The Daily Alaska empire., 1951-03-27

anu lOWldlluo Ol NliC llitcitoif bo 'Ai isolated tip of the Alsaka Peninsula will encompass all elements of U. s Army. Alaska, the Alaskan sea iron tier, and the Alaskan air command the three components which mak l up the unified Alaskan command Col. Branner P. Purdue, USARAI has been assigned as maneuver al rector. Assisting him will be Col William P. Grace, chief Army um pire, and Col. E. R. Manierre, chic Air umpire.
 AirbOrne Troops Too For the first time in the histor. of Alaskan war-games, airborn' troops will participate. These con. sist of the First Battalion from tho 505th Airborne Infantry regimen of the famous 82nd Airborne D. vision, stationed at Fort Bragg, \ O., supported by battery of lO5' nm. Alrborne Howitzers and pla' toon from the 307th Airborne En. gineers. also from Fort Bragg.
 The Dominion of Canada is co' operating by staging the paratroop- CTS at suitable locations, from whicl they will proceed north and west to conduct their paratroop drops or Alaska. Participation of these unit will test the mobility of airborne troops to move in from the conti mental United States to suppor, Alaskan defenses if and wher needed.
 Enemy" F00tholds For purpose of the maneuvers, 1 will be assumed that footholds T critical areas in Alaska nave al ready been secured by the enemy Air "aggfessor" forces, comprised of fighter, bomber and transpor aircraft clements of the Alaskan Ali Command reinforced by elements of the Alaskan Sea, Frontier, bear ing "aggressor" Identification, vii conduct bombing and strafing sor- ties, as well as airborne ''invasions. Hla ! Trained for Role
 The entire "aggressor" ground forces will be comprised of ele- ments of the 4th Infantry regiment U. s. Army, Alaska. who have beer training for their role for more thar month under field conditions. None of the multitudinous phase of actual warfare will be by-passet in this large-scale test. Evacuation of military dependents will be prac' ticed, and plans for evacuation O. military hospital personnel and pa tients will be tested. Military traffic control and coordination with civil | ian traffic control agencies will bt included, and preparation of plan for assumed evacuation of casual ties to the continental United State will be made.
 WdtCn OduONa6C
 Protective measures against sapo' tage and utilization of alternate communication facilities will b' tested, as well as the ability tt counter "aggressor" psychological warfare. Plans will be drawn fol effective control of civilians in th' event martial rule should become necessary. Orders of the type tha | would be issued to the Nationa Guard in time of war will be pre- pared. and actual volunteer partici patton by officers of the organize' | reserve corps will take place. Trained Civilians
 Civilians in communities nea | military installations, alre groomed to the proper procedur during previous readiness tests, ma. be enjoined to utilize their blackou training, for, wherever and when ever feasible, blackouts will exten' to such communities.
 Governor Ernest Gruening ha been invited to call upon Civil De fense agencies to assume the condl tions of actual warfare, so they ma i evaluate their own capabilities Il the overall situation. In time 0 actual hostilities, such organization would perform functions in con nection with damage control. TIT control, medical aid, blackout activ ities and traffic control.
 Preparedness
 AS in other maneuvers, progres of the war" will be determined b military umpires, but their job dur ing the 24-day exercise "Firestep will be enlarged many fold as re ports of action throughout the en |, tire Territory flash into headquar ters. The umpires' decisions will in dicate, as closely as possible. tn effectiveness of preparations to de
 fend Alaska and protect the north
 ern approach to the continents
 United States.