(\ l'. :·\ \.,,R''z;".: .· A'· ... '\- ·>.·. .M .:· · G·· · - - ......_,.__ .·.. :-····· ··.. •.•,·.......... .... ~- ·.·.·.·.·.·.·.. ·.· .. :-:·:·:·:·:·:-· -···· .........- .· ·.···· Published in the interest of the personnel of White Sands Missile Range , Volume 25-Number 39 Friday, December 6, 1974 A range first Italians fire Lance t his week For the first time in history, Logistical support for the and by Ft. Bliss, Tex., units Italian Army troop units are firings was provided by a U.S. and serving as range sponsor firing missiles at White Sands that operate Orogrande Range will be the Lance project office unit from Ft. Sill, the 1st Camp. Missile Range this week. Battalion, 12th Field Artillery, in the Materiel Test Division of A six-round series of annual Providing technical support WSMR Army Missile Test and service practice firings of the Evaluation Directorate. Lance, the medium-range Scoring the firing units will artillery weapon system, is be umpires from Italy and planned. Four rounds wete Pear/ Harbor recalled from the U.S. Army Field scheduled for Thursday, with Artillery Missile Systems two rounds to go today. Making his first inaugural address on March 4, 1933, Evaluation Group based at Ft. The firing series is a President Franklin D. Roosevelt told a country deep in Sill. On hand in advisory roles milestone in the program of depression, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." will be representatives of the deployment and use of the Eight years later, the word 'fear' was to take on new meaning U.S. Army Missile Command Lance, a rugged and highly in the annals of American history. In the wake of war in Europe, headquartered at Redstone mobile system designed for the world paid little attention to a small country, Japan, in the Arsenal, Ala., and the LTV support of ground combat Pacific and its plans for the expansion of its empire. Aerospace Corp., Warren, units. Operational since Tomorrow marks the 33rd anniversary of the event that took Mich., prime contractor for November 1972, the Lance has . the United States by surprise. Lance missiles. been fired 46 times at WSMR On the quiet Sunday morning of Dec. 7, 1941, 353 attacking The Lance missiles, which during the past two years by Japanese planes converged on a U.S. naval base at Pearl have a range of up to 75 miles, U.S. Army units that have been Harbor, Hawaii, leaving a path of death and destruction. are programmed to impact in equipped with the Lance. From 7:55 to 9:45 a.m. the Japanese Air Fleet, consisting of the northern part of WSMR. torpedo planes, as well as dive and horizontal bombers, bom­ A contingent of Italian Development testing of the barded without warning unsuspecting vessels in the harbor. Lance began 10 years ago. The soldiers, about 120 strong, is Many airfields in the area were also rendered inoperative. The scheduled to arrive today at Lance replaced the Honest sudden attack sank nine ships and crippled nine others. John rocket and the Sergeant Orogrande Range Camp, in the American casualties were 3,581 dead. Only 29 of the 353 southeastern corner of White Japanese planes were downed. guided missile. The Lance is Sands Missile Range. the first U.S. Army missile to The crippling of the U.S. fleet that Sunday morning a third of utilize prepackaged, storable Traveling in a motor convoy, a century ago gave the Japanese fleet command of the Pacific a the troops are coming from Ft. that lasted until 1945. liquid propellant. Sill, Okla., where they have At home, the news of the tragedy at Pearl Harbor was met The weapon system utilizes a been undergoing training for with shock and grief by the American people. War was declared self-propelled launcher. The six months at the U.S. Army and an angry nation gathered its strength and skill to supress missile employs a simplified Artillery Center and School. the enemy across the sea. · inertial guidance system and is The firings serve as Today the memory of that tragic event at Pearl Harbor has capable of operating in any Prepare to hoist graduation exercises for the not been forgotten. A memorial sits atop the sunken USS, weather conditions. Weighing Italians, who will return to Arizona, which still contains the bodies of the 1,100 men who 3,300 pounds at launch, the Italy to man Lance batteries were killed aboard her. Lance is 20 feet long and 22 Two members of White Sands Missile Range's Color Guard from the 259th MP Company prepare deployed as part of the North Each year this day is remembered by many Americans who inches in diameter. It may be to hoist a special Bicentennial flag during ceremonies last week at Las Cruces City Hall. Specialist Atlantic Treaty Organization pay tribute to the 314,693 Americans who gave their lives in armed with a conventional or Four Timothy McCartney, left, and Sergeant George Land raise the flag which had flown over the defense forces. World War II for the protection of this country of ours. nuclear warhead. nation's capitol and personally presented to the city by Sen. Joseph M. Montoya. Major General Robert J. ProudfQot, commanding general of WSMR, and Chaplain <Maj.) Virgil A. Ganz also took prominent roles in the ceremonies which attracted a crowd of nearly 2,000. (U.S. Army photo by SP5 James Oskam) Range carries Proiect Navaio alone White · Sands Missile Range items to the huge Navajo Window Rock, Ariz. Gallup and Window Rock know Year's last SOM selected military and civilian workers reservation in southern Utah, Lieutenant Colonel Donald F. we still care," he added. continued to collect food, Arizona and New Mexico. Keller, director of WSMR 's A tribal spokesman in A 21-year-old com- clothing, toys and children's Range PFC Smith is assigned White Sands Missile Range, 1974 collection effort, said the Arizona said the Air Force munications specialist who has books this week for Project which started its collection to Company C Troop Command range would continue its Association cancellation less than eight months Army with duty at the Range Ser· Navajo '74, although the Utah drive Nov. 11, will continue to collection drive, even though me11ns Christmas for service has been named White vices Division. After entering Air Force Association can­ collect food and clothing for the Air Force Association has thousands of Navajos " . will Sands Missile Range's Soldie:r: the Army April 25, 1974, he celled its support because of shipment to Ft. Wingate, near withdrawn. be pretty rough this year," of the Month for December. underwent basic combat inflation. Gallup, N.M. Last year the "We have already collected although he said the tribe Private First Class Robert L. Gill Friederichs, president of training at Ft. Dix, N.J., then range collected 12,800 pounds nearly 5,000 po ..nds of clothing understands the problems and Smith Jr., a ) native of the AF Association, said the of clothing and food for Indians attended the voice radio and food here (WSMR), and appreciates what was done in Albuquerque who now calls operator's course at Dix. He annual drive was halted in living on the nearby reser­ since the Air Force has with­ the past. Frostburg, Md., his home, won Utah due to the increased costs vation. was assigned to the national drawn support it's even more In the meantime, Project the honor this week in com­ range in September. of food and clothing. Bob Donations were distributed necessary that we continue," Navajo donations at the missile petition with selected men and Bowman, public relations PFC Smith is married to the throughout the sprawling Lt. Col. Keller said this week. range received healthy women from all major Army director for Utah's Hill Air reservation under the direction former Kim Blank of Frost­ "I doubt that we can match clothing and food donations units at the range. Final burg, Md. They now live at 301 Force Base, where the project of Charles Nelson, assistant the 12,000 pounds collected last from a number of military selection was made by a board is headquartered, said last director of the Indians' Loki on post with their year, but we'll collect enough dependents living on post and of senior noncommissioned daughter Stacey Lynn. year's drive sent 20 tons of Donated Foods Program at to let the Indians living near civilian employes in Las .officers. Selection of Soldier of the Cruces and El Paso. As the range's top soldier for Month at White Sands Missile December PFC Smith will "Published by the Zia Newspapers. Las Cruces. New Mexico, a private firm in no way con­ Checks totalling $43 were Range is based on appearance, nected with the Department of the Army. Opinions expressed by the pubUsher and writers herein' received during .be week, receive a three-day pass, $25 military bearing, conduct, are their own and are not considered to be an official expression by the Department of the Army. pushing the total to $178. Savings Bond and certificate of performance of duty, The appearance of advertisements in this publication does not constitute an endorsement by the Checks were received from achievement. He will also be knowledge of military sub­ Department of the Army of the products or services advertised.'' Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Gorman honored by civic organizations jects, leadership potential and ($10), Mr. and Mrs. Donald C. in Las Cruces and El Paso. special achievements. <Continued on Page i > At White Sands Missile PFC Robert L. Smith Jr. WSMR kids love Tigger, Pooh and friends ... in Ef Paso Jr.