Evening star., 1943-05-14
Desert Army Schools
Train for Perfection
EI Poso and Tucson Students
Are Educated in Skill
Of Offense undDefense
By John H. Cline,
Star Stan Correspondent.

TUCSON, Ariz., May 14-At new
and modern air base seven miles out
in the desert from Tucson, some 5000
young men are training today to fly
future squadrons of big B-24 Liberator
bombers which will carry the war to
our enemies across the Atlantic and
Pacific Oceans
the East, another group of youngsters
Is being trained just as earnestly in the
use of the latest defensive equipment
which will be brought into play when
ever enemy bombers attack positions
held by American forces. 1t is inter-
esting to compare the confidence of
both groups in the effectiveness of their
weapons.
At Ell Paso-the first point visited-a
night demonstration of the accuracy
of automatic weapons was staged by
the Anti-Aircraft Artillery Training Gen.
ter. After party of visiting newspa-
permen, under the supervision of Maj.
Gen. Innis P. Swift, commanding gen.
eral of the 1st Cavalry Division, had
been shown a radar airplane detection
unit in operation, they were taken to
Camp Hueco, where anti-aircraft gun
ners were waiting to demonstrate how
enemy planes can be knocked down at
night by concentrated fire from .50-cali-
ber machine guns, supported by 40 and
80 millimeter weapons
The targets in this show were an elu-
sive radio controlled plane and a toWed
sleeve. Understandably enough, the
radio plane held the center of the stage
This little craft has a 14-foot wing
spread and weighs 1875 pounds. 1t has
six-horsepoWer engine, maximum
ceiling Of 10000 feet and a top speed
OF 80 miles per hour. 1t is launched
from catapult and its flight is con-
trolled by an operator on the ground,
whose equipment is similar to that
which would be used by pilot in the
air.
At a thousand feet on dark night,
this little ship, circling, diving and zoom-
hit. But visiting correspondents saw
three of them knocked down by ma
chine gun and 40-millimeter fire. Actu-
ally, the planes were not destroyed,
since hit in the engine radio or bat
terry releases parachute which gener-
ally enables them to float down with
out crashing. But the hit has to be
In vital spot as shown by the fact
that one plane, upon being brought
down by the operator, was found to
have been hit 36 times without releas-
ing the chute. The 9O-millimeter guns
were used against high-flying towed
target, and, in night action against
enemy planes, these powerful weapons
would be aimed by radar.
The actual percentage of hits OBJ
tained with the use of radar cannot
be revealed, but it is high enough to
convince the officers in charge of this
equipment that its proper employment
will enable defensive unit to make an
enemy attack on limited target area
as costly as a naval assault on a
harbor well defended by coast artillery.
At Tucson, the visitors were shown
the other side of the picture-the train
Ing program which has been worked out
for our men who will fly the big Lib
orators over their targets in the teeth
Of enemy anti-aircraft fire. The instruc-
tors at -Montllan Field, under the
command Of Col Lowell H. Smith, ap-
preciate the growing power of anti
aircraft defenses, but they also have
confidence in the toughness and maneu-
variability of the B-24s. This is an
who have already received Individual
training are brought together and
taught to work as a team.
The Job is difficult, yet vitally i'm
portant. There are 10 men in the
crew Of Liberator-pilot, co-pilot,
bombardier, navigator and six enlisted
men who serve as radio operator, engi-
neer and gunners. When the stu
dents reach this base, which was
largely barren desert two years ago,
they are sorted into crews, given their
first operational training and fitted into
the complete training program of the
I'd Air Force, which has the task of
training heavy bomber crews.
This is the first phase OF heavy bom-
bardment training. Many never reach
the second phase, for those who cannot
get along with crewmates, or who lack
the ability to adapt themselves to pre-
cision teamwork, soon are weeded out.
Those who survive are put through
training courses of increasing severity.
When they emerge from the third train
ing stage they are ready-subject to the
final discipline of actual combat-to
take their Liberators against the enemy.
When this test of battle comes the
bomber crews may or may not be able
to perform their missions in the face of
the fire of ground defenses. But the
decisive factor will be the skill of the
bomber and the ground crews developed
through their long months of training,
and In this respect, the men who are
being put through their PAGES out here
IN the desert should be second to none
Nix Mr. Preeidenf