Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 189, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 August 1914 — SOLDIERS SERVED IN COAST ARTILLERY [ARTICLE]

SOLDIERS SERVED IN COAST ARTILLERY

Rensselaer Young Men Receive the Rank of Corporal While Serving At Fort Monroe. s Don P. Warren and Harry Hickman, who left Rensselaer a little over three years ago and joined the regular army, have returned home. They were discharged at the end di their enlistment last Sunday. Both speak well of the coast artillery branch of the service in which they served. They were stationed at Fort Monroq Va., but were not in the same companies. Warren served in the 169th company, which is a mine company, while Hickman served in tie 168th companj, which is a mortn* company. The mine companies learn the business of planting mines in the water as a means of protection against invasion by battleships.! The mines are anchored so that, they are only about 8 feet from the f surface of the water. They are 32, 38, 42 and 48 Inches in diameter and are charged with guncotton or troto ‘Dynamite was formerly used but it has been abandoned. The mines may be discharged by com tact in time of war, and are only planted when war is threatened.

They are.also discharged by means of electricity controlled at the casements, where reckonings are made, and it can be determined when a target is above the mine. The minesare usually planted from one to two miles from the land. Both Warren and Hickman attained the rank of corporal while in service and each was the oldest corporal In the company at the time they were discharged and they Would have been in line for further promotion. Warren and Hickman each-drew extra pay aS' first-class gunners and Warren got $6 extra a month for a first-class rating. Hickman served in a mor tar company. The large mortars sit at an angle and are totally out of sight from .the target. Aim is made by means of computations and’ a person may stand back of the mortar when it is discharged and watch the projectile until it passes out of sight- They may then run around in front of the easement and watdh for the projectile to strike the target if the aim calculations were right or to strike in ’the water if the cialculataons were bad. Warren and Hickman are both looking fine and their army experience has doubtless been of great benefit to them. They are undecided whether they will remain at home or again enter the army.