The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1940-09-09
.ROTAR|ANS TOLD
OF DEFENSE PLAN
DR.. OWEN J. clEARY CITES
MILITARY FIGURES FOR
v. S. EDNESS

Rotarians today we're given a
comprehensive picture Of the Unit
ed States defense program by DR.
owen j. Cleary, captain OF the
Headquarters Co. OF the 32d Div
ision.
The strength OF the main army
Is $4,000 at this time, OF the Ma
tional Guard 100000, and the or
ganized reserve from 10000 TO TO-
600 officers and feff.
OF course all of the field prob
lens are being laid out on lessons
learned from the present war and
the success OF the Germans against
France. Belgium and Poland. The
army units are divided into two
general classifications on the basis
OF combat units and admnistra-
tive units. The combat units are
the infantry, which includes the
tanks. artillery Of all classes, and
cavalry, which includes the light
mechanical units. air corps, sig
nal corps and chemical warfare
classes. Administrative units in
clude the quartermaster corps,
ordnance, personnel aud finance
branches and others.
The nation at present is divided
into corps areas. which are ad.
ministrative units. Michigan be-
longs to the 9th Corps Area, which
includes the states Of Michigan,
Wisconsin and Illinois. The head
quarters are In Chicago, and the adj
ministration OF all army qffairs in
this area centers in this head
quarters.
SO far as field armies are con-
cerned, 1t will be necessary to put
an army In the field All troops
In this section belong to the second
army. which includes at present the
9TH and 9Th Corps Each corps is
composed Of one or more Infantry
divisions and certain auxiliary units
such as air corps. heavy artillery.
There are two types OF divisions
in the army at present, the So
called stream-lined division which
is a highly mobile unit in terms Of
its transportation. II has about
l,500 men and is considered a
strong offensive force. 1t would
be classed so far as its uses are
concerned with the mechanical d.
visions which Germany used
against France. And then there is
the square division which has
about 1880 men and IS motorized
but not mechanical II is general.
u speaking defensive and for hold.
ing ground which has been taken
by the mechanical units.
In an army corps the ratio OF
0streamlined divisions 20 square
divisions is about / to 3.
The army division which Is 10
be concentrated at Fort Custer Is
a regular army stream-lined di.
vision. In the Michigan National
Guard at present there is the SD
Infantry Brigade which Is a part
o: the 32f division Tho 18th Field
Artillery, IL to be changed TO a
urit with long range guns possibly
Of a railroad type.
The ls2d Field Artillery and
the l06th Cavalry IS being changed
to an anti-aircraft regiment. The
10th Observation squadron. the
10th engineers Regiment and
units OF the 10th Quartermaster's
Regiment and the 32d Division
81 ecial troops which include the
Signal Corps In Ypsilanti. are in
Michigan
II is estimated that It requires
about a year to train a soldier
for effectiveness in modern war.
fare. With this in mind the Ma.
tional Guard is being ordered in
for a years service. II Is expected
that the Michigan units are going
TO Fort Beauregard In Louisiana
sometime In October and unless
there Is war these units will re-
turn in about year.
At that time It is expected their
place will be taken for training
(CJaUnued on PAPA Sixl