We We of the Corps of Engineers have lonr been waiting for the advent of a forum U.S. Armyto air our deas on current Engineering problem5-mililary problems as well as

those wthin the civilian doma.n . Engineer School We are optimistic that v.e now have such a vehicle. with the initial 1lssueof Fort Belvoir, VirginiaTHE ENGINEER. making Its debut on the engineering scene. MG Robert R. PlogerThrough this medium, we hope to trigger engineer thinking. We hope to Commondonl,

sttmufate controversial subjects, ''cross generate,''-lf you will-engtneer U.S. Army Engineer Schoo/ viewpoints, with the objective In mind of progress In the profession. Certainly there are amons us engineers who can rebut or reply to questions such as: BG Ira A. Hunt Jr.

''Should Enaineers be generalists or specialists Asftonl Commandant, "Can we attain trade union recognized proflctency for our MOS specialists : U.S. Army Engineer School"What Is the best method of reducing response time " We would like to see such toptcs--and countless others. e~tplored and we COL Wllllom F. Hart Jr.

believe thallhis can be done effectively throuah future issues of THE ENGINEER. Opuly AuiJionl Comm Controversy for controversy sake7 N~that is not our objective. What we are U.S. Army Engineer Schoof

after is progressive engineering 'thought, and v.e feel that we shall be successful in Editor: reaching that goal, We see THE ENGINEER as a reflection of contemporary thinking MAJ Tommy 8. King engineerlng.wise. It will be edited with the aim of provoking the thought processes of the complete span of our personnel, from young enlisted men to career oriented engineer officers. From them may well emanate new Ideas, fresh approaches to existing problem areas-solutions perhaps. to many of the technical barricades facing us.

Wtth that1n mind, an epigram occurs to us (and we arespeaktng 1n terms of engineering problems)

" PROBLEMS KNOWN BY All, ABE PREVENTED FROM GROWING TAlL" In essence. this means that discussion invites solutions, and we want to

stimulate discussion in THE ENGINEER. Remember, THE ENGINEER consttutes an open engineerforum. We hope that

those who are In the business. will gille us the busi11ess ! ! ! Your help is solicited Input Is desired from all engineers who wtsh to serve the Interests of our Army and nation.

Let us hear from you II I

MG Robert R. Ploger CommondCJnl, U.S. Army Engineer School

Executive Editor: 7LT J. H. Walker Ill

Circulation Manager: CPT Tom Trlvan

Art Director: John W . Savage Jr.

Stoff Writer: Rodger A, Sfrel lmofler

The EnJtnelf an a 10tl!oridd quarterly )Jtlbllcalfon of Ch U.s, Ar my tnatnHr School. It it published to ptovlda f actual and In dept!! lnfo rmallon of fntt,.st to all En1Jneer unlts. Artlclu, phot~ lfiPht ana art work or aantral lntar..l may be ubmitlld for con afdarallon 10 Editor, The Enam"' USA tn11nHr School. Fort Belvoir, Viratnll 22060. Views and opinion'P,.nlld ha,.in are not n~S Mill)' lhOH of tht Oepartmen: of ltll Army, Uaa of fundi for print 101 of tnla publlcatioa hn Men IPPMI\Itd by Headquarters, l)epartmanl of lha Army, 11 July 1969.

Our cover photo wn t.k.tll by Malor Roa..rt W. Wl!tteh..d, Uallon Ofn. car to Southattt M ia, omce If tltt Chief Of rnalnurJ. His photo contruta the old al!d the new In South Vlatnam. Rud abOut It In LOC, .,... 18

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Vol. 1 U.S. Army Engineer School, Fort Belvoir, Virginia No. 1

2 Engineer InterviewJBG Ira A . Hu1zt1 Jr. 6 The Great DuneJ Etzgbzeer staff

10 This'll Blow Your MinejCPT A. F. Thorp 14 YesterdayIRodget< A. Streitnzatter 18 LOCIUSAECV bzforrnatiort staff 22 Move Up By MailfLTC Arthur Daoulas 25 Why Me?fMAJ Gaty D. Beech 28 The ltschner Award/C Co, Bth Engineer

Battalion 30 SkyhookjMG R. R. Ploger 34 Bridging the GapJPe1~sonnel Notes 36 EssayonsJA Scenario

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eng1neerintervie\N: with brigadier general

IRA A HUNT JR

A young Corps of Engineers ltrutf'1Wnt supt!l'lll.fing the con structiOn of a road in an undertleotlopcd counfT}' in Sm.ttheast Asia would appear to have little i11

common with an atomic dNnolitions speciali.rt assigntJd to an en;Jinec1 Lmit in Europe. No1 would tl 5c-cm I hat either of I hem out 25.000 graduat.es ~>acft yatr.

Its reason (ot being? l"t>r)' simply put- to produce professionally qualified rng ineo officer!, aud ulalion . increased trade fm te ntinl, and sped lines oi cmnmunicati,on to the point of irtltan ttmeow rrspon.rt' uhich uf enjoy today), or ill the ana of ua.teT rNources planningor the relatitel) new field of 1 rolo~rv.

Brigadirr Gr:ncral i ra A . Hunt ] r., is tlt f' Engin'r School's, xttcllliot- he'.r fht individunl ultc>, on a doily basis, diret:ts /,h. lt!loofs opcratious for the commandant of tlzc school, Major GN/Pfnl R. R. PlogC1' 1url!o also i.> the com mantling general of thr Enf!huer Center and ForJ Brlvoir), nrul working clo.te/" tdth rht Chief of Engineer.r,

WI' ha(ll' doni' IIW(l1' Wtlfl Ti'VCJ/le, We ref}' greatly on in puts from tlte l n.st.ructllln depends 011 people and cut. uur details i" half, relaxed tht field to trll u.r ltow to improm the Wt lza~e the best. Our instructors dress

Luut, nant Grnnol F J Clark. C:r 1/l'talllrwtlw. f~tn/,, 1/ot qttnllil 111 tl11 vffiro a t-:11,.,{ tn t!uti. f :ctlh tit, 1-.'11 !!111, \ rhuol. lit l11ts bt r II JUU1 H/rtf (,, a I n/ t/1'/!11'< ,

Tl11r H undrtrtanrfr1LI . .J 11/th/ P fSOIIIIIJ/1 iJdrr ulrtal.

f"ht11111/1/!) in ('tll/l 'tnfi(r. nnrl 111111 (11ntdl\ wrlnll\. (it'ilt rnf Hu11l h,/i, r n l'llllll1 rr n {nr ftltJilll'fll Jt ltir h ''b11g'' lti111. IJut11 arr/1\'. it :tuultl n/Jitnr thnt tht u i1 110 nul1 I hit!~ ''~ a j111blc ttl ( r ttl "II' 11 t~llll/t>IIIH l11111, J/, rl fl IIU411 , ltu !lr/i.vr "' n rli11 1/ af'l'""'' h In nlt111" j111bh m~ lh f,\ 1111 1"1/10/il'/11 nlfln 111 rl }!II nl 111111\ I ''' tlrut fltlll[, "'' :\11' 111! 1 tl, nud '" l11 wttc{n 1i01t .

II ,. htt rw flr41 Jflftl "I! rtrtul at ntrmrtj'lifhttl 111 H, 11 (1(1/ nul In tn(IJ,, {lillu/1, f1 Ill f, , //1 If (:11: ol/11 tl /ly un 04'1 "' htlmiu:,. dtiiJ( 111 nrr"lll/'fj,J, lhm taJI,t in ro lrir It hr ltdi,to . . lt1d 1!1 brlir;.,~ 111"' tlull vii,,~ r/urrd,/ hr tiS "firttf uJ/' af if lu. In /oct. 1:~ stt. thnt tltl!y nrr,

.\(,,,, t he ~or}. fvr lrint fru tit, finl fitll 011 Tatlt' 1ltnf,, "

/1, n 111111 h liJ.,, 11 lt~eh-tr.u11nn tc'll. f'l rl rl-Jcu 111/ IL'ttlti11 l11t ''nth ~rm11 bt'tvmt'. 'ltnr~, d ;, 1tl1 ,.,(/, o i r . H. 1 q11llt' 'J Jrc 1wll- 1 gani nlwn. If ltfl i mudt I!W.II~ '"' /rim:

tm tht 1'.\ lltlttnq t.-ndt 11!)' in 111}5, aft t 111 l't r~>s nt Tnttd, tbtlt U11in,ll) 1/.\ [)

~ru 111 11 iJ t:ll~j, , 1'1111/:! frttll \1/T of Cotlllllids:< -.'l'tllditrl nt D, Iff. till \ ',thr lands. rmtl nt r;,. lltlbl,. Frmu1. tL a FH,mnu \, lr >lot, rr t'P''II'~ tilt t/o1C/OI 11/1111/o tJil)' tf,. e;ru m lrrdrodparJit'J /1li lll tl:r l'tilUrsll\' f Grctt{llJ/(. fit haJ 11 malt'U ,j,,"< "' lu~w~ Jt atfrlllnllftalio, from th. L'llittntl) of Dctt ~it, .\firltienn. nnrl n tlurtutatc 111 titat fidd of ,.,,J,rfl111

(;.or~.~ ll"mltngton f/ r:rtnsitl in lt'rulti11st Jtt D.C. Gtnnn/ !fun J,,,o"''' rugin, ,.,.

i ll!;!, /-"ron bath,,,, rhil .idc-nlltl in ((ii!IIJnt. lh ha1 iwtmct.d nt lro:h tlr l'S So: al A lt~tl. "')' (llld til' { 'S .\Jilitorr .tctldl'lll)' ot 11'. 11 Pour/, 111 ll~in~oiug JlUJ and enlisted men at

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tending Fort Belvoir are on their way to Vietnam or have just re turned from VIetnam leisure arid family life are of paramount lm portance . Lastly, we blend these three aspects of training into one total bull's eye by adding what I call "The Engineer Spirit''-the desire to get the mission done and done well, taking pride in how we do it. This. of course, ties in very closely with our stressing of the "Whole Man Concept" in all student activities.

ENGR: Exactly what do you mean by the term " Whole Man Concept" ?

HUNT: That is an expresslon we coined to describe the aforemen tioned program of providing leisure and 1n taking care of peopleinsuring that Belvoir is a good place to stay. It applies particularly these days to enlisted men. We have done away with reveille, cut our details in half, relaxed the dress code, permitted individual decoration of rooms in barracks , provided much more free time and in general enhanced the total en vironment. These programs have been directed by the Commandant and are fully supported by the Post staff as well as the Schoot

ENGR: Can you describe some changes that have occurred in the past two years?

HUNT: Yes, certainly . Major changes have occurred in all areas of in struction, so please let me single out only the Basic Course. Previously a basic officer's stand lng In his class was determined totally by academics. Now hls grade is computed 70 percent on academics, 20 percent on leadership (to include peer ratings) and 10 percent on physical fitness. Should the newly commissioned officer fail in any of these areas he must go before the Academic Board . Additionally we have five "Go-No Go" subjects that all offi

4

cers must pass. These are areas where every second lieutenant must properly perform his mission: They are Map Reading, Maintenance Management, the Combat Engineer Practical Exam , Roads and Airfields and Combat Engineer Support. We have doubled our hands-on training. The Combat Engineer Practical Exam is an excellent example of this. The young officers are quizzed on the role of a second lieutenant in the field and they must cope wit h seven realistic problems. In each of our 52 courses we have

expanded the scope and reduced the time in class. All students now attend class only five days a week and have at least four hours off during the week, generally on the same afternoon to take care of personal affairs.

ENGR: Do you think this new program , for example, in the basic course has paid off?

HUNT: Handsomely. So far this year over 60 percent of all our

lieutenants on active duty have opted for Voluntary Indefinite Status prior to leaving Fort Belvoir. We have had over 4,000 voluntary indefinite officers in the past two years. As result of this, as well as the drawdown in Vietnam , the turn-around time for company grade officers has stretched to at least four years.

ENGR: Would you explain to me then about the electives? What are they?

HUNT: The electives program pertains primarily to the Advanced Course where we have 16 electives divided into two groups of eight each 15 weeks long. These elec tives include graduate st ud ies, undergraduate degree courses and courses taught by the Engineer School. Each advanced course student elects two 90 hour electives each semester. It is possible, then, for the student to obtain 12 hours of graduate degree credits with The George Washington Uni vers ity with whom we have a degree program or 12 hours of undergraduate degree work with the University of Virginia with whom we have an undergraduate degree pro gram. Students with a master 's degree can work on his Profes sional Engineer License whfle In the Advanced Course. Primarily our electives are in the field of man agement and engineering, with military oriented specialist courses for those not interested i n degree work.

ENGR: With all the things that have been done to improve th e Advanced Course we note that the en ginee-r officer selection for the C&GSC has decreased. Can you explain this? And what and if anything is being done?

HUNT: Yes, it is explainable. The decrease fn engineer quotas for Leavenworth is a tempora ry

thing. It stems from the fact that the Corps of Engineers Is short of majors and the quotas for Leaven worth are predicated on the num ber of qualified personnel within each of the three branches : the Signal. Military Intelligence and the Corps of Engineers. To be quali fled an officer must have at least e1ght years of serv1ce and be a graduate of his branch advanced course. During the Vietnamese buildup there was a shortage of en glneers So we all served In Viet nam and there was a decrease in the number of advanced course graduates We have recently estab lished two completely new pro grams here at the Engineer School One is for constructive credit. All engmeer officers on ac tive duty with eight years of serv ice who have a college degree and have served as a company com mander are reviewed by a board of officers, headed by mysel f , and i f their record is good they are given constructive credit. We have JUSt completed a Board and have awarded constructive credit to 30 officers. The second program Is that of equivalent credit Enlllneer officers with a baccalaureate degree can be assigned to the Engineer School Staff and Faculty and by monitor ing certain courses pass a qualification exam and rece1ve equ ivalent credit for the Advanced Course. Both of these programll re ceive the same diploma and same

credit as resident students We have hopes of qualifying more offl cers, particularly when the large number of captains that we now have reach their eighth year. Thus , the engineer quotas to Leaven worth should surge upward.

ENGR: Has the Engineer School fel t the tmpact of the drawdown In the Armed Forces?

HUNT: With respect to students , the Officer Candidate School graduated its last class in Decem ber, 1970. This was a distinguished organization which was a source of grea t pride to all of us here at Fort Belvoi r. Af ter three yea rs of opera tion the Engineer Officer Candl date Regiment graduated 10.380 second lieutenants of which 5.850 were commissioned in the Corps of Engin eers. Compare this to only

t-......

2.323 graduated during the Korean War. However, for the past two years the officer and enlisted inputs have not decreased at all. Reductions in active Army students have been balanced by Increases In the Reserve and National Guard students. Yet, during this period the instructor strength of the school has decreased from over 4 ,000 to 2,400 personnel, and our monetary inputs have decreased from about $100 per student to $50 pe' student. Yet. I can guar antee there has been no reduction tn in struction . In fact . the ln struc tion has improved.

ENGR: How can you say that?

HUNT First of all inlltruction depends on people and we have the best . Our instructors are enthusi astic and they are knowledgeable. That is all it takes to run a school. We also have a feedback program where sudents critique our courses. Thus, we're able to shore up our weaknesses and reinforce our strengths. I am proud that last year three of our lieutenant colonels were selected to go to the senior service colleges. Yes, the quality of our lnstruc\ors, officer and NCO alike, Is great. I am not talking about their degrees or their school lng but about their performance and their capabilities.

ENGR: Is t here anyth ing else you would like to add, General Hunt?

HUNT: Yes. I would like to bring out Just one more point. We are no longer stressing teaching at the Engineer School , our interest is on learning by the student. We are stu dent oriented We want these students to go out to their jobs in the Army and in engmeer units with a feeling of confidence and with the highest of esprit . We rely greatly on Inpu ts from the f ield to tell us how to improve the quality of our students The Engineer School doesn't belong just to Fort Bel voir-It belongs to the whole Corps . After all the Engineer Center Is the " Home of the Engineers."

5

THE GREAT DUNE

Henlopen Point juts into the Atlantic Ocean two miles north of Lewes, Delaware. On this peni nsula stands the largest sand dune on the Delaware coast.

A windblown sand formation, the Great Dune is located on Fort Miles, which serves as the First U.S. Army Recreation Center.

Each summer, hundreds of military personnel brea k away from the Eastern shore mega lopolis and take to the beautifu lly sloping sand of the Army 's

This I 969 aerial photograph picture the Atlantic O cean shoreline (far right) . the Army's housing facilities ( top center) and the Great Dune just below the buildings (center) .

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Cape Henlopen recreattonal facility Famlltes fill the 26 housing units to capactty ; there are many more requests for reservations than can be filled

The Army shares the peninsula with Delaware s Cape Henlopen State Park During the past several years, the U.S. Arm y has returned 1.200 acres to the State of Delaware leaving approximately 190 acres for Army use

Charges of Army neglect and damage to Cape Henlopen arose after expansion of houstng factlltles tn the recreation area Press accounts of preparation of trailer sttes and subsequent statements by publtc: ofttctals. suggested the Army .. leveled" a 70foot dune

A 20foot depression was formed by wmd eddies . Wind came down over the recrealton center ' s butldtngs and tnto the sand As thts swirling wmd scooped up the sand a depresston formed .

The Army attempted to ftll thts depression and provtde a level contour once more Plans called for ten house tratlers to be placed here so more fam tlle s could be accommodated during the summer

Because of the recent national concern with ecology , the Army has taken a long look at the Great Dune.

" We In First Army are completely cogntzant of the natural beauty and value of the dune. We are taktng all prudent steps posstble to tnsure the proper management of the area," commented retired Lteutenant General Jonathan D. Seaman. former commandtng general of the Ftrst Untted States Army

Steps toward stabilization have included planting vegetalton, erec:tmg snow fel"'ces and emplacing a bulkhead on the shoreline Minus these conservation measures, erosions totl would have been far more detrtmental

Army policy notes the mportance of conservmg sand dunes and that dunes play a

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stgnthcant role in preservln& seashore environment At Cape Henlopen, that policy was exercised even before It was made explicit in a 1966 Army regulation .

Aerial photography of the area taken in 1938 shows bare, windblown sand without structures or vegetation . Just prior to World War II. a\ masstve reinforced concrete coast artillery gun emplacement and a row of one story conctete block bu1ldings were constructed . They arose 10 the area now used by the Army recreat ton center. Smce 1944, two developments have chaneed the picture.

First, vegetation has grown over the dune area . Beach grass, heather and scrub pme, planted by Army engineers, preserve the dunes and enhance their beauty Recent data reveals 45 per cent of the ground on the north slope IS covered Significant coverage was also noted in other areas. Vegetation provtdes a major stabillzm& influence on dune movement.

Furthermore, buildtngs along tile northern edge of the dune and shoreward from the artillery emplacement stabilized that area. Acting as a windbreak. the buildings cause an accretion of sand on the crest of the dune . This prevents further southward creep of the sand covered area in the building's vicinity. The joint tnfluence of 'he artillery emplacement and buildings , when coupled with the ocean breezes, created the 20 foot depression on the crest of the dune.

Sand was taken In a layer , largely from the east and west of the depressiOn along the longitudinal axis of the dune and from the inner surface of the southern crest . This lowered the profile of the dune behind the gun emplacement by about seven feet near the centerline . Profile elevations on the south side, across the dune from the recreat ion center buildtngs and trai lers, rema ined about the same.

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The Great Dune has by no means been destroyed by Army bulldozers. The depress ron was filled with sand pushed from the s1de of the dune. Vegetation in that lmmed1ate area was destroyed because of lhe displaced sand . However, filling the depression llelped stabilize the dune. Neither the dune' s height nor its profile was Significantly altered by the operation; new vegetat ion has been planted.

Originally , plans called for ten trailers to be emplaced in the area. However, because of adverse publlc1ty, only f1ve of the trailers have been Installed to accommodate V1s1lors

Average rental price is seven dollars per day per family . For the past six years, all units have been reserved to their maximum capacity for the ent~re summer season. This amounts to thousands of people annually having the opportumty to spend seven days of their leave time at a beach resort within their financial means.

A large number of military personnel and their families also vis1t the beach on a dally basis .

Although permanent housing facilities are reserved for military personnel , the beach and dunes are open to the public . This allows the seneral public to enjoy the area's recreational utility and natural beauty.

Recreational actlvit1es at Fort Miles are financed by the Command Welfare fund, which Is comprtsed of nonappropnated funds available to First Army headquarters. Non-appropriated funds are derived from prohts made by the post exchange and other Army act1vitles . No tax revenue Is used to support these activites.

The Fort Mtles Military Reservation serves as an important training site for Army Reserve units. Gently sloptng beaches are 1deal for traimng crews of amph ib1ous vehicles used in across thebeach operations

Plans are now being made to rehabilitate the 20-positlon rl11e range at Fort Miles so Delaware-based Army Reserve and National Guard units can conduct annual rifle qualifications at Fort Mtles , This would save time and expense for transportation; the current site Is Fort Meade, Maryland.

First U.S. Army uses 13 acres for recreation : the remainder Is used for training. The Army has not only turned over most of the land and butldlngs to Delaware. but has loaned supplies and equipment to Its Parks Department

Recreational use of seashore land by anyone will create some disruption of the envlfonment; experience of private developers and governmental units in nearby coastal areas proves th is. But there is little doubt that the dunes at Cape Henlopen are the largest along the Delaware coast and among the best preserved due to the ecolog1cal endeavors of the US. Army.

-Housed in the former Naval Radto Station facility, the 68th Transportation Platoon is permanently stationed at Fort Miles. Because it is located at Fort Miles, lhe unit can move its heavy amphibious vehicles to the beach without traveling on state -owned roads or park land.

The unit moved to Fort Miles because of overcrowded conditions In the Lewes Army Reserve Center. That facility was being used to over 200 per cent of normal capacity. Expanding the Lewes facility to accommodate the unit would have cost $147 ,000 .

Four other Army reserve units use Fort Miles for weekend training. They are the 67th Transportation Platoon of Lewes, Delaware; the 315th Service and Supply Company of Dover, Delaware; Headquarters and Headquarters Company. 275th Service and Supply Battalion of Seaford, Delaware; and the 151st Transportation Platoon of Chi ncoteague, Vtrginla.

9

Walker

This'll Blow Your Mine 10

Landmines arc dcadlr weapons. Hidden beneath the ground. they attack without \,arning. Most frustrali!U{ of all. after a comrade is killed, there is no wa) to retaliate. There is no tangible enemy, no sniper to gun down, nothing but the bleak reality that you may be next.

Much like the war itself, VietCong and NVA mines have no standard form or power. This means they are difficult to detect and neutralize. t:".S. Army personnel have w continually develop new mine detection techniques. Techniques, which were developed dut;ng 1969 by D

Company, 1st Enginer Battallion, prO\ed particularly effet' ti\'e on a 20 kilometer stretch of QL 13 north from Lai Khe, Republic of Vietnam. This area had traditionally been a hotbed of ntirung actidty. It was a vital stretch of the military supply route and required daily opening. Built by the French prior to World \\:ar I I. the road

was in poor shape. T"o large trucks could barely pa~s on the narrow road. The pavement and much of t.hc bas!.' had longsince disappeared and had been replaced with laterite. Although civiljan traffic on the road was heavy. the a rea of mining acthity was not populated. The initial requircmem was for an accurate and

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prornptmine reporting and recordlng system. All sweeps had been instJuctecl to blow mines in place. A stan

Pu:\ IUU'h, no milit.tl')'ll.lrlll othtt th:ln we ~weep and it' '*'

a nostalgic journey i11to the past

Thrmtghllltl its 100 year histarv. th(' COJ"('IS or nlo{inccrs Museum has stood backstage as ot her engiuccr di"iskms wok their hows. Finally tlw clays nf understudy ;~re llVt'r. The museum hM tnkcn the lon11,-awaitcd cue and advanced tu

"Tht schrmc Wit\ llll'n tn shn\\1 r-chibiu throul(hout the librarv. r.~plaincd Edw-.1rd B Ru,rll Otrector 01nd Curatvr ul th Corp~ ot J::ntdrw..r \ t m .. urn. Thr museum nd lilrrar w.;rc phpicollv ~h:Hinll a huildim; and were 'r ~c~an thr ''' u~l!lc ln1 il )('p.or;atl!' mu,eum in

J(l-

.. , d ltt('ation, Russell Jnti1rp~t ,n,t)OO 'i'i""' pe1 >"II llr t'XJlt'CI\ thrs fi~oture t11 inrt>ncentrales "" lh \uullt"On R \ uluuun rorw11ninl( rtIOS prn~rt'ss rhtuth:h tht C"' ps "' 1-~u~n~ hl\tnry

J'"' llall ,,f ~Jrnc Rt~um it d\uttd ' " tnl(inet>m~~: pe.twr.tliri It h.tnnn 111~'11 ritht l\r utld 1 h rnns Jdft'r-tn \vMlll'n U a \'tlllh nll!llt'd after jf'ffl.'nan \ ddirit111:1l ;ld\i win addcd In thr lrll~r ninr y,.:H\ later b) \ nd rf'W IJt kmn

fhr- cullrctiun nhn ha< \'tTitinl!'' lJ)' Gt>"l'!l~' \\'ahin~ton, William lll'nt) HarrisCln, Zachilt)" Taylor Alr.lham Linl'nln and F'ranri< Swn Key "And," Ru

Walker

"Dear Baldie" be~ins one original letter from General Doug las A. MacArthur, Wrilleu in 1931, lbe lencr rdated Ceueral MarArthur's d10ughl:!i upon being appointed Chief o! St.:~rr of the Army. The truer was writ lt'n to ~fajor Genentl Julian L. Schlev, Chief of Engineers and a classmate uf C:EN MacArthur whi ll' at the Uni ted States MiHtary Academy in 190:~ The salu rnuon

refer~ ((I MG Schlc>'s nirknarnu whilu at West Point. The collection of Corps of Entineer rnstles dates from 1840 to

the present. Ali nriginal drn"ing uf the cas tltJ device illmtrates its initial usc by the military. Numerous engineer bau.alton dis

tinction~ include rrests and insignias. A lMge \ llrk ty nf rnginel"r o ffirer antl rulis ted uniforms and accc~soril"> is displayed. This includes helL~, hats and S'"orcls. One rilpicr dau:-s ha

A cannon that stout! in !runt ol the Cotps of Engineers Lihrary mmed "ith thr 111uscurn. The 184 I hron7e cannon was originally n:moHd lti'Hn Willcu Point, ::'\cw York, the first home n! the \m1y Enl(illet'r~. The bmntt' ~ix pounder stands in front of th ne\\ mu~lUrn "Wl con~idrr il one of our prized posses,i.. ns, .. Russell C"ommented

The C"OIJ~cuon nf .\mnican and British firearms includes a deningc:r like thl' om u1ed b) john Wilkes Booth \\hen he as sassin:ued Presidcnt Lmt:oln There is an 1839 llall breechloading riflt> in the rnust>um's rollertion. One rifle \\aS used by Moshr's Raidrts in th~ (.;ivtl War defense o( Fairfax.\nolhcr item in the ro llectian ~ a Sharps brc:"echloo.ding percussion carbine u~ed in the 1876 Battle nf the Little Bi~ Hurn. Russell often trlls vie,,ero; that thi'l riflr ''could he the one lhat killed Custer.

The most trrent acqui~ition to thl" rifle collec tion i~ a chrome p latC)d SKS it i~ nmon~ tile 1 otlectirm uf basic wenpons used by the V iet Cunst.

Fort Belv()lr's entirt> histmy will IJL' traced from ils beginning as Bchoir Plant:llion. As ,, milit:u)' install:nion, Fort .Belvoir will be 1 ovPrPd a~ il rhamnd from Camp A. A. HumphrPys to Fort Humphn) ~ and flnall~ t> f'on Bc-lvuir. \n I E!51 \ust rian c:wah)' sabc:"r i me of the foreign gifts

dioplay"d in tht> muSI'Um. PresentPd to former Chtefs of thr Corps of En~ine.rs, Ct of ht>art into it," Russell added A dedictlted man "hu has 'pent countless hours .starchin)! for ne'' itNru and rc~larrhing thr unt'~ he hm. ob tain

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Vietnamization. It wasn't even a word a few years ago. But today Vietnamization spells out the top priority miss ion of U.S. Army Engineers in Vietnam .

The Lines of Communication (LOC) Restoration Pro grarn exemplifies the importance of Vietnamization to U.S. Army engineers. Th is program is the largest military en gineering project ever undertaken in a foreign country. It combines the efforts of U.S. Army Engineers, Navy Seabees, civilian contractors and, of course, their Viet

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namese counterparts. U.S. Engineers have taught their skills to ARVN engineers.

When this half billion dollar program is completed, it wil l provide the country with over 2,500 miles of modern highways. In addition to the highway network, the project will improve 770 miles of railroad and several airfields. Together these improvements will link the major population centers of the Republic.

An effective and dependable road network will tie together the rural and urban aspects of Vietnam's economy. Improved roads increase the potential for industrial growth of the basically agricultural economy . Raw material can be transported from entry points to industrial sites throughout the country. This insures that the farmer can transport his products to the urban market. The roads mean urban buying power for rural producers' goods.

LOC construction also enables the Vietnamese to resettle their homes. As each segment of the network is completed , former inhabitants return from exile to resume life at the point where enemy activity disrupted them.

After refugees are resettled, the network of bridges and byways become more important. Quick access to rice mills, markets and storage areas stimulates the farmer' s interest in money crop production . The days when the peasant farmer grows only enough crops for his family' s needs are over.

As it provides a transportat ion network, the LOC pro gram adds security to the areas It touches. Villagers no longer have the fear that accompanies a long, seldom used dirt path.

Another improvement in Vietnam life due to former inhabitants returning on LOC roads is resumption of formal education and medical care. Long An ham'let, near Ninh Phouc , typifies this change. When Long An's school master returned to his home, he rebu ilt his house , reopened the village school and started plans for the community' s first medical facility.

In another village, near the Mid-Delta city of Can Tho, a three-mile span of road provided the only link with the outside world . The 1968 Tel offensive destroyed th is road and its three bridges. During the next two years, crops were moved to market by a tedious process of alternately rowing and dragg ing a sampan for miles. The original population of 2,100 had filtered down to a stub born handful by April. 1970 when the damage was re paired. Traffic over the new road returned residents, trade and a sound future to the village.

Before a single foot of asphalt could be laid on Vietnam

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ground. tremendous offort wos expended to develop the resources and capabllitres necessary for road building. To appreciate the scope of the LOC program. this prelimi nary work must be noted

When U.S. Army Engineers arnved in Vietnam in late 1965, only a fev. rock quarries Nere i n operatlon . and rock was critically needed for construction of base camps and tactical roads. There are now 13 U.S. Army rock quarrtes and eight contractor quarries. More than 90,000 tons of rock are produced each month at the Vung Tau Quarry operated by the 94th Engineer Detachment.

In 1967, rock resources were virtually non-existent in the Delta area. So the Delta Rock Program was developed to provide large volumes of rock. During 1970. more than 190.000 Ions of rock per month were moved by barge to off-loading sites throughout the Delta from qua rries at Vung Tau, Thu Due. Nul Sam and Nui Sap.

Asphalt plants that prepare surfacing matenal are located WJth crusher operal1ons at most of the quarries. Of the 10 Army asphalt plants scattered throughout the Republic . all but 'hree operate m conJunction with quarries . The remaining asphalt plants are located at sites near pavmg operattons . Rock ls trLJcked from quarry sites and stockpiled to be used as needed . In some areas , the recently 1mproved ratlroad systerr transports rock . Rail haul decreases wear on veh1cles and increases the volume of roc!\ that can be transported .

Other prelimmary work arose because of Vtetnam's unusual weather condihons and wide variattons in terrain and climate. These condtttons spurred the development of new highway conslructto'l methods

In the Delta , mur1 ancl a shortage of rock threatened to stalemate construct ion of roads strong enough to support heavy traffic. A process known as clay-lime stabilization was used . Clay is scraped out of nee paddles to form a roadbed several feet above the water level. A pre determined amount of lime is spread over the surface and mixed with the c lay to form a concrete-hard road base. Orce cured. the surface is paved wtlh a doJble course of asPhaltic concrete Cement stabil1zation stmilar to clay lime stabilizatton 1s used on port ons of QL 13 in the Third Military Regton.

The LOC program mtroduced commercial road building equipment into tho U S. Army Engineer untts to supplement the TO&E. A total of 669 items were purcllased ustng Mihtary Construction Army funds. The equipment IS used on all pha~e" of road construction Perhaps the two most Important purchases were the 250 ton per hour rock crushers and the 12 cubic yard dump trucks: both ttems are f lling vttal needs Other items include compac

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tron equipment, soil stabilrzatron plants. asphalt distributors and pavers.

Secunly on the new roads is an rntegral part of the LOC program . Areas subrect to enemy activity-wherever jungle or heavy brush surrounds a highway-Is cleared on both sides for a distance varying from 200 to 300 meters. After Rome Plows bulldoze the cover. it is difficult for the enemy to ambush traffic on the road. Opening fertile areas for agricultural development is a significant by-product of the land clearing operations.

A w1de assortment of bridges links the gaps between the paved highway. Approximately 250 bridges measurrng 11.300 meters will be built as part of the LOC pro gram ARVN engineers constructed the largest of the bridges; it measures 1,106 meters and is located at Tuy Hoa.

The Engineer Command Is responsible for the bulk of the LOC construction. Nearly half of the command's 20,000 men are involved In some facet of the LOC project scheduled for completion in 1972.

The high numbe r of engineer personnel involved with the LOC project is being reduced through extensrve Viet namzatron of all aspects of the road construction . ARVN engineers have been trained in opera t ing qua rr ies, producing asphalt, building bridges, const ructing highways and land clearing. As their training encompasses more areas, the number of ARVN forces Involved in engineer projects gradually increases.

U.S. Army Engineers have trained ARVN Engineers in their skrlls. In addition to military, Vietnamese civilians have been hired and trained by both U.S. Army and civilian contractors.

Because the Republic of Vietnam will be responsible for the roads, skilled personnel must be available to ca re and maintarn them after U.S. Army personnel leave Southeast Asia. This is an important aspect of the training .

Vietnamization, as practiced by the engineers, is a contrnuous process . The Increased emphasis on withdrawal of American troops from Vietnam has focused attention on Vietnamizat1on of the LOC program.

The extent of Vietnamization can be seen on a 40mile section of QL 1, east of Long Binh. This is the first all ARVN paving project. ARVN engrneers comprise the pav rng crew, drive and maintain dump trucks carrying asphalt to the paving site and operate the aspha l t plant at Gia Ray that supplies asphalt.

Implications of this first ARVN paving project are far reaching: Vietnamization IS becoming more than just a term, It is becoming a practical reality.

21

OVE

BY

l.t\ Ill r. Gallen said " thanks'' cring throu)!h the L'SAES Corre.~pondcnce C:oUL~e Pogram.

fhrottgh th

UP AIL!

nllt'l imtt 111 linn IJ tuuc.\1 to that in USAES clasSJYXIIO~. n,.. ~ub< nun ~ th .~rtu.ll ..tudy p.u kagl' the

,wJem a""'I\,.., II ruu,l'l!> nt .111 lltll".xJucuott a ,,.,.e, ,.f k:-.wr' ''''" ,utuhtl tlll"nlOiandum ot tl''tl>()(lk. (r, "" .ami t''\otllllllatiuu txcn:ises :md nrrc..,J,.., 1raini11 ,tllcl ~upplt:mfll''1 materials.

t\ rnrr , . .,pomlm ,. C"'" ron~i'b "' related sub'011(:,1.' ,.,,, h sulx~''IIIM: I ad.:. ,, particular topic rot phaw ul ' '"bJC:Ct I nd..icluaJ, ""'-' do nm \\',11\t tn, mull Jnr .1n tntit c0111 {'rna> dt>,il!tl their own ~tud\ prog1.1m 111m1 O\'l't 200 subcnun.es Ill t lw pm_ ruu ()ffirta. muronmus Jorwd n0KI'l and enlisted ~fC lS S. l'ht En~.tnH 1'1 Ollu B.t~it CCliiC~pooclc:nce

Colli se < F II j, J...,il!rwd to IIH l'I',N' tlw pmlidency nl 1'111{1111'1'1 ~~~uJin:lfil'l in I'OIIIj>:.tlt\ lcvrl dulit'S, paT rind;,,, thow 1r1 cn).(tlll'tl r111nha1 nnit~ ! 1 .Jiso prm idts "''1'1 vt rntnl'omut 111ft~I'I'S tilt nu:ans for 1111''11111' ht ollllll I~LI:tiJh1 :lllllll :tillI f'dUCilliOnal ft' c(UII~nunh (or prnrnolutn 1hrnuuh ,,tptain Tit' 34

'uhtmrr,,~ tottl 22H hnur' nl tmlllllllllll. till"~ 0111~1 lwttlrnpktcd lfll\\1) )''II n1 j,.,,

ltlultt.tl in ,uhttt! r.:" lllt; nl to th.- 1>1 tOurse. tlte Enttin Offiv1 Ha 11 'onr~idrnt Rl''idem Cou1~ I i C:l vllr n,, ptndang t c" I..!> nn arth't" dut\ fot ' lr.uninl! .11 F1 Bch 11 \ 1 llw nUI c on'i''' ni nmar!!:"idf'nt ph.tu l'lf 2' cmmn uhjtc 1 subcourse:. tot.tltn G:i h>ul'< cf iu,llucuun anci threr ph::tSe~ 1ha1 m:l\ be IIIITIJIIr~l 1hrnugh nnnr\'~idt-nt or

rt'sldrnt tiiSlrllrlinn, 1 hi' rmu~,. mml hr rompletrd witlllll l\\'11 \r'a ro tht L-: .! I ut l ~ \ R ~~ hool Eoh

ut.lna~c L\1 or 1 1"'\tliOil\ tAlnsisting of four ph,,,,.,, thr cnut,,. '"''J.. .!3n teo till''-(' rarec1 dt,rlopmt:>nt coun>c:s. the L '\,\I .., olltt.., ,j._ fum tiunal coiTt'spondence 'l\ices Navy. ~[arinc C:l'\'1" Au l'rll'l c, l.lli'll>L Cuard and Army. Ci,rilian t'lltpln"'''' ut till' lrtltt.d ~OVi'rMll'11t are also t:hl!ll>l.- 11 till' 111~11 ut Uoll ~ JOh-rd:ttl'd .-\nny ROTC llltlnts, C\.'rt.,in l S 1 ttrzcns lh intl in forei1n1 counll" nnJ nth~h .1 tthut i1ctl h\ th1' Com~anding Gt>11rral "' the S Cnrttlntntal Amw Command '"" ,,J,v ruroll

Inlr~nn. uon on ~lu::ihilit\ and pn:rt-qui~itcs fat .til OUt~ rn.l\ lw obt 1ind by '' nung the Com"'' 11tl:uu l ~ \I:. S ~wntion Dtpartmem of )Jon'"''dcut lnrru ttrou 1'1 . Urho1r \ '.1. 22060.

Pa "'f'l'C tive .,tudtnt'> ~hould fill nut and submit DA Farm J ~i, \t ill\ ( orrtr aiJtlit~ 10 Jearn \hPJ all le~ns and the cx-JtttinatJun h,,, t btrt '"btnatrc-d, a crrtthcue IS iSSued (nJ .tdl )UIKOlll'l c omplcttd !>UCC't!s.;fully A diplorn.J ,.., a,,,utlt-d upnn 'mnpleuon of a caree1 Je\ tlupuwntcrr 'f.>"ci..tl rout'''

J'Jw l'~ \ 1:~ rltw~ ml olftr pun.h .u.Jdcmic vul,C\ L niforl!tl'd HH'1111Wr~ nf tlte Armed Services '' ho tlt'!lue tu stud~ .1 l.tn~ua(!i.', history or ph.i.la uplty, f111 c-.;:unplo, '' dl lw asstsled by the U.S. .'\r 1111d Fot cc~ ltt!>lillHc .

' .

Stu

TO ALL BRAVE, HEALTHY, ABLE BODIED, A ND WELL

DISPOSED YOtJ NG MEN,

IN THIS NElGHBOURHOOD, WHO HAVE ASY l NCL\NA.TlON TO JO[~ THE i'ROOPS,

TAKE NOTICE,

f

I

..~,~y- c, ltl~~~~~-&..._ ...

WE HALLE rn EAVOR TO A

In every officer's career there arrives a day of deci sion concerning his future in the Army. A decision to remain in the Army or to get out and sample the greener pastures seen on the civilian s1de of the fence is not one to be taken lightly or to be made in haste. The Army IS not the right career for every man any more than every man would be a career asset to the Army. A decision to stay in the Army or get out is one that ultimately will affect every facet of the remainder of your life and that of your family, With tha t profound thought, let's look at some of the reasons that influence officers in their decision concerning a career in the Corps of Engineers .

WER THE QUESTIO

WHY ME?

The military career in genera l provides officers with

a deeprooted sense of satisfaction In the knowledge that they are devoting their career to the service of their nation and fellow man. Although patriotism may not be sung out as the primary reason most off1cers stay in the service, 1t is. without a doubt, one of the important intangibles that influence officers toward a military career.

The cornerstone to any personally satisfying career is the job satisfaction to be gained from the work. A glamorous, wel lpaying iob is not necessarily a good job unless 1t provides the challenges. responsibility and rewards essential to the personal satisfaction of the worker

25

By the very nature of our mission, the Corps of Engineers has a great advantage over other branches of the Army in providing job satls faction for our officers. In our engineeri ng efforts we have a lasting, physical monument to our efforts and skills after we complete a job. Whether th is be a penepnme chopper pad , a section of asphalt road or a civil works darn, we can look back wHh pride and see a tangible result of our work The sense of ach ievement in the creation of worthwhile works is the most satisfying part of engineering. The responsibility of success fully meeting a challenge through the effort and skill of yourself and those whom you command marks the Corps officer as a leader and manager of no small ability.

Responsible, challenging jobs are abundant in the Corps. Think about the men and equipment that are the responsibility of our platoon leaders and company commanders. The construction and combat support mis sions pertormed by our uni ts will task the keenest and most Imaginative of minds and make great dema nds on the technical and professional engineering skills of our officers. Our JObs are characteristically constructive In nature and not of the repetitive or make work type. The varied responsibilities of the Corps of Engineers provide oppor

t unities to work and develop skills In a field interesting and challenging to the individual preference of nearly every officer. An officer who wants to be a gung-ho combat leader of men can find the job he wants In the Corps just as can the officer whose interests are in the scientific research and developme nt areas. The Corps has officers participating in all of the Army spectalist programs from aviation to foreign area specialist. For the officer who doesn't want to specialize, the diversity of our work means that there needn't be a stereotyped career in one narrow field unless. of course, an officer tru ly desires to specialize within lhe Corps.

Only after an officer has assured himself that he can obtain personal job satisfaction from a career in the Corps should he consider the long list o1 other benefits of a military career. Certa inty one of the most attractive prospects is the opportunity for advanced schooltng. Recent experience indicates that about 60% of all Corps career officers can expect to obtain an advanced civil schooling degree . There are four programs available for civil schooling They are the Degree Completion Program (Bootstrap) , the officer Undergraduate Degree Program , the Advanced Civil Schooling Program and the new Advanced Degree Pro gram for ROTC Duty. These are flexible programs that comb ined can satisfy a schoo ling desire for almost any officer that is dembnstratlng good performance in h1s dulles.

The Army way of li fe with attendant feeling of camaraderie with your peers, the social lffe and family involvement, the variety of duty stations both stateside and overseas and the traditions and customs of the service gives a sense of belonging and identily that Is ditftcult or impossible to find outside military life. Retirement, PX, commissary, insu rance and medical care benefi ts are well publicized, 1ecognized fncentrves of mili

26

tary service. There are other benefits not so apparent. Fihd out how much insurance you would need to have In order to provide the same protection that the Army survivor benefits give your dependents or to provide the income protection that you enjoy in the Army should you become sick or disabled. It Is very substantial.

The most frequent ly mentioned reasons that Corps officers give for leaving the service are:

1, The desire for more authority 2. More opportunities for Indepe ndent action 3. Freedom from red tape 4. The desire for less supervision over t heir work 5. Opportunities for more money 6. The belief ihat the officer was under utilized by the Army in rela

lion to his abilities. Any decrslon that will affect a person as profoundly as decid ing whether

or not to make the Army a career should not be an emotional decision made In a fit of p1que or a euphoria of well-bemg based on a single Incident . Rather , all aspects of the entire spectrum of considerations relat ing to your career, both pro and con, should be explored.

When all the pros and cons of Army life have been considered, a young officer should t hen sit back and try to view his personal situation with as much objectivity as possible . Th is Is also the time to decide on the type of civilian work on the outside that looks most attractive and then whether or not your personal goals can be better achieved in that crvilian job. A second look at the list of reasons otf1cers giVe for leaving th e Corps wfll show that these are th e very same problems that your civilian con temporaries are exper iencing in theif work In private industry. In fact , many Engineer officers who have resigned from the Army state t hat the amount of responslbrlity and opportunity for Independent action that they were allowed In the Corps was far greater than that they were afforded as c1villans . Thrs IS really not unexpected because show ing a profit must be the pnmary objective of pnvate Industry whereas that of the Corps Is the training of engineer leaders and managers. The civi lian world also has Its bureaucratic Inefficiencies and its share of poor leaders JUSt as the Army does.

Many people work a lifet ime and never are able to find a job that satisfies them personally. I feel that Corps of Engrneers officers have an unequaled opportunity to frnd that job satrsfaction in their work and in their service to our nation. ThiS is the key to a f uture in the Corps and rn finding a true sense of accompfrshment and meanmg In your career .

. \ graduat(' uf the t}.S. Mil\ta.ry Academy, MaJor G:~ry D Beech \\as .-om missi\ned nto the Corps of Engineers. Hi< nr~t .u~i~~;mn(nt tnnl... Major Btl'!~h tu the 307th E.n~incu Battalion, Ftltl Brng~, ~orth Catulina, hl Sl'nrd as t .:ump:tny plat~'>Ltn lr.Ader :.~nd I:Xl'util tffiter. \ite r attl'tldiuq flight Srbool, lr,. became a fixed '''ine :=~viator .:IUd fhA'h t ~omm:Jildt'l for the 'l9rh E:ngi nel'l' C:tNlp, Eutope }1inin't th~ ll h Cavalry, US.\RPAC. VIetnam. MiljM lkcrh ~l"tl 1:'0 at. rotary win2 a1 iilt"t and :~ern lift plamrm lt-nder He the-n hec3me Aviati 1111 Staff Officer of rhe Engintcr Divi1oinn, 11'1 editerran~an Majur Beech "~ now l,.ssistnJ\1 for .'>filtt,:trl' Atfairs, Publit Affairs ()ffi,e, Office uf Chtcf ,,r F.nrrirutn

27

ITSCHNER

The ltschner .'h,ard is named for the fom1cr Chief of

.Engineers and past prPSident of Th ocietv of American Military Engineers, Lieutenant Ocnrral Emerson C. Itschner.

Given onnuallr bv the ocietv. the a,,ard I!; prest>nted to the unit of the .\nn\' Corp" nf Engineers selected as the most

outstanding during the yeru .. This vear's ,,inner is Company C. 8th Engineet Battalion.

ISl ca,alrv 01Yislon (Airmobile I . CC'mbat suppot t of tht Infantl)' has ~Iway~ been at the

heart of military engineering. Ln that role, the Amw engineer fully realizes the purpose of his effom. :\itmobilc

cngi.ne('nng, prnbablv mort> 1-han other forms, e.xemplifie~ the close bond exisung between infantryman and engineer.

\ 1ission-orientation, a!!gressiveness ru1d n-"sponse reach a zenith in the airmobile engineer. With tht \ 'ietnam conflicrc!rawing

to a dose, it is fitting that we $ei7c tbis opportunity LO acknowledge t11e unique infamryman 1engincer relationship

characteric.tic in a1rmobile w1its. Throughout the ~ix years that the FirstTeam has been in Vietnam. the Shbea\ers of the 8th Engmeer Battabon

have provided engitterrinf! acumen and ba('kbreaking labor imperative to :.uppott of highly Auid warfare. The a~ult into

Cruubodia rna\' ''ttl have been the rnos.t d1amatk and successful operation o[ the wat, alld. o( aJl the engineers,

the Skybeavers of Companr C, 8th Engineer Battalion. led the wav. This company epi tomizes an outstandingainnobile

combat eng-ineer unit. The company's performance during the Cambodian Campaign. as well as for the emire year, was

superb. Company C: contribured immeasurably to the successful complehon of the 1st Cavalry's mission.

During 1970, the unit amassed ru1 impressive record in all aspeclsof direct combat enginef'r suppon 10 the 3rd Brigade

of the di\ i_;;ion The: Cambod ian Campaign, during Mar and jUnl', \\~S the hig-h point of this exciting rear.

Before. during- ancl after lhis OJ?eration, the company never failcu tn accomplish all mission:. superbly.

The months before the Cambodian Campaign were filled with ~xtensive combat ruppon. The compam \,-as primari lr involved in the construction of battalion-sized fire support

bases. airfield upgradings ami mines,,eepoperacions. Durin,e: late sprin!! and earh summer. tl1e pace became hectic

(\$ tht' Cambodian Campai2n grew in intensit~. Combat engineer cffnrt t.hat mitiated, sustained and lattr " ithdrew the

28

AWARD

ma~\1\t on~l.tu,ht ''"'" ul a \c :tit' ne' cr before e'-perienced in the \'tt>tu.Jnt \\at C"mpam ( , Rth F.nvneerBattalion led the\,.i\.

Ptrfotminl! iu a 'upct"b m::utne'r durin(! the campaign. the tnll conuihutt.>d ''l!nifinuHh tn tht> hiqory nf aitmobile eng-ineer npt'nuun, in th \ 'tNihllll \\ .u ~n 01her rngineer com pam in tlw Ill ~!ilitary Rtlliou lt .1\ l'ljlt::lled Comp:my C's outstant.lin~ pt>rfotmanct> durin~ 1his prnod For 1'\'t'IT seemingly impossible obstacle pl.tc rd in thl" unit '~ path, snu1r. method was ah,ays rontri\NI w c>\ 'l'tconw it and iH'tornpll~h the obJe-ctive. Contp:tn\ C ~tf!tld~ alo tw :~bon th e mher support of the 1st

C:a\';llt\l)ivi~tnn dut in~o~ dw Cambodian Campaign. Tlte 'll to dr\'l!IC' murr t'llt mt>r effort to the impro\'em~nt and lOthII unton of hr ~uppnt t b.t"~ ~~~s~ions included

mines,,eep~. c 11rp~'ntf\ ~olin!!Out.,. 11'\'l!tment constroction. dt.>mnhtt('ll" .md ,., "'"' Ol~JW' t nl imponant hreba.se ronstroc tion Each llll''">ll ''41' uwt '' ith cnthu~ia,m and a!!!!I'l'>-ivcucss. To r:1p an tmpr--h

the role of the helicopter in eng1neenng

Today's technological Army is constantly on the lookout f or advancements to streamline 1ts military operations. Adequate equipment 1s continually being replaced as more efficient equipment Is discovered A1r mob1lity, one of the Army's top research programs, now offers a solution to the many restrrctions of surface transportation in the support of construction.

The replacement: the helicopter. There are, for example. numerous potentials for the helicopter as a resource fo r bridge bulld 1ng, or 1n more

genera lized terms, as a resourcE for gap crossi ngs. Although many characterisltcs peculiar to the helicopter provide advantages, 'there are also associated dtsadvantages. There 1s, however, ev1dence of a clear plus 4n the area of potential benef1ts to the construction Industry

What engineer has not been faced wfth a problem which could have been easily solved wtth a "sky hook7 ' But, how many have eve1 employed the one item available to them that can be literally described as a "sky hook.' ' the helicopter?

In the broadest cons1ructron sense. there are three basic tasks the helicopte r can accomplish . 1.) The helicopter, of course. can transit areas of steepest grades. swamps, water, snow or heavy timber

stands . 2.) It can comfortably cruise at speeds over 100 mtles per hour wl1hout regard to the state or presence

oi road net or waterway , 3.) ncan operate from hasttly prepared locations to receive cargo In an area only shghtly larger than that

required for the cargo Itself. Compare that to the area needed for turn around of grounded transport and for offloading and storage . And , of course, rf materials can be provtded on a shod-term delivery schedule, the need for large storage onsrte is gone. This fact offers savings In manpower and equipment

30

..

lhere are \'8rfous applications of tfle helicopter to these cen~ral tasl

A recent engineering magazine article explained how a builder used choppers to pour

c~nCil!te for pile caps. Application of this approach may soon increase.

The full potential of eliminating scaffolding and other false work has only been touched to date. The press abounds with examples of helicopters used to emplace church steeples and tovters.

A few words now about the most dreaded of details-cost of operation. A helicopter with a speed of about 100 miles per hour, an endurance rate of 2V2 hours and a load capacity of 4,000 pounds can be rented for between $300 and $350. The flying crane, at a speed of 50 nautical miles per hour, can deliver 16,000 pounds for $1 ,500 to $2,000 per hour. When compared to the normal price for a 20 ton truck mounted crane at $20 per hour, the price tag seems large. However, when you consider the cost of auxiliary transport and crane rental at both ends, the price falls within range.

Now, let's take a look at where some of the savings to a builder would appear. The fast transport permits economic hauling over long distances; this reduces the need for multiple bases of operation. less transportation time for highlyskllled, and therefore highlypaid, techn icians results in significant payroll cuts. -

Real estate costs are also reduced as less space is requ ired for ground or water transport systems.

Replacing traditional equipment such as cranes, barges, elevators and walkways with rotorcraft has not been fully studied. However, the development of selfcontalned pile drivers would permit multiple insertion of piling. And this, of course, offers substantial savings In time-a most Important commodity. As tndustry improves helicopter performance , the vehicles w1ll have ever broadening applications In bridge construction , The Corps of Engmeers should lead the way.

Military engineers with foresight are looking forward with anticipation to the day when a 25 ton lift capability becomes routinely available. A civilian chopper with such capability, when coupled with greater reliance on factory fabrication of bridge components, will promote changes In methods and techn1ques of design, manufacture and erection of bridges

Along with all other Army engmeers, I am looking to a future of air mobility in the Engineer Corps.

It is diffilull t' En~incer Command and acted ;u Senior Ad\isor to the Chu:f of

Ea~inct'rs of the Republic of \'ietnam He waa then as Sltflltd to tht- Office of the Chief of. Entuneers and appointed tlw Dirl.'ctor of Topography Md Milimry

En~nC'erinlf ,\her organjzin~~: the Ann} T upographic Command, h .crved concurrently llJ 1U initial comrnander and fopo!frapher of the Army H e then became De~ctor uf Militar)' .Engineering in the Office of tbe Chief of Enl(mrrr~ ln J uly, 1970 MG Ploger :U:CC'pted hu present position ;u t:ommandin.; General uf the U .S. Ann)' Engineer C.:rntl'r and Fort Beh oi r He h:ts recei,ed master's

de~tree in enl{ineering and business administration.

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*****************************,On behalf of the Officer Personnel Directorate, may I congratu late you on the first issue of The Engineer Mag~. I am particularly pleased that space will be made available in each issue to the Colonels Division and the Engineer Branch to assist them tn keeping you informed-for an Informed officer is by nature more dedicated and maintains higher professional standards.

l invite you to vistt the Officer Personnel Directorate wnen you are in the Washington area. For those of you who cannot, write the Colonels Division or the Engineer Branch, keeping them advised as to your preferen ces. Let me assure you our major aim for you Is a successful and satisfying career.

Sincerely,

RICHARD A. EDWARDS, JR. Brigadier General, USA Director of Offi cer Personnel

We tn the Branc11 welcome this additional opportunity to get the word to you. Your success tn your career and your overall ability to meet anY requirements are the reasons tor our being here. And keeping you advised Is a major task in that effort. In each issue we plan to cover those subiects we feel of greatest interest to the majority. You can help us by letting us know your thoughts, reactions, and desires. As in our newsletter, we will be brief, and direct you to source documents where necessary. If any questions remain, please write.

The oppor tunity to serve you is a satisfying assignment for all of us in Engineer Branch. We share prtde in vour Individual success.

JOSEPH A. JANSEN Colonel, Corps of Engineers Chief, Engineer Branch, OPD

We fn Colonels Division join fn welcoming this opportunity to get In touch with you Through this publication, we hope to provide timely information pertatning to colonels assignments around the wor ld.

As Information must flow In both direct1ons, we urge you to pass on your desires and future plans. This will help in our providing the best possible assignment to you.

Best wishes and continued success.

CHARLES J. FIALA LTC, CE Assignment Officer Colonels Division, OPD

34 *****************************,

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BRIDGING THE GAP

Sound Advice

Like Stability?

Promotion Outlook Optimistic

Overseas Tours

Civil Education Opportunities

Per SO'JlJ1 el Notes Basically your biggest help to a successful career remains good efficiency reports. Do your job well-

essayons

Scene I . Office of Major General R . R. Ploger, Commanding General, U nited States

Army Engineer Center and Fort Belvoir. on 1 December 1970. General Hunt and Major T om King, lnformation Officer, are seated. General Ploger speaks: " J im, Tthjnk that it would be " onderful if ~ou could get the first cop~ _of Th~ Enginar out for our Annual Dinner on 30 Apri l. What do you think~" General Hunt: "Say, that's a great idea. We will ~et on it right away."

Scene 2. General Hunt's office on 1 February 1971. Major King is speaking: "Boy, we are running into a rorky road getting permission to use color for the engineer magazine. I ~ure wish you could do somethi ng. II you don't, we're dead.'' General Hunt: 'Tom, let's check with my good friends iJ1 the .\ djutant General'!< office and see if 1,e can get a sympathetic hearing."

Sceno 3. General Hunt's office on 10 March J971. Major King is talking: " I t was a lifesaver that the Adjutant General approved the use of color but we don't have. a contract yet and it will rake 15 day~ to prin t the magazine after we get a contract. The earliest \\e can get the magazine published is mid-j une. On top oi that we have no art $upplies and we haven't rounded out our staff. I think you had better tell General Ploger that we just ca:n't make it!'' General H un t replies: "You can tell the CG, but [ am going to sec if we can' t get a contract."

Stnu' 4. General Hunt's office on 13 March 1971. Major King is present. General Hunt speaks: "Well, tbe Government Printing Office promises tbat if they can't get w; a contrart right away they will print the magazine themselve.. They tate they wi ll do everything possible to m

advantage.

medium for the about ne1~

TJ1e Engineer

fu ll )

'' hf."thet rn rwa1d thinking. \\'r.: ltv]>: that 11 ''ill

rtC\\ pro

ti,encss

the ~ talf nt 11 c d~1re anirll~ irom enlisted

nlicl ~wric., \dth

\\'~ hope

MAl Tommy B. King

a word

In this modern. fast paced, mod world ,,.,.ate all COI\C'erned with "hem hrost to C'ommunic!ttc

C)r establish a meaningfu l dialogue wirh our church, on~auization, husinl.'s evaluated. m- its progri"Ss charted. \\ r sl't'k 1our comtl1CnLS and \ '('lUI contribuLions so that we may pro' ide )'

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