 To Germany From Alaska to Puerto Rico All over the world the United States Army is on the alert to defend our country you the American people against aggression This is the big picture an official television report to the nation from the United States Army Now to show you part of the big picture here is Sergeant Stewart Queen Welcome to the big picture in this issue. We are continuing our inspection of America's continental armies Today we visit Fifth Army It's the largest in area taking in 13 states and containing many kinds of activities How long can a man stand the cold at the top of a snow-capped mountain? What is the best kind of leather for a soldier's shoes? What kind of special training would a man receive as a member of an aggressor force? Lieutenant John Mortimer will be our escort as we discover the answers in a tour of Fifth Army This is Lieutenant John Mortimer Our big picture camera is on its way to headquarters of Fifth Army as we begin a tour of highlights of its installations and activities We swing off Hyde Park Boulevard to head for the command post that controls the largest of our continental armies The big picture camera would like to visit with the general. Where can we locate him? General Keen's in his office now holding a briefing for the incoming officers of Fifth Army area. You can so make it if you hurry We are shown the way to the office of the commanding general of Fifth Army Lieutenant General William B. Keen and arrive in time to hear his briefing Good morning gentlemen The Fifth Army was the most international army that fought in Europe during World War two General Mark Clark was in command during most of its campaigns at that time it consisted of Seven core and 27 divisions with troops of five other nations included in his order of battle After the war Fifth Army was reactivated here in Chicago The Fifth Army area as you can see by this map Includes 13 states from Michigan and Indiana to Colorado and Wyoming from North Dakota to include Kansas and Missouri Within this area there are more than 3,000 miles of Lake coastline and over 2,000 miles of Canadian border all told the Fifth Army area comprises 30% of the United States with approximately 25% of the nation's population Just the army installations alone total over a half a million acres of land Command of tactical type troops and installation supervision of all civilian component programs and Logistical support to all army units and facilities in this vast area is our mission The function of Fifth Army headquarters within the Fifth Army area There are over 1,000 Military installations where you can find some of the most highly specialized training programs in the army As a matter of fact, I am due at Fort Sheridan in a few minutes to inspect one of our interesting training programs You're welcome to join me if you like a short drive through Chicago in its northern suburbs and the big picture camera arrives at Fort Sheridan During the trip. We have learned a little of the history of the fort eight days back to 1887 when Chicago citizens desired the presence of federal troops and donated the original 600 acre track Which is now grown to a modern army installation comprising 2300 acres The tower has stood as a symbol of strength to the many units that have passed beneath its shadow Our destination is an outfit with an odd name and an even stranger job This is the 48 engineers topographical battalion Soldiers with special aptitudes learn the complicated art of map making and all important art when lives depend on the accuracy of a line We listen in as the commander makes spot checks of some activities What kind of work are you doing? I'm laying a uncontrolled mosaic of Fort Sheridan sir What is the purpose? The purpose of a mosaic sir is for fire control and location of individual buildings or sites land sites along the mosaic Thank you so much. Yes, sir Some of the other things the general be looking into are activities like photomapping This soldier is working at a reflecting vertical projector an instrument used by a topographic unit to transfer detail from an aerial Photograph to a map manuscript the projector can enlarge a picture many times Another interesting instrument is the topographic stereo plotter a device for examining and measuring contours This precision instrument can translate a photograph or map into three dimensions It's all done with mirrors and the final result will show up as a map with another dimension added Believe it or not. This is not a marble game It's a way of saving money called the zenith plate grainy machine This purpose is to remove the image from a printing plate That is no longer needed as the tub rotates their marbles rub off the old image and the plate is ready for reuse They can be used over and over depending on the care in handling General Keane's inspection takes him to many parts of the post where many of the units aren't work in the field This soldier is working on an interesting problem He's part of a survey patoon which is seeking to determine exact location on the earth's surface The instrument he's working with is used for accurately measuring horizontal and vertical angles Searching questions produce information about the training progress of these units first hand All over four Sheridan men are working on different kinds of map making problems But one of the biggest jobs for Catographers is to see that plenty of copies are made and General Keane's next stop is at the mobile printing press How an operation is a weapon door for a big chief offset press It's capable of printing medium-sized maps at the rate of 4500 an hour This type of press is best suited to the special needs of the army because of its compact structure a feature Which makes it possible to be placed in a truck for better mobility? Map making is just one of the many specialized and essential jobs handled by fifth Army personnel Leaving General Keane to his inspection of Fort Sheridan The big picture camera travels to another part of the nation's second largest city to a place that performs an important function Supplies for the best equipped soldiers in the world We're visiting the Chicago quartermaster depot What will bypass the routine part of this vast operation and concentrate on the food and container Institute? Here scientists and food technicians are constantly testing and improving the ingredients They go into every type of soldiers rations We are in time to see a freshly baked batch of test bread come out of the ovens There are many kinds tested here different formulas for different purposes all depended upon the conditions to be met in the field I'm curious to sample one of these new special recipes and they technician obliges by cutting the slice for me Here are some of the baked products tested this day in the Institute White bread chocolate nut roll pecan roll pound cake fruit cake orange nut roll and crackers Packaging sea rations takes place in another part of the vast plant of the quartermaster depot The same care goes into the packing as in the planning of sea ration containers Before leaving Chicago for the next spot in our itinerary We stop off to visit one of the many anti-aircraft units located around the city We asked sergeant Ronald Rosen about the importance of his AA unit The sergeant tells us that although he is no defense expert It's pretty clear to him that Chicago would be the gateway for any attack that can come over the North Pole This gun is another link in the steel ring that protects America from the enemy These guns are manned round the clock, but it's not too bad. He said because his family lives in Chicago Yes Midwest America gets the same attention as the coastlines in our defense effort But now the big picture camera is traveling east We're going to Indiana for a look at a reserve training program in action At South Bend most famous as the home of Notre Dame University. We look in on a typical session Classes are posted on the bulletin board at the entrance and there's little time wasted in getting underway Because of its best area and great population centers fifth army has the largest reserve program in the country Attendance is high as these veterans meet twice a month to keep their military skills fresh in case to America should ever need their services again Officers work at solving many kinds of problems field tactics and executive functions are constantly studied But it's not all theory. There's plenty of practice The rifle range is a popular place for most members of the reserve the various classes get together to work out a coordinated problem In many cases these are situations which will be dealt with during their annual two-week summer encampment It's reserve units like this one a South Bend that provide the reservoir of citizens who are ready to serve their country In the event of a national emergency But there's plenty more to see in fifth army and once more the big picture camera is on its way This time to Fort Benjamin Harrison This post is the home of the Army's finance corps and the newly constructed finance center is the nerve center for allotments and pay The record of every soldier is kept here Mail relating to every kind of payment is received by the tongue Processing of each inquiry begins even before the letters open the time of arrival is stamped on the envelope There's enough space within these walls to tuck away a thousand six-room houses And they sure need it because this is perhaps the largest clerical operation in the world Some of the financial matters handled are lot mints and allowances government insurance premiums military pay records soldiers deposits miscellaneous claims and a complete record of bond purchases To handle the tremendous bookkeeping involved much of the work is done by electronic and mechanical machines We are entering a closely guarded room that should be of interest to anyone who has ever received a payment from the army This section is the final step before a check is mailed High-speed machines accurately handle the physical task of getting checks into an envelope waiting the flap and sealing These are just a few of the functions carried on inside this massive building Many of the personnel who work here are graduates of the army finance school But there's still plenty left to visit in the Fifth Army and next stop for the big-picture camera is the state of Kansas Fort Riley one of the most famous army post in American history Many and famous are the men who have passed this way Kit Carson will flow bill while Bill Hickok and general George A. Custer lived in these limestone buildings St. Mary's the first-owned church in Kansas has had congregations which have included men like MacArthur Pershing Patton Wayne Wright and Arnold all alumni of this illustrious installation Today modern soldiers can see evidence of a great moment in the history of the service in the monument to the cavalrymen Who fought at the battle of wounded knee? Once named the cradle of the cavalry because of the school located here Ford rally today is proud of the 10th infantry division and we're on our way to camp Funston to watch them train Although training in general is geared to modern warfare No one has ever devised a substitute for top physical condition and men of the 10th infantry are constantly training to keep at the peak of readiness Every obstacle in this carefully designed course is for toughening another set of muscles or increasing a soldier's agility The 10th division is one of the two basic training divisions in 5th Army area and one of the 10 divisions with that mission in the United States But there's another activity here at Fort Riley that we should see It's not too widely known and the big-picture camera swings to bring it into focus Recognize that uniform I guess not but it's not an invasion Just American soldiers acting as forces of an imaginary nation, which is called the aggressor category It was formed immediately following World War two when the army recognized the need of injecting realism into field maneuvers Let's find out more about it I'm Lieutenant Carl Fugelsad company commander of company D. 47th Army Engineer camouflage battalion As members of the aggressor cadre we provide a realistic enemy for United States troops to maneuver against and Further we instill awareness in our troops that any future enemy of the United States Will have a different uniform a different insignia and have an entirely different tactical doctrine At present we are training these men for a future movement to any station throughout the country to further the extensive military training of our troops In practice maneuvers pneumatic models are used to show how the enemy would mobilize his firepower No one nation has served as a model for this unique force It's a composite of many elements of foreign forces and is constantly changing in tactical doctrine Complete with a fictitious history Philosophy language and customs the aggressor category is a helpful aid to all field commanders during maneuvers But there's still plenty of ground to cover in this tour of fifth army While aggressor forces train at Fort Raleigh the big picture karma takes to the road again We're now heading for Fort Leavenworth That station wagon arriving at Fort Leavenworth at the same time as we is bringing a student to one of the most unique colleges in the nation The command and general staff college the new student is Lieutenant Colonel John K. Singlaug He's welcomed by class supervisor Colonel William S. Bodner and before signing in he introduces Colonel Bodner to his family They'll live here with a new pupil during his course of study There have been great changes in Fort Leavenworth since those early days when the Santa Fe trail ran through here and in 1926 Otis Hall was the home of a student who has destined to become president of the United States Dwight D. Eisenhower But things have changed since those times and the Singlaug family will live in a modern ranch house during the Colonel's day at this post For his wife Mary and the children Elizabeth and John there'll be plenty of activity to Recreation centers and schools will keep them busy As for the Colonel he'll be joining fellow officers not only from our own army But from the fighting forces of other nations and learning tactics on the highest level The classroom we see now is part of what was once the largest in the world It was broken up when found that instruction was more effective in smaller groups The student body at the command and general staff school is comprised of more than 1,000 high-ranking officers Graduates will be placed in key positions throughout our armed forces But once again, it's time to move on The big picture camera travels into Missouri for the next unique chapter in our story of Fifth Army Southwest from St. Louis to Fort Leonard Wood home of the sixth armored division The sports program here is one of the best a source of pride for our Fifth Army But the most important work here is the training of personnel for the Corps of Engineers Training is given in the operation of all types of heavy equipment But we've a long jump to make for our next stop across the wheat fields of Kansas into the Rocky Mountains of Colorado Our destination camp Carson The sign gives a clue, but it's the sound of dogs barking that spells out one of the principal activities at this post The 25th infantry scout dog platoon most of the animal population here are police dogs They live in kennels constructed from salvage lumber by the soldiers of the 25th There is a regular course of instruction in this canine college very small classes one professor to each student We watched the duo go through their paces over hurdles at a fast clip Whoops try it again These animals have been carefully selected and they'll be able to perform a variety of military duties after they've graduated They'll be principally used however for guard duty This is an assault problem We're watching now and it's most important that the dog does not give away his position by making noise So he has two things to remember staying clear of the bob wire and keeping silent while working towards the objective They run through the obstacle course over and over again Here's the way they are taught to protect against intruders At a signal he's back to the trainer another problem the trainer goes forward to search a prisoner The dog is especially trained to respond to this kind of situation Obedience is most important and problems are repeated until there's no chance of a slip-up under real conditions But there's another animal in the spotlight at this installation an old timer The lowly mule ranks high in importance in certain types of military situations And a camp hail a sub post of camp Carson Situated 150 miles up into the mountains the mule is king The only mule still in army service in the United States are trained right here by personnel of the fourth field artillery and 35th quarter master pack units We are watching some of them now as they are preparing to move out on a practice maneuver They start a long trek up into the mountains Training here is conducted at altitudes of 10 to 12,000 feet That's more than two miles high and the temperatures drop to as low as 60 degrees below zero The 75 millimeter howitzer is assembled and prepared for firing the mule is not yet an outmoded instrument of warfare It is trained to carry ammunition and supplies in rugged mountain areas in support of the mountain troops Its value was demonstrated in the recent Korean conflict when it was able to move in over terrain That was just too tough for anything on wheels But let's see how our mountain troops are being developed by the cold weather training command here at camp hail New men are taught skiing and how to live out of doors in subzero temperatures For most of them. It is a new experience In three weeks, however They are expected to handle themselves with some degree of skill and be ready to become members of smaller classes Which devote a full eight-hour day to learning tactical maneuvers while aboard those slippery hickory sticks You can see the difference in the many stages of training by the ease with which the soldier has learned to adapt snow and ice To his speedy advantage This group is a bit more advanced and they are pulled out to a nearby slope by a weasel Training goes on in all kinds of weather and Scientifically designed winter clothing modern equipment and training methods all assure these men are protection from bitter cold storms and other hazards This is where our story of Fifth Army will end at one of the highest Inhabitants bots in America where soldiers are training to defend our freedoms This is Lieutenant John Mortimer We're going to pack up the big picture camera and be on our way across the Continental Divide You'll bring you the highlights of Sixth Army. Well, that's the story of Fifth Army We've seen and heard many of its soldiers who are helping to keep it functioning at the peak of efficiency Next week the big picture camera will swing to the Pacific Coast where we will inspect the principal units and installations of Sixth Army This is Sergeant Stuart Queen inviting you to tune in next week for another look at your army in action on the big picture The big picture is a weekly television report to the nation on the activities of the army at home and overseas Produced by the Signal Corps pictorial Center Presented by the US Army in cooperation with this station You can be an important part of the big picture You can proudly serve with the best equipped the best trained the best fighting team in the world today the United States Army