Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-06-03
American Mission
Permanently Housed
at Italian Front

Correspondence Associated Press.]
HEADQUARTERS Italian Army, May s.
The American military mission is now
one of the permanent establishments at
Italian headquarters, with extensive Of
fees and a considerable force Of Of
ficers and men in close communication
with the Italian high command and
with the various sections of the front.
I Thus far the work has been one OF
organization and observation, soon
there will be the active service along
the mountain and Piave fronts Of some
1900 officers and men of the regular
army medical service. with thirty am
bulance sections of ten or twelve am
balances to the section, and later on
there is the possibility, much discussed
of American troops in the fighting line.
Already the American uniform is much
in evidence along the streets. and there
is a distinct sentiment Of cordially to-
ward the troopers in the broad
primmed sombero.
Maj-Gen. Eben Swift, a cavarry Of
ficer of long service, is at the head OF
the American mission. He was for
time in France in conference with
General Pershing, and then came with
his staff to Rome and to headquarters,
With him as chief Of staffiis Col John
McA. Palmer, Of the general staff corps,
who was on the general staff at Wash :
ington when the constructive work on
the new army was being done. and
later was one of General Pershing' s
chief staff officers in France.
Other officers of the mission are
Lieut. Col. r. U. Patterson, of the army
medical corps; Major Paules, engineer
corps; Major Burgin, ordnance; Cap
| tains E. o. Hunter, Mckinney and
Morgan, aides de-camp to Genera!
Swift; Capt. Winthrop Chanler and
Lieut. E. C. Pomeroy, OF the intelligence
Lranch;- Horace Bigelow. secretary, and
some eight or ten enlisted men for the
clerical work -.
The American officers have been well
received and made to feel at home
They share the mess with the other
foreign military missions which in
cludes large number of British.
French, Belgian. Japanese, Serbian and
other officers. AS liaison officer, keep
| ing Americans in close touch with the
Italian military authorities, the gov
eminent designated Prince CoIona,
| mayor of Rome.
! They are in close contact also with
many of the other we'll known military
figures, including Gen. Dnlma Rad
ciiffe, head Of the British mission; the
Count Of Turin, commander OF the
Italian cavalry and the many officers
| of high rank who center at head
quarters.
| The American headquarters is csta5-
l.shed in one Of the famous OIL palaces
Iof the region. now taken over for war
fuses. There are extensive offices for
| the various branches engaged in OBJ
! servation and report, with n rattle OF
| typewriters and activity that SOUNDS
like the corridors of the war depart
ment at Washington.
The old palace has extensive gardens
in the rear which run bach :, one Ut
the most monumental church edificcs
in Italy, with it's interior adorned by
the frescoes of Titan and Ciotto and
many OF the masterpieces OF Donatclle
as we'll as the catafalque n which re-
pose the remains of one Of the worlds
great saints.
General Swift and the several staff
Officers are making constant visits to
various sections of the front, observing
general conditions and making studies
on many special lines. General Swift
is thus brought in frequent contact with
General Diaz at the headquarters Of
the Italian supreme command. General
the Duke Of Aosta, commander OF the
third army which guards the Piave
line. and he has also had advantage Of
being received and entertained by King