Evening star., 1943-02-02
Parairoopers Taught
How 10 XIII Quickly
In Ioughening Course
instruction Combines
Mechanics Of Fighting
With Physicol Agility
Third OF q Series.
" WALTER MeCAIITIM

physical conditioning for hand to.
hand combat as In the Army Of ths
United States. And no segment ol
any army goes through more ardu.
Gus toughening and training fol
man-to-man fighting than the par
achute infantry The Jap with his
sumo" and "judo," the German
with his dirty fighting instincts
are overmatched by the deftness
of killing of the American soldier
1t isn't nice. but it must be that
way to meet the challenge Of our
enemies.
Practicularly In the parachute in
fantry is the emphasis heavy on
hand-to-hand fighting. A recent
125-mile forced march by q para
chute infantry outfit was no showon
stunt. Nor are the daily 6-mile runs
up mountain and back. with full
pack. Nor are the tumbling, Judo,
and knife and bayonet fighting
courses at several parachute tfain-
Ing schools In the South.
An officer picks up q long staff
mounted with big knob. A para
trooper. his bayonet shining in the
sun, lunges at the knob. This Is
not play. The trooper lunges, grunt-
ing and growling, trying to get inside
the defense. He ends with the lethal
shortened rifle upthrust into the
enemy's throat.
The parachute infantryman must
depend on his own physical prowess
and his own hands and arms to win
Z fight In which his life Is the prize.
Drops Fully Armed.
The parachute infantryman isn't
lacking In weapons. He drops with
carbine, pistol, grenades, knife, and
full pack. Il couldn't find any more
equipment" laughted an overloaded
paratroop captain. But 1t viii be
enough" He seemed travelling
ordnance department. But In the
nnal analysis, much Of his deadly
work will depend on his physical
ability and his knowledge Of night
ing.
Since habit, and particularly mus
eular habit, Is the basb Of success
Of any physical effort. the parachute
tnfantrymen are trained to quick
muscular reactions. saw one squad
1T Camp Blanding. in Florida, being
trained to follow orders Immediately.
.Fall nat" yelled 1t. Robert /.
Fleming, one Of the instructors. The
troops buried their noses II the
dirt. Get up" he said. They stood
at attention. Climb a tree" They
did.
This program" said 1t. Fleming,
long q physical instructor, "is di-
vided into three general subjects.
Hand : to : hand combat, alertness
drill, and physical testing. The
specific purpose Is fivefold.
Deve3sps Spirit.
mo. Ito equip every man with 1
workable means Of o1ense, II and
when he may become separated froln
his mechanical weapons.
mo. ITO develop in AL the ag-
gressive spirit.
mo. 3-To habituate all individuals
DO the instantaneous use Of so-called
'unsportsmanlike' but decidedly
effective means of manning and
overpowering the enemy.
mo. ITO increase health,
strength and endurance. a
mo. 5-To develop In each man
the habit Of immediate response to
command. and to develop the ability,
explosive Quickness and rapid r.
action that Is needed Ia order for
him to remain alive and TO fuldll
his duties"
I saw ! man hop : sergeant nat
on the ground, his foot h the
scrgeant's stomach. A quick move,
and the man on top was flying over
the sergeant's head. while the
sergeant quickly reversed their posi-
ton. and the man now on top drove
m imaginary knife down between
his adversary's shoulder blades. The
movements were too Quick to follow,
but they were effective.
Learn Jap Tricks.
Tho Japs will learn that the
American parachute trooper can do
his Judo tricks. Knife, club and
bayonet fighting all are part Of the
curriculum, and II the Jap wants to
play with bare hand. that Is taught,
too. You can kill q man with the
back Of your hand quickly and
easily. I found out.
Many men from Canada are train
Ing to become parachute troopers
in the immense school at Fort Ben
ming. They 60 through the same
schedule as the Americans. One
item isn't generally known. It isn't
considered healthy to Jump over OBJ
stacles, such as tree trunks, under
fire. The paratroopers are trained
to dive over them to avoid a sill
houette that might bring on a rain
Of enemy machine bullets. They
dive and roll, coming up on their
feet ready to fight. Proper methods
Of creeping. crawling and crouch
ing are mandatory. Men practice
all movements with one hand or
one leg, for the time will come
when one arm or leg may catch q
bullet.
Football Aids Training.
"The American paratrooper must
be a living example OF the fullest
meaning Of the word tough" said
1t. Fleming. 1T must constantly
be borne in mind that strength Is
every mans heritage It must be
the paratrooper's primary aim"
Football has been great aid ir
this training. Just as on many
football fields throughout the land
some paratroop training schools
have furnished obstacles into which
the feet of running men must go
In football it is meant to furnish
shifty broken-field running. In wal
1t will help the troops to shift from
spot to spot. There are, OF course
the usual 25-foot-high cargo net
obstacles, the usual maze of posts
the usual water Jumps to be nego.
tiated by ropes. the falls and short
Jumps. hill climbs and climbs over
fences.
When the parachute infantrymar
completes his qualification courses
he is a pretty tough hombre. alert