Evening star., 1951-12-08
Capital Defenses
Tested by Mock
Bombing Attack
Commondos Captured,
Fires Under Control
In Paper Exercise

In Paper Exercise
The situation was under con-
troll today in the Washington area
still harassed-in theory-by hos
tile paratroopers and fires left in !
the wake of a bombing attack.
Scattered remnants of 1900
enemy" commandos were being
rounded up on the Northwest ap-
proaches to Washington, and fires
at Cabin John, Md. and the Cap
itol Hill section of the District
were reported under control.
Meanwhile, counter-blows by
the Navy eliminated the threat
of an attack upon Washington,
Baltimore and nearby military in
stallations with guided missiles
launched from submarines off
Ocean City. Md.
Hospitals Theoretically DESTROYED.
With many local hospitals
either crippled or destroyed, some
1000 casualties had been removed
to Richmond and cities in nearby
Maryland. it was reported. There
was no estimate of the death"
toll.
Meanwhile, weary stats of vol
unteerS and units under command
Of the Military District of Wash
ington were winding up their re-
ports and going home after some
80 hours on duty at emergency
communications centers in the
area.
The exercise, which involved no
movement of troops or aircraft,
was almost wholly on paper ex-
cept for those who manned the
communications network, planned
the reactions to developing situa-
tions, and issued the orders and
communiques.
Test for Defense Setup.
The mock attack on Washing
ton on the 10th anniversary of the
sneak bombing of Pearl Harbor
was designed to test the planning
and staff work of military and ci-
william organizations.
The exercise, in all probability,
will be followed by others bring
ing the public into active partici-
patton.
Only one residential group was
drilled yesterday. Some 1000 de-
|pendents of officers and enlisted
men living on the South Post at
Fort Myer were moved out under
direction of afraid wardens.
They were transported by bus
and truck to a designated shelter
area in the basement of a laun-
dry on the North Post.
The paper" raid. as reported
over the network connecting the
military with civil defense setups,
developed rapidly after the first
yellow alert" was flashed at 1:15I
o'clock yesterday afternoon, when
hostile bombers were spotted over
Montreal.
Pentag0n Is Target.
An hour later IS four-engined
enemy" bombers were engaged
by fighters over Syracuse. but sol
OF them penetrated the outer de-
fenses. At $50 an atomic bomb
aimed from high altitude at the
Pentagon burst in the vicinity of
Cabin John, Md. on the opposide
side Of the Potomac.
All buildings on both sides of
the river were destroyed within a |
mile radius, and fires spread out
ward for another mile around the
area of total destruction. Later 4
Maryland civil defense authorities
reported 1000 litter cases were be-
ing sent to hospitals in other
cities, and there were 5000 am
bulatory cases. Some 5000 per-
sons were reported homeless.
At $3.50 the parachutists were
reported landing near Congress
sional Airport in Montgomery
County. Md. and civilians were
warned to barricade themselves
indoors. Troops dispatched to
contain and destroy the COM
mandos fought an all-night battle
before gaining control. @
Capitol Hill Area Hit.
At the same time, some IS air.
craft dropped A tons of demo-
lition bombs in the Capitol Hill
area. bounded by Mcmillan Res
ervoir on the North, Washington
Channel and the Navy Yard on
the South. and by Eleventh and
Fourth streets on the West and
East.
The Capitol was hit and dam
aged, but remained "usable." while
Union Station was partly destroy
ed. Large fires burned all night
in the residential area. and were
brought under control this morn
ing. Meanwhile. Sibley and Prov
idence Hospitals had been de-
stroyed. and Casualty. Garfield
and Freedmen's suffered severe
damage. Some 1000 wounded
were sent to Richmond. it was re-
ported.
Half of the Districts water
supply was knocked out. The
public was warned to boil suspect
water and conserve the supply.
They were told to keep off the
streets and not to use the tele-
phone except in case of extreme
emergency.
Headquarters for District, Mary
land and Virginia civil defense
units were set up in Government
buildings at Gravelly Point, near
the airport. J.
- o. -