National Rifle Matches.
Maj. Just C. Jensen, State staff
officer, is captain of the team; First
1t. Henry NJ Boudinot, coach, and
Capt. James R. Quade. range officer.
Members of the team are Capt.
Edward A. Mcmahon, First 1t.
James D. Tanner, First 1t William
D. Putnam. Staff Sergt. Sterling E.
Chambers, Pvt. Jack Oehmann, son
of Col. Oehmann, and Pvt. Arthur
H. Ross, Sergt. Alex. j. Thill, Sergt.
Horace B. Skinner, Sergt. Hubert
L. Cooke. Sergt. Warren C. Snyder,
Corpls. Gray K. Ethridge and Cor
nelius p Moynihan.
Maj. Roy Issued letters of COM
mendation to the officers and men of
the Headquarters Company, Medical
Department Detachment and Mill
tary Police Company of the Special
Troops, and to the commanding Of
ficer and men of Company F, Quar-
termasters. for their efficiency and
performance of duty during the en-
campment.
Maj. Sidney Morgan, District
Guard State staff officer, who served
as assistant intelligence officer of
the 29th Division under 1t. Col. Ed
win P. Conquest. Richmond, will
leave today for Plattsburg, N. Y, to
observe the remaining phases of the
First Army maneuvers there. He
carries letter of introduction from
Maj. Gen. Milton A. Reckord, divi-
sion commander, to 1t. Gen. Hugh
A. Drum, commander of the 1st
Army
1t was through Col. Oehmann,
Maj. Morgan and 1t. Howard A.
Burd, 121st Engineers intelligence
officer, that the new multolith ma
chine for mass printing of illustrated
military maps was set up at Gaines
vile and functioned for the division
during camp. 1t attracted wide
spread approval and commentator.
The illustrations showed many
bridges and fords in the maneuver
areas.
Maj. Morgan also was commended
for instituting the new combat
form for military intelligence re-
ports of the division during the
maneuver.
Col. Conquest filed yesterday his
final intelligence report on the
maneuver which technically ended
Thursday noon when the war" be-
tween 1900 National Guardsmen
of the 10Th and 28th Divisions was
called of, with the guardsmen
routing the enemy" which was at
tacking Washington.
Washington Remains Intact"
In his concluding paragraph, Col,