Evening star., 1952-07-11
Hewitt H'sEngineers
Ht South Beaches
|At Mi|Iers Creek

Al MiIIers Greek
By WiIIiom J. WheotIey
Ssar Staff Correspondent
A. p. HILL MILITARY RESER-
VATION. Va, July 11.-Hewitt's
combat engineers from Southern
Maryland and Ellicott City as
Saulted the southern beaches o1
Miller's Creek early today.
This is one of the elements OF
the Blue and Gray 29th Infantry
National Guard Division taking
their two weeks of field training
in this area.
While the creek was enshrouded
in a dawn haze, a wave of assault
boats was marched from the
northern shores to successfully
gain toehold. Under the sharp
cracking of rifle fire, the assault
boas landed their personnel. AS
the vessels were returning, a crew
of bridge engineers under 1t
Kenneth A. Hartman of Indian
Head threw a 280-foot long foot
bridge across the creek in sever
minutes.
Attackers Leave Base Camp.
The attacking group left its bast
camp at 8 o'clock last night
Sergt. Kennedy Abel was il
charge Of the assault boats Will,
|Sergt. Kirk Sterling commanded
the outfit which simulated the in
fantIy. Both are from Leonard
town and members of the 121s
Engineer Battalion commanded b,
1t. Col. Frederic (Rip) Hewitt o.
Baltimore.
Later in the day, further up the
stream, crew began laying 8
treadway bridge. They did it sue.
cessfully under frequent harass.
ment of strafing planes which
came down over the stream. A.
each plane came into sight, spot.
ters in the tall trees gave warning
and the personnel took over under
the brush on the muddy banks a.
the planes dropped bombs Of flour
1t. Francis r. Dean, Leonardtown
was in charge of this operation.
Competitive Exercises.
Competitive exercises were helc
later in the day. Corpl. E. c. Law.
renee. B Company, Leonardtown
won the individual manual ol
arms competition. Corpl. F. o
Baker, Headquarters Service Com.
pany. Ellicott City, was second.
Sergt. Joseph T. Hayden, Leon
ardtown. was first in disassembline
and assembling the MI rifle while
blindfolded The infantry compe.
tition was won by a squad from
the Leonardtown company, witt
Ellicott City second and La Plats
third. Pvt. r. w. Keeter, A Com.
pany, Prince Frederick, in /!
minute and 81 seconds disas.
sembled and assembled a machine
gun to win this event.
KenSington's '115th Infantry
Heavy Mortar Company personne
were guests of the Hyattsvill,
Tank Company tank barrage. TIL,
|Kensington troops, under 1t. Les
lie C. Hurt of Wheaton Hills ant
1t. James C. Grant, jr., Colleg,
Park. were given some rough rid
ing as the numbering vehicles spe,
over the rough terrain. Most o
the mortar men said later the,
were satisfied to remain with tina
service.
Tankmen Fire i'm Practice.
In a turnabout, the tankmel
were shown some Of the problem
|of the Kensington outfit whel
they fired sub-caliber practice OF
the range near Bowling Green
They were unable to fire full
charges because most of this typ,
|of ammunition is urgently needed
in Korea. it was said.
The service Company from Silve
Spring today sent a motor cara
van to Richmond. The operation
under the direction of Sergt
Richard L. Thompson, truckmas
ter. $500 K street NV, Wash.
|ington. involved the return of II
|new-type trucks borrowed from
the Virginia National Guard fol
this camp. They are clutchless
hydromatic drive trucks nov
being issued to Guard units by tn,
Army. Capt. Joseph w. Saunders
company commander, said thai
the Maryland unit is to get it.
quota Of these trucks as soon a.
it returns. They cost $6.344 each
Most Of the units are giving
over today to parades and inspec.
tions and getting ready for thu
movement to their home stations
tomorrow.