August 21, 1922. "Citizens' Military Training Camp, Camp Meade" (Fort Meade, Md.). National Photo Co. View full size. Nowhere on the Internet will you find a picture of more guys simultaneously jumping off a tree than the 10 shown here.
Submitted by Anonymous Tipster on Sat, 05/17/2008 - 12:22pm.
I grew up on Fort Meade. I know that stretch of the river; it's along the (firing) ranges. It's now a wildlife refuge. In my years, the river was never deep enough to dive in. We used to rope swing in feet first. You had to be quick, in case the range officer was on his rounds. The area looks just about like that today.
Note, the Ranger battalion that climbed the cliff at Point du Hoc on D Day trained in this area. It was very active until 1974 or 1975. Thereafter, most National Guard until the early 80's.
Used to be a great place to find old cartridges and random ordnance, plus a refuge for box turtles.
Submitted by Pa1motherwell on Tue, 05/13/2008 - 5:18pm.
The reflection at the bottom of the diver's hands and arms approaching the water looks like the limbs of some skeletal creature reaching from below to grab at him.
Submitted by Abandon ship on Tue, 05/13/2008 - 10:52am.
I think given the time - 1922 - and location - Fort Meade Army base - that they are practicing abandoning ship. Which is why they are all facing in a different direction. To avoid landing on another man after a thirty foot fall from the deck rail of a troop transport.
[Interesting theory. They'd be all set if their tree got torpedoed. Citizens Military Training Camp was a month-long program for young men held in July at various military reservations across the country from 1921 to 1940. Below, an excerpt from a 1920s news item on the Fort Meade CMTC. - Dave]
"Mornings will be devoted to military drills and exercises under the direction of officers specially selected from the Infantry School at Camp Benning, Georgia, and afternoons will be spent in in athletics, games and swimming."
From another 1920 news item:
"The Citizens' Military Training Camp takes our young men and develops in them rugged manliness, worthy ideals, teaches them to obey the law willingly, and to co-operate in its enforcement. In other words this training prepares them for the duties and responsibilities of American citizenship."
Submitted by Anonymous Tipster on Mon, 05/12/2008 - 1:18pm.
What a great picture this is, the timing must of been some work. I wonder what type of camera was used to take a excellent motion shot without being blurry.
[A view camera that took 4x5 glass negatives. - Dave]
