The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-05-19
MARINES TO GO
WITH PERSHING
ICont1nued from page u

swung across the Mexican border
four months ago.
And these are the men that will
make up 'Pershing's twenty-five thou
sand"-the first American troops or
dered to France.
They are the men that pushed
across the hell hike"-23 miles with
out water in whitening sun-in one
day, and pitched camp singing.
America and the allies will be proud
of these men. They are the flower OF
the army.
In the 10000 men that followed Per
shing into Mexico after Villa the
United States has the best trained
body of men-and trained for real
tighting-that can be found in the
world.
After the first rush into Chihuahua,
the little army settled down on the
sun baked plains to wait. While they
waited, Pershing gave them the hard
est continuous round of training any
American forces have ever undergone.
For eleven months they drilled, drill
ed. drilled.
The war department was waking
UP. The lessons of the world war
were eagerly seized upon. Every
phase of European warfare was stud
fed and the results drilled into the
men.
Modern trench fighting was practic-
ed day by day. Under military men,
who had watched Kitchener whip his
millions into shape and seen real
trench fighting on the allied fronts,
the army dug the new style trenches
and practiced going over the top"
For months they plowed across the
desert on hikes of ten. fifteen and
twenty miles. 1t was severe training.
But the fruits should send a thrill
through the nation when the go
over" the front trenches the first
time in France.
AS the little army marched across
the international line at Columbus, -.
NJ, on the morning Of February five,
stood at the side of a foreign military
attache.
In a thirteen mile column, with Per
shing at the head, they poured silent
ly down the dusty slope. sand
clouds" rising from the hot desert.
The little group on the border line
stood fascinated.
Then the attache, who had seen
thousands of men train, fight and die,
broke the silence.
They're the finest body of fighting
men in the world" he said. They've
had such training as no other army
has had And in them Is the spirit OF
you Americans don't know what it
ts-but ] can see it in the swing OF
their shoulders and the rhythm OF
their march
These men are now waiting for the
word
As an old grizzIed first sergeant
said while the trops were marching
out:
They'd follow Black Jack Perish
ing to hell" And BLACK Jack" Perish.
ing is the man to lead them there if
need be.
Air Fighters Also. :.
NEW YORK, May 19.-America' s
first squadron of air fighters probably
may beat General Pershing's expedi.
lion to France.
The First Reserve Aero squadron
of 4J4 men, thirty-four Of them pilots
and the balance mechanics, is being
modified here today and will be on
the French front within a few weeks
the Aero Club of America announced
The squadron will fly French battle
planes under the Stars and Stripes
The personnel comprises men trained
at government aero schools at Mine
ola and Governors island In the
lists are Major Raynal c. Boiling
Captain James z. Miller, Lieutenan
HOBBY Baker, the Princeton athlete
and Lieutenant BlaCkman.