Smoke Screen Conceals Movements Along Highway

Smoke Screen Conceals Movements Along Highway 

On j November, the zd Platoon began a 102-day haze to cover an exposed stretch of Highway 64, as well as several supply installations, in the right sector of IV Corps. Just as in the case of Highway 6j south of Bologna, before the haze daytime traffic on the road always drew fire. Afterward, the amount of enemy fire noticeably decreased, bridges were built and strengthened without interruption, and traffic passed with little interference. 

Forward area screening encountered the stiff and legitimate objections of such diverse sources as the field artillery and the supporting naval units. The problem, of course, was observation. Smoke did contend with these effective and established elements, and CWS officers took great care to see that the nature of these smoke screens was complementing, not competing. 

The development of the new generator prompted attempts by CWS staff officers in England to get a smoke generator company for the theater. War Department inquiries about the requirements for such units got little response from the Eighth Air Force, which came to the conclusion that the advantages of airdrome concealment were equaled or outweighed by the interference of smoke with operations. But SOS authorities in the theater showed interest in smoke as a means of concealing supply installations and later included the ports in 

Great Britain through which flowed the build-up of troops and supplies from the United States. Diminishing German air raids reduced theater interest in this type of activity, although during mid-1943 planners envisioned the use of some twenty or twenty-four smoke companies to conceal continental ports once the invasion was under way.  

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Smoke Screen Conceals Movements Along Highway... 

In partial answer to this threat on the supply route, the lyad Smoke Generator Company maintained a smoke line from i6 October 1944 until 14 April 194s- For 181 days, except when the weather made screening unnecessary or when II Corps for one reason or another needed perfect visibility in the area, the smoke haze concealed friendly movements along a 2-mile stretch of the highway. Periods of bright moonlight sometimes forced the 1726 to operate on a 24-hour basis. 

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