Smyrna times. [volume] (Smyrna, Del.) 1854-1987, 1943-10-07
SPOILERS HERE
ARE RELEASED
Spoilers Released
From Routine Duty; Placed
on "Alert" Status
Spoilers PRAISED

SPOTTERS PRAISED
More than 200 airplane spoilers
in the two Smyrna spotting posts
were released from routine duty
and placed on an "alert" status
Monday night at 6 o'clock by the
Army, in a move designed to re-
lease civilian defense workers in
this unit throughout the country
for other duties. The order affects
100000 civilian volunteers serving
at $500 observation posts and 43
filter centers throughout the coun-
try. There are no filter posts in
Delaware, the spoilers here report
ing to the Philadelphia filter post.
Civilian Defense officials here en-
phasized that the order in no way
effects the three district warning
centers of the state, the control
centers, or the various civilian de-
tense groups.
Affects Only Volunteers
Army information centers, man.
ned by military personnel under the
direct command of the fighter COM
Imands protecting the borders will
continue full-time operations. The
Iorder-directed only at the civilian
volunteer setup-will not diminish
in any way the watch maintained
by military posts, ships at sea and
others in the aircraft warning net.
Details of the new alert plan were
discussed Saturday at the New
York meeting called by the Second
Service Command. George Ehing-
er, State director, and Gerrish Gas
saway, executive vice-chairman of
the State Council of Defense, at
tended.
vi ilcib SIdtuS
Mr.. Ehinger pointed out that the
organization would be continued on
the "alert" status because the dan
ger of enemy bombings has not
been entirely eliminated. Under the
ipresent plan the spotting posts of
the state will be maintained and
telephone service continued. To
keep the organization intact four
hour shift will be on duty each
Wednesday between l and 5 p. M,
starting Oct. Is. In addition sur
prise alerts, patterned after the
tests used in the civilian defense
system, will be called at intervals
by the Army.
Spoilers Praised
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
was real help to our country" he
said. The service director pointed
out that Delaware was the first
state to organize the system back
in July of 1941. The first test Of
the Delaware system followed III
October of that year and on the
Army call the. system was able tc
go into 24-hour service the day af.
ter the Japanese attack on Pear
Harbor.
Early Days Hard
1.-The early days of the service
were hard. We had no shelter fol
our men and women who had tt
stand out in the cold and wet
weather to watch for airplanes,
he said. Later the persons working
at the posts or interested persons
in the communities built shelters
! Civilian Defense Officials of Smyr.
ma joined with Mr.. Ehinger in ask.
ing that the workers released &c
into other phases of defense activ.
lily. They pointed on t there is
more, than ever a need to be watch.
full for sabotage and a need to helE
with the civilian effort toward win.
ming the war. The First Fighter
Commands aircraft warning net
reaches from Maine to Florlda
along the coast and extends INLAND
to varying depths, the defense com
mand said. Civilian volunteers af.
fected in the area total approxim.
ately 100000 ground observers
manning 1914 observation posts
and 10000 plotters, filterers, tellers
and others in 10 filter centers.