Evening star., 1940-08-13
Troops on Move
As 29th Division
Opens Mimic Warfare
Weapons Inspected to
Safeguard Against
Live Ammunition
BY ROBERT A. ERWIN,
Star Staff Correspondent.

RENSSELAER, FALLS, N. Y, Aug.
13-Ogdensburg, historic St. Law
renee River city, fell" during the
night to an invading BLACK" Army
from the Canadian side of the river
to open the first phase of big 29th
Division maneuver.
The Blacks did more than take
Ogdensburg-on paper. They moved
southeastward toward Heuvelton
and bivouaced for the night. pre-
pared to meet the defending Blue"
Army encamped in the vicinity of
Rensselaer,.
This situation, established by the
29th Division command on paper,
set the stage for actual maneuvers
that opened this morning and will
continue until tomorrow noon, keep
ing majority of the divisions TO-
900 men in shelter tents on New
York farmlands tonight.
The maneuver opponents were
Virginia and Maryland-the 9lst
combat team, of which Virginias
91st Infantry Brigade is the nucleus,
on the invading side, and the 58th
combat team, centered in Mary
lands 58th Brigade, on the defense.
Trucks on Move.
Truck conveys rolled out of the
29th Division encampment near
here early today, bearing troopers of
the 1st and 1l6th Virginia Regiments
to their initial stations near North
rup Corners for the start of the
mimic battle. With the defending
58th combat team, which started
its march from camp, were the 121st
Engineers of the District National
Guard, the 104th Medical Regiment,
Maryland; the 29th Tank Company,
Danville, Va, and the l76th Field
Artillery from Pennsylvania. less
one battalion. This battalion was
assigned to the invaders
Division aviation took the air to-
dav for its first mission of the pres
ent 1st Army maneuvers. The 104th
Observation Squadron, Maryland
Guard, took off from Watertown,
SO miles away on Lake Ontario, to
observe for both sides.
All weapons of the combat units
were inspected prior to departure
from camp to insure against live
ammunition. Regular Army and
Reserve officers acted as umpires
for the manuever. Orders said the
opposing sides were not to come
closer than 100 yards to each other.
Air Defenses Tested.
The division high command was
on air alert" throughout yesterday
and reported to crops the passing
of airplanes overhead. This was
part of the airplane warning test
conducted by the air defense COM
mand of the 1st Army based at
Watertown.
Mai. Gen. Milton A. Reckord. the
29th commander, and Maj. Gen.
James K. Parsons. Sd Corps COM
mander, inspected the command
post, with Gen. Reckord describing
it as the best he had ever seen.
Brig. Gen. James E. CLANCY, air de-
fense commander, said the warning
system test was successful and that
civilian observers cooperation was
most excellent"
Stimulation of many new and mod
ern weapons already has been an
nounced as part of the maneuver
program, and it was automobile
horns that performed AFRAID warn
ing duty in the exercise yesterday.
Fifth-column defense also was in
jected. Capt. Charles Robert Con-
molly, Infantry Reserve, in private
life a Washington broker, was dis
patched to Sd Corps headquarters
with a message to identify himself,
/ because headquarters was guarding
against false messages. He carried
a brief note, in triplicate, signed by
Col. John A. Cutchins, division
chief of staff.
Maryland and Virginia Guards
men maneuvered against them
selves in field exercises yesterday,
the 116th Virginia defending Rens-
selaer Falls against the 1st Vir-
ginia coming fro mthe northwest,
and the 1st Maryland encountering
the 5th Maryland near Heuvelton.
The regiments Jumped off" at
7:30 am.
Dinner Climaxes Fighting.
Maryland's 5th had the assign
ment of driving back attackers ad-
vancing from the vicinity of Rens-
selaer Falls. Its troops accom-
plished their mission by crossing
the Oswegatchie River. Their day
ended with typical maneuver cli-
max, a hearty dinner of roast beef,
cabbage, potatoes, pan gravy, bread,
butter and coffee.
The 1st Virginia, meanwhile, had
been delayed for an hour in start
ing its field duty because transport
trucks were late. The regiment was
attempting a flanking movement to
the left of the 116th and had about
succeeded when the whistle ended
the battle" Rifles and machine
guns were the weapons carried in
the test.
The 54th Field Artillery Brigade
was ready for field duty today aft
er having been allowed full day
to rest and to get settled down
Three regiments compose this bri-