Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-05-14
Getting Ready to Give
BY Walter McCallum,
Star staff CORRESPONDENT.

Our SLuU Correspondent.
AN AIR FORCE STATION IN ENG
LAND.-The man with a star on each
shoulder was pretty optimistic about the
future of glider troops. 1--WE think we
have something pretty good" he said
1--WE have enough to handle the biggest
kind of operation, as the coming show
will be-" He spoke in numbers, which
naturally cannot be revealed for security
reasons. He spoke of numbers of air.
craft, of gliders and troops which one
day will be dropped by parachute and
glider somewhere in Hitler's European
fortress. The numbers were impressive.
In airplanes alone, the tow ships which
carry the gliders into the landing zone,
and of gliders which carry men and
equipment at the end of nylon rope,
they were impressive enough.
When he spoke of the numerous
highly trained air-borne troops, and
when you saw them in training later
you came to realize how much the
American Army has gone forward in air
technique and how highly trained the
glider pilots, air-borne infantry and
parachute infantry have become since
"air- borne was baby in the United
States Army four years ago.
Strategic Technique.
The general spoke of technique for
setting gliders down in the right places,
and conveying parachute infantry to
the spots where it will do the enemy the
most harm The story of the shooting
down of some air units over Sicily by
gunfire from American naval vessels
already has been told and retold. 1t
had its aspects, however, the general
said.
Here were American airplanes over
naval vessels on which bombs were
dropping from enemy aircraft that had
gone over just before. Naturally, the
gunners opened up, thinking there had
been a mistake. There were casualties
to our men, but casualties in battle are
unavoidable
He spoke of an air-borne infantry out
fit dropped by parachute 20 miles from
the original drop zone 1T was lucky,
at that" he said Had they been
dropped in their marked spot at night
they wouldn't have liquidated the enemy
units they did. They did good job
of demoralizing the enemy at an i'm
portant time. We think this job alone
proved the value of air-borne troops"
Specialized Training.
The technique Of marking landing
zones for gliders has been carefully
worked out. 1t is highly secret, but it
also has been highly developed. There
isn't much chance, the man wearing the
star explained, of a mistaken landing
in enemy occupied territory.
Back in the United States air borne
troops have gone through specialized
training for many months. When they
reach the European theater of opera
tons they already are rugged, tough
ened men of war, ready and eager to
come to grips with the best Hitler can
put against them. No more rough,
tough outfit exists in any army than air.
borne troops, who may go into battle
by one Of three methods. They may go
in by parachute, the elite boys of air.
borne, dropping, usually at night, be-
hind enemy lines or to relieve a sorely
pressed group of ground troops.
They may go on the silent wings Of
gllders at dawn, or dusk, dropping into
small, open fields with plenty of hand
weapons and artillery, ready to do job
on Germany. OF If their predecessors,
usually parachute infantry, have been
able to capture and consolidate an en-
envy airport and transform it into
friendly territory. they may go in in the
big CATS, the standard aircraft used by
Troop Carrier Command for so many
purposes it has become known as the
workhorse of this war.
They Are Ready!
However thew on In thav ora xo,S,