Evening star., 1940-06-09


to the field in
the early part
of August for Col. Burns.
the gigantic first Army maneuvers
to be held in Northern New York
State.
While local officers had been ex-
pecting such maneuvers for some
weeks, they nevertheless were not
able to begin definite preparations
until word came from the War De-
partment, and this depended mostly
on the passage Of the Army ap-
preparation bill. The maneuvers
will be on a larger scale than ever
before and will be seasoning and
hardening process for the troops
as well as providing training for the
officers, principally the high-rank-
ing officers, who are handling and
working with large bodies of troops
such as the armies of Europe are
made up with today. 1t will be for
the purpose of training them in the
new methods of warfare, which the
European conflict also has de-
veloped.
There is even some discussion
among the local troops as to whether
they will return to civilian life after
the current maneuvers, in view of
the fact that the President has
asked for authority to call out the
National Guard in the event OF
emergency. 1t will be remembered
that the troops, which were sent
to the Mexican border prior to the
World War, also remained in the
service, although at that time they
were not on field training, but had
been regularly mustered into serv-
ice for the purpose of handling the
situation which was developing be-
low the border line
While the troops will be provided
with three weeks of training, two
weeks of which will be actually en-
gagged in maneuvers incident tc
their preparation for war duties
the question has been raised in
military circles whether this time
is sufficient for them to really get
the full benefit of the training
which high-ranking officers of the
Army believe necessary to bolster
up the national defense components
While a number of local officers
have had the benefit of training ir
the Regular Army service schools
/ they have never had the oppor-
| tunity of putting this training into
effect.
/ All of the activities at the loca
militia headquarters during the mex
couple of months will be centeret
around the preparations for thu
movement of the local troops II
the theater of operations. Alread!
general plans have been developed
for the movement of the 260tf
! Regiment of Coast Artillery, com
manded by Col. Walter w. Burns
and the 104th Quartermaster Bat
! talon. headed by Maj. Fletcher F
Bernsdorff, to leave here on th'
morning of August g. These or
/ carnations. being motorized, viii
I make the long trek to upper New
| York State. over the road. Thi
unit will go first to Fort Ontario
where the artillery units will hav'
! some long-range anti-aircraft tar
/ get practice. prior to going into th'
field for the big maneuvers. Th'
l04th Battalion will go to Renssa
laer Falls for short period befor'
going into the field during the biz
war games The artillery regimen
is scheduled to remain at Fort On
tario for a week. when it will joir
the main forces at Gouvener.
The 121st Regiment of Engineers
| commanded by Col. John w. Och
mann. is now scheduled to leav'
the city at noon on August 4.
will be accompanied by the Head
quarters Troops of the 29th Ma
tional Guard Division, comprising
the militia of this city, Maryland
and Virginia. which will leave on :
train going at 1l:30 on the morning
OF the same day. Both of thest
units are scheduled to arrive a
Rensselaer, Falls on the morning
of August S, to begin preparation
for the maneuvers which are no
expected to start until a week afte
their arrival. The first week will
be taken in hardening the troop
for the war games which are ex
pected to be as much like fielc
service in time of war which /
is possible to make it, without &C
tual conflict The maneuvers will
be a test of the training and dis
cipline as we'll as test of th'
equipment, most of which is lef
over from the World War days O
20 years ago.
The 104th Ordnance Company
also local unit, it is now planned
will go, on August 4. to Aberdeen
Proving Grounds, in Maryland
where it will spend week with th'
ordnance experts before proceed
ing by train to join the othel
District units at Rensselaer, Falls
Practically all of the armory
training which Will be given TIT
local units from now on will b.
centered around these field plans
so that the District troops will
make a good showing while in th'
field, not only with the regula
troops of this area, but also will
National Guard units to be as
sembled there from all parts O
the East.
Opportunities for enlisted mem
bers of the Guard to get increased
commissioned rank in the Nationa
Guard of the United States ha
been provided by the War Depart
ment, it was announced at brigad'
headquarters. The new orders af
feet those who have held appoint