The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-08-16
AMERICAN TROOPS
IN GRAND REVIEW
INSPIRING SCENE IN FRANCE
WHEN KHAKICLAD ARMY
MARCHES.
OFFICERS IMPRESSED
Both French and American Command
ers Are Surprised At Spectacle Pre-
sented by the Fighting Hosts Of
America.

American Field Headquarters in
France, Aug. 16.-The review yesterday
by Major General William L. Sibert Of
all the troops of his command in train
ing for the trenches afforded a military
spectacle Of international significance
and historic import. It was the first
time that the troops of this particular
unit Of the American army in France
had been assembled in its entirety and
the display they made was deeply i'm
pressive.
There have been other reviews of
American troops in foreign lands-in
the Philippines, Cuba, away Guam
and Panama-but thev II ed to be an
entirely new meaning sturdy
tramp of the men of Ame france
today. One saw in them Il. y u Of
their country's new adventui
"They made me feel very pro
clared Major General Sibert last
echoing the sentiment of small u
enthusiastic little handful Of American.
who were permitted to see the martial
display. The setting for the review was
one of rare beauty. 1t was held upon
a broad and somewhat rocky plateau,
the rolling fields Of France ripping
away in every direction. all green and
brown with growing crops and ripening
grains.
View Is Picturesque.
Here and there picturesque little
French villages, white walled and red.
rooted, snuggled amid the trees OF
matchless valleys. Occasionally these
valleys were bathed in sunshine, and
again they were hidden in the gray mist
broke over the marching troops, but 1t
was Of brief duration. and there was
not a falter in the line,
There was an officers bombing school
near. and throughout the time the
troops weer ASSEMBLING and marching
loud explosions Of hand grenades' gave
a touch of war reality to the picture.
Very early in the morning the troops
were on the move. They were scattered
in a dozen or more French villages.
and each regiment was assembled in a
village where its headquarters had been
established.
Modelled on European Standard.
The regiments are modelled on the
European standard. quite different from
the old American regiments; and yes
terday. in columns of fours. the line
seemed TO stretch an interminable dis
tance along beautifully paved French
roads lined with giant trees. AS the
Americans passed through the French
villages en- route to the reviewing field
the French peasant folk gazed at them
open-eyed in amazement and admira
tion.
The French. who have been training
companies and battalions OF the Ameri
can army, at once were surprised and
II can be truthfully stated that there
was distinct pause OF surprise and ad
miration on the part of Major General
Sibert himself when riding at the head
OF the staff. he reached the crest OF the
reviewing platform and saw his khaki
clad command drawn up in a wonderful
far.fung line before him.
Attached to his staff were a Dozen
French officers including the general OF
a famous division. all OF whom wer,
enthusiastic in their praise Of the spec
tacle. The reviewing ground was stakeC
off with American flags, and when Gen
era Sibert had taken up his position
the maneuvers by which the army
broke from regimental fronts into lines
Of platoon arranged by companies anC
hattalions would have done credit tC
soldiers with years OF training.
IL was the first time an American
army had passed In review under IL
new organization. Marching In line o.
platoons means moving forward will
four platoons abreast. each platoon be
ing formed on columns OF fours. Th'
space between the platoons being con
siderable, the head ana frcnt OF tn
marching column are fully ,wo hundre'
feet wide.
Band Leads Each Regiment.
Each OF the four p,atoons In n CON
pany seemed full size companies unde
the old order OF things in the American
army. AZ the head Of each regimen
vas q band playing rcglmental marches
one OF which called Happy Helnie,
had ,istinct smattering Of Teutoni
tones. much TO the amusement of III
French military officers,
hs tho marching troops passed poln
some distance beyond the reviewing
party they reformed into columns o
fours and thus stretched, they foun
their way along curving and descendinI
roads. The brown mas seemed to pas
as far as the eye could see.
While the review was held al poin
40 remote that only persons attache
to the army organization were permitte
To see II. moving pictures were mad
both by French and American officis
operators In order that the peopl
throughout France and America ca
get an idea OF themselves OF the In
pressivc appearance the troops mad
when first assembled together. IL wa
difficult to realize that they are IN