Armored Sentinel (Temple, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 33, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 27, 1953 Page: 1 of 12
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VOL. 1. No. 33
North Fort Hood which during
the past year has been used first
to train recruits and then reserv
ists will become the training site
for different battalions of the 1st
Armored Division during the next
few months Brig. Gen. Edward
G. Farrand 1st Armored Divi
sion commander revealed today.
The 100th Tank Battalion (120
mm Gun) the organization that
has acted as logistical support unit
for the National Guard units and
non divisional reservists in sum-
er training for the past three
sonths will return to South Fort
September.
It will be replaced at North Fort
by the 81st Reconnaissance Bat
talion and the battalions at North
Fort will be rotated monthly.
Following the 81st for a month's
training will be the 701st AIB in
October. Next will come the 100th
Tank then the 2nd AAA 25th AIB
and last the 4th Tank Battalion
(Med).
Each of these units will engage
in a month of field training while
at North Fort Hood.
Most of the recreational facilit
ies that are now available at North
Fort Hood will remain open for
the battalions that will train there.
General Outlines PM Campaign
HEADQUARTERS
452 (NFANTJff 0TWS1O
WISHING EACH OTHER WELL ARE Maj. Gen. Hal Muldrow Jr. (second from left) commanding
general of the Oklahoma 4oth Infantry Division (KG) and Col. Alfred H. Hopkins (center) di
rector of training at North Fort Hood.
Looking on are Col. William Van Stuck (extreme left) Chief of Staff 45th Infantry Division Lt. Col.
Kelton S. Davis commanding officer of the 100th Tank Battalion which supported all outfits and
Maj. Oscar G. Hedberg headquarters commandant at North Fort Hood.
North Fort Activity Decreases
As Last Reserve Unit Leaves
but on a smaller scale than at
present.
The announcement marked the
end of nearly a year of intensive
activity at North Fort.
Early last fall the first of thou
sands of new recruits arrived at
North Fort to begin basic train
ing. Reserve Command transfer
red to that area to conduct the
actual training for the recruits.
During the following months
thousands of trained soldiers were
turned out of the four training bat
talions.
Many of these men were ship
ped overseas as replacements and
some of them were transferred
to the 1st Armored Division at the
end of their basic.
The training companies closed
out at North Fort in early May
of this year and Reserve Com
mand moved back to South Fort.
Only the 100th Tank remained
there to give support to the var
ious reserve and National Guard
units that arrived for two weeks
summer field training.
For the past three months thou
sands of these civilian soldiers
have gone through field exercises
fired weapons and taken part in
1. Preventive maintenance means "always ready." A unit that
practices preventive maintenance IS always ready. The military
establishment today is required to use many and varied types of
equipment to accomplish its mission. This equipment includes such
items as highly complex electronic equipment tanks guns airplanes
radios clothing spare parts and tools. The cost of this equipment
runs from one cent to many thousands of dollars a wing nut and
bolt costs only $.02 but a tank cost about $200000. (dollars). If this
equipment is not properly maintained it will become a mere piece
of junk pile of scrap iron or a dirty rag. This is particularly true
in an armored division where each individual soldier has more equip
ment to maintain than any other soldier in the army. Proper and
timely maintenance of this equipment may mean the difference be
tween the successful accomplishment or total defeat of an armored
combat mission as well as save or contribute to the loss of hun
dreds of men's lives. The loss of equipment and men due to the lack
jf proper maintenance is inexcusable and the expense involved in
training new men and procuring new equipment is absolutely unnec
essary.
2. When we speak of maintenance in the army it covers a far
wider field than changing oil in your private automobile or oiling
of your .22 caliber rifle. Maintenance means inspecting cleaning
lubricating tightening adjusting stitching painting tuning replac
ing or repairing of worn parts keeping accurate records anticipating
and preventing minor things that lead to serious repair wor. In
other words "Preventive Maintenance"—"PM" as it is known—is
what we must all do in order to prevent our equipment from being
"dead-lined" and from getting beyond the possibility of repair. This
in the final analysis means a First-Class Fighting Unit as well as
conservation of our national resources.
3. In order to stimulate the interest of the entire command
conserve and economize on equipment and to accomplish our Pre
ventive Maintenance mission a Post-wide incentive and competitive
type maintenance program in the form of contests will be conducted
at Fort Hood as follows:
a. Driver of the month contest.
b. Jingle and slogan contest.
c. Quiz contest.
d. Essay contest.
4. These contests will cover Preventive Maintenance of equip
ment and material. All enlisted men and women of Fort Hood are
eligible to participate. Winning personnel participating in this pro
gram will be awarded cash prizes and passes.
5. I have appointed committees made up of personnel of the
Technical Services PIO SSO TI&E and PM of the 1st Armored
Division and Fort Hood to conduct this program and judge the
contest. Separate instructions outlining the criterion rules procedure
and prizes for each contest will be published and distributed to all
personnel of Fort Hood.
6. I am sure that this program will be constructive and educa
tional to all of us. It is my desire that all commanders get behind
this program and give it their maximum support.
EDWARD G. FARRAND
Brigadier General USA
Commanding.
(Ctt-Y
FSAWS8
week
tactical problems for two
periods of active duty.
The last of the civilian soldiers
left last weekend when some 2-
800 men of the 45th Division of
the Oklahoma National Guard com
pleted their training.
The 100th Tank will return to
South Fort within the next few
days and begin its normal cycle
of advanced individual training
along with the other units of CC-
"A" and the 1st AD.
PIO Brigadier General Wil
liam S. Biddle named as the next
commander of the 1st Armored
Division and Fort Hood has ar
rived at the Pentagon for a series
of conferences prior to assuming
the responsibilities of his new post.
The announcement of General
Biddle's arrival in the nation's ca
pital was made through a press
association dispatch from Wash
ington.
General Biddle was serving as
director of the Military Assistance
iv is on ad a it
States Uuropean Command when
he was selected to command the
sprawling central-Texas post. He
45th Division
Moves Home
To Oklahoma
PIO Guardsmen of the 45th
Infantry Division rolled north to
ward their homes in Oklahoma
in motor column as the two-week
summer training camp at North
Fort Hood drew to a close. Other
units boarded troop trains during
the early evening and the last of
the 2800 members of'the "Thun-
derbird" division were gone Sun
day.
Training in firing small arms
and artillery pieces was given
the guardsmen during the two
week camp and special courses
were held for new members of
the unit.
"We had our first opportunity
to or to he a a in a a
team" said the 45th commander
Major General Hal Muldrow Jr.
in commenting on the encamp
ment of the organization which
was re-grouped less than eleven
months ago after the Thunder
birds' return from Korea. The two
weeks spent here marked the first
time the new 45th has been as
sembled for duty in one place.
In praising the support and co
operation given his unit by offi
cials of Fort Hood and the 1st Ar
mored Division General Muld
row said "we have been able to
accomplish what we came here
for field training." He also ex
pressed the hope that the 45th wiil
return next summer for another
training period here.
An intensive recruiting program
is planned by the one hundred
companies and detachments of the
division at the home stations in
Oklahoma under a personnel cei
ling announced by Washington of
ficials. That ceiling calls for full
officer strength and near-full en
listed strength for the unit.
FORT HOOD TEXAS THURSDAY AUG. 27 1953
13 Signal Units
To Come Here
In New Buildup
PIO Thirteen signal units
from Camp San Luis Obispo Cal.
are expected to arrive at Fort
Hood sometime early in Septem
ber Colonel Ralph M. Neal dep
uty post commander revealed to
day.
They will be assigned to Post
Headquarters for administration
training and supply Col. Neal stat
ed.
Other units from various mili
tary posts in the United States are
also scheduled to be transferred
to Fort Hood.
Among the units from San Luis
Obispo slated to arrive here next
month will be one group head
quarters one headquarters detach
ment two battalion headquarters
and nine companies. They will be
quartered on Brigade avenue in
the 3700 block.
An advance party from the Sig
nal units has arrived at Fort Hood
and members of the party are
already preparing the new area
for occupancy.
The transfer of the Signal units
to Fort Hood is part of a program
announced earlier this year of clo
sing smaller installations and con
centrating troops at the larger
posts.
The signal units are the first of
several units expected to arrive
here within the next few months.
Brig. Gen. Edward G. Farrand
commander of the 1st AD and
Fort Hood announced early this
summer that troops from other
installations would be added to
the strength of Fort Hood.
Future CG Of 1st AD Arrives
In Washington For Conference
arrived in this country from Eu
rope early this week.
Brigadier General Edward G.
Farrand presently commanding
Fort Hood will remain in com
mand until the arrival of General
Biddle in late September.
The new commander is no stran
ger to central Texas citizens. He
served at Fort Hood in 1943 before
moving to a combat assignment
in Europe.
General Farrand and General
Biddle will confer later this week
when both attend the annual meet
Lt. Col. Edmonson
New Commander
Of 16th AEB
PIO Lt. Col. Carl C. Edmond-
son who served in both the Pacif
ic and European theaters during
World War II has been named
commander of the 16th Armored
Engineer Battalion 1st Armored
Division succeeding Lt. Col Wil
liam Starnes who has departed
for overseas.
Colonel Edmondson returned
from a tour of duty in Austria in
1952 and attended the Command
and General Staff College at Fort
Leavenworth Kansas before re
ceiving his assignment here. In
1946 he served in the Pentagon as
Chief of Secretariat in the Intelli
gence Division of the Department
of the Army.
He attended high school at Ak
ron Ohio where his home is lo
cated at 1851 Whyehood. He was
a 1939 graduate of Akron Univer
sity after which he was employed
by the Ohio Mechanical Sales Di
vision of the B. F. Goodrich Com
pany until being called to active
duty in the Army in 1941.
The NCO Academy of the 1st
Armored Division listed over 8
000 alumni at the conclusion of
graduation ceremonies last week.
"Mr. 8000" was Private Ernest
Fant a member of class num
ber 28.
In addressing the graduating
class Brig. Gen. Edward G. Far
rand stressed the responsibility
that the men must assume in the
buildup of the 1st Armored Divi
sion now underway. General Far
ing of the 1st Armored Division
Association in Washington.
(4th Army PIO)—Lt. Gen. I. D.
White former commander of
Corps in Korea has been named
as Commanding General of the
Fourth Army it was announced
Tuesday in Washington.
Now enroute from the Far East
General White is expected to ar
rive at Fort Sam Houston about
Oct. 1. Until his arrival Maj. Gen.
Hayden L. Boatner will continue to
command the Fourth Army.
And Two Begin
Accident-Death Free Weekends
Of Fort Hood Safety
LATEST MODEL. A shiny new Army jeep first of the new
model to arrive at Fort Hood was designated as the commanding
general's jeep and was assigned to Brigadier General Edward G.
Farrand commander of the 1st AD and Fort Hood by Lieutenant
Colonel O. C. Tonetti commander of the 123rd AOMB. Admiring
the .Jeep are Gen. Farrand left and Col. Tonetti. (U.S. Army
photo by Ryan.)
NCO Academy Lists
Over 8000 Grads
rand told the class that the 1st
Armored would be combat ready
by April 1 1954.
First honor graduate of class
number 28 was Pvt Thomas H.
Herbert A Co. 81st Reconnaissan
ce Battalion who finished with an
average of 94.51. Second place hon
ors went to Pvt Don M. Wigley
Co. 702nd Armored Infantry
Battalion with a 91.29 average.
In third place was Pvt. Herbert
Yoehle A Co. 634th Armored
Infantry Battalion who followed
closely with a 91.18 average.
In other graduations diplomas
were presented to 46 students in
the Radio Operators Course class
number 6. First place honors
went to Pvt Harrison Beasley
who averaged 92.2 followed by Pvt
Pearl Smith with an average
of 92.1. Both men are members
of Headquarters and Service Co.
634th Armored Infantry Battalion
Eleven students of class num
ber 21 finished the Small Arms
Course. The top man in the class
was Pvt Donald L. Baker Head
quarters Co. Reserve Command
with a near perfect 99 average
He was followed by Pvt John
vice Co. 81st Reconnaissance Bat
talion who had a 97 average.
BEFORE GRADUATING from the Divarty Specialist School last
Saturday the fire direction class of Baker Company 73 AFA
plots a drill. They are using range deflection fans and graphical
firing tables. The three chart operators at left are (left to right)
Pvt. Bob Lucas Pvt. Stewart Hill and Pva. James Davis. The
three battery computers at right (also left to right) are Pvt. Jack
Sowers Edward Garner and Pvt. Archie Isaacks. Sgt. Lonnie W.
Warren instructor of fire direction and WOJG William D. Wal-
drop officer in charge of fire direction instruction help and teach
the group. (U.S. Army Photo by Kuritzky)
Two Classes Finish
Artillery Courses
PIO A total of 49 men com
pleted two ten week courses at
the Division Artillery Specialist
School Saturday and 96 men mov
ed into their places a few hours
later to begin new classes.
Twenty five men completed
the Fire Direction Class and 24
the Survey Class. Forty eight
men began each new course which
will run for five weeks during this
cycle.
Pvts John .J. Sotack Jr. and
George P. Green of Hq. Divarty
and Pvt Francis E Wolfe of the
27th AFA were honor graduates
of the Fire Direction Class.
Pvts John S Rupp and Norval
Brotherton of the 91st AFA and
Pvt Jack Downs of the 68th
AFA were honor graduates of the
Survey Class.
The graduates will return to the
battalions to which they were as
signed while attending classes and
will be integrated into the fire di
rection and survey teams in their
respective battalions.
Eight men in each of the new
classes came from infantry and
tank battalions of the division.
These men are from the heavy
mortar crews of these battalions.
Labor
He further said that the high
ways will probably be more
crowded over the coming weekend
than at any other time.
"Not only will everyone face the
danger of highway accidents but
there is also the problem of water
safety. The beaches and swimming
places are as crowded Labor Day
as at any time in the year" Young
added.
At Fort Hood the Post safety of
fice plans to put on a campaign
which will include distribution of
slogans memos signs and all oth
er types of safety reminders to all
personnel.
"Our goal is to make everyone
safety conscious. If people think
about safety there is little danger
that they will get hurt" Young ex
plained.
Displays will be installed at all
of the Fort Hood gates to act as a
further reminder of the dangers of
the open road.
The safety office also plans to
carry its campaign to all organiza
tions on the Post. Each battalion
and company is being urged to
initiate displays on safety in all
of the places where troops gather
and to follow through with films
and safety classes.
The Post had a record of no
fatalities over the last holiday
weekend July 4 and there were ho
fatalities over Memorial Day.
"It is our hope to have a perfect
record for holiday weekends for
this year. We have already suffered
too many deaths and injuries in
A temporary lifting of water re
strictions which were recently ap
plied to Fort Hood and vicinity
was announced today by Col. John
E Bartlett Post Engineer.
Due to recent rains the run off
into the Lampasas River main
source of water for the Post
has been sufficient to again cause
normal flow in the stream re
lieving the critical situation which
required use of the emergency
wells to meet the water needs of
the Post and surrounding com
munities. The length of time for
which the restrictions will be lifted
will depend on the amount of wa
ter in the stream Colonel Bartlett
said.
Until further notice no restric
tions will be in effect and sprink
ling of lawns car washing and
other uses of water will be allowed
as in normal times.
The water supply of Fort Hood
Killeen Base Gray Base Kaybee
Heights Walker Village and the'
city of Killeen is now coming from
the Lampasas River according to
Colonel Bartlett and the lifting
of the restrictions which were ef
fective on August 12 applies to
each of these locations.
Until the announcement today
watering of lawns was limited to
two periods each week of two
hours each for each residence or
activity and washing of vehicles
was drastically curtailed by the
military and civilian owners alike.
—12 Pages
Officer
Looms
Day
As Most Dangerous
With a goal of a death-free accident-free Labor Day weekend in
mind officials at the Post safety office readied final plans for an
intensive antiaccident campaign Woodrow W. Young Post safety
inspector revealed today.
"Last year Fort Hood got through Labor Day weekend—probably
the most dangerous of the year—without a serious accident. This
year we want to better that record and get by without even a minor
accident" Young said.
Already final plans are being
made to put out safety displays
over the Post. Safety officials hope
to reach every person at Fort Hood
with their pleas before the week
end arrives the safety inspctor
said.
Labor Day falls on Sept. 7 and
the actual holiday weekend will
begin Saturday Sept. 5.
"Nearly everyone wants to take
a last-minute trip before the sum
mer ends and Labor Day is often
the time chosen" Young explained.
automobile accidents and it is
our hope that there are no more
this year" Young explained.
So far this year 12 soldiers from
Fort Hood have died in automo
bile accidents and six have been
injured. In addition there has been
one death due to drowning.
Hood Officials
Warn Children
Of Play Areas
With the likelihood of children
in and around Fort Hood seeking
new places to play as school days
and cooler weather draw nearer
safety officials here worried this
week about the danger of unauth
orized hikes into Post training ar
eas.
Parents are urged to instruct
their children in the following
sound safety practices:
Never wander into the range
areas.
Never pick up strange mater
ials.
Never attempt to collect shells
or bullets of any kind for souve
nirs.
Never attempt to collect shells
or bullets of any kind for souve
nirs.
If a shell or other strange mat
erial is found do not disturb it.
Report it to the Provost Marsh
al.
Never play with any type of
gun or ammunition.
So far Fort Hood has had no
accidents resulting from children
picking up seemingly harmless
shells. Other army posts however
have reported seriously injured
children victims of the harm
less dud because the children
were not properly instructed in
safety principles.
Seven Hood Officers To Attend
Annual 'Old Ironsides' Reunion
PIO The colors of all assignedI Headed by Brigadier Gener-
units of the 1st Armored Division |ai Edward G. Farrand command-
will accompany a group of seven
Fort Hood officers who will leave
early Thursday by plane for Wash
ington to attend the sixth annual
reunion of the 1st Armored Divi
sion Association.
Lampasas Run
Eases Water
Shortage Here
er of Fort Hood and the division
the group will leave at 7 a. m.
arriving in Washington after lunch
for the reunion which gets under
way Frday morning and contin
ues through Saturday.
During the reunion Woiid War
II veterans of the 1st Armored
Division will honor the pioneers
of American tank warfare in a
''Salute to Armor" ceremony. The
program will commemorate early
efforts at developing and employ
ing mass mobility and fire power
as a new offensive force.
Also attending from here will
be Colonel Alfred H. Hopkins com
mander of Division Trains Lieu
tenant Colonel Cecil A. Roberts
commander of the 4th Tank Bat
talion Major Arthur B. Rolph as
sistant division G1 and custodian
of the colors Major Robert T.
as is an to of
Training Captain Walter Gra
necki commander of Bridge Com
pany 16th Armored Engineer Bat
talion and Captain William M.
Wilkinson commander of
Company 1st Tank Battalion.
At Own Option
Enlisted Personnel
May Now Wear
New Dress Blues
(PIO) Army enlisted per
sonnel are now authorized to
wear the same blue dress uni
form as male Army officers
according to information re
ceived here from Fourth Army
Headquarters. Possession and
wearing- of the uniform is op
tional and will be procured at
the expense of the individual
soldier according to the direc
tive.
The uniform consists of a
dark blue coat and sky blue
trousers striped with gold
braid and a dark blue cap.
White gloves white shirt black
tie and black shoes will be
worn with the new uniform.
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Armored Sentinel (Temple, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 33, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 27, 1953, newspaper, August 27, 1953; Temple, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth254346/m1/1/?rotate=270: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Casey Memorial Library.