Evening star., 1952-09-27
Speeiol Dispatch 10 The Stor

Speeiol Dispatch 70 The Stos
QUANTICO, Va, Sept. 81
Battle-togged Leathernecks staged
"a starkly-realistic amphibious
demonstration this morning at
Quantico Marine Base for a large
group of American business lead
ers from all sections of the Nation.
The Marines gave the visitors a
real inside look at how the Marine
air-ground team clicks in an as
sault on fortified positions and the
role each unit plays in an amphib-
ious landing.
The demonstration was put on
for the 14th Joint Civilian Orien-
tation Conference which is con-
vened four times a year by the
Secretary of Defense, and whose
membership is made up of top
executives representing American
business. finance. labor, educa-
ton. civic leaders and the pro-
feSSionS.
Jets Drop Bombs.
First. came the air phase of
two exercises with swift flying
jet aircraft streaking across the
terrain raining bombs and rock
cts on enemy positions with dev-
astating effects.
Helicopters swarmed of a SIM
ulated carrier deck, and like giant
dragonflies scuttled low over the
enemy terrain and disgorged
swarms of battle-clad Marine in
fantrymen who were engaging the
enemy in a matter of minutes
after landing.
Other helicopterS dropped field
artillery and ammunition. The
75-mm. guns were in action as soon
as they hit the ground. Other
'copters" dropped ammunition and
supplies and laid lines of COM
munication from the air.
After the air demonstration, the
distinguished guests were taken
to a second area. There a lake
had been carved out Of the hilly
Virginia soil to reproduce a beach
where actual landings from the
ocean to enemy shores could be
effected. Demolition were exploded
to simulate naval bombardment
and aerial bombings.
Bunker Assaulted.
The second demonstration got
underway with a Leatherneck
squad assaulting an enemy bunker,
in front Of the spectators stand,
with rifle fire. rockets and flame
throwers, to give the guests a
complete understanding of the
infantryman's role in warfare.
Naval bombardment raked the
shores while jets streaked over the
enemy positions unloading bombs
and rockets to soften up the posi-
tons for the landing that was to
follow. Underwater demolitions
men swan to the obstacles on the
shores and blasted a path for the
oncoming LVT's, split seconds be-
fore the landing craft hit the
beach.
Once landed. the Leatherneck
infantrymen raced forward to at
tack eight fortified concrete posi-
tions with rifle fire. bazookas,
flame throwers. They were sup
ported by Marine tanks.
In the final phase Of the as
sault, an enemy tank, with sides
painted a bright red. came hurt
ling down out Of the hills in a
desperate counterattack, only to
be stopped with several direct
75-mm. blasts from a friendly
tank.
Enemy infantrymen swarmed
down the hills in the tanks wake,
and were met by a deadly hail
of automatic rifle and machine
gun fre which stopped them cold.
Guests Listed.
Among the guests were John
d. Rockefeller Ill. Capt. Ed
die Rickenbacker. president Of
Eastern Airlines: George D. Stod-
dard, president of the Univer-
sity Of Illinois; John P. Marquand,
novelist; Mark Ethridge. publisher
of the Louisville Courier-Journal
and Times; r. Allen Griffin. Cali
fornia publisher, and James w.