The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1942-07-16
Corp. John Stonehill Picked in
Select Group of Soldiers
For New Unit
Guards Military Equipment and
Assists in Controlling
Crowds at Show

Onlteu states, corp. JOnn Stonenlll
is travelling with the United State:
Army Show being presented in the
larger centers. He is visiting at the
home of his parents, Mr.. and Mrs
Clarence Stonehill of South Mair
street, on three days pass, between
play dates. He arrived from Akron
Sunday and will return this Wed
-nesday night.
Corp. Stonehill, who has been
working as member of the Mill
tary Police at Ft. Knox, KY, con-
tinues in the same capacity with the
show, being detailed along with one
hundred other military police to
guard the millions of dollars worth
of valuable military equipment used
in the show.
MEN CAREFULLY PICKED
All of the men in the show as we'll
as the military police guarding the
equipment were picked by reason of
certain military, mental and physical
qualifications. Physically all of the
men are at least $40 in height and
ITO pounds in weight.
Purpose of the presentation is to
show the citizens of the country the
equipment used by the army and
something of the method of attack,
using blank ammunition in the for
ays. The shows are usually staged
in football stadiums of the cities
visited
Stonehill Joined the show about a
month ago at Philadelphia where it
played to capacity audiences for
seven days and nights. Following
the presentation there was six day
stand at Pittsburgh and four days
at Akron.
SCHEDULE
The show is scheduled up to De-
cember IL at the following cities
Detroit, Mich, Minneapolis, Mimi,
Omaha, Nebraska, st. Louis, Mo-,
Chicago, Ill. These cities are booked
at the present time, altho the show
will likely continue after these dates
are played, Stonehill said.
The 1900 soldiers in the show
stay in tents or hotels, according to
circumstances in the city in which
they play. The Military Police are
given sufficient time off to see the
sights of the cities.
Thousands of rounds of blank am
munition and shells are shot in the
presentation of the show to provide
very realistic drama of military
action. The show opens with per-
fectly drilled infantry unit march
into the stadium. Then comes the
various vehicles such as tanks, mo-
bile big guns, flame throwers, motor
cycles, jeeps and other motorized
equipment.
SET UP GUNS
Following this comes the cavalry
in which colored soldiers perform.
After the display and parade the
field artillery moves in showing how
the soldiers set up their guns for
quick firing action.
Only the light tanks are used in
the show since heavy tanks would
ruin a football field. A sham battle
is staged between tank units in
which old cars are run over and
easily crumpled by the tanks. The
tanks fire their machine guns and
cannon and maneuver in realistic
fashion.
A japanese flag is hoisted to mark
off the enemy. Motor cycle units
act as scouts and give the signal to
start action. Then the tanks, infan-
try, artillery and large mobile guns
move in according to well established
military procedure and the battle is
under way.
REALISTIC DRAMA
Large aerial bombs are thrown
overhead into the stadium and with
the roar of cannon the staccato of
machine guns and the constant bark
ing of rifles deafening din marks
the entire show with a remarkable
realism.
The show is finished with a dis
play of fireworks in which pictures
of President Roosevelt and the
American flag are painted on the
skies. Military music by crack
60 piece regimental band provides a
musical background at opportune
moments.
Corp. Stonehill is engaged not only
in guarding the military equipment
after the show but is on guard duty
often during the presentation of the
show and is engaged in keeping the
crowd back.
SEE AXIS PLANES
Of interest to the spectators is .
German airplane shot down in Eng
land and two Japanese planes sho,