Evening star., 1939-08-09
BY ROBERT A. ERWIN,

GROVETON, Va, Aug. 9.-The
bridge builders of the 29th Division
the District National Guards 121st
Engleers, bridged the muddy waters
of Occoquan Greek this morning in
an exercise that brought heavy
equipment into use.
Scores of Engineers waded into
the creek, occasionally speeding up
the work of connecting the metal
pontoons with wood beams by SWIM
ming from one section to another.
Officers stood on the creek banks to
direct the operations.
The 1st Battalion, under Maj.
Ralph S. Childs. bridged the creek
during the morning maneuver, and
then the I'd Battalion, commanded
by Maj. Clarence S. Shields. took
over the operations. Col John w.
Oehmann, commander of the engi-
neers, watched their work closely,
as the regiment will swing into war
time action when the big push of
the Regular Army's Provisional Di-
vision against the 28th and 29th Ma
tional Guard Divisions starts next
week.
All the engineering paraphernalia
had been spotted" on the creek
bank by Regular Army men before
the present period of camp training
on Bull Run Battlefield began last
Saturday. There were light assault
boats or metal skiffs, to be used in
ferrying the infantry across the
stream.
Shortly before noon, Col. Och
mann directed that the regiment
gather for its first assembly since
camp began. There was a brief
ceremony in the shade of large trees
at the scene of their operations.
Maj. Gen. Milton A. Reckord, 29th
Division commander, was scheduled
to visit them during the afternoon.
The four units and $500 men of
the District Guard are getting well
grooved into the routine of Army
camp life. sleeping in tents, eating
out OF field kitchens, fighting sun
burn and chiggers as we'll as war
and inhaling red clay dust churned
by heavy Army trucks, tanks and
automobiles.
Their activities, part of a week of
training, are pointed toward next
weeks big test battle. Bigger things
are still ahead, however, on this
weeks program.
Will Combine Forces.
The 260th Coast Artillery, COM
manded by Col Walter w. Burns
and cast in the role of defender of
the 29th Division railhead at Gaines
vile, will combine forces Friday
night with the 213th Coast Artillery,
Pennsylvania National Guard, en-
camped south of Manassas. Their
powerful searchlights will sweep the
skies in an effort to spot the air
planes of the 104th Observation
Squadron, Maryland National Guard,
commanded by Maj. Charles Mas
son, division air officer, and the
1O3d Squadron from Pennsylvania.
Maj. Masson's planes already have
become a familiar sight over the
camp area. They are used as mill
tary messengers and at regular in
tervals during the day fly low over
division headquarters and other CEN
tiers to drop messages.
The entire 29th Division will pass in
review Saturday before Mai. Gen.
James K. Parsons, commander of
the Sd Corps Area, and the Gov
ernors of Virginia, PENNSYLVANIA
and Maryland. The military dis
play of the 29th Troops, numbering
in excess of 5000 men, will begin
at 1890 am. in an area on State
highway No. 234, between Manassas
and the Lee highway, a point Just
north of Chinn Park road.
The Governors, James H. Price
OF Virginia, Herbert R. O'Conor of
Maryland and Arthur James of
Pennsylvania, and Gen. Parsons will
review the 28th Division at 8 am,
Saturday.
The 12lst Engineers went out on
night maneuvers last night, estab-
fishing a bivouac on the Sudlev
Cnrrr arvD~,.,