Evening star., 1941-03-16
BY CARTER BROOKE JONES,
Star Staff Correspondent.

BY CARTER BROOKE JONES,
Star Staff Correspondent.
FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md,
March 15.-It was eerie, bouncing
and swaying over that mangled road
in utter darkness.
But we were in blacked out con-
voy, taking part in a night maneu-
yer. The war" correspondents rode
ahead in a command car, a high
adaptation of the station wagon,
known in the Army as q doodle
| bug"
The car jolted forward slowly, like
a ship in a fog. But an officer
walked ahead, and the driver could
discern his figure dimly and so
know he was still on those ridges
and valleys Of frozen mud that
passed for a road.
We had left the lighted and settled
part OF camp and plunged into the
mysteries of pine forest. Not
light was to be seen anywhere. And
nobody was to light a cigarette nor
was the driver allowed to look at
his instrument board.
At last We stopped and backed
up, rolling into clearing. Then
we got out and watched the rest of
the convoy come by.
Carried Dim Lights.
There were IA dark, grim outlines,
barely discernible in the gloom. Then
you could see that they carried very
faint head and tail lights, red in
front, green behind. These are
clever little points Of light, shuttered
so they cannot be seen S feet above.
but shedding a faint illumination
on the road.
We were near the appointed rem
oezVous-a remote and uninhabited
corner of the reservation.
The convoy jolted by, IA trucks.
This was battery of artillery, with
all the necessary accessories, ready
for combat. 1t was being used to
demonstrate night problem to the
junior officers attending the Bat
terry Oflcers' School, and 1t. Col.
Harry R. Warfeld. commandant of
the school, had planned it to the
last detail.
1t was to be assumed that the
enemy was few miles away. on a
line with the hamlet of Jessup. The
foe had been driven back and had
taken a strong position on some
hills. The infantry of the 29th
Division was to deliver a surprise
attack at am. This battery was
being brought up in the night to
take position, so that it could cut
loose a little while before the ap-
pointed hour, blasting a path for
the infantry.
Guns Moved Ahead.
The prime-movers bearing the
guns pushed ahead, while the other
trucks, carrying ammunition and ac-
cessories, were shunted into a
park" a clearing beside the road.
The terrible road, by then, had led
into a good hard-surfaced road
which once ran through a canton
ment OF 1918. Not trace of that
camp remains. and second growth
pines cover the fields where bar
racks once stood.
The prime movers made right
turns, left the road and climbed into
a wooded area
1t was deep night, and there
wasn't a light, except those vague,
thin beams pointed at the road, and
yet every man in the convoy knew
where to 60, what to do. There
was no confusion.
The whole course had been chart
ed carefully that afternoon, lust as IL
would have been done in war. A
scouting party had prepared the gun
positions, the truck park. command
post, everything. 1t was all on the
maps the officer students carried and
they were guided to the rendezvous
by those who were oriented.
75c Placed in Position.
The prime movers, sufficiently
separated, slipped in between the
trees without dificulty. The four
75s were unbuckled and wheeled
into the positions assigned them.
A stake had been driven to mark
the spot set for each in the after
noon.
The young lieutenants manned
all the guns, performing the va
rious fixed tasks Of each crew mem
berthe chief of section for each
gun, usually a sergeant; the gun
ner, corporal and the five men
who aim. fire and load. The ccm-
mander Of this provisional four
gun battery was Second 1t. w. c.
Wright Of the 176th Field Artil-
lery Pittsbursh).
There was hardly a sound as the
75s were placed in position over
the stakes, only a few commands
given in quiet, conversational tones
Every officer had his role and
knew it.
Even the aiming of these guns
had been prepared in the secret
daylight mission. Their field of fire
and their exact angles and eleva-
tions had been determined. They
were aimed by chart, there in the
darkness, ready to cut loose In the
morning at a signal, heralding the
attack.
Telephones in Operation.
While the guns were being made
ready, other sections of the battery
were busy. The command post and
the observation post were estab-