The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1949-07-22
NATIONAL GUARD
ACTIVATE5 FIRST
UNITS IN ALASKA
Five Organizations in In
terror 10 Follow Ju-
neau and Nome

Adjutant General Of the Alaska
National Guard, reports that acti-
walton of National Guard units
has started in earnest.
Three units have been inspected
for Federal recognition by Col
Everett L. Epson, inspector general
Of the US. Army in Alaska, and
it is expected that five more Will
have been activated by September
Is.
The Juneau unit was the first to
be organized, inspection having
been made May IL. Juneau Ma
tional Guardsmen are Capt. Joseph
A. Mclean, commanding officer
and Judge advocate; Capt. George
A. Matson, personnel; Capt. Joseph
M. Shofner, intelligence; Capt.
Arthur H. Walker, Sgt. John M
Tanaka, chief of the Adjutant Gen
eral section; Sgt. Vern Metcalf,
assistant intelligence officer; Sgt.
Roland v. Edwards, operations
sergeant, and Sgt Alan Marcum,
assistant supply officer.
The first field units were orga-
nized in the coastal areas. Col.
Alexander went to Nome June %,
and has been busy since on their
establishment.
Six officers appearing July 5 be-
fore the Federal Board for Recog-
milton of Officers for Commission
were recommended to Washington,
DC. for Guard commissions.
Recommended for commissions in
the Nome Headquarters ana Head
quarters Detachment, First Scout
Battalion, are:
Capt. william L. Angel, superin-
tendent of schools; End 1t. Robert
M. HoIeerg, C.A.A. supervisor; End
1t. Daniel A. Jones, assayer for the
Department of Mines, and End Lit.
Wesley A. Welch OF the Nome Light
and Power Company.
For Company A were End 1t.
Thomas N. Martin, owner of the
Nome Bakery, and Theodore l..
Newhouse of C.A.A.
Comprising the board were Co..
Alexander, President; Maj. Philip
Nabbe, surgeon, and LIST 1t. Tom H.
Owen, recorder.
These units assembled July ID
for Federal inspection conducted
by Col. Epson, who gave a talk on
National Guard traditions and the
Importance of the Guard to the
Community.
A preliminary inspection of NC
activities at Nome was made by
Maj. Gen. Stanley l.. Scott, COM
manding general, us. Army in
Alaska, and Col William N Taylor,
director of organization and train
ing. They expressed great satisfac-
ton with the calibre and personnel
of the units, as well as the COM
munity spirit behind the organiza-
ton.
Col. Alexander expressed pleasure
that the groups assembled for Fed
eral inspection far exceeded the
required minimums for Federal re-
cognition, as shown by these COM
parative figures: for battalion
headquarters officer, two en-
listed men required; four officers
and four enlisted men appeared. For
Company A, two officers and Is
enlisted men required; two officers
and SO enlisted men appeared.
The Company A contingent in
cludes 90 King Islanders spending
the summer at Nome, working as
craftsmen.
The first field units organized in
the coastal areas will be followed
according to the Adjutant General
by organization of Companies d
and E at Bethel; B at Unalakleet
C at Kotzeaue and F at Fort
Yukon
A building for headquarters and
supply storage warehouse has been
completed at Bethel, and contracts
have been let for similar struc-
ture at Nome, scheduled for CON-
pletion by the end of July.
M-Sgt. H. I. Lucas, Jr., returned
Tuesday from Nome and Anchorage
where he had served as part o
the activation team headed by Col
Alexander, senior instructor, ant
which includes also 1t Tom H
owen, instructor, and M-Sgt. W
w. harrington, assistant instruc
tor.
Also in the National Guard in
structor detachment are officer.
who will work in the field from
Juneau headquarters. rotating
among the various units to con
duct instruction and supervise ad
minisration.
In this group are Maj. Emory w
Kunkle, a reserve officer on tenn
porary army duty, who will in
struct in the Anchorage Fairbank
area; 1t. Claude L. Mcbride, in
structor for the Bethel area; an,
M-Sgt Meredith H Jelsma; Sgi
1st CT. Ralph H. Humboldt AM
Sgt. Donald F. Shantz, who's
assignments will be in the Anchor
age. Fairbanks and Nome district!