Evening star., 1941-09-22
Where 10 Get Guards
For Fields Is New
Air Corps Riddle
Current War DiscIoses
Need for Protection
Against Swift Raids
BY BEN II. PEARSE.

In the first three months Of its
Force has faced many new problems,
but none so strange as the current
conundrum: Where will it get
security troops" to guard airdromes
against attack?
Now, after two decades of supply
ing other branches with observation
units, support for ground operations
and behind-the line bombing forces,
the Air Corps is drawing on other
branches for outside troops. Until
this new bug" is eliminated, and
definite policy worked out, it is
drawing anti-aircraft units from the
Coast Artillery and anti-tank, ma
chinegun and rifle detachments
from the Infantry.
Security troops were unheard of
in the World War, when an air
field even few miles behind the
front lines" was considered safe
from capture. Today the front"
may be 200 or 300 miles deep. Land
ing fields safely protected one hour
may be overrun by a sudden tank
and motorized thrust the next, while
parachute troops are likely to drop
down out of the sky any moment.
Air Fields Peril Grows.
For 20 years, few guards to serve
as night watchmen around hangers,
direct traffic on visiting days and
answer telephone calls on week ends
were all the Air Corps needed for
security. Now it needs anti-aircraft
units, anti-tank companies, and,
strangest of all, infantry to fight
off sudden attacks that experience
abroad has shown to be an everyday
occurrance.
Whether some of these outside
units eventually will be permanently
assigned to the Air Force is one of
dozens of problems which have
arisen since Secretary of War Slim
son announced the reorganization
of the Army's air arm three months
ago, with greater autonomy as the
announced aim. The decision on
this and other similar problems will
be the first indication of just how
much more autonomy the new Air
Force is to have.
Another feature of the reorganiza-
ton is the silencing effect it has had
on the question of a separate air
force, even on the part of pro-
ponents within the Air Corps itself
who have long favored an independ-
ent status for the air arm. In some
quarters, it is reported the new set
up is favored under present circum-
stances by many high-ranking air
officers, who have not abandoned
their hopes for separate force
eventually, but believe the present
setup is an essential step which will
bring it about gradually with a
minimum of confusion.
Gen. Patrick's Views Recalled.
One officer recalled that Maj. Gen
Mason M. Patrick, first chief of All
Corps, now retired and living ir
Washington, urged a separate, in
dependent air force in hearings be-
fore the House Military Affairs
Committee in 1925, but set period
of 5 or 10 years for its estab-
lishment, with a Marine Corps
status as an intermediate step.
He pointed out the air service
as it was then known, had none Of
the auxiliary arms and branches
needed for a separate establishment
such as ordnance, quartermaster
medical corps ana adjutant gen.
erals department. Time would be
required to establish these depart
ments and put them in smooth
working order.
Lack of these auxiliary services
was cited, too, by Secretary Stim-
son last June as one of his reasons
for opposing full independence for
the air arm. Since that time an
air staff has been set up under Maj
Gen. Henry H. Arnold with Brig
Gen. Carl Spaatz as chief of air
staff, and an air war plans division
and adjutant general have been
added.
Despite claims by some propo-
nents of the independent air force
setup, many air officers in the pol
icy-making brackets believe the new
channel of clearance to Secretary
Stimson and the President, which
is now directly through the chief
of staff and Assistant War Secre-
tary for Air Patterson instead ot
through the Army general staff
and various other departments, viii
simplify procedure and expedite the
huge air expansion program. Since
appropriations for the air force arr
no longer a matter of controversy
the net effect will be greater au
tonomy except for matters of larger
strategy, which will have to be set
tied in the Air Council, also pro
| ,,iJoJ for ~, tho roorno ,i7o tio,,