Evening star., 1943-07-04
Members of the Maryland State
Guard and Minutemen were ordered

Members of the Maryland State
Guard and Minutemen were ordered
off active mobilization last night
after a State wide half day practice
alert in which Baltimore units of the
guard attempted to fight off SIM
ulated attack on the city by para
troopers and fifth columnists.
The afternoon mobilization. how
ever. was just preliminary for the
9th Battalion of the State Guard in
Prince Georges County, who re-
manned at the Hyattsville Armory
last night after an afternoon drill
and today planned a 10-mile hike
with full packs and rifles, accord
ing to 1t. Col. Caesar L. Aiello, the
battalion commander.
A 80 per cent turnout in Prince
Georges County was reported.
The State Guard and Minutemen
in Frederick, Montgomery and How
ard Counties reported that over
1000 men had participated in the
mobilization in these counties. 1t.
Col. E. Brooke Lee, commander of
the 7th Battalion of the State Guard,
led the drills in extended marching
order, riot formations and gas-mask
use in the afternoon mobilization.
Remained on Alert.
The militiamen, modified through
out the State during the afternoon,
were sent back to their homes at 7
o'clock in the counties and at 8
o'clock in Baltimore City. the Asso-
ciated Press reported. All were Or
dered to be alert throughout the
night for possible rehabilitation.
officials of guard headquarters at
the 5th Regiment in Baltimore de-
clared that LIZA enlisted guardsmen
and 1872 guard officers had reported
for duty within an hour and Is min
utes after the mobilization was Or
dered.
In the same period. they said,
2,199 Minute Men and 104 officers
of that organization responded.
During the practice attack on
Baltimore, troops designated as the
enemy, captured the entire staff OF
the Second Guard Battalion. headed
by Maj. Joseph Thompson, in a
downtown building.
Enemy is Captured.
Two attempts to capture city po-
lice headquarters were unsuccess-
full.
Guard officers announced that the
first attempt had been ruled out
because the enemy troops" attacked
prematurely. On the second at
tempt, two truckloads of men were
captured before they reached Bal
timore police headquarters and were
taken prisoners.
Throughout the man euvers,
guardsmen carried full equipment,
including arms. but they were is
sued no ammunition.
The entire operation was under
the direction of Brig Gen. Francis
A. Petrott, acting commander Of
the State Guard in the absence
of Brig. Gen. Dwight H. Mohr, who
is in London.
Units of guardsmen in Baltimore,
garbed in fatigue clothes and with
their faces darkened like Com
mandos, attempted to infiltrate
through defenses hastily erected by
other guardsmen and strike at vital
buildings and installations.
Tactical problems were held only
in Baltimore, but guardsmen and
Minute Men we're held in readiness
throughout the State.
Some Towns Excited.
Gen. Petrott and other officers Of
the guard-Lt. Col. Paul Suther-
land, acting adjutant, and 1t. Col.
Foster B. Davis, plans-training off,
cer-issued this explanation Of the
alert:
This problem is being executed
to display to the citizens of the
State the military security the
State has to afford. 1t also demon
strates how soon the State Guard
can mobilize and the number of
men. in the time allotted. It
gives all officers concerned a chance
to display their officer leadership
with no advance information as to
what the situation might be. = ="
Some cities reported that consid-
cradle excitement was created by
the surprise alert, although in some
instances guardsmen appeared on
the streets before the actual issuance
of the mobilization order at 2:25 pm.
Outlines Situation.
Gen. Petrott issued orders to the
Guard to meet this assumed situa-
ton:
Fifth columnists in and around
Baltimore held meetings last night
at which they formulated plans to
seize downtown Baltimore, destroy
communications and loot banks.
The fifth columnists were ordered
to hold their positions until about
300 paratroopers who had been based
on a carrier ship of Rehoboth, Del,
had time to arrive.
Axis planes began flltering through
our air patrol early this morning. A
defense worker on his way to work
reported to the State police at Ben
son substation that paratroopers