Evening star., 1941-06-07
Surprise Move
.|nnperi|s Reds
In Mock War
Caroline County
Bottle Ends at
Noon Today
BY BEN H. PEARSE.
Star Staff Correspondent.

BOWLING GREEN, Va, June T.
The northern army in the I'd Army
Corps mock war, using its numeri-
cal superiority in an effort to over
come the disadvantage resulting last
night from a surprise movement by
the southern forces, attempted to-
day to deliver a decisive blow before
the maneuvers come to a close at
noon.
Driving through the thick wood
land of Caroline County, the north
ern troops, made up of the entire
44th Division from Fort Dix, N. j.,
were throwing all their strength
into a concerted advance designed
to break the effect of Jeb Stuart
type of encirclement that for a
time last night threatened TO bring
the fight to an end.
The surprise move of yesterday
came at time when the southern
forces, comprised of the 60th Combat
Team from Fort Bragg, N. c., and
detail of cavalry from Fort Myer,
Va, fighting against an enemy much
superior in numbers, were falling
back steadily along a 2-mile front.
With Maj. r. c. Andrews in COM
mand, the I'd Battalion of the Goth
Infantry crossed the Rappahannock
River at Port Royal, Travelled north
west through King George County
to a point northwest of Fredericks-
burg, recroSSed the river and made
contact with the enemy near Corbin
in the northern tip of Caroline.
Hundreds of Prisoners Taken.
Hundreds of northern prisoners
were taken on outposts, and some
anti-tank artillery was captured.
Several kitchens, gasoline stores and
ammunition dumps also were
taken. The battalion held its ad-
vance of about mile and a half
several hours before withdrawing
to Corbin for an overnight bivouac.
New Garand rifles were every
where in evidence as the fight waged
yesterday, and 37-mm. anti-tank
guns could be spotted occasionally
by careful observation along the
roads of the new 7o.00O-acre A. P.
Hill military reservation. being given
its baptism of fire. But the word
"blitzkrieg" was never mentioned
once as the Reds, moving up from
the south, encountered the Blues.
Not Ready for Blitz Tactics.
These men are not ready for
'blitz' tactics yet" one officer ex-
planned. Later in the summer,
perhaps, they will be, but right now
all we expect is to familiarize them
with their weapons, equipment and
jobs, and how to do in the field
what they have been learning in
camp.
There will be no AuSterlitz,
Characteristic or Sedan. 1870 or
1910 version, fought here today"
Out of earshot of his men, one
lieutenant colonel of the 60th In
fantry, which less than a year ago
was only a paper" unit of the
9th Motorized Division. spoke ap-
provingly of the advance a machine
gun squad was making TO take a
position on little rise short dis
tance ahead
Sixty per cent of these men have
been in the Army only since Janu-
ary," he estimated, and about 35
per cent of the remainder are men
who have enlisted since last Sep
tember. They are learning fast.
They are not far from being good
soldiers right now"
Ready at Zero Hour.
The men of the 44th were busy
giving the lie to the current Army
gibe that National Guardsmen
should make real soldiers as soon
as they get used to drilling by day.
light. Proceeding into position at
the north end of the unfamiliar
area in anticipation of the opening
gun yesterday morning, all units
we're in readiness for the advance
signaled by Maj. Gen. Clifford R.
Powell at the zero hour"
The men like it much better since
the sun came out yesterday and
dried not only clothing but also
the underbrush, so that a fellow
could lie down and snatch a nap
if he got a chance. In fact, life
might have been almost bearable
had it not been for one ever-dis-
turbing element, the umpires.
Determine Results Quickly.
The umpires are everywhere,
watching to see whether trucks,
men, guns and command posts are
properly camouflaged, how ad-
vantage is taken of cover or geo.
graphical features of the area over
which troops are operating. With
out a rapid calculating machine,
an umpire can multiply the number
of men in a company or battalion
by the fire power present on the
spot, add the time element, sub
tract the co-efficient of natural
advantage of the defense position
selected, divide by the sum of all
these factors offered by the op-
posing force and announce the re-
suit in words of two syllables, "Ad-
vance," or Retreat"