Evening star., 1939-11-23
BY JOSEPH S. EDGERTON.

during the last year of the Army's
anti-aircraft defense organization,
the Regular Army and National
Guard today, on basis of European
standards, could not muster enough
anti-aircraft artillery to defend the
National Capital alone, in the opin-
ion of military authorities.
To undertake the defense of the
Atlantic seaboard or even of the in
dustrial portion of the New England
seacoast, for example, would be an
utter impossibility for the present
anti-aircraft forces of the Regular
Army and National Guard.
A little more than year ago the
Regular Army assembled at Fort
Bragg, N. c., for thoroughgoing
tests all its mobile anti-aircraft
artillery east of the Rocky Noun
tains. 1t mustered "a guns and was
hard put to defend even the single
dummy airport which was the tar
get of air attacks delivered across
a civilian-manned aircraft warning
net.
Some Improvement Made.
Today the situation is somewhat
improved as result of deliveries of
anti-aircraft guns now being made
under contracts authorized by Con-
gress during the last fiscal year
These contracts, made under ap-
preparations totaling $23,685, 1897
called for 337 anti-aircraft guns of
3-inch caliber, together with neces-
sary fire-control apparatus and ac-
ceSSories.
In all the continental United
States there are today few more
than 300 of these guns available,
according to the most accurate
available estimates. Exact figures
are withheld by the War Depart
ment as military secrets. So are
figures dealing with the proposed
organization and arming of new
anti-aircraft regiments. An addi-
tional 300 guns or so are on order
from funds made available during
the last and present fiscal years.
What this means in terms of &C.
tual defense may be realized when
1t is considered that approximately
900 anti-aircraft guns now are be-
ing used to defend the metropolitan
area of London alone.
One Gun Guards Square Mile.
1t has been estimated by at least
one coast artillery authority that a
modern American anti-aircraft gun
regiment could defend adequately
one square mile of territory. Other
officers consider this estimate con-
Servative but are not inclined to in
crease the area greatly. There are
IN the continental United States
today seven anti-aircraft regiments
In the Regular Army and IA in the
National Guard. While figures as to
the number of guns available to
these regiments are not published
1t is understood the seven regular
regiments have no more than peace
time requirements, if that, and that
the Guard regiments have no more
equipment than is necessary for
training
The anti-aircraft regiments of
the Regular Army are now at the
following stations and strengths
6lst Coast Artillery (anti-aircraft)
1929 enlisted men, Fort Sheridan
ILL.,; SD, 1857 full peace strength.
including band enlised men, Fort
Totten. N. Y; 63d, 1857, Fort Near
thur, Calf; 65th, 1929, Fort VIM
held Scott, San Francisco; 69th
742 Zone battalion is In Puerto
Rico, Fort Crockett, Tex; 68th "a
new regiment), 1000, Fort Williams
Me-, and 10th (also new, 1000
Fort Monroe, Va.
The anti-aircraft regiment, at peace
strength, is composed of headquar-
tiers and headquarters battery and
two battalions The first battalion
a gun battalion, is composed of a
searchlight battery equipped with
Is 6O-inch searchlights and To-
Gators and three gun batteries, each
armed with four 3-inch anti-air-
craft guns and four .50-caliber ma
chme guns, or total of IL guns
OF each caliber. The second bat
talon includes a machine gun bat
terry equipped with IL .50-caliber
machine guns and three batteries
each armed with eight 37-millimeter
anti-aircraft guns. The gun strength
OF the regiment, therefore, is Il
3-inch guns, "a 37-millimeter guns
and "a .50-caliber machine guns.
"a Regiments Projected.
The present program, as outlined
in congressional hearings, calls fo1
a total of "a anti-aircraft regiments
many of which are to be part of the
permanent garrisons of Panama
Hawaii and other insular and terri
torial points.
In case of an aggressive war
against the United States, much of
the reSDonSihilitv for defopco ~