The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1918-04-04
Commander of American Forces in France Is
One of Army's Most Interesting Personalities

WASHINGTON -When II vas init.
mated in a-btei way here quite recently
tina, Major General Hunter Liggeit was
the field commander in charge OF the
aciuil fighting on the American front
IN France the news did not aslOnisl
those who had watched the clreeL OF
this excellent soldier. But 10 many
Americans there vas likely a bit OF
surprise ~ the news. as General l.ig.
gets work 10 the army has not always
brought him before the public view.
There Is not an officer IN the army
who has come SO steadily 20 the front
A. the tall. handsome general who pulls
the strings behind the greatest game
this c3unpys troops have EVER entered
From the beginning OF Dor, career Cen
> etal Liggsr ha, moved from one I'M
por'ari post 10 another more important
and Away, doing HI, work in so 10
tenutlus a way that many have mary
e.led a. the 'L'ggstt luck
Not Luck. However.
Y hasn't been luck but the closest
Wind NJ work that has marked a career
o. 'rf'c known outside 0' professional
circles 'ha, civilians will wonder who
this striking figure Is and how he
eame 20 be me right man a. the right
time when the big ball opened in Lor-
raine
II one would hay, a picture OF the
man take a drop back 10 the day, when
the United States sent rs correcting
forces over the broad Pacific 20 handle
the Philippine instruction II was In
the middle OF the Pacific. A storm had
Just swept the seas and the waves were
climbing rapidly A liieboat shot out
fryu the SIDE OF the City Of Picking,
which carried tao battalionS Of the
~thir,y-iirst infantry L. S. volunteers.
Feared for the Sister Ship.
For two days the Immanuense, an
tub that had been chartered to
take the -third battalion over the water,
had been lost There was no wireless
in those DAYS 70 keep ships in close
communion. and all on board the City
OF Picking thought their comrades had
gone 70 the bottom in the storm. But
iHe Picking, .determined to save, pu,
back ard was in search OF her little
sister-of the deep. When they found
her and attached a hawser the storm
snapped II like 50 much paper.
WiWag boys on Me top OF the engine
house had read from the flags on the
leasy tub tia, all was not we'll. A life
boat went daringly from the side OF the
city OF Picking. carrying four men who
seemed mere specks on a cockleShell as
il danced high, then divel low on its
mission OF aid.
Liggett Stood At Post.
When the four men reached the I'm
and climbed aboard they
found the ship half full Of water. Sol
diers, working waist deep in the Mold,
pumped and bailed for dear lie. Right
in the midst Of the gang, giving grim,
determined aid as we'll as direction,
stood a tall, powerful man, with the Jaw
Of a swapping turtle and one OF those
dispositions that make one think that
he wouldn't hurry unduly il he was about
70 catch the last train for Heaven.
II was MAJOR Hunter Liggett OF the
third battalion OF the thirty-iirst in
isntry. His bulldog courage and good
pnse saved the ship that carried him
on his first step onward and upward.
Stayed There Two Years.
In the Philippines he was sent over
to the extreme side OF the island from
Z~ambCanga, the capital OF Mindanao,
where a volcano raised its head in the
distance, always threatening to say
something unpleasant, and hostile Moros
mooped about wishing for a chance to
dart something If the slightest chance
Game. II was like the job that old
Robinson Crusoe had on his island, and