Project Cassock
1
Le-- _: The Crasock Proj ect The most secret training project undertaken by the Armored Force was the training <. .- '- of units in the use of CDL 32 equipment for which the codeword 'Cassock' was pre- 62 scribed. 3 The basic CDL equipment is ,the M3 Medium Tank modified to provide a light capable of illuminating the ground at night to a range of 800 yards sufficiently well for individual enemy movements to be detected. The source of the illumination is ade- quately protected by ,,aU fire and shell fragments and will produce in the eyes of the enemy a dazzling effect hfoh serves to create temporary blindness. AI, Also provided was a 'screen of light giving effective concealment for accompanying . tanks from aimed fire of antitank guns and, in addition, offered partial concealment for infantry. The modification did not involve the removal of the 75mm gun. The code- word 'Leaflets' was prescribed for these tanks. 34 CDL equipment was developed by the British and demonstrated to a select group of U. S. officers at Lowther Castle, near Carlisle, England, in the fall of 1942. Among the Pmerican officers present were Generals Eisenhower, Clark and Major General G. M. Barnes. The project, having been further investigated by -staff officers from Headquarters, European Theater of Opera- tions General Eisenhower recommended to the War Department that a -similar project be v : considered for our Army. - A board of officers consisting of General Devers, Major General Barnes, Colonel Frederick M. Thompson, and Captain John Savage met in Detroit on 19 February 1943 to make recommendations to the Chief of Staff as to whether CDL equipment should be pro- duced in the U. S. and, if so, in what quantities. The manufacture of 825 Leaflets and the designation of ten tank battalions to receive Cassock training was recommended.'36 On 9 March 1943 thb Army Ground Forces directed that the Chief of the Armored Force.establish a training center at Fort Knox, Kentucky, "for the purporse of con- ducting mechanical, theoretical, and small unit (platoon) tactical training with Cas- sock equipment. 37 The Special Training Group, Armored Force, was organized for this purpose. To provide unit training of battalion size, an additional training area was established in a remote -section of the California-Arizona Maneuver Area. Eventually, two tank groups, sii tank battalions, one armored infantry battalion and two ordnance heavy maintenance companies underwent extensive training in this area. Extraordinary security measures were taken in England to safeguard this equipment and it was agreed that the sane degree of security would be taken in this country. In order to achieve strategical sucess it was agreed that the weapon would not be uti- lized for the first time except by mutual agreement between the two powers. The security measres adopted in this country resulted in the individuals connected with I -.. the training being almost completely isolated. They were required to execute an oath of secrecy and could only go on pass in pairs. If anyone was hospitalized, a buddy went along to "keep him company" and discharge from the service for any reason was not '... permitted unt'il secrecy was no longer essential. These who became incapacitated for full military duty were utilized in housekeeping duties at one of the two areas where LK training was conducted, and those who became totally disabled were held in designated hospitals. Closed liai-son was maintained with the CDL 'School in England and two , British officers were placed on duty at the Special Training Group, Armored Force. ., .- On 10 August 1944, the Supreme Allied Commander directed that CDL equipment could _"_ , " not be used In action nor taken within twenty miles of forward positions without prior , approval of Supreme Headquarters. 39 While the American CDL units were never in the combat Vole for which tratned, they were used to provide light for the bridges over the RhiAhe River in the sectors of the First, Third and Ninth Armies. The light thus provided resulted in the detection of swimmers -sent down the river by the enemy to d.-.troy the bridges. Although Cassock units were often fired upon, they suffered no casualties in men or equipment. The CDL equipment was stored and the tank battalions ,'"' -55-'1 , . - . - ,. " "., . '~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~---------------------'''v';''''-'-' .- '''""' ' ''.'''' ''"'''".%%..".
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Transcript of Project Cassock
Le-- _:
The Crasock Proj ect
The most secret training project undertaken by the Armored Force was the training <. .- '-
of units in the use of CDL 3 2 equipment for which the codeword 'Cassock' was pre- 62scribed. 3 The basic CDL equipment is ,the M3 Medium Tank modified to provide a light
capable of illuminating the ground at night to a range of 800 yards sufficiently wellfor individual enemy movements to be detected. The source of the illumination is ade-quately protected by ,,aU fire and shell fragments and will producein the eyes of the enemy a dazzling effect hfoh serves to create temporary blindness. AI,Also provided was a 'screen of light giving effective concealment for accompanying .
tanks from aimed fire of antitank guns and, in addition, offered partial concealmentfor infantry. The modification did not involve the removal of the 75mm gun. The code-word 'Leaflets' was prescribed for these tanks. 3 4 CDL equipment was developed by theBritish and demonstrated to a select group of U. S. officers at Lowther Castle, nearCarlisle, England, in the fall of 1942. Among the Pmerican officers present wereGenerals Eisenhower, Clark and Major General G. M. Barnes. The project, having beenfurther investigated by -staff officers from Headquarters, European Theater of Opera-tions General Eisenhower recommended to the War Department that a -similar project be v :considered for our Army.
-
A board of officers consisting of General Devers, Major General Barnes, ColonelFrederick M. Thompson, and Captain John Savage met in Detroit on 19 February 1943 tomake recommendations to the Chief of Staff as to whether CDL equipment should be pro-duced in the U. S. and, if so, in what quantities. The manufacture of 825 Leaflets andthe designation of ten tank battalions to receive Cassock training was recommended.'36
On 9 March 1943 thb Army Ground Forces directed that the Chief of the ArmoredForce.establish a training center at Fort Knox, Kentucky, "for the purporse of con-ducting mechanical, theoretical, and small unit (platoon) tactical training with Cas-sock equipment. 3 7 The Special Training Group, Armored Force, was organized for thispurpose. To provide unit training of battalion size, an additional training area wasestablished in a remote -section of the California-Arizona Maneuver Area. Eventually,two tank groups, sii tank battalions, one armored infantry battalion and two ordnanceheavy maintenance companies underwent extensive training in this area.
Extraordinary security measures were taken in England to safeguard this equipmentand it was agreed that the sane degree of security would be taken in this country. Inorder to achieve strategical sucess it was agreed that the weapon would not be uti-lized for the first time except by mutual agreement between the two powers. Thesecurity measres adopted in this country resulted in the individuals connected with I -..the training being almost completely isolated. They were required to execute an oathof secrecy and could only go on pass in pairs. If anyone was hospitalized, a buddywent along to "keep him company" and discharge from the service for any reason was not '...
permitted unt'il secrecy was no longer essential. These who became incapacitated forfull military duty were utilized in housekeeping duties at one of the two areas where LKtraining was conducted, and those who became totally disabled were held in designatedhospitals. Closed liai-son was maintained with the CDL 'School in England and two ,British officers were placed on duty at the Special Training Group, Armored Force. ., .-
On 10 August 1944, the Supreme Allied Commander directed that CDL equipment could _"_ , "not be used In action nor taken within twenty miles of forward positions without prior ,
approval of Supreme Headquarters.39 While the American CDL units were never in thecombat Vole for which tratned, they were used to provide light for the bridges overthe RhiAhe River in the sectors of the First, Third and Ninth Armies. The light thusprovided resulted in the detection of swimmers -sent down the river by the enemy tod.-.troy the bridges. Although Cassock units were often fired upon, they suffered nocasualties in men or equipment. The CDL equipment was stored and the tank battalions ,'"'
-55-'1 ,
. -.- ,. "
"., . '~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~---------------------'''v';''''-'-' .- '''""' ' ''.'''' ''"'''".%%..".
![Name: Phone: Address: City: State: Zip: e-mail address: [ ] New … · 2019. 9. 20. · The Cassock often also has three additional symbols along with the Roman Collar. There are](https://static.fdocuments.in/doc/165x107/6011cba3f9ef65429262ed3b/name-phone-address-city-state-zip-e-mail-address-new-2019-9-20-the.jpg)
