Evening star., 1941-02-13
Plane, Horse and Mechonized
Cavalry Team for War Urged
Maj. Gen. Richardson
Recommends US.
Evolve System
BY NELSON M. SHEPARD.

ANALSoAN 4sAs oAAGA EhAtDs
A recommendation that the
United States Army do what mo
other army in the world has done
yet''-train powerful combat teams
utilizing the combined Knockout
blows of aviation, mechanization
and cavalry-has been brought to
the attention of the War Depart"
ment in an article prepared by Maj.
Gen. Robert C. Richardson, jr., re-
Gently of Fort Bliss, Tex.
Suggesting that I'VE should as
sumo the leadership in this type Of
team training" Gen. Richardson
pointed to it as "a virgin field in
which to work with limitless pos
sibilities of achievement, and per-
haps opportunity of making a
definite and new contribution to
methods of warfare"
Gen. Richardson, who formerly
commanded the 1st Cavalry Division
in which horse and mechanical
forces complement each other, is
one of the keenest practical students
of the new methods which have
revolutionized modern warfare. He
was recalled recently from his Texas
post and this week was put in charge
of a newly created bureau of public
relations at the War Department.
Would Sharpen Striking Power.
Writing on "The Wider Role of
Cavalry" in the current issue of
the Cavalry Journal, he said:
Warfare in this country can
never be conducted as abroad and
we should train combat teams Of
great strength which can strike
with speed and ferocity."
There is no more powerful team
than the trinity OF aviation,
mechanization and cavalry. which
we have the opportunity OF Great
ing"
The Army authority clinched his
argument for this new method of
co-ordinated training with the as
sertion: mo other army in the world
has done so yet"
Because warfare in this country
will never be of a stationary char
acter, Gen. Richardson suggested it
offers the opportunity for a series
of blows delivered by just such COM
binations of the three arms at
critical points.
He was mildly critical of certain
"deficiencieS" in American Army
training, which he claimed provides
now for practically no cooperation
between aviation bombers and
cavalry.
Imagine the power of a corps
composed Of an afmored division
and the 1St Cavalry" he visualized.
"Such a team with aviation as their
partner and thoroughly integrated
in their training will be powerful
enough to give knockout blows to
any resistance"
Cites War Strength.
Gen. Richardson pointed out that
American Army has both mech
anized and cavalry divisions actually
at war strength. He added:
The methods of skillfully COM
bining these forces, and of extract
ing the greatest benefit from their
fire power and mobility will soon
develop II the two forces could only
train together. = - The two acting
together on the ground with con-
slant aviation support and protec-
ton form combination that is
hard to beat"
Gen. Richardson pointed out there
Is no definite guide for the correct
battle employment of mechanical
forces other than cavalry tactics.
They are too new, and the tactics
which have been developed in our
services, he reminded, are purely
theoretical
1--WE have seen how the Germans
their mechanical forces
in an advance on a broad front
against a weak and demoralized op-
he explained From that
incident many conclusions have
been drawn. We have not yet seen
how their mechanical forces will be
employed in a battle against a
strong, equally we'll armed and
determined enemy.
Calls for Aviation Aid.
I'VE can only surmise. In our
own service we are cropping for the
light, and it will probably be found
more quickly if mechanization
u,orLS with borea o,u.1,.,, ,,La,.
tactics have been fairly we'll
developed, and whose organiza ton
has been completely changed. There
will certainly occur notifications