July-August - Air Defense Artillery School

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:tlIllprehensive, clear helps to training printed and has for
,s purpose the desire to: (a) Indicate the sources of secur-
J1~ training literature and aids; (b) amplify and reiterate
~ pro\'isions of F~I 21-5; and (c) indicate the objecti\'es
training in the various subjects and phases. ~o matter
,kll branch, whether infantry, ~as.t artillery,. field artillery,
txlical. quartermaster truck unIt, sIgnal, engmeer, or tank,
j, memorandum tells you what to look for and where to
d it. It has rapidly b~come the streamlined bible of the
~uthern Sector which every officer has not only read but
~keeping on his desk for easy reference.
, The Coast Artillerv units of the Southern Sector who
\e had the opportu~ir)' of a preview of the Practice Spot-
9Trainer, developed by Lieutenant Colonel Joseph S.
1Tal11. GAG, have all tried to "borrow" the original board
th the movable toy boat and realistic splashes. \Vithout
ubi. a technical description with complete details and
olOgraphs will shortly appear in print* so that all units
y construct their own trainer and improve the efficiency
their spotters by the use of this ingenious device.
The Florida Subsector Noncommissioned Officers School
dJuated its first class on 1\lav 9, 1943. The course was
one month's duration and (orty-six students, or eightyur
per cent of the original fifty-five men enrolled, satistorily
completed
st class indicated
the curriculum.
that the length
The experience of this
of the course should be
ended to six weeks in order to cover adequately the work
scribed. This was done, and the present class began on
31' 14, 1943, and will terminate on or about June 25,
." At the onset, fifty-seven students were enrolled in
~ group. The unanimous vote of the graduating class
t the school had given them a solid foundation in the
ic military subjects and developed leadership abilities to
marked degree was extremely gratifying.
:'\ecessary construction continues throughout the sector.
e nrst chapel in the history of Fort Sumter was dedicated
Easter Sunday, and a new day-room was turned over to
men. This latter is regarded as one of the best equipped
the Charleston area. New day-rooms have also been built
,he Coast Artillerv 1\ledical Detachment and for the
y and Navy perso~nel working at the Harbor Entrance
mrol Post. Three TO t~l)e infirmaries have been estab-
See page 44.
lished in the sector-one at Atlantic Beach, one at Carolina
Beach, and the third at ~ liami. These take care of a long
felt. need for the troops at their Own camps. ~Iinor cases
which are not serious enough to send to a hospital but
\\'hich might be contagious in quarters are adequately handled
bv these new facilities.
As ~ gift of \Vesley ~Iemorial Church, a lounge and
recreation room was completed for service men at Headquarters
Southern Sector in the Realt\' Buildino at Jacksom'ille.
The lounge contains comfortable and u~holstered
chairs and davenports, pictures, rugs, tables. Colorful
drapes complete the furnishings which make the room a
"home away from home" for the men.
The Florida Subsector held an unusual tactical problem
of five days' duration. In this maneuver an amphibious
command endeavored to make landings, \\'hile the combat
team and Coast Guard defended the beaches and inland
waterways of. the area involved. The results were good
and the expenence afforded valuable practical trainino for
all elements. t>
( ( (
Gulf Sector
COLONEL L. B. 1\ IAGHUJ>EH, CO/11l11ll1ulil/g
Fort Barrancas, one of the historic Coast Artillerv forts
in the United States, was built in 1842, and still pl~ys an
important part in the defense of the nation toclav as a unit
of the Gulf Sector. In its one hundred and Ql;e vears of
existence, the Fort has been both a training groti'nd and
important bastion of the Union during the Civil \Var. The
Federal government held Fort Barrancas durino the entire
Civil \Var-only Fort Monroe, among the Sou~hern posts,
holds similar distinction.
The two 15-inch mortars pictured below, which may be
seen at Fort Barrancas, are much older than the fort itself.
The mortar shown at the left is of Spanish manufacture.
cast in 1806. The one in the foreground of the picture at
the right was surrendered by the English to the Spanish in
178 I. It was probably brought to Florida about 1763. Both
were surrendered to General Jackson at Pensacola when
Florida was ceded to the United States. The Confederates
used them in the Civil \Var to shell Fort Pickens. Thev
were moved to FOrl Barrancas after the war. .
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