Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-12-01
By NELSON M. SHEPARD.

training acttpities of the Army
Nth those OF 1917.
Nv NELSON M. SHEPARD.
Working at feverish pace with the
man power and limited equipment at
its disposal, the Army has made ire
mendous strides since midsummer in
welding elements of raw material
into the nucleus of steadily inn
proving field combat force.
To military eyes the results
accomplished in this short space are
breath-taking. A prodiguous amount
of energy has been expended and
intelligently applied. Tent cities
and cantonment camps, training
schools and carefully planned firing
ranges have appeared to spring up
overnight where before there existed
the narrow confines of Regular
Army establishments. 1t was as If
a modern Aladdin had rubbed his
magic lamp.
Lacking professional military in
sight, this observer sought informa-
ton in the only capacity he knew
that of reporter seeking to sift a
maze of facts obtainable at first
hand on a 4,500-mile air tour of the
largest military posts in the South
and Southwest. 1t offered graphic
picture of the progress OF Army
training-in the face Of diScouraging
handicaps-toward an eventual goal
of 1,4OO 900 men.
From commanding generals, ex-
perienced staff officers, scores OF
Junior officers, veteran non-coms and
alert young recruits of three to six
months training, information OF
many sorts was readily available.
1t pertained to every branch of the
service-the armored force, the in
fantry, cavalry, artillery, parachut-
lists and the training air force.
From this information and from
general observation it was possible
to reach certain definite and in
escapable conclusions. The picture
has its bright and its dark sides.
But underlying it all, giving 1t
strength and hope, is the natural in
telligence, the amazing adaptability,
determination and spirit of the
American soldier-be he officer or
private. That spirit was evidenced
everywhere.
The Army is stiIl in period of
preliminary training, yet the units
defying sun and rain and muck in
the daily grind of combat training
have successfully progressed beyond
the initial stages. Veteran officers OF
the World War claim the Army as
now constituted is we'll advanced
beyond the training received in the
corresponding time in 1917.
Drawing from personal experience
with the first American combat
troops reaching France, it was ap-
parent to this observer that the in
itial training given the A. E. F.
during the summer of 1917 was less
thorough, less inclusive than that
now being applied to this peacetime
Army. But the early A. E. F., II any
thing, went through more rigid
process of toughening-up.
Proportion About the Same.
Then as now the proportion Of
"old timers" to recruits in the units
of regulars was much the same. 1t
is the general thing to find 10 or Is
per cent of the enlisted strength of
these modern streamlined infantry
divisions, the armored forces and
mechanical cavalry, composed OF re-
cruits with only three to four months
OF actual service. Reserve officers
are in the same ratio-many OF
them commanding combat compa-
MES and doing a fine job of it. None
OF the divisions seen on this tour OF
military centers was recruited to full
strength nor will the divisions be for
some time to come.
The darker side of the picture
deals with procurement. This peace
time Army, whose individual men
are equal if not superior to any on
the face of the earth, is handicapped
from a deficiency in those essentials
of equipment and supply vital in
some respects to the training nee
essary for this new method of war
fare-a war of rapid movement. For
general training the deficiency is
by no means an acute problem. For
any sudden emergency calling for
the employment of armed land
forces it is real enough.
Lack of live ammunition Is the
most serious problem of the Army
today and it is reflected in restric-
lions on training for combat fire.
An artillery officer at Fort Benning,
Ga, said the shortage of shells for
field guns cuts firing practice with
live ammunition to about once in a
week or twice in three weeks.
Scarcity of Latest Guns.
The scarcity of tanks and eSpe-
cially anti-aircraft guns of the latest
design is apparent. The two armored
divisions now in training could go
into action today within certain linn
itations. They lack their full COM
plement of light and medium tanks,
from II to % tons. The heavy tanks
are all on order. Infantry divisions
are being equipped with the new
semi-automatic Garand rifle which
are being produced on an average
of 300 a day. There is marked
shortage of new field artillery. At
no place could be found men train
ing with the new 80 millimeter anti
aircraft gun.
Randolph and Kelly Fields, near
San Antonio, Tex, where a ma
jority of the flying cadets are re-
ceiving basic and advanced train
ing, may be cited as examples of
conditions applying to the Air
Corps. A shortage of planes and
spare engines is hampering prog
ress to a considerable extent.
Brig. Gen. John B. Brooks, COM
handing officer of Randolph Field,
the basic training center, said 2.85
students per training plane are con-