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365th Combat Team, 92nd
Infantry Division |
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The Atterbury Crier November 20, 1942 365th Combat Team Finds "Second Front" Rigid Training Rules Isolate Junior Officers - Why hasn't much been heard about the 365th Combat Team, 92nd Division, since they were activated in Camp Atterbury a few weeks ago ? The story is -- the outfit's junior officers have been undergoing one of the most rigid training courses possible for those who are going to lead troops. While undergoing the course, the officers were stripped of their rank and were addressed as "Mister". No one left the area; and contact with the outside world by newspaper, radio and telephone was forbidden. Not until graduation did one group learn that a second front had been opened in North Africa. Meals "At Attention." Meals were eaten while the men sat as stiff as pokers, eyes glued fast to plates. Between classes and areas, the officers always did "double-time." One of the highlights of the course was a 16-mile hike with full pack and rifle, completed in four hours and 25 minutes. Then for dessert, the men were marched out of the barracks that night and "double-timed" for three miles - in 36 minutes. The purpose of the course was "to instill a high sense of discipline," according to the training memorandum; and the system used was similar to that used for the reception of the new cadets at the United States Military Academy. In Two Groups The 365th Combat Team officers were divided into two groups, one group taking the course one week and the second group taking the course the following week. In charge of the course was Lt. Col. L. C. Britt, commanding officer of the 1st Battalion. 1st Lt. Paul Gray, Jr., 597th Field Artillery, was executive officer. Both are graduates of West Point. A somewhat similar course, though less stringent, for the non-commissioned officers, first in a series of three, was conducted Tuesday. |
| The Atterbury Crier January 22, 1943 General Davis Inspects Negro Troops Here - Inspector General's Department Officer Here Till Sunday. Brig. Gen. Benjamin O. Davis, Sr., of the Inspector General's Department, arrived at Camp Atterbury yesterday, and will be here until Sunday, inspecting Negro troops in their training and work. His visits with the troops are informal and no interruptions of normal activities or formations are planned. Gen. Davis, with almost half a century of service in the Army, came up from the ranks and served in both the Spanish-American and World was. He was promoted to the rank of brigadier general October 25, 1940. Yesterday he visited Negro soldiers in the 1560th Service Unit and today he will inspect the 365th Combat Team, 92nd Infantry Division. Tomorrow he will observe the training fo the 452nd Coast Artillery (AA) Co. D, 206th Quartermaster Bn (GS), Co's C and D, and Headquarters Detachment, 249th Quartermaster Bn. Gen. Davis' son is Lt. Col. Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., who graduated from West Point in 1936. |
| The Atterbury Crier January 29, 1943 Highest Ranking
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| The Atterbury Crier February 5, 1943 92nd Men Parade To Strains of "This Is The Army" To the stirring strains of "This is the Army; Mr. Jones," the 365th Combat Team, 92nd Infantry Division marched out on its parade ground Tuesday for its first phase of a three-day inspection. The inspection was conducted by the 92nd Division's commanding general, Maj, Gen. E, M. Almond. With him were Brig. Gen. J. E. Wood, assistant divisional commander, and Brig. Gen. W. H. Colbun, commanding officer of the field artillery units in the division, and Gen. Almond's entire staff. Leading the 365th Combat Team was Col. Walter A. Elliott, its commanding officer, and his staff. Headquarters of the 92nd Division are at Ft. McCellan, Ala. |
| The Camp Crier March 19, 1943 Ranger Training Holds Atterbury Spotlight - Ruthless Fighters Developed in 83rd and 365th Courses - Men crawl through bared wire with hot lead above. Crawling through a barbed wire entanglement with hot lead whining above, jumping 17-foot ditches, wading ice-cold streams in the dead of winter - these were a few of the many highlights of the spectacular demonstration fo the 365th Combat Team Ranger School held last week before Brig. Gen. J. E. Wood, 92nd Division staff, Col. C. M. Willingham, commanding officer of the 365th and other members of his staff. Through the worst kind of weather, the school was conducted by Lt. Raymond P. Coles Jr., for the past four weeks had the rugged Rangers out drilling, tumbling, patrolling, wrestling, scouting and studying, preparatory to teaching their outfits the same rough and tumble tactics. Peppered With Hardships The Ranger training course is 15 miles long and is liberally peppered with all the hardships of actual combat conditions, starting with a reaction test that has very realistic Jap dummies popping from around trees and springing out of the grass as the Rangers stumble and puff their way up hill. They go over ditches and through brush piles, finally jumping off a platform and crawling through barbed wire with firecrackers exploding all around. The next phase is at the other end of camp, eight miles away, and the men are required to dog trot all the way - to the combat range where they throw their beaten and tired bodies on the ground and start to crawl through a barbed wire entanglement as two heavy machine guns open up with a stream of hot lead over their helmets. Suddenly there is a deafening explosion and the ground blows up in front - then on the side - but with all the training given in the school, the Rangers reach the woods on the other side and resume the double time. Dives In Icy Stream Down to an icy stream where one ranger grabs the lead rope and dives in, gun, clothes and all. Quickly and quietly the rest of the group makes a toggle bridge slung from one bank to the other, enabling the following troops in comparative comfort - until suddenly the water erupts in geysers with ear shattering explosions. Gen. Wood was highly pleased with the fine work done by Lt. Coles and his Rangers, and said that it was the policy of the Division that two Rangers be trained in every squad. Col. Willingham enlarged on this by saying that it would be the policy of the 365th Combat Team to rain every officer and enlisted mean to Ranger specs. |
| The Camp Crier March 26, 1943 Medical Training IS Realistic
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| The Camp Crier April 2, 1943  Practicing
protection from aerial attack was a part of the maneuvers of the 2nd Bn.,
365th Combat Team. The photo shows men caught during a 10-minute
marching break seeking cover from an "enemy" plane.Soldiers of the 2nd Bn., 365th Combat team, gave the people of Franklin, Indiana, a close-up of Army life Friday when they bivouaced in the town after an eight-mile approach march. Arriving in Franklin Friday afternoon, the battalion paraded through the business district before marching to the Armory grounds where the bivouac was held. There the pup tents were set up by the men. Anti-tank guns and other equipment were placed inside the Armory where the public was permitted to inspect them. Formal retreat was held at 1730 and Col. C. M. Willingham, commanding officer of the 365th Combat Team, was present. Lt. Col. S. L. Foulston is battalion commander. Civic leaders of the town ate chow with the soldiers as guests. That evening the service men were entertained at a dance sponsored by the King St. USO club in the City Hall auditorium. The battalion returned to camp Saturday morning. Music for the parade and retreat was by the 365th Combat Team military band. |
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Brig.
Gen. Benjamin O. Davis, Sr., of the Inspector General's Dept., Washington,
who inspected the Negro troops here last week is the only Negro general in
the United States Army. With almost a half century of service, he
came up from the ranks and served in both the Spanish-American and World
wars.
Evacuation
of the wounded from the field is taking on a realistic turn these days as
the men of the 365th Combat Team Medical Detachment go through their
training with speed and precision. The photo shows a "casualty"
being brought in to a receiving clerk for disposition. Shown are
Cpl. Eugene Lester, Pfc. Isaac James and Pvt's. Thomas Corbett, James
Hayes and Robert Wood. The man getting the free ride is Pvt. Luther
Glenn.