Evening star., 1941-03-09
Armored Force Boost
To Eight Divisions
By Fall Planned
Army May Ask TO Keep
Some Guurdsmen and
SeIectees Beyond Year
By NELSON M. SHEPARD.

more than are now in operation, it
was disclosed yesterday.
In some quarters it was reported
a strength of 10 divisions was con-
templated. but this was believed to
be an estimate governable entirely
by factory output and by future
developments in the existing emer-
gency.
It was reported the move might
entail retention of some selective
service trainees as well as National
Guardsmen in service beyond a
single year.
Along with a possible request to
Congress for authority to keep the
National Guard in service for an
additional s to IL months, the War
Department was reported to have
under consideration request to eX-
pand the land forces beyond the
ktotal of 1,418000 set for June 10.
Would Require Authorization.
Selective service traineeS could
be retained, military men said, by
placing them on duty as reservistS
after completion of their initial one
year training. However, authoriza-
ton would have to be voted by
Congress.
: 1t was stressed that present
studies were tentative and that de-
. cisions hinged on international de-
velopments. Some officials have
' expressed hope that the Regular
Army may be expanded by volun-
teers from the trainees to take care
. of prospective future needs for
trained manpower. The regulars,
serving three-year enlistmentS, now
number some 100000.
, The success of the Army's two
{ armored divisions-the 1st at Fort
, Knox, KY, and the I'd at Fort
= Benning, Ga.-has greatly impressed
; the General Staff and members of
Congress. Right now, it was said,
each of these divisions is the equal,
. if not superior, in equipment and
striking power to the famed Ger
man panzer and British tank divi-
sions.
10 Tank BattaliOns.
These new divisions, if present
plans are executed. would be in
addition to the 10 tank battalions
which are to be organized some
time in June or early summer, for
which authority already has been
given.
The War Department announced
plans some time ago to put two .ad-
ditional armored divisions in the
field this spring and organize two
more on the 1912 troop basis. Since
then plans have materialized to
speed up the program. Production
of light tanks has stepped up con-
Siderably and medium tanks also are
being turned out in larger quanti-
ties. 1t was reported that factories,
under new pressure, are planning
deliveries of enough material in
early fall to equip four divisions.
Counting the two divisions planned
in the spring, the increased factory
output would make it possible to
give the armored force at least
eight fully equipped divisions.
Separate Corps Urged.
With this prospective increase in
the armored force. one Of the big
question marks today is whether or
not it should be made a corps or
branch of the service with a chief, as
in the cases of the other long es-
tablshed corps such as the infan-
try and artillery. There is strong
sentiment for this in many circles.
It would require legislative authority
and no effort is being made now, it
was reported, to change the present
status of the armored force which
is a sort of hybird-a mixture OF in
fantry and cavalry.
Mai. Gen. Adna R. Chaffee, COM
manding general of the armored
division, has been recuperat1ng a
long time from a severe illness and
the acting commanding general is
Mai. Gen. Charles L. Scott, who is
largely responsible for the fact that
each of the two existing division is
said to be fully capable of taking the
field in any emergency on a few
hours notice.
Now Five Separate Battalions.
The proposed 10 tank battalions
would be organized as general head
quarters battalions. At present there
are only five of these separate bat
talions, one regular outfit and four
National Guard units. The 10th
Regular Tank Battalion is training
at Fort George G. Meade, Md. The
others are the 19lst at Fort Meade,
the 1920 at Fort Knox, KY, the
1880 at Fort Benning and the 194th
at Fort Lewis, Wash.
officials said the 10 new tank
battalions, when organized, would be
located as follows: Two at Fort
Lewis, Wash; two at Camp Bowie,
Tex; and one each at Fort Benning,
Ga. Camp Polk, La, Pine Camp,
N. Y, Camp Clairborne, La, Fort
Ord, Calf. and Fort Bliss, Tex. They
would be equally divided between
light and medium tanks. The bat
talon to be organized at Camp Clair
borne, with light tanks, is for colored
troops.
Continuous Flow of Men.
The two divisions to be organized
In the spring are the 3rd division
which will be stationed at Camp
Polk, La. and the 4th at Pine Camp,
N. Y. The End Infantry Division
at Fort Sam Houston, Tex, will
fuSnish a nucleus of some 3,700 men
for this 3rd armored division. The
1st Infantry Division will perform
a similar service for the other.
The division at the Texas post is
more advanced in training, perhaps,
than any other regular infantry
unit. From time to time it has been
stripped of large detachments OF
its experienced non-commiSsioned
officers and enlisted men to fill up
the ranks and help the training OF
other Infantry divisions. There is
a continuous flow of men in and out
of this veteran division.
On Original Lines.
The American armored force is
patterned on original lines and is
not copied from the German panzer
force, although it combines certain
oF tho German features made Tn