Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-08-25
Area Reserves
Defend Cost
BY JERRY O'LEARY, Jr.
Star stan Correspondent

Ell TORO, Calf, Aug. "a
Washington area Marine re-
servists who last week were |
engaged in prosaic civilian
tasks today are manning an
air defense radar center here
on the Pacific Coast, scanning
the skies for enemy" planes
in annual summer training
maneuvers.
The men Of Marine Air Con-
troll Squadron "a. based at
Anacostia Naval Air Station,
are quietly expert in their
work. The same organization
which was called to the colors
to a man when the Korean
War broke out. today has again
shifted to a war footing. The
Is officers and "A enlisted men
Of MACS "a made the 2,700-
mile trip to California last week
with their teammates. the fly
ing Marine reservists Of Fighter
Squadron 32l.
Commanding officer Of the
radarmen is Mai. Robert L.
Young of 4313 Rosedale ave-
nue.. Bethesda. Nd, a STAFF su.
pervisor for the Chesapeake &
Potomac Telephone Co. His
executive officer is Mai. Larry
"A. Harris Of 1904 Frontier
drive. Springfield. Va, an en-
ploye Of the Naval Research
Laboratory.
How They Work
The Reserve Marines and
their radar Scanners are set UP
in the richest orange-growing
area Of California. a few miles
from this West Coast air sta
ton. To train both pilots and
air defense ground crews, GER
tain aircraft are designated as
"bogies"-enemy planes. These
planes attempt to penetrate
the radar screen while friendly
planes patrol around the area
waiting to be vectored against
the enemy by the electronic
eyes of the Marine Corps.
The enemy" planes are
speedy F3D Skynights and
FAD Skyrays. looming through
the California skies both day
and night faster than the speed
of sound. The Washington re-
servists. with radar scopes set
to pick up intruders at 25C
miles distance. work at detect
ing the bogies and identifying
them. When this is done
friendly aircraft are contacted
by radio and given the steer
that in combat could mean the
death Of the enemy plane.
Yesterday. the Washingto.
mans scored 20 kills in 81 at.
tempts to intercept the un.
friendly planes. This type Of
performance already has wor
them the coveted Ritter Trophy
for the best Marine reserve air.
control unit. II will be pre-.
sented in ceremonies at Ana
costa next October.
Maj. Young's unit. beins
smaller than the fighter squad
ron, is more cohesive. The mer
are all technicians of great
skill and they operate NOR,
like scientists than the tradi,
tional leather-lunged Marine.
Of popular imagination.
With Phone Company
Seven Of the men work To-
the telephone company. The,
include Mai. Young: Sergt
Walter A. Hake of 12204 Dale,
wood drive, Silver Spring, Md.
Pfc. John D. Armentrout O
2709 Queens Chapel road. Mt
Rainier, Md: Capt. Robert H
Mckinley Of 1916 Military road
Arlington. Va; M/Sergt. Jane
P. O'Brien Of $50 Beacon road
Silver Spring; Sergt. Robert E
Wood of GAIA Lunar drive
Washington. and M/Sergt. Ro,
c. Belk Of 37l9 Metzerott road
College Park, Md.
There are two brother team
with the unit; Capt. Robert H
Hill Of 848 Northampton drive
Silver Spring, a metropolitan
policeman in Washington's 3r,
precinct, and his bother. 10
year-old Pfc. Jack B. Hill O
l434 Kennedy street NV.
fingerprint classifler for tn
FBI. The other brothers ar
Sergts. Hake, both of 1920
Lakewood drive. Silver Spring