Evening star., 1941-10-03
For a tuH page of pictures on
the demonstration yesterday at
Fort BelUOir, see page At.
By THOMAS C. HARDMAN.

The Army unleashed its full battle
poWer-With all its Streamlined dead
liness-in concentrated panorama at
Fort Belvoir yesterday for the benefit
of high ranking Federal officials and
military representatives OF Latin
American republics.
Packed within a 2-hour demon
stration of technique in modern
warfare was an aWesome display OF
rumbling tanks, roaring artillery
earth shaking demolition charges
rattling machine guns. whining dive
bombers, cracking mortars and blaz-
ing anti-aircraft fire.
Parachute troops, dropped from
Army transports laundering over
head, added a crowning touch tc
the spectacle, admittedly one OF
the greatest concentrated military
demonstrations ever staged by the
United States Army.
Vice President Wallace and Sec
retary of War StimSon headed soma
400 War Department guests, includ-
ing more than 200 members of Con-
/ slCoS, VIII SdU SpCilbOOilN AZ 1lAAA>'ioN
bleachers facing the battle area
while the opposing forces blazeo
away at each other. All the might
of modernized forces deployed in
ordinary battle over 10-mile deer
front was squeezed for purposes OF
the display into terrain little more
than one-tefth that size.
Show How Dollars Go.
The battle climaxed a day-lone
tour of equipment exhibits and EN-
gineer-training courses. designed by
the War Department to show men,
bers of Congress sample of what
is being done with manpower and
dollars turned over to the Army in
the national defense effort.
A note of reinsurance prevailed
throughout the demonstration. The
majority of the members of Congress
openly were surprised and pleased
with the display. Sixteen buses-one
Of them carrying l9 Army generals
made up the principal convoy OF
visitors.
Vice President Wallace rode ir
one of the buses and spent the en-.
tire day with the other guests
Undersecretary of War Robert P
Patterson also was with the party
for the complete program. Secre-
tary Stimson visited the post only
during the afternoon for the battle
spectacle
Military attaches from diplomatic
corps of IA South and Central Amer
lean Republics were on hand fol
the entire demonstration. They
mingled freely with the other Wis
itors, swapping photographs anc
asking questions.
5000 Troops in Show.
At least 5000 troops and 40t
heavy weapons and machines vert
employed in the field demonstration
Men and equipment from the fol
4 lowing units were included: 175tl
Infantry, 29th and l05th Anti-Tanl
Battalions, 10th Tank Battalion
l04th Cavalry (mechanized), 502c
Parachute Battalion, 51st sigma
Battalion, 104th Observation Squad
ron, list Coast Artillery, 93d Tanl
Destroyer Battalion, 111th Field Ar.
tillery, 18th Infantry, 5th Engi.
neers, 9th Bombardment Squadron
and the 39th Pursuit Squadron.
Officers in charge emphasized thai
more than 80 per cent of the troop.
participating in the battle had less
than a years training.
The Army'S latest anti-tank force
/ the destroyer battalion, moved ur
with its mounted 75-mm. and 81.
nm. guns blazing to surround anc
annihilate an attacking swarm oi
light tanks in a smoke and dust
| clouded finale to the demonstration
The defending cavalry unit
mounted on armored trucks and
motorcycles. already had captured
the 80 paratroops who had been
dropped behind the front line by
the invaders.
Dive Bombers Soften" Way.
Dive bombers had screamed to
| earth, one after the other. to
soften" the way for the paratroops
who floated slowly downward under
the protection of looming fighter
| planes circling the battle area
Weapons for the paratroops had
been dropped in red and blue para
chutes from planes Immediately pre-
ceding them.
The wind changed slightly after
the direction finding parachute
dummy had been tossed from one
| of the lead ships and at least two
of the men from the sky landed in
tops of nearby trees. Ones para
chute tangled in the lofty limbs OF
a large oak in clear view of the Wis
itors and attention was diverted for
several minutes from the primary
| objective in the immediate fore
ground.
A row of pillboxes, described by
the announcer as similar to those
used in the French Maginot Line
were blasted to bits by the invading
force after it had penetrated deep
into the defending positions.
Flame e-throwers poured their
deadly fire into the pill boxes while
demolition experts planted their
heavy charges at the bases of the
| Notifications. The men moved back
and one by one the boxes were
blasted to pieces. tossing great
clouds of dust and materials into
the air. ......
Build Bridge Under Fire.