Evening star., 1941-10-19
First Army Girding
For Corps vs.. Corps
War in Caro|inas
18th to Participate
In More GrueIine
Training Program

By the Associated Press.
CAMDEN. S. c.. Oct. 18.-Soldiers
of Americas most diversified army
enjoyed another fling in the sunny
Southland today before hitching up
their belts for a third and pro-
gressively tougher week of field
training.
With an eve now and then to the
headlines of mounting tension in
the Orient and naval activity in the
North Atlantic, the men of the First
Army are ready for corps VS.. corps
field exercises, tWo-Week prelude
10 the final tests under the direc-
ton of Army General Headquarters.
For two weeks more than 100000
men have been engaged In battle
tactics that pitted one division
against another like scholastic teams
in an intramural league. Between
now and early November the Army
corps. of at least two divisions each,
will be thrown against each other,
stepping out against less predict
able opposition.
Climax in Late November.
The climax will come the last two
weeks of November when the entire
First Army will take on the man
euver- -toughened 4th Corps for the
appraisal of Lt.-Gen. Lesley j.
McNair, head of the national train
ing program.
Although it is the last OF the
Nations four Armies to go into tlnal
tests of the first years training. the
1st Army is the one tnat would
be called upon first 10 defend the
vital Northeastern section.
1t has in it the greatest variety
of specialized units to take the field
at one time, among them the first
complete chemical battalion. almost
900 men from Edgewood Arsenal,
Md. training to use gas. flames and
smoke TO protect troops against the
same weapons.
For the first time in the summer
maneuvers, mountain artillery Is 10
be employed with two battallons
from nearby Fort Bragg, S. c.,
making believe the sandy Carolina
hills are obstacles so great that
their mule packed cannon are
needed.
Battalion Of Camoufleurs.
Never before has any United
States Army had so many camou-
fage experts. 2 battalion of them.
teaching concealment and decep-
ton to the divisions. The lst
Army has the greatest concentra-
ton of special artillery units, both
field and anti aircraft, including
the only regiment of 240-mllllmeter
almost l0-inchl howitzers. They
are the biggest field guns the
United States has.
During the General Headquarters
phase of the field exercises, two
armored divisions, one of the new
Air Support Command Of fighting
and bombing planes and parachute
troops will be thrown into the SIM
ulated war.
All this exceptional concentra-
ton of special units is in addition
to several comparatively veteran
infantry divisions. They include
the First, which just arrived from
Fort Devens. Mass. and the Ninth,
from Fort Bragg. Both are virtually
completely equipped, in contrast to
deficiencies in anti-tank guns and
machine guns in most other divi-
sions. The first division has only
about 10 per cent selectees. making
1t available for service outside the
Continental United States with little
reorganization. It recently drilled
in the Caribbean. practicing land
ings against forces on shore.
In next weeks phase the First
and Second Army Corps will be
arrayed against each other in the
10 000- square mile maneuver area
in the Carolinas. The First Corps
is made UP of the 9Th, 9th and 30th
divisions: the Second of the 28th
29th and 44th Meanwhile. the
1st and 26th Divisions. comprising
the Sixth Corps, will oppose each
other.
A Russian military delegation will
arrive next week to observe these
exercises. They will be the first of
hundreds Of foreign observers ex-
pected.