Great industries progress only in relation to the quality and quantity of work of small groups of engineers, chemists, mathematicians and other scientists who labor ceaselessly behind the scenes to perfect the particular type of product in which they are interested and the methods by which it is produced. So it is with the grim but still necessary business of war. Armies must keep constantly ahead of the enemy — everlastingly study his weapons and other materiel of war and strive always to go the foe a step better. The Antiaircraft Artillery Board, situated here at Camp Davis, performs that function for this branch of the United States Army.

  Originally a component of the Coast Artillery Board, the AA Board was created as a separate function when antiaircraft artillery was separated for war time reasons from the parent arm of the service.

  The Antiaircraft Artillery Board — figuratively speaking — is at the elbow of every gunner, calculating and scheming to create means of making him do a better job; give him better weapons to work with; improve the mechanisms of the weapons with which he fights.

  All antiaircraft artillery equipment is tested before adoption by the Antiaircraft Artillery Board. This is done by means of models and by actual size materiel. Included are every type of device used, ranging from gun carriages and barrels to minute and complicated fire control mechanisms. Equipment adopted for use is kept under scrutiny by the Board and improved from time to time.

  Personnel of the Board numbers picked officers and enlisted men — engineers, chemists, mathematicians, technicians, draughtsmen, etc. Laboratories where the test tube, micrometer and other devices reign supreme sprinkle the area allotted for the Board. Other building are enlisted men's barracks, work rooms and storage sheds. At Sears Landing, five miles away on the Atlantic, are other buildings and test firing ranges where the work of the Board is carried to final trials of various equipment.

ABOVE: Board troops fire calibration shots.