The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-03-11
Army Officers From l2Lands
 AtFt. Benniing
Infantry School Open to Latin American Fight.
 ing Men
By JOHN B. McDERMoTT

By JOHN B. McDERMOTT NUnited Press Staff Correspondent
 Fort Benning, Ga, March Il, (UP)-Evidences of goodwill be- tween the United States and Latin American countries are being mani- Tested as % officers representing II south-of-the- border nations, att tended classes in the army infantry school here.
 The officers represent Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador Fl Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Peru, Venezuela, and Chile. All are students in the re- fresher course for offices ot rifle and heavy weapons companies. Daily they hear lectures or witness demonstrations with approximately 1200 officers of the U. s. army.
 Permission for their enrolment In this largest of all infantry schools was granted by government officials seeking to promote goodwill with neighboring Western Hemisphere countries. Meanwhile, groups of American officers are studying in South America as part of the ex- change program.
 Second Officers Group The officers at Fort Benning are eraversing much of the ground covered by their superiors last fall who visited htis No. army post as guests of Gen. George 0. Mar shall.
 Daily they see the cream of-the- crop In infantry and armored fight CTS. They have the opportunity to observe the powerful 2d Armored Division under Brig-Gen George s, Patton, Jr. Then oto, they see the "Rolling 4th," first mechanized- motorized division of the army, and the 5olst Parachute Battalion in training Inaneuvers.
 Strong friendships are beign de- veloped among the visiting officers and their classmates. Reports from the Latin American countries state the existence of similar companion ships among U. s. officers and the native sthere.
 Students in the rifle and heavy weapon company courses receive 528 hours of instruction. These hours are divided so that time is permitted for the study of individual weapons, tactical principles, general military subjects and special de- Monstrations.
 Five Weeks Course
 Th0 course lasts about five weeks. The Latin Americans, un- familiar With many types of guns which are included in the study, have been making exceptional progress In mastering the machines. At some types of firing, they have demonstrated their mastery by equa,ing some of the best sharp shooters in the U. s. army.
 Included In their training is the use of the latest automatic rifles and pistols, light and heavy machine guns, 60-mm. and 8l-mm. mortars, anti-tank guns, bayonet technique, use of motorized attachments, manipulation of tank and field artil- lery units and their use in combat, photogrhis reading pf aerial maps, etc.
 Almost from sun-up to sum down, and sometimes even into the night, these Latin Americans rae learning war methods employed by the United States. They seem to be highly Impressed with their train- ing, especially with regard to the large scale tank movements dis played in '"War games" over Fort Benning's unscarred battleflelds.
 Occasionally some will venture forth with post units Into wooded sectors of the military reservation and, while the 35,000 shoulders sta- toned there sleep, they participate In night problems. They show great enthusiasm for their work and army officers say they are quick to grasp the significance Of most prob lems portrayed in these combat e%- ercises.
 Que Major in Group
 Included In the group are one major. IT captains and II lieuten- ants as follows:
 Brazil-Capt Adalberto Pereira dos Snatos, Syseno Sarmento, AL cyr l'Ayila Mello, Alfredo Pinheiro Scares Ti.ho, Joes Bezerra Pessoa, and Rodrigo Ferraz Koeler. ..
 Colombia-Capt. Carlos, Galindo Jorge Orejuela, and Emilio Tovar, and Lieut., Hector Garcia.
 Costa Rica-Capts. Migual E' Mora and Mario Fernandez,
 Ecuador-Capt. Alfredo Ponce and Lieut.. Leonidas Plaza.