Evening star., 1940-08-04
.Guardsmen
Depart Today
For War Games
Northern New York
To Be Assembly Area
Of 100, 900 Troops

Many units of the United States
Army are on the move today, head
ing into the five theaters of the
largest-scale maneuvers ever con-
Quoted in this country during peace
time, and many more elements of
the Nations land defense forces
were making preparations to de-
part for concentration points.
Approximately IS per cent of the
mobile Regular Army and National
Guard troops in the continental
United States. or almost third
of million officers and men, will
participate in the field training, the
War Department has announced.
Troops In the area of the 1st Army,
drawn from the Eastern United
States from Maine to Virginia and
totaling about 100000 men, are be-
ing assembled in Northern New
York State, between Plattsburg and
Watertown.
ID. c. Guards Leave Today.
With the 260th Coast Artillery in
the vanguard, District National
Guard units were to leave for this
maneuver region today, aiming for
the Sd Corps Area headquarters at
Heuvelton, N. Y. The 260th. only
local anti aircraft unit, was to de-
part by motorcade at 7:30 am. The
29th Division Special Troops were
to leave by train at 1880 am. and
the l2lst Engineers were scheduled
to move out of Union Station at
1901 pm.
These units will join with others
Of the 1st Army in three weeks of
field activity under direction OF 1t.
Gen. Hugh A. Drum.
Approximately IS 900 officers and
men of the I'd Army will concen-
trate in the vicinity of Sparta, Wis.
Major units of the Sd Army, also
aggregating about 10000 officers and
men. will conduct maneuvers in the
Sabine er-Alexandria na) re-
gion. The 4th Army field work,
involving about 10000 troops. will
be split, forces of the 9th Corps
Area being concentrated at Fort
Lewis. Wash, and those of the 7th
Corps Area in the Camp Ripley
(MinnO area.
Armored Corps Not Included.
The two divisions of the 1St-
Armored Corps. now in process of
organization at Fort Knox, KY, and
Fort Benning, Ga, will not take
part ir~the general maneuvers.
1T has been decided that train
ing of these organizations as indi-
vidual divisions will contribute more
to their ultimate combat efficiency
than could be accomplished by their
participation in the larger-scale
maneuverS before their unit train
ing is completed" the War Depart
ment explains.
Units of the ground forces in
Puerto Rico and Hawaii are to
train at home
1t. Col. Sidney Brown, acting
chief of the National Guard Bu-
reau, calculated 214,oo0 officers and
men will compose the National
Guard turnout. leaving civilian
tasks for the three-week training
period. one week longer than pre-
viously.
S16,000,000 to Be Spent.
Approximately s16.O0O.O0O will be
spent on these men by the War De-
partment for transportation, food
and wages. They will take with
them large stores of equipment
which National Guard officers de-
scribe as adequate but not wholly
modernized.
They point out only $4,000 semi
automatic rifles are available for
this years training, whereas $4,000
are needed for the Guards present
strength. The Guards 5,238 horses
and $4,000 trucks are about half
those needed properly to handle
expanded activity, they add
The Guards equipment also in
cludes 100 -millimeter guns, 1853
anti-aircraft guns and 60 search
lights.
Proposals now under discussion in
Congress for calling part or all
of the Guard out again in the fall
to instruct those conscripted for
military training have recalled to
the minds of American men the
tradition of the National Guard
reaching back to Colonial days.
In the field again this month
will be such units as the l82nd
Massachusetts, Infantry, organized
In 1886 as the North Regiment. and
the 201st West Virginia Infantry,
which was named the Orange Coun-
ty Militia when formed in 1735.
The 7th New York Infantry,
which was Maj. Sticher's Battalion
Of Artillery in 1906, and the Fight
ing 69th," organized in 1851 and
famed for its World War exploits,
now the 165th New York Infantry,
also will be among historic Guard
units reporting for duty in the Ma
tions greatest peace-t time mobili-
cation.