Milford chronicle., 1943-10-08
PLANE SPOTTER SYSTEM
ELIMINATED BY ARMY
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In War Department order
which was effective at 6 p. m. on
Monday, the Army emphasized that
they would be subject to recall al
an instant's notice and President
, Roosevelt warned that the aband-
onment of 24-hour volunteer duty
must not be interpreted as a de-
mobilization of civilian defense.
General H. H. Arnold, command
ing general of the Air Forces, told
the volunteers that the War De-
partment ''is assuming the calcu-
lated risk that the small scale air
attack of which the enemy is now
strategically capable may meet
with some measure of success"
But he said the course was JUS
titled by the release of manpower
and facilities that will contribute
directly or indirectly to offensive
action and may bring the wars
end months closer"
Delaware OCD officials. including
Gerrish Gassaway. executive vice
chairman of the State Council of
Defense, and Mr.. Ehinger, imme-
diately saw in. the order the rem
edy for the crisis which developed
when the vital control center in
Wilmington and several warning
and control centers down state were
caught unnamed early last Thurs
day when a yellow (alert) was
flashed by the First Fighter Com
mand
Volunteers Released
They point out that there should |
now be no excuse whatsoever for
lack of sufficient volunteers TO full
ly man the various control and
warning centers.
Both officials stressed that the
latest Army order in no way affects
the three district warning centers
in Wilmington, Dover and George
town, or the control centers. or any
of the various other civilian de-
fense groups.
Mr.. Ehinger said many of the
various chief observers of Della
ware had been notified Monday and
others told of the new order by
phone on Tuesday.
Mr. Ehinger pointed out that the
spotter organization would
be continued on the "alert" status
because the danger of enemy bomb
ings has not been entirely elimi-
mated.
Posts Maintained
Under the present plan the spot
ting posts of the state will be main
tanned and telephone service con-
tinued. To keep the organization in
tact "a four-hour shift will be on
duty each Wednesday between
and p M. starting October 13. In
surprise alerts, patterned
after the tests used in the civilian
defense system, will be called at in
tervals by the Army.
Mr. Ehinger was high in praise |
of the work done by the civilian
spoilers in Delaware. Il can not
speak too highly of the splendid
service and sacrifice given by our
men and women to keep the service
intact. Frequently this was under
very discouraging conditions and
Ndo d iedl hSip " Jul SOuHliSs
he said
The service director pointed out l
that Delaware was the first state to
the system back in July of
1941 The first test of the Della
ware system followed in October
Of that year and on the Army call
The system was able to go into "a
hour service the day after the Jap
inese attack on Pearl Harbor.
THE early days of the service
we're hard. We had no shelter for
)ur men and women who had tC
stand out in the cold and wet
weather to watch for airplanes."
le said. Later the persons working
II the posts or interested persons
II the communities built shelters.