Evening star., 1941-10-05
District 10 Join TEST
Air Raid Maneuvers
Beginning Thursday
$4,000 Civilians to
Take Port in Games
Covering Northeast
By w. II. SHIPPEN. Jr.

One squadron of modern pursuit
ships will operate during the maneu-
vers from a base at Boiling Field,
and local plans are being completed
for civilian participation in the air
raid warning activities. Most of the
enemy bombers," however, will ap-
proach objectives nearer the Allan
tic Coast.
The night before the operation
gets under way presidents of more
than 10 citizens associations will
meet in the District Building at 8
pm. to hear of preparations for
civilian defense. Plans for the meet
ing were announced by Col. Lemuel
Bolles, executive director for civilian
defense in the District.
Operations for a Week.
1t is not known as yet how many,
if any, Washington citizens will be
asked to be on the alert for enemy"
bombers. Should attack" flights be
planned in this area, observers prob
ably will be posted to flash messages
to the police and fire departments,
local military fields and to hospi-
tails.
Important informtion centers will
be located in Boston, New York,
Philadelphia, Harrisburg. Baltimore
and Norfolk. The area to be pro
tected" extends from north of Bos-
ton down the coast to northern
North Carolina and for several hun.
dred miles inland. The operations
will continue for week.
The far-fung aerial defenses, in
Guiding pursuit aviation, anti-air-
craft artillery, searchlight batteries
and the Aircraft Warning Service
will be directed by Brig. Gen. John
c. Mcdonnell director of the First
Interceptor Command, First Air
Force, Mitchell Field, N. Y.
Present arrangements call for par
ticipation of at least two regiments
of anti-aircraft artillery and artil-
lery assigned to harbor defenses.
Headquarters will be in New York
City.
$4,000 Civilians Enlisted.
Approximately $4,000 volunteer ci-
villains will directly participate in
the maneuvers, including 5000 men
and women in the information and
filter centers. and 10000 in. 900 OBJ
server stations in the Northeast.
The bomber command of the
First Air Force, under Brig. Gen.
Arnold N. Krogstad, will test the
defenses with at least eight squad
rons of the newest type bombers
flying from a base at Langley Field,
Va.
Newly installed information CEN
ters in Boston. New York, Philadel-
phia and Norfolk will be named by
civilian volunteers as clearing houses
for messages from operators of de-
tector apparatus and from civilian
observers.
Messages will be received from
parts of the States of Massachu-
setts, Rhode Island, Connecticut,
New York, New Jersey, Pennsyl-
vania, Maryland, Virginia, Della
ware. the District and North Caro-
lima.
Operations will be limited to the
hours of daylight except in the New
York and Boston regions, where
some night operations will be con-
Quoted for experimental purposes.
Pursuit Air Bases.
Pursuit aircraft will use bases at
Boston, Providence. Groton. Conn:
Long Island, Mitchell Field, Floyd
Bennett Airport, Camp Dix, Aber-
deem Proving Ground, Boiling Field,
and Norfolk.
Bombardment aircraft will oper-
ate from Langley Field, from Chico
pee Falls, Mass, and from Wind
! sor Locks, Conn.
Gen. Mcdonnell pointed out that
the operations are not a sided
maneuver with friendly" and
enemy" forces so much as a test
of the permanent system of active
air defense now being organized by
the 1st Interceptor Command.
The system springs from but does
not parallel that in operation in
England. The American organiZa-
ton differs because of superior COM
munications equipment, and the diff
ference in the density of popula-
ton and the size of the area to be
defended.
The defense will be laid out to
protect the area from a bombing"
expedition approaching from the
ocean. The enemy will first be
spotted by radiolocators placed at
strategic points along the coast, the
borders and the second defense area.
| The role of civilian operators, sta
| toned every five miles up and down
the map, will be to telephone to
headquarters the approach of air
craft, their number. type. height and
direction. Thus the enemy" may
be kept under continuous observa-
ton, and his position known at all
! times.
$50 Planes in Test.
On the basis of information OBJ
| tanned by military and civilian OBJ
servers, pursuit craft can be dis
patched to intercept the enemy
and anti-aircraft guns and search
lights operated to best advantage
Some $50 modern pursuit planes will
take part.
Air wardens on duty in various
control centers will be forewarned
of the approach of the enemy
so they can take over the complex
task of civil defense. Their prin-
cipal responsibilities, as outlined by
the executive director of the United
States Conference of Mayors last
February, include:
/. Restriction of lighting.
| g. Protective means, including
shelters and the safeguarding Of
vital points.
3. Evacuation of personnel from
threatened centers.
4. Maintenance of vital public
services.
S. Treatment Of casualties.
6. ORGANIZATION to repair damage