Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-01
By CHARLES A. McALEER
Star stan Correspondent

1 INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. Aug
II. - More than 1000 National
iGuardsmen from Maryland and
Virginia, many of them from the
Washington area, have taken
over this Pennsylvania military
base on their annual two-week
summer training.
| They are members of the Ma
tional Guards Goth Infantry Di-
vision. here for a second-straight
year. It's the same division whose
familiar blue and gray patch
won fame in two world wars
the outfit which landed on the
beaches Of Normandy on D-Day
1914.
! They're starting their second
week Of their i5-day encanp-
ment today.
Top Peacetime Turnout
It means more firing on the
ranges. more hikes, more tactical
lbivouacs-all designed to tough
en- UP the. summer soldiers.
So far, everyone is enthusiastic
over the shape of the division
from Maj. Gen. Henry c. Evans.
I59-year-old division commander.
on down. It's the largest peace
time turnout In the divisions
history. And. from the observers
view. 1t appears the division
stands ready for any emergency
that might arise.
Gen. Evans, in civilian life is
Ia Baltimore investment banker.
Many Of his men hold equally
responsible positions the other
so weeks Of the year. For some,
this is their two weeks "vaca-
ton" For others. it is military
leave from their civilian pur-
suits. In one week, they've man
aged to blend themselves into a
strong fighting team.
The Washington area is rep
resented by two companies of the
115th Infantry Regiment, Mary
lands county" regiment, and
two batteries Of the divisions
224th Field Artillery Battalion.
Service Company. 115th Regi-
ment. Of Silver Spring. is COM
Imanded by Capt. Robert E. Bull
lard, Rockville attorney living at
10013 Portland road, Silver
Spring. Heavy Mortar Company
of Kensington Is led by Capt.
Leslie c. Hurt, of 3005 Blue
Ridge road. Wheaton Hills. The
Paths Battery A Of Greenbelt
lis commanded by Capt. Baxter
Phillips Of Laurel, while Battery
&c of Laurel is led by Capt.
Charles Phillips. a hometown
product. A number of Washing
ton residents belong to the
Maryland units.
Southern Maryland also is rep
resented. Three units of the l2lst
Engineer Battalion, one time
District Of Columbia National
Guard unit, has three companies
there.
Among Virginia Units
Among the Virginia units is
the 116th Infantry Regiment.
The 10th, q unit where Con-
federate flags get equal billing,
is the regiment which landed
first on Omaha Beach in Nor
mandy. Its Bird Battalion has
more than 500 men, nearly half
from the Winchester area. It's
the largest battalion Of che 10th,
and has many veterans Of its
combat actions.
Men of the 115th and l16th
spent three days last week living
in camouflaged pup tents in
the woods under simulated COM
bat conditions. While there, they
underwent tactical training of
the infantrymen, participated in
night problems, and had to OBJ
serve "lights-out" conditions at
all times.
The 115th had q unique sys-
tenn Of country fair" type in
struction, some II different
teaching stations with the troops
rotating among them. At meal
times, they reverted back to
their bivouac areas.
But despite their camoufiage
and efforts to hide themselves,
they weren't quite hidden.
Whitehead ice cream vendors
still managed to find them and
had easy times disposing of their
wares.
Saturday. the area Guardsmen