Laurel outlook., 1944-07-19
Men Trained to
Bust Pillboxes
Success of Allied Troops in
Invasion of Europe Due
To Hard Drilling.

WASHINGTON. - Some Of the
bravest soldiers in the U. S. army
1t was a job only for the brave
made the initial land attack On the
Fortress of Europe by knocking out
plllboxes and other Notifications OF
the Atlantic wall, says a story re-
leased by the war department upon
the invasion of Europe.
Assault tactics, perfected in North
Africa, Sicily and Italy, were drilled
INTO troops in Great Britain for
months before the actual invasion.
Special training was given infantry
units which were designated for the
spearhead of the attack.
The assault on concrete emplace-
ments is one of the most exciting
and dangerous operations of mod
ern war. II looks impossible, but
1t isn't, as American doughboys have
proved. The key to is plain,
old%-fashioned fortitude, spelled with
a capital G..
Originally, the reduction of forti-
ications was considered a job for
engineers. However, after some ex-
perlences, it became apparent that
it would be more effective to train
infantry with special engineer weap-
ons, and this was the technique used
in Europe.
Wire Blown to Bits.
The preparation is provided by
artillery, by naval guns, by air bonn
bardment and by waterproofed tanks
firing hull-down in the water.
There are 80 men in an assault
section-29 enlisted men and one Of
ficer. This is the capacity of the
assault boats, and it is also the most
convenient size for attacking a
single pillbox.
1t is the job of the first men
ashore to locate land mines, and
mark safe lanes with special tracing
strips.
AS part of this operation, barbed
wire must be cut, and American SOL
diers have a wonderful weapon for
this purpose. 1t is the Bangalore
torpedo, which blows a wide swatfi
through the wire.
Then the other members of the
team follow through the wire, and
move up the beach.
One of the most dramatic actions
of the assault is carried out by the
rocket gunners, firing the famous
bazookas. Their mission is to at
tack the pillboX apertures to silence
enemy fire, and the accuracy of
American rocket gunners is remark
able.
The climax Of the entire operation
played by the soldier with the
1ame-thrower and the man with the
demolition charge.
AS soon as n pillboX blows, the
,ntire section moves forward for an
'ther attack. During a landing
'peration these tactics are repeated
" many squads along a consider
bile front-there will be at least
ne division in line, and probably
more.
Fear Not Secret Weapons
All the inventive brains and me-
hanical skill at the command of
Germany went into devising
nd manufacturing weapons with
hitch to combat the Allied invasion
f western Europe. But the best
ley could devise seems to hold no
error for the Yanks.
The results range from fantastic
probabilities employing the far
lest advances of a perverted sci
nee, through bright ideas" of COM
ION killers, down to battle-suggest-
4 improvements of standard
,eapons.
Before the invasion German prop
gandists made much capital of
secret" weapons that would turn
ny tide in their favor at one fell
roke, and some of the actual Ger
AN equipment lent color to their
aims. Most of the secret weapon
TX, however, was pretty generally
ritten off as simply hot air.
The Germans necessarily have to
.ly principally on the unromantic I
.alities of fixed Notifications, artil-
ry, tanks, machine-guns, barbed !
ire, mines and men with rifles.