age to tents and vehicles. The Red Air Force flew 169 sorties and concentrated on Blue troop buildups along the Saluda River and on convoys on roads leading out of Ware Shoals. In the Territory of Columbia officials hinted that the new provisional government of President Wiseman was experiencing some policy difficulties with the Defense Minister, Swamp Fox. The "strong man" guerrilla leader has found high favor with the Columbian farmers, who see in him the rallying point of national pride. Blue attack from the Saluda penetration was also launched toward Greenwood this morning but was being contained by Red forces along Highway 178. Blue guerrillas struck at Hawk missile sites and a Red army airfield during the night, with results not reported at this time. At first light this morning Red and Blue air missions were mounted against troop concentrations in the Saluda perimeter and the Greenwood area. 11 AUGUST 1963 The citizens of Newberry officially and enthusiastically welcomed the conquering Blue forces to their capital city today. An armed Blue convoy swept into the old City Square from the airport at 1230 hours, bearing the new Provisional Government of Columbia and the leader of Blue Homeland's Joint Task Force. Taking seats on a platform in front of the Old Court House-draped with banners reading "Welcome, Blue Forces"were President Wiseman, Minister of Foreign Affairs Pope, JTF Blue Commander Holloway and members of his staff, JUWTF Blue Commander Yarborough and his deputy, AF Brig. Gen. Gilbert L. Pritchard, and Swamp Fox. The Commander promised that "it will not be long before the Red invader is successfully banished from the Territory of Columbia. The Red invader is in a desperate state," he told the cheering populace, "and is forced back into the southernmost reaches of the Territory." The Commander paid high tribute to the people of the North and South Carolina areas where Exercise Swift Strike III is in full swing. He spoke warmly of the cooperation of all the citizens toward the field exercise. Blue ground forces seized Saluda at 1900 hours on a broad front paralleling Highway 19 and extending west to Chappells in the major action last night. At 0600 this morning Blue forces moved out of Saluda south toward Johnson and Augusta. They forced a bridgehead over the Saluda River at Wyses Ferry during the night, and attacked southwest toward Saluda. Greenwood was captured by a Blue Task Force at 2230 hours last night but was under heavy counterattack by Red forces at dawn this morning. A forces cannot be determined at this time. The atomic attack followed other major actions in which a large Red force made a night attack against Blue positions near Mayson crossroads west of Saluda, but the attack was repulsed and some 1100 Reds were captured. The eastern flank of the Blue force advanced to the outskirts of Batesburg, where it was heavily engaged by the Reds. Red Air Force flew two night photo-reconnaissance missions against three Blue air bases and highways in the Blue territory using strobe night photography techniques. A newly developed aerial strobe light is being used to provide illumination for night photography by reconnaissance aircraft. The strobe light appears on the ground as a series of rapid flashes, much like a flashlight signal. This strobe replaces the former method of dropping flares for night photography. The strobe is triggered automatically by the camera, and an unlimited number of pictures can be taken. Pictures taken by strobe light at various altitudes-from one thousand to several thousand feet-have been very clear in content and detail. Blue Air Force mounted numerous fighter strikes at dawn today against bridges and Red convoys with unknown results. Red Civil Affairs officials announced earlier in the day that, as a precautionary measure, planning had been initiated for rationing of food and medical supplies. Deposed Prime Minister Riebe has expressed serious concern over the defection of Minister of Health Long to the Provisional Government of President Wiseman. Dr. Long, dedicated to his duty of serving the people of TC, chose to remain at his post of Minister of Health rather than be evacuated with other government officials and Red leaders to the city of Saluda. The BHL has welcomed Dr. Long with open arms and considers him a solid citizen of the community, but the Red government has branded him as a traitor and claims he remained at home to protect his own capitalistic interests. In the Blue Homeland a Red guerrilla was captured by Blue forces at 0510 hours today. Although the prisoner is noncommittal, BHL suspects he is the notorious Red guerrilla leader, Charlie Brown. Blue forces continue to dominate the entire Saluda River basin and control all major highway networks leading into the area. Unconventional warfare activities have been waged throughout the area but with no significant highlights. In addition to the thousands of Red and Blue forces operating in the giant exercise, there are some 1400 soldiers of the Neutral Forces which operate between the battle lines. Recognizable in the maneuver area by their green hatbands and shoulder loops, the Neutral Forces have taken part in every major action. They have been particularly active in the recovery of parachutes and equipment in the paratrooper attacks-a special feature of the 1963 maneuver exercise. In addition to administrative duties these "roustabouts" also are truck drivers, helicopter-equipped medics, military traffic experts, fence-mending engineers, and weather forecasters. The Neutral Forces commander is also responsible for establishing an Administrative Holding Area and for transportation of prisoners of war. Additional realism has been added to Swift Strike III by the Neutral Forces' relieving the Red and Blue forces of administrative functions, which enables the combat forces to concentrate on their military objectives. In addition the Neutral Forces helped keep damage claims relatively low by assigning Army Engineer companies to repair property damage as soon as maneuvering troops and equipment moved out of the area. Those claims that were asserted were swiftly adjudicated by a maneuver claims organization composed of 1 Air Force and 15 Army legal officers. This organization had its main office in Columbia and branch offices in Saluda, Clinton, and Chester.° The Neutral Forces further contributed to the success of the joint exercise by providing all medical services and by recovering damaged equipment as well as personnel and equipment parachutes while the maneuvers were in progress. These services enabled maneuvering forces to get maximum benefit from the brief intensive air/ ground phases by freeing them from the cumbersome administrative detail with which they otherwise would have been burdened. 13 AUGUST 1963 The Red forces launched a major counterattack last night to drive the Blue forces from their penetration south of the Saluda River. The •The maneuver claims offices remained in operation until 9 October (8 weeks after the war ended), by which time more than 95 per cent of all claims for maneuver damages had been settled. Through 24 October, 1823 claims had been settled for a total of $314,000-a very minor figure for air/ground maneuvers that covered 7500 square miles and used numerous airfields not under DOD jurisdiction. attack was in conjunction with the employment of two nuclear weapons, reported yesterday. In the face of this nuclear-supported counterattack, the Blue forces have withdrawn north of the Saluda River, where they are now preparing strong defensive positions for a showdown battle. The Red guerrilla forces, in coordination with the Red offensive in the Territory of Columbia, made a surprise attack today into the Blue Homeland and captured the city of Fayetteville, capital of the Blue Homeland. The guerrilla band, led by Charlie Brown, who had been released by the Blue Homeland in a prisoner exchange yesterday, entered the capital and secured four bridges over the Cape Fear River. They also captured the police station, city hall, and the court house. Radio station WFAI was taken over and became the voice of the guerrilla. Charlie Brown's followers arrested the city manager and raised the flag of the Circle Trigon over city hall. He then read a proclamation calling on the people of Fayetteville and Blue Homeland to support his new government. In other ground warfare the Red forces captured the Higgins Bridge over the Saluda River and had a small bridgehead across the river by noontime. Later in the afternoon the Blue forces repelled this force and drove it south of the Saluda River. Red patrols report that the Blue forces seem to be making a general withdrawal in the direction of their airfields. The Red forces are also making a right end run in the direction of Columbia, swinging around the east end of Lake Murray. This attack may be a diversionary or harassing action as the main Red attack seems to be aimed at developing a bridgehead across the Saluda River at Higgins Bridge. In the air war the Blue Air Force flew 82 sorties and claimed 140 Red planes destroyed. The Red Air Force flew 110 sorties and claimed 78 Blue "kills." 14 AUGUST 1963 The use of nuclear weapons was again the highlight of action in Swift Strike III today. The Blue Air Force dropped nuclear weapons on North Field at 0340 and on Dobbins AFB at 0430 hours. Both strikes were successful and will render these Red bases inoperative from 12 to 36 hours. On the ground the Blues employed 4 nuclear weapons along the south bank of the Saluda River from west of Chappells Bridge to east of Higgins Bridge. Large concentrations of Red troops are believed to be in this area, but casualty assessment is not complete. Blue guerrilla activity increased in the rear of the Red-held Territory of Columbia. During the night Red forces attempted to force the Saluda River but were thrown back. At 0340 a Red patrol reported contact with Blue forces in the area of Ware Shoals. The Red forces had 2 battalions across the river at this point at one time, with other units attempting to gain a foothold at Newberry. For a short time they had 3 small bridgeheads in the Higgins Bridge area, but they were all thrown back by strong Blue counterattacks in coordination with the employment of the 4 ground nuclear weapons mentioned earlier. The Red Air Force was hampered by the loss of planes at North Field and Dobbins AFB this morning as a result of the nuclear blasts. They flew 92 sorties and claimed 14 Blue planes downed. Blue airborne forces swept back into the Blue Homeland this morning and recaptured the city of Fayetteville from Red guerrillas led by Charlie Brown. Elements of one battle group of the 82d Airborne Division were dropped 5 miles east of Fayetteville at approximately 1000 hours and began advancing toward the city immediately. A second drop was made about noon northwest of the city. The first contact with Red guerrillas was made at two bridges over the Cape Fear River. After a sharp fire fight the Blue forces overwhelmed the guerrillas. Red aircraft dropped leaflets in the area of the drop zone and on Fayetteville, offering safe-conduct passes to Blue soldiers and urging them to defect to the Red forces. Blue Air Force tactical fighters tangled with Red |