Evening star., 1918-07-08

BRAVE AMERICANS
WIN PROMOTIONS
Rapid Elevations for Heroic
on BattIefieIds Of
France.
D. c. MANS CHIvALRY
BY. JUNIUs b. WOOD.

BY JUN1US h. WOOD.
Cablegram to The Evening Star and
Chicago Daily News. Copyright. 1918.
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY ON
THE FRENCH FRONT. July s.-The
American Army is experiencing some
rapid promotions, which. though COM
mon in the active fighting units now,
were undreamed of in the United
States until recently. It requiring on
an average about ten years for each
grade. Men who were captains two
wears ago are now colonels. and some
majors a year ago are now brigadier
generals, with a chance Of being major
generals in a short time. Men who
were privates in the ranks a few weeks
ago are, in many cases. receiving conf
missions.
: The most conspicuous Of these pri-
Yates and non-commissioned officers
are those who distinguished them
selves for gallantry and executive
fighting on the Montdfdier and Cha
teau Thierry fronts in recent days.
Tho regulations permit regimental
commanders to make one third of the
promotions to I'LL vacancies from their
own ranks, the remaining coming
from replacements. Recent vacan-
cies have almost invariably been of
h1a ri
been filled by men from the ranks
men who took the leadership without
orders when their former leaders fell.
Capt. Williams Thought Of Men.
Capt. Lloyd Williams of 1928 Oregon
avenue, Washington. D. c.. under a
heavy fire reached his objective and
organized 1t, though wounded. When
carried to the rear by a surgeon. q
comrade of many years, he whispered
to him:
My poor men, 30 many of them
lost! Leave me and care for them"
Private William s. Hayden of Her
mansville. Me-, after being wounded
by shrapnel had his wounds dressed.
returned to the field under a heavy
bombardment and assisted an omcer
In carrying back other wounded.
Private Albert r. Dale Of Butte.
Mont, though wounded, continued to
bring in others before he consented
to have his own injuries dressed.
Private Richard p. Willett of North
Henderson. ILL.,, when wounded in the
bombardment gritted his teeth and
continued to advance. exposing him
self while cautioning others to kesp
under cover.
Brought in Forty Prisoners.
Serst. Thomas r. Reath was one of
five young men, sons of Prominent
Philadelphia families, who enlisted as
privates when war was declared< by
the United States. All are now coma
missioned officers. Reath captured q
machine gun pit and brought in forty
prisoners. returned to the battle and
was killed in the fighting. He was
the first to die of the quintet. which
was composed, In addition to himself,
of Sidney Thayer. Sidney D. Gest.
Henry L. Geylin. jr.. and Henry p.
Clendenning. =
Mai. Benjamin s. Berry OF New York
city showed heroism when caught in
the first burst of machine gun hre
and advanced to his objective.
Lieut.. Joseph A. Sinnot of Mont
clair, N. j., was wounded in the head
when he was attacked by two of the
enemy.
to the rear after being wounded are
too numerous to enumerate. I was
near the front the other day when a
shell exploded, scattering its frag-
ments near group of runners. The
commanding officer rushed out of a
cellar to see how many had been hit
Flowing blood showed that several had
been hit. though not seriously. while
their legs were undamaged.
II am not hit, I am not hit!" each
one shouted at the top OF his voice. while
jumping nimbly around to demonstrate
to the rear. Chuckling to himself. the
commander permitted them to remain,
after their wounds had been dressed
at frst-aid station.
IT was struck by two pieces Of
shrapnel," wrote private on a.let-
ter to his folks" but they bounded
of the bone and only cut the flesh q
little and tore my clothes" This man
is back on duty. though he limps q
little.
Another man coined the phrase.
when Sherman described war he
must have been tonguetied."
Most of those awarded the distin-
guished service cross in recent days
were honored for acts already de-
scribed in special cablegrams to The
Evening Star. The censorship. how
ever. did not permit me to mention
Ino names OIL IHOS6 VIM gave up LHCik
lives or who were perhaps only
slightly wounded, until after GER
tain time, when the casualties had
been officially announced in Wash
ington.
One of the most striking of these
deeds of heroism was that OF Dental
Surgeon weeden C. Osborne Of st.
Joseph, Mo-, who, after being attached
to a regiment only a few. days, went
into action, when Capt. Donald F.
Duncan of the same city was wounded
in the advance on 'Bouresches June 5,
Osborne. who was there aiding the
wounded, saw him fall. Though shells
were bursting on all sides he ran to
his fallen friend. picked him UP in
his arms, started back and had almost
reached place Of shelter with his
unconscious burden when shell
both.
Officers Bravery.
Lieut. Charles B. Maynard Of Cotton.
WASH, though wounded in the same
advance through ;. the bullet-swept
streets of the little village, refused to
leave his platoon until another ohcer
srrived to take his. place. He was
then carried to the rear and later
aied in hospital. Capt. James Mccoy
Of Fall River. Mass. an old-timer,
was much liked in his regiment, had
his life snuffed out by one of those
touches Of fate after he had been un-
directing the loading Of ammunition
W a CONS one ni1hf when a shell killed