Evening star., 1950-07-11
DC. Guard Units
Concentration
Firing Big Guns
Training Schedule
For Heavy Artillery
Suddenly Speeded Up
By Williom J. WheotIey
Sior Staff Correspondent

FORI MILES, DEL, July H.
Field training Of the District Ma
tional Guard anti-aircraft artil-
lery troops here has been suddenly
centered on the big guns-the 90
millimeter size.
Tempo Of the activities also has
been stepped up.
In normal peacetime the firing
at targets was not held until the
last few days Of the encampment.
But the big guns are scheduled to
start their service firing tomorrow.
Planes have been ordered to
bring their targets on the range
tomorrow afternoon, and shoot
ing will 60 on until the end of the
camp. weather permitting. But
the officers admitted they were
focusing their attention on getting
as many full gun crews as possible
in top shape during their stay
here. g..
Personnel Reassigned.
In order to get the heavy gun
units up to full strength. enlisted
personnel. particularly noncom-
missioned officers, are being taken
from other organizations here and
assigned to the big gun batteries.
Most of the personnel is being
taken from the automatic weapons
battalions.
The strengthening orders are re-
ported to have come from higher
echelons.
The heavy guns, temporarily
brought into this camp. were sud-
denly moved out during lunch
hour yesterday for a 40-mile over
land trip to their firing point at
Bethany Beach, Del. That is only
20 miles down from the coast, but
a bridge out on this coastal high
way forced a longer trip.
Job Starts at Once.
When the gun conveys arrived
at Bethany Beach, the work of
setting them in position went for
ward Immediately. Half of the per-
sonnel was sent to nearby barracks
for lunch. while the other half
worked on the guns until its turn
arrived. It was midafternoon be-
fore all the troops were fed.
All Of the guns were in place on
the beach. shielded by the high
dunes blown up by the wind. The
generators for the electric current
for the operation Of the batteries
Mereain place and a field dressing
station and radio equipment set
,up. sS H
Details Of hooking up the cir
cults and checking the gun points
for basic firing information were
being pressed forward today
Other changes in the training
program. which was mapped out
weeks ago before development of
the Korean situation. are expected
momentarily. These are expected
to involve some revision of the
program of the automatic weapons
battalionS.
Assignments Made.
Brig. Gen. William H. Aben-
droth. commanding the Guard
and this camp, announced the
following officer assignments for
the training period, published to-
day by 1t. Col. Robert F. Cocklin,
chief of staff:
Assistant chief of staff for air,
Capt. William r. Mccall; camp
adjutant and personnel officer,
Maj. George j. Morey; intelli-
gence, Maj. c. r. Mobley: plans
and training. Maj. Allan G. Crist;
supplies, Maj. Paul K. Bailey;
surgeon. Col. Samuel Taggart;
assistant adjutant general, Capt.
Stewart G. Cook; provost mar
shall, 1t. Col. George o. Weber.
Transportation officer, Maj. Ed
mund F. Kennedy; public rela-
tions officer, 1t. John H. Bolton;
athletic and recreation officer, 1t.
Harvey D. Hill: aide de camp, 1t.
Edwin Eads, and signal officer,
Capt. Jack Vaughn.