"Back at the Gap" BACK AT THE GAP Major General Frank H. Smoker, Jr. (USAF, Retired) A decision is made to build back at the Gap Eighth in a Series Mt Gretna continued as a National Guard training area for nearly 50 years. The 28th Division encamped there every summer until the late 1930's when the primary training site was moved to Indiantown Gap. Not all of the maneuvers centered around the horse cavalry. As a personal matter, I can remember going to Mt Gretna in 1936 with my boyhood friend -- we were 11 years old at the time. His father was a captain and commander of the local National Guard unit in our hometown of Columbia, and his father drove us over to Mt Gretna in an open touring car. The Pennsylvania National Guard's 103rd Observation Squadron, a part of the 28th Division, was there that day with some of its airplanes. These O-47 aircraft used the parade ground, Soldier’s Field, as their landing strip. Here was the opportunity -- for the first time ever in my life -- to touch a real airplane. I even had a chance to climb into the plane's cockpit! That incident most likely affected the rest of my life because -- from that point on -- I always wanted to be a military pilot. And come to think of it, if it hadn't been for that incident, I might not even be writing this history about the Gap! As another personal note, little did I know or realize at that time, the significance of the fact that the 103rd Observation Squadron, organized in 1924, as a unit of the 28th Division, was the first “Air National Guard” unit within Pennsylvania, and was the forerunner of the modern Pennsylvania Air National Guard that was to become federally recognized following World War II on 17 January 1947. Another coincidence was that I am one of only a few remaining members of that original unit dating from January 1947, and that subsequently, 40 years later, I would become the Commander of the Pennsylvania Air National Guard of which the 103rd Squadron was and still is an important part. Fort Indiantown Gap's traditional mission as a training site dates back to 1929 when the Pennsylvania State Legislature recognized the need to expand training facilities for the Pennsylvania National Guard. The State Military Reservation Commission was convened to determine whether or not Mt. Gretna was a good place for the Reservation or if new lands should be purchased and set aside as a state Military Reservation. The Commission, established under the Administrative Code of 1929 was chaired by Major General William G. Price. Other members included Brigadier General Edward C. Shannon, Brigadier General Edward Martin, Brigadier General Frank D. Beary, Brigadier General W. S. McClean, Jr., Brigadier General Robert M. Brookfield, Colonel David J. Davis, Mr. John Longacre, and Mr. Harry B. McDowell. At a meeting held on December 4, 1930, "It was moved by General Martin, seconded by General McClean, that it was the sense of the Commission that it would be inadvisable to make further extensive developments at Mount Gretna, due to the proximity of the civil population and the danger to the life of the population when troop maneuvers were being held. Further, that it would be advisable for the State of Pennsylvania to purchase enough land at another point where the whole camp could be located, including a complete Division." The report reiterated “that by reason of the density of population, it is dangerous to conduct combat firing by the Infantry, and Artillery firing is prohibited; that roads on the Reservation are inadequate, improperly laid out and poorly constructed. Also, practically all of the buildings at Mount Gretna are temporary structures.” The same report tells us that the Commission decided that the following reasons were justification for acquiring Indiantown Gap as the new location: Combat firing and Artillery practice; land can be purchased to good advantage and at small cost; the camp can be laid out advantageously for training purposes; roads can be constructed in order that the camp may be economically and properly served; all the units of the Division could be assembled at one time; there is ample water for the supply of all troops and animals and for bathing purposes; the location is far removed from populated districts; and buildings can be so constructed that the major portion of the supplies and material not in use could be safely stored. It must be recognized that General Martin was probably the most influential military figure at this time, very well respected, as well as very influential in politics. He was probably the most senior general officer in the Pennsylvania National Guard - other than General Price - with an illustrious military career, having been awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and Purple Heart during World War I. He later became the 28th Division Commander and Governor, followed by a term as U.S. Senator. Therefore, because of General Martin’s exceptional standing and based upon his recommendation to expand the National Guard training site, Governor Gifford Pinchot approved the Commission's decision and on April 10, 1931, $300,000 State funds were initially allocated for the acquisition of land in the vicinity of Indiantown Gap. Note that General Shannon’s influence also would have been significant because he was serving as Lieutenant Governor in Governor Pinchot’s administration. Land was gradually purchased from local farmers, initially 51 plots were purchased in Dauphin County and 142 plots in Lebanon County, with the average size plots of 62.4 acres at an average cost of $25.64 per acre. Eventually, the total area was in excess of 19,000 acres of land in Union and East Hanover Townships in Lebanon County and in Hanover Township in Dauphin County. In 1932, actual construction work started in the preparation of the Artillery Camp site. The work was a State Emergency Relief project, employees being paid by food orders at the rate of twenty-five cents per hour. (Remember, this was during the Great Depression.) Most of the work consisted of cleaning and grading the area. Troops of the 28th Division continued to encamp at Mount Gretna and used a part of the Gap’s reservation area for maneuvering purposes only. Older citizens in Annville have told me they remember cavalry troops marching through the town on their way to and from the Gap, often making rest stops and watering their horses. The State Emergency Relief project continued until November 1933 when several Civil Works Administration projects were started on actual construction of mess halls, offices, latrines, roads, water, sewer and light lines in the artillery area. The concrete block mess halls in Area 13 were the first permanent buildings built at the Gap. During that year, additional land was purchased, consisting of the Artillery firing range and extension of the camp area. The Artillery Brigade of the 28th Division used the reservation that year. During March 1934, the Civil Works Administration continued work in the artillery area and in the 55th Infantry Brigade camp area. Sewer lines were also constructed. The State Highway constructed a part of the main highway through the camp, known as State Route 443. My next column will describe the early days of training at the Gap. -- 30 -- Published in the 25 February 2004 edition of the Lebanon Daily News © 2004 Frank H. Smoker, Jr. All rights reserved. Reproduced by permission of the author. Go "Back at the Gap" Index