Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-03
By oAEER ANDERSON

by ONxEh ANOEkSSON
North American Newspaper Alliancs)
MUNICH, Aug. Sit may look
an era of push-button warfare
to the Pentagon, but here on
the edge OF the Iron Curtain Of
the United States Army is tax
ing its cue from Davy Crockett.
The buckskin-clad frontiers
man would feel right at home
at the 5th Infantry Divisions
Red Diamond patrol school at
. training area in Northern Ba-
varia.
Here nobody worries, or even
talks about, radioactive fallout
or intercontinental ballistic mis-
siles. Instead. the city-bred SOLE
diers, from private to sergeant
first class, are taught 10 move
in the woods as silently and ef-
fortress as did the frontiersman.
leaving no trail of thier passing.
They learn to travel light.
With an ak. q knife or q gar
rote. the Army's version Of Davy
Crockett learns to pull down an
enemy sentry swiftly and silently
and then pass on undetected. He
learns to report accurately what
his eyes. ears and nose tell him.
Buck Rogers Era?
For the Army Just refuses to
believe that Buck Rogers has
taken over entirely. There win
always be plenty Of space for
woodcraft among the wonder
weapons.
Early in the four-week course
each trainee picks Q buddy,
Thereafter the buddies are In
separable. Praise for one man
falls equally on his buddy: sim
larly, each man shares the
consequences Of his buddy's
mistakes.
This. too, Is o throwback to
the frontier era when woodsrnen
travelled In pairs. But the Army
says it isn't being sentimental,
that the custom has o scientific
basis.
The Army has found that 10y
atty to q fellow soldier often will
expand the powers and capabil-
titles Of the average man beyond
Imagination. Success breeds con-
ndence and confidence takes him
on to new and more difncult
tasks.
Trainees are selected for their
superior physical fitness, emo
tional stability and mental alert
ness. The instructor staff at the
Indian warfare school all come
from the Army's Ranger (Com-
mando) School at Fort Ben
ming, Ga.
The CT Davy Crocketts are run
through an incredibly tough
physical conditioning course.
Double-time Is the order Of the
day whenever the students are
In the school area, and either
pullups or pushups are required
prior to eating meals.
Confidence Is Key
Confidence in his ability to
carry out Q patrol mission and
return safely Is Of tremendous
Importance to the young CT.
declares the Army. Veterans Of
World War II and Korea pa
trolling lend the faculty an air
Of authority.
A river croSSing-undetected
and IN the best Indian-war man
ner-is one OF the most difficult
patrol tests. The technique
taught is the same used by the
frontiersmen-rope bridges and
brush RATS. The RATS in fact are
a deliberate copy Of the brush
RATS used by frontiersmen to
get their equipment across swol-
len streams.
Each man makes his own raft
and crosses under his own
power. In addition, the men have
to execute river crossings on
rope bridges.
Seventy-flye per cent Of the
training course is conducted out
doors. To sharpen the soldier.
woodsman's eye for details, he
is drilled on road and bridge
conditions. map and aerial photo
reading and techniques of OBJ
Servation.
Enough concession is made to
modern warfare to enable the
soldier to blend modern equip
ment with woodcraft in the way
best suited to carry out . patrol
mission.
Motorized patroling; commu-
nication through light aircraft;
hehcopter movement, supply and
evacuation and radio communi-
cation-all are worked into the
course.