Evening star., 1941-03-01
29th Division 10 Lose
Col. Upton, Air
Liaison Officer
World War Flyer 70 Go
To lst Army Corps;
PoyIess Poydoy Hits Leovs
By CARTER BROOKE JONES,
gtzr ztzfs CnFrez1(rSork

By CARTER BROOKE JONES,
Star staff CorresDon1ent
FORT GEORGE q MEADE, Nd,
March i.-The 18th Division 10
dropping its air Haison of1cer, under
War Department plans, and thus 10
losing TO another station one Of its
most colorfuI officers, 1t. Col. VIII
Col. Upton, a decorated World
War flyer, who was shot down and
captured by the Germans, has been
the contact officer between the divi-
sion and aviation forces which might
be assigned to aid and protect It in
maneuvers or in actual combat.
Divisions long have been stripped
of their own air squadrons, and
now, under the latest division, they
will not even have haison off,
GERS. 1t is probable, however, that
an Aviation Corps officer soon will
be assigned to the Goth to do the
work Col. Upton has carried on,
and that similar details will be mads
to the other divisions in training.
LidISUn FI6n SuDmlLteu.
Before leaving his present post,
Col. Upton submitted to the War
Department a new plan for main
tanning closer liaiSon between the
air squadrons and the combat diYi-
sions. Under this plan, two officers
would be detailed from every COM
bat regiment in the division 10 be
trained as air observers.
These officers, Col. Upton pointed
out, would be more valuable as OBJ
servers than officers who have been
trained only in aviation, because
they would know the special require
ments and problems of the infantry,
artillery, engineers and other units.
The Upton proposal is being stud
led by the department, but there
are indications that it will be modi-
fed severely, if adopted at all.
The reorganized Army places OBJ
servation squadrons under corps
control and fighting air units under
G. H. @. General Headquarters.
The air force is disposed as it may
be needed.
Col. Upton enlisted as a flying
cadet in 1917 He studied, first at
| Ohio State, then at oxford, Eng
land, and served at the front with
the Royal Air Forces. He was
awarded the coveted British Distin-
guished Flying Cross for valor in
combat. Later he served with the
18th United States Pursuit Squad
ron. On August 26, 1918, he was
wounded by machine gun bullet
and shot down on the Cambrai
front. He was a prisoner until the
close of the war.
In Guard Until 1921.
Col Upton has enough decora-
| tions and campaign ribbons to cover
his chest, but he rarely wears them.
He is native Of Jarrettsville, Nd,
and has served in the National
Guard since 1921, commanding the
l04th Observation Squadron before
he was assigned, in $780, to division
headquarters as air officer.
While the 29th Division Is losing
an experienced and intrepid officer,
Col Upton is gaining a more re-
sponsible post. He has been as
signed as air officer Of the 1st Army
Corps, with headquarters at Fort
Jackson, Columbia, S. c. There
are three divisions mobilized at Fort
Jacksonville 9th and 9th of the
Regular Army, and the 30th, from
the National Guard.
He expects to leave for his new
post one day next week.
A deep snow covered the division
area today, slowing up the training
program. The snow, after falling
steadily for more than 80 hours. was
several inches thick in level places
and waist deep in drifts and holes.
The combat regiments, which had
been drilling outdoors in small units,
were driven to skull practice" in
doors. Cars and trucks moved cau-
tiously over CLASSY roads.
Have a Payless Payday.
Yesterday. the close of this Ma
tional Guard Divisions first month
in Federal service, was a payless
payday for most of the outfits. A
few headquarters units were paid.
Lacking pay, comparatively few
soldiers who live in Virginia, Penn
sylvania or the more remote points
in Maryland went home. Many
from the District end nearby places
got week end leave, however. A
scheduled excursion to Pittsburgh,
on a special train, at $3.50 round
trip, was called off.
Col John w. Oehmann, COM
manding Washington's 12lst Engt-
neers, was informed that the regi-
ment probably" will be paid
| Wednesday.
The 111th Field Artillery and the
176th Infantry, both from Virginia,
and the 115th Infantry, from the
Maryland counties, are scheduled to
get their money Monday. The 10th
Field Artillery (Baltimore), the
176th Field Artillery PENNSYLVANIA,
and the 104th Quartermaster Regi-
ment (from the District, Virginia
and MarylandD are due to be paid,
along with the engineers, rWednes-
day.
The 116th Infantry (Virginia), and
the 175th Infantry (Baltimore) are
to be paid on a date mot KNOWN
according to official orders.
Delays in getting pay rolls ap-
proved and other impediments fire.
quently, encountered in complying
with. the Army's intricate financial
paper work were blamed for the late
pay.
World War veterans in the divi-
sions could remember few pay days
that arrived with any regularity in
that era. They said the Army was
ir1nrOyinO