Evening star., 1940-07-07
Capital SideIights
By viii P. Kennedy.

In these days of extraordinary mill
tary preparedness new arm has been
added to the United States Army, mod
eled after the famous panzer tank in
vasion force of Germany-an armored
corps, which is to be expanded just as
fast as heavy tanks can be produced.
Specially trained officers have been
selected for this new corps. Brig. Gen.
Adna r. Chaffee, present commander
Of ou1 mechanized force, will be the
first corps commander He is Kansas
born, son of former chief of staff,
and during the World War was success
sively assistant operations oficer of the
4th, 7th and Sd Army Corps in France.
After the armistice he commanded the
9th Infantry in the Army of Occupa-
ton in Germany. He was awarded the
Distinguished Service Medal and served
two tours Of duty with the War Depart
ment general staff. He is a graduate of
the Mounted Service School, lEcole de
Application de Cavalerie of France, the
School of the Line and the Army War
College. Brig. Gen. Bruce Magruder,
former commander of infantry tanks,
will command the 1st Armored Division
He is Washington born and entered the
Regular Army as an enlisted man in
1904, after service as an officer in the
District National Guard. During the
World War he served in France with
Military Intelligence in the American
Expeditionary Forces and subsequently
as intelligence ofIicer with the War De-
partment general staff. He has been in
command Of the tank concentration
maneuvers with the Sd Army. He is q
graduate of the Infantry School and
the Command and General Staff School.
Brig. Gen. Charles l.. Scott, recently in
command of cavalry mechanized regi-
ment, is to command the I'd Armored
Division. Born in Alabama, he is a
West Point graduate Zone year ahead of
Gen. Chaffee) and during the World
War was engaged in the purchase of
horses and mules for the Army and
commanded the remount depot at
Camp Bowie, Tex. Subsequently he was
in charge of the animal division Of the
Remount Service under the quarter
master general, commanded a cavalry
regiment at Fort Knox, KY: was de-
tailed to the general staff and assigned
to the headquarters of the 1st Corps
Area at Boston. He is graduate of the
Mounted Service School, the Command
and General Stan School and the Army
War College. 1t. Col Serene E. Brett,
who is chief Of staff of the new corps,
commanded tank units in the Meuse-
Argonne and has been one of the out
standing infantry tank officers. He is
an Oregonian and entered military serv-
ice as an ofilcer of the Oregon National
Guard. In the World War he won the
Distinguished Service Cross, the Dis
tinguished Service Medal and the Silver
Star with Oak Leaf Cluster He has had
an active and important part in develop
ment and tactical operation of tanks.
July 4, as well as being the birthday
OF the Nation. has been the birthday
OF many noted men, Representative
John E. Rankin of Mississippi reminded
his colleagues the other day. Among
those born July were the late President
Calvin Coolidge, July 4, 1872; Nathaniel
Hawthorne, July 4, 1904. 1t is the an
niversary Of the death Of three former
Presidents-Thomas Jefferson and John
Adams, both Of whom died on July 4,
1926, and James Monroe, 1881,