Show FORT DOUGLAS J TAKEN AKEN OVER BY CORPS AREA Officers Office s Men Arrive Air Base Group Moves to Airdrome I Historic Fort Douglas new headquarters of the Ninth corps area was the center of continental Americas America's western defenses Satur Satur- day Five officers and an unannounced unannounced unannounced unan unan- number of enlisted men took ook over the post late Friday on arrival from Presidio of San Francisco Francisco Fran Fran- cisco former corps area head head- quarters Colonel Lowell H. H Smith Salt Lake air base commandant and his staff moved themselves and equipment to the airdrome adjoinIng adjoin Ing Salt Lake airport Colonel Rudolph E. E Smyser corps area quartermaster is in charge of Fort Douglas and will arrange for transfer of the remainder of the area staff from San Francisco within the next few weeks Building Rented Colonel Smyser said the post will willbe willbe willbe be occupied entirely by corps area personnel In addition a three three- story building at 51 South State street has been leased by the army for extra office space Arriving with Colonel Smyser to help arrange the corps area transfer transfer trans trans- fer were Lieutenant Col Colonel nel John H. H Schaefer medical corps Major Harry A. A Ballf general staff corps Major Milton G. G Mauer signal signal signal sig sig- sig- sig nal corps Lieutenant Colonel Coloner Keith K Tatom former Thirty- Thirty eighth infantry officer and First Lieutenant John P. P Jones Major General Jay L. L Benedict commanding general of the Ninth corps area Colonel Owen R. R Meredith Meredith Mere Meree area chief of staff and other general staff officers are expected to arrive within 10 30 days it was re reo re- re ported Organization of the pos post is anticipated by January 20 Center Not Changed The move does not affect the status of the reception center lo located located located lo- lo on the post reservation H It It will be continued as a processing I station for new army am and draftees it was was stated When news of the proposed transfer of corps area headquarters first was announced on December December December De De- cember 19 it was explained the thi change hange was a usual procedure in following wartime military policy of locating communications zones to the rear of any combat arm army or embarkation points Fort Douglas has been an important important important tant military post since it was founded in 1862 by Colonel P. P E E. Connor It was a training camp during the World war years of 1917 18 and later was headquarters of the famed Thirty-eighth Thirty infantry Rock of the Marne reg reg- Became Air Post The post became an air corps base in August of 1940 after 7 78 years as the home of many infantry infantry infantry in in- fantry units Units came from Hamilton field California to set a aI precedent and Salt Lake City soon I was the hub of expanding air defenses defenses defenses de de- de- de in the intermountain area |