for the aid and assistance that you have given us in order that we may reach a decision. I will now excuse you. Mr. GAVIN. I regret that I will not be able to be here next week. I want to be recorded as being in favor of the bill, and I have left my proxy with Representative Cole. Admiral THURBER, I have a reminder for the committee. On Thursday General Hill presented three items for additional authorizations. They are being processed through the Bureau of the Budget today, and we have no doubt but that they will be approved. The CHAIRMAN. We will take them up Tuesday if they get here Tuesday. You officers help Mr. Smart get up all the figures, because we want to write a report. I want it broken down showing the activities in every State of the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force so that the members can turn to it and find out all about it. I want to thank you again for the splendid manner in which you have presented your case. You can be justly proud. The committee will now stand adjourned. MILITARY AND NAVAL CONSTRUCTION TUESDAY, JULY 24, 951 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, The committee met at 10 a. m., Hon. Carl Vinson, chairman, presiding. The CHAIRMAN. The committee will please be in order. The purpose of the meeting this morning is to consider H. R. 4914, which is a new bill in substitution for H. R. 4524. There is a quorum present. We shall hear first General Hill, of the Marine Corps. STATEMENTS OF MAJ. GEN. W. P. T. HILL, QUARTERMASTER GENERAL, MARINE CORPS (Resumed); AND LT. COL. E. B. ROBERTSON General Hill, the other day you suggested that there were certain amendments you wanted to submit. General HILL. Yes, sir, Mr. Chairman. Since my appearance before this committee, the projects have been processed successfully through the Navy Department, the Secretary of Defense, and the Bureau of the Budget. I would like to have Captain Bruton verify that, please. The CHAIRMAN. That is not necessary. Captain BRUTON. I was told yesterday by the Secretary of Defense that these items had been cleared through the Bureau of the Budget. The CHAIRMAN. Proceed and tell us about it, General Hill. General HILL. The fiscal year 1952 Marine Corps public-works proposal was based on an authorized Marine Corps end strength of 175,000 men. The fact that men now in the Korean pipeline or who are now hospitalized as a result of Korea will have to be housed at regular stations, leaves the Marine Corps short approximately 17,900 billet spaces at existing facilities after all items included in H. R. 4524, now H. R. 4914, have been provided. It is proposed to augment Camp Joseph H. Pendleton, Oceanside, Calif., by 13,000 billet spaces and accompanying training facilities at Kaneohe, T. H., by 1,670 billeting spaces and to change the proposed Twenty-nine Palms Artillery Training Camp from a 4,000-man tent camp to a 7,234-man quonset hut camp. All of these expansions are to be in quonset huts or similar construction unless it is found to be more economical to use better construction, together with the necessary appurtenances, utilities, and services. No housing for dependents is included in this proposal. This matter is extremely urgent in that there will very soon be marines without housing facilities. The proposed amendments to H. R. 4914 to provide necessary facilities to adequately house the increased Marine Corps due to the change in the authorized strength and deployment are: Page 23, line 6, change the amount from $7,150,000 to $15,435,415. The CHAIRMAN. That is at which base? General HILL. That is Twenty-nine Palms. The CHAIRMAN. Will you submit a justification for this proposed change from $7,150,000 to $15,435,415, for the record? General HILL. Yes, sir. (The justification is as follows:) MCTC-Twentynine Palms area, California-Construction project justification Station location.-In San Bernardino County, bounded on the north in general by United States Highway 66 and the Santa Fe Railroad main line from Barstow to Needles, Calif.; on the south by Joshua Tree National Monuments; on the west by the Warrens Well-Lucerne Valley-Newberry Road and on the east by the Sheeps Hold Mountains. Station mission.-To provide field artillery and antiaircraft artillery training facilities. Initial occupancy.—Unocupied. Size.-745,000 acres Government-owned land now under Department of In CONSTRUCTION OF TRAINING FACILITIES. TWENTYNINE PALMS AREA, CALIF. PROJECT DESCRIPTION (a) This project provides for the erection of portable steel buildings for use as barracks, mess halls, storehouses, head and shower buildings and similar appurtenant structures, facilities and services necessary to establish an artillery range to train approximately 7,234 officers and men in long range field artillery firing and antiaircraft firing. (b) The total estimated cost of this project is $15,435,415. The construction proposed in this project is shown to be Quonset huts, but it is planned to construct buildings of a more permanent nature than Quonset huts, if such construction can be obtained within the limitations of the funds requested without reducing the number of billets outlined in this project. The CHAIRMAN. Members of the committee, you have heard the justification for this item. What is the pleasure of the committee? Mr. ELSTON. Mr. Chairman, may we find out what the Department of the Interior uses the land there for now? General HILL. It is presently unmapped public domain. General HILL. No, sir; it is more or less in the desert and it is not being used for anything at the present time. The CHAIRMAN. Without objection, the committee will approve as a committee amendment this proposed amendment to be offered on the floor of the House, making the total $15,435,415. Mr. SASSER. The general said a moment ago that this was desert land and I was wondering if that would be appropriate for the training of the forces contemplated out there. Colonel ROBERTSON. Yes, sir; we have all kinds of terrain out there and the elevation varies from 2,000 feet up to about 4,000 feet. It is rugged country; there is on one out there to be interferred with. In the wintertime we have snow at the higher altitudes. In other words, we go from a very hot climate up to snow on the ground, with all kinds. of conditions. We do not have green leaves, but that is all we are missing. Mr. JOHNSON. Colonel, on what side of the highway is that, the south side? Colonel ROBERTSON. It is on the south side of Highway 66. Mr. JOHNSON. That is good, rugged country, full of ditches and sand and dirt and shrubs and everything you would need for your training. The CHAIRMAN. What is your next amendment, General? General HILL. The next amendment is on page 23, line 10, insert after "Camp" the words "expansion of field training camp facilities;" and change the amount from $12,885,300 to $24,902,000. The CHAIRMAN. What is the justification for that? General HILL. This is for expansion of field of training-camp facilities. It is to provide facilities for the training of the Fleet Marine Force units stationed on the west coast. The CHAIRMAN. You are now talking about Camp Pendleton, Oceanside, Calif.? General HILL. Yes, sir. Initial occupancy was as a training base, on September 25, 1942. The total acreage is 124,310, which is Government-owned. The planning basis is for 3,102 officers and 42,050 enlisted men, or a total of 45,152. On June 1, 1951, there were 1,436 officers and 31,345 enlisted, or a total of 32,781. EXPANSION OF FIELD TRAINING CAMP FACILITIES MARINE BARRACKS, CAMP JOSEPH H. PENDLETON, OCEANSIDE, CALIF. PROJECT DESCRIPTION (a) This project contemplates the construction of additional field training camp facilities for 13,000 men at various locations throughout the reservation and consists of the erection of portable steel buildings for use as barracks, mess halls, storehouses, head and shower buildings, dispensaries and similar appurtenant structures, facilities, and services. (b) The proposed camp areas have been selected with a view to existing and possible new sources of water as well as the requirements with regard to ranges, infiltration courses, and similar training facilities. (c) The total estimated cost of this project is $19,730,000. The construction proposed in this project is shown to be Quonset huts but it is planned to construct buildings of a more permanent nature than Quonset huts, if such construction can be obtained within the limitations of the funds requested without reducing the number of billets outlined in this project. The CHAIRMAN. General, your whole program for Marine Corps public works is based on a strength of 304,000 men? General HILL. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. And how many wings? General HILL. Two, sir. The CHAIRMAN. None of this expansion is contemplated on account of the expansion bill for the Marine Corps now pending in Congress? General HILL. No, sir. The CHAIRMAN. If that bill providing for that expansion were not even present, you would need this proposed expansion to meet your strength of 204,000 marines and 2 air wings? General HILL. That is correct, sir. That is based on the 1952 budget. Mr. SHORT. This is practically one-half of what we are proposing in the new legislation, which is 4 full combat divisions, with a 400,000 ceiling, and 4 wings? General HILL. That is correct. The CHAIRMAN. What is the pleasure of the committee in reference to the proposed amendment? Without objection, the committee will approve the proposed amendment as a committee amendment. What is your next amendment, General? General HILL. Page 33, line 5, change the amount from $4,206,000 to $8,121,000. The CHAIRMAN. This is outside of the United States? General HILL. Yes, sir. This is the naval station at Kaneohe, Hawaii. The CHAIRMAN. Tell us what this is for. General HILL. This is to provide facilities for training and housing of Fleet Marine Force units stationed on the Island of Oahu. The total acreage is 2,124. The Government owns 1,983 acres and leases 141 acres. The Planning basis is as follows: Officers, 339; and enlisted, 6,606; or a total of 6,945. This includes attached Navy personnel. For the Marine Air, 591 officers and 4,584 enlisted, or a total of 4,175, including Navy supporting forces. That makes a grand total of 930 officers and 10,190 enlisted, or a total of 11,120. At present we have no personnel there. This project contemplates the construction of barracks and messing facilities for an additional 1,500 men and officers to be billeted at this station, and consists of the erection of portable steel buildings for use as barracks, mess halls, storehouses, head and shower buildings, and similar appurtenant structures, facilities and services. The total estimated cost of this project is $3,915,000. The construction proposed in this project is shown to be Quonset huts, but it is planned to construct buildings of a more permanent nature than Quonset huts, if such construction can be obtained within the limitations of the funds requested without reducing the number of billets outlined in this project. A project was approved in the second supplemental fiscal year 1951 public works program for a partial rehabilitation of this station and included in the 1952 public works program is a project for construction of new facilities for a regimental combat team and a marine air group. |