 picture. An official report produced for the armed forces and the American people. Now to show you part of the big picture here is Sergeant Stuart Queen. This is Camp Buckner, West Point summer training site where each year cadets of the United States Military Academy who have just finished their plebe year engage in a program of planned military activities. Big picture cameras will show you a typical summer training period at Camp Buckner, where amid the waters and woodlands of New York state men of West Point gain valuable field experience which will help make them better officers. To become an officer in the U.S. Army takes the kind of training that really puts a man to the test. Comes July the third classman, that's us, hits summer camp at Buckner with everything we've got. Ahead of us are eight weeks of field training. That'll get us better acquainted with the weapons, the tactics, and the missions of the different branches of the service. Top physical condition is a must to keep up with the schedule that includes a wide program of physical fitness. After two semesters of classroom work and the strict discipline of plebe year, we find the outdoor activities a stimulating change. Object of the summer training program is to help turn out a close-knit, well-trained, spirited West Point class. Field instruction begins with the basic weapon of the soldier, the rifle. Once we've mastered the mechanics of the weapon on a known distance range, we move on to a transition range. Here the firing is under more natural conditions using whatever cover is available. Under the careful supervision of officers and enlisted specialists, many of whom are combat veterans, we get acquainted with all of the small arms and crew-served weapons found in an infantry battle group. Neek of fire range, a new element is added, the use of terrain type target. Each squad leader is given a mission and assigns specific targets to a squad, a farmhouse, part of a stone wall. The entire program is under the supervision of the superintendent of the military academy and members of the first or senior class. Using combat-tested techniques, field problems and day and night patrolling are carried out. Here too, we get a chance to try out squad and platoon tactics in offensive and defensive situations. A reconnaissance patrol prepares to move through terrain controlled by a team of enemy soldiers. Unlike a combat patrol, the reconnaissance patrol is under orders to avoid a fight unless one is necessary to accomplish their mission. The exercise puts to use previous instruction and map reading, use of the compass, squad coordination and proper methods of movement while in enemy territory. Small-scale problems like these pave the way for larger problems which follow. Squad exercises give way to platoon exercises. Here we get a rundown on platoon tactics from a first class. Now a platoon prepares an attack against an enemy held hilltop. Some of us will be assigned to command positions, some will provide a base of fire, and others will operate as a maneuver element. This type of training gives us a first-hand picture of many of the problems encountered by commanders and their men during combat. Plated artillery preparation opens the attack. This kind of exercise offers practical training in the employment of infantry weapons and in the coordination of widely scattered groups of men on a smoke-covered battlefield. Weapons and tactics are only part of summer training at Buckner. This tower supports a platform standing 65 feet above the surface of Lake Popol Open. Called Buckner Slide, it is one of several confidence courses, and it sure takes plenty of confidence to take that first step. This is not our favorite water site at Buckner. We prefer this one. The strenuous training program makes the breathing spaces in between more welcome, and as a relief from field exercises, Camp Buckner offers plenty of recreational opportunities. Drags or fems, as the girls are known, are welcome any weekday, after training, and on weekends. Since there are no academic studies during these periods, you've got time for recreation. These off-duty hours go a long way to our building morale. Play is hard as we work, and in addition to the water sports, there are many other recreational facilities. Importance in our training program at Buckner is the course in signal communications. Because any successful army operation depends on good communications, we receive extensive signal instruction. We learn how to handle field wire, switchboards, telephone equipment, and field radio. Signal Corps experts cover communication techniques and operating methods. This training completed, we run a field problem, setting up and operating the communication devices of an infantry unit. In this problem, a variety of communication techniques are employed. When switchboards are working, and a radio net is successfully established, all of the equipment available to an infantry company is being used, including of course the faithful foot messenger. This is the site of the field artillery trainer. The trainer is used to instruct in methods of adjusting artillery fire against enemy targets, and even includes a simulated atomic warhead. The intensive course in the missions and capabilities of artillery includes instruction in the principles of fire control. Next, we practice loading and firing artillery weapons. Every cadet conducts a complete fire mission using 105 millimeter howitzers and live ammunition. From an observation post, cadet forward observers send fire missions to batteries several miles to the rear. Having called for artillery fire, the observers stand by. A second mission is requested. Four batteries to fire proximity fuses. In addition to instruction in field artillery weapons, we learn about the latest guided missiles. Experts discuss air defense missiles, how they are made, what they can do, and how they are used. This model represents a typical Nike site. We learn how to operate the radar used with a Nike. Planes arriving and departing from New York City airports 70 miles away are easily detected. A display of the Nike Hercules, first of the Nike series capable of mounting an atomic warhead, winds up the course in artillery. By the middle of the summer, we begin to understand what a spree decor means. Guess the best way to explain it is pride in a job well done. Pride that helps us live up to the motto of West Point. Duty, honor, country. The summer program at Camp Buckner includes engineer training. Getting an armed force across a river can be a pretty complicated affair. As part of our engineering course, we learn how to put together a light aluminum footbridge. Through the eyes of construction experts and crew chiefs, each bay is assembled and the bridge quickly takes shape. These raft and bridge problems demonstrate the careful planning necessary to any successful military operation. Like all of the summer training, the course in armor relies heavily on practical work. Armor instruction covers the missions, tactics, and operating principles of both tanks and armored personnel carriers. This includes tank driving under the supervision of experienced and listed instructors. Personnel carrier playing a growing part in today's army. Practice driving includes an amphibious operation to demonstrate what this unusual equipment can do. The personnel carrier tips the scales at 21 tons, but floats easily. This demonstration, like the earlier armor training, serves as an introduction for an elaborate field problem to follow. A realistic combat exercise, we will make up the crews of a reinforced tank company. An attack will be made against an enemy strong point under the guidance of a cadet tank commander. The tactical situation is clearly explained, but after this briefing the whole operation will be up to us. In preparing to make the attack, the first movement is toward an assembly area. Hopefully concealed positions, final preparations are made to request an aerial reconnaissance of his attack positions. On the basis of the tactical situation, it is up to him to prepare a detailed plan of action, issue orders to his tank platoons, and then lead them against the enemy positions. Is a two-day field problem, testing important phases of the instruction given in the preceding seven weeks. This final tactical exercise includes the use of infantry, armor, artillery, engineer, and signal equipment. Helicopters, too, are used in the maneuver. In the opening phases of the two-day problem, we are given a lift by H-21 Flying Bananas. Our mission is to seize two separate objectives. This operation stresses modern military concepts. The battlefield of tomorrow will call for the use of small, mobile tactical units tied together by flexible signal communications. As one of our assault teams lands on a sheltered ridge below a hilltop and storms out to capture a guided missile launching site, another smaller unit moves in to secure a nearby dam, object to capture the dam and all approaches leading to it, including the principal road. Also, a nearby hill which overlooks the dam must be seized. Objective taken, preparations must be made for a possible enemy counterattack. It's established with mines and carefully placed automatic weapons. At the same time, one squad moves to take up positions on the far side of the dam. When the dam is completely secured, the smoke grenade is fired. Mission accomplished, we reassemble, and by dusk are digging in for the night. After the long day, we look forward to a quiet evening and a good night's sleep. But the enemy has other ideas. Enemy forces withdraw. By sunrise, we have to be ready for the second day of the field exercise. There's only a short time to eat or get a few minutes' rest. All of us wait for the simulated atomic explosion, which will signal the beginning of the day's advance. Out rises, the order is given to move out. The mission? To reestablish contact with the enemy, close with, and destroy it. Firing fire, a maneuver element works its way to the rear of the enemy blockhouse. Air support is requested. The final scene belongs to the infantry. This is the last assault of the two-day exercise. Up of the eight weeks at Camp Buckner. The Buckner stakes. Here, accent is on individual performance as we compete in a 12-station course covering the training presented during the summer. A specific problem has to be solved at each of the 12 stations. The manner of performance at each station, plus the total time taken to complete the course, decides who wins the stakes. This course and the other competitive activities help to build the intangibles required of every officer. Initiative, resourcefulness, leadership. The stakes also provide a good test of physical condition. The individual winners will be presented with awards at a ceremony that marks the end of the eight-week training program. We've reached that finish line. We've had all the running will need for some time to come. It's been a long, hard summer and the scoreboard tallies up the final scores. Entertaining families and friends is another high spot of the calendar of events. Civilian guests always enjoy seeing and inspecting military equipment on display. Even though we've gotten pretty well acquainted with this equipment by now, we enjoy showing it off, especially to our dates. The Saturday night dances are the real bright spots on our social agenda. A small but formal receiving line reminds us of the social standards that will be expected of us as officers. But in most ways, these dances are no different from the many other dances held all over America on Saturday night. Music, soft lights, and pretty girls. This point's summer training is an official ceremony at which outstanding cadets receive awards for events won on the Buckner stakes or in other training competition. High-ranking career officers present the awards. This ceremony makes all that hard work worthwhile. Families and friends share in the pride we feel. Moments such as these make us keenly aware of the high tradition in which we train. We follow in the footsteps of the many great men who have preceded us at the academy. Perhaps in our ranks there may be a future Ulysses S. Grant, a Robert E. Lee, a Patton, a MacArthur, or an Eisenhower. But whatever the future has in store for us, we know that upon our shoulders will rest heavy responsibility for the defense of this great nation. There's a responsibility we can face now with greater confidence because of what we have accomplished here at summer training camp. Picture is an official report for the armed forces and the American people. Produced by the Army Pictorial Center. Presented by the Department of the Army in cooperation with this station.