Evening star., 1946-12-22
THE SUNDAY STAR, Washington, D. G.
SUNDAY, pECEMBER a. i746.
Air Infantry Stressed
In Rapid Expansion Of
ID. T.. Reserve Units
By Nelson M. Shepord

Airborne infantry is being en-
phasized in the rapid building up
of the Organized Reserve in the
District of Columbia. The local
317th Glider Infantry Regiment be-
ing one of the first Reserve units of
this mobile type activated in the
United States, the War Department
disclosed yesterday.
Col. j. E. Hatcher, one of nine new
unit commanders appointed last
week, heads the glider outfit. Two
battalions have been activated to
date. The job of preparing for air.
borne training has been assigned to
Capt. Lennis Jones, who won the
Distinguished Service Cross in the
Ardennes counter offensive.
With close attention being given to
new weapons, the District Reserve
also is forming one of the first
rocket units to supplement its field
artillery. Known as the 473rd Rocket
Battalion, it will be equipped even
tually with the latest type of As
rockets. Major G.. r. Norris has
been named its commander.
Full Strength to Exceed 20,000.
Approximately 5,10O Reserve Off
GERS apd 3,712 enlisted men have
signed for active duty in the Mill
tary District of Washington and
officials anticipate the full strength
of the organization will exceed 10000
officers and men. Steps also are be-
ing taken, it was learned, to organ
ize colored regiment.
Reserve headquarters has been
established in the Mayfair Apart
ments, 2115 C street NV, where
Col. Julian Wallace Cunningham,
senior instructor in command, is
setting up his staff. A veteran of
the war in the Pacific, he won the
Distinguished Service Medal in 1943
for direction of the assault at Arawe,
New Britain. He was then briga-
dier general.
Later, a Provisional Corps Head
quarters will be set up in the Dis
trict with a lieutenant general in
command of complete staff. The
commanding general has not been
selected.
Is Other Units Are Planned.
The units activated and recog-
nized by the War Department in
clude the BIT Glider Infantry; Head
quarters and Headquarters Battery,
423rd Field Artillery Group; the
473rd Rocket Battalion, 484th Field
Artillery Battalion (105 nm. howit-
zers), 782nd Armored Tank Bat
TALON and the 812 Ordnance Base
Depot Company.
In addition to the activated units,
it was reported some Is other units
are being formed to give the whole
reserve movement in the District an
impetus.
Training already has begun in the
activated units. Col. Hatcher is now
attending the new course in air
transport at Fort Benning, Ga,
where latest instruction is being
given regular and reserve officers
in all types of infantry transporta-
tion.
Requisitions were submitted Fri
day for equipment needed for class
.C units, the preliminary classiflca-
stien given to all reserve units until
they ats qualified sclass A units,
fully ready for any M-day mobiliza-
tion. The equipment being ordered
includes mortars, pistols, carbines,
jumping equipment, vehicles and
whatever else is needed to begin ac-
tive training. ssss.s.
/ Air Field To Be Assigned
So far as glider training IS @con-
cerned, the War Department will
assign a nearby field for that pur-
pose when the regiment is ready.
The initial phase of reserve train
ing is done in lecture courses at
the Mayfair Apartments under
supervision of picked War Depart
ment instructors.
The proposed colored unit is slated
to become a provisional infantry
regiment. Questionnaires are being
sent out to more than 1000 colored
Reservists in the Washington Mill
tary District, asking their preference
and interest in the formation Of al
unit. Approximately 200 colored Re-
serve officers with war records have
signed for active duty.
MDW headquarters announced
Yesterday the appointment Of addl-
tional commanders of local Reserve
units as follows:
Mai. j. E. Montgomery, 484th Field
Artillery Battalion.
1t. Col. j. w. Hudson, Provisional
Engineer Combat Battalion.
1t. Col. M. Shaw, Provisional En-
gineer Combat Battalion.
Rail Battalion Included.
Col. Newman Smith and Col. P.
H. McElwee, who will head the Of
ficers' Reserve Component Groups
for general instruction in all
branches of the Reserve. /
Col. John Lemp, Headquarters and