Evening star., 1951-07-16
Guardsm,en
For First Firing
Delaware Training
| Will Include Week
Of forget Practice
By William J. Wheutley
Sfor Sfuff Correspondent

CAMP DUNCAN. Bethany
Beach. Del, July 16.-The long,
slim gun barrels Of the 90-mm.
guns of the 340th Anti-AircrAft
Gun Battalion Of the District of
Columbia National Guard, are set
in place on the oceans edge here
today pointing ominously IKE
fingers of death into the sky,
The crews have received their
last-minute instructions on firing
and safety precautions. as they
load for their first firing this
afternoon. and are all ready to
go. Only the weather will stop
them. Their firing oper ations are
restricted to afternoon because. of
agreement, it was said, between
the military authoritie and those
operating the big fishing fleets
which daily cruise the area. In
the morning the fishermen get
the ocean and in the afternoon
the boats clear out of the danger
areas and the military takes over.
Big Rifles in Position.
Four of the big rifles with
which the District battalion is
currently equipped have been
hauled through the deep sands
by the giant caterpillars which
snake them with ease t. the posi-
tions selected. There the crews
unlimbered them, and ran the
long communication lines which
operate he tracking and range
finding mechanisms which enable
the gunners to pin-point the fast
moving targets.
Once set-up they win remain in
position to the end of the week
when the District Guardsmen
pack up and prepare to return
home next Sunday to await the
call which may come at any time
to enter Federal service. The
Group Headquarters and two of
the gun battalions of the District
National Guard already are in
Federal service, together with two
battalions of military .,olice.
The troops were all back in camp
at last midnight when their passes
expired. The midnight leave end
ing was fixed to assure that the
troops would get full nights rest
to prepare them not only for the
work tonight, but for the strenuous
program which will be continued
Throughout the week. The same
restrictions prevailed at Fort Miles
where the Headquarters, Head
quarters Detachment and the
104th Ordnance Maintenance COM
+ panleS are in training.
r Rations Are Better.
The troops reported that the
quality and quantity of their ra-
: tions have improved materially
, and rather suddenly following the
early expose of the apparent break
/ down in the supply service which
: put them on what they claimed
were half rations.
Brig. Gen. Clifford Al.drus, dep
uty commander of the Second
Army at Fort George G. Meade,
Md, today is inspecting the Dis
trict troops at their training sta
tions in the field here. He is being
accompanied by Brig. Gen. Will
liam H. Abendroth, commander Of
: the District National Guard and
: Of all the National Guard troops
at camp in these areas. These in
clude troops both from Virginia
e and Ohio.
The troops at the base camp at
;. Fort Miles, Is miles northward
: along the coast, set out with re-
: newed vigor on the second week
? of their training schedule, after a
,, weekend of recreation on their
own. Like last week, they face q
very trying schedule Of daily rou-
! tine training activities, and school
' in the evenings, which will leave
them with very little time for
, recreation outside the camp.