Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1918-12-13
WOUNDED SERGEANT
SAW MAYNARD FALL
Returned Marine Tells Earle McCros.
key of Bravery of Pullman Man
and Devotion of His Men

me IOlloWiHS interesting letter,
recounting his unexpected meeting
with a returned sergeant of marines
who was with Lieutenant Boyd May
nard of Cotton when he went to his
death leading his men against the
German hordes, was written by Earle
McCroskey, son of Senator and Mrs
R. C. McCroskey of Garfield:
The first time | saw him he was
coming up the walk toward the
Cleveland Canteen Club He wore
the forest green of a Marine and had
three red stripes, signifying that he
was a sergeant. Below his sergeancy
stripes were two gold stripes, show
ing wounds received in foreign serv-
ice.
He wasn't much to look at in the
face. In fact, he was like most OF
the fellows who come back. He had
the face of boy from the open
country" His eyes looked like they
we're used to looking over fields.
His hair was dirty sand color; his
hat was awry. His clothes needed
pressing. His shoes needed shining
But his face shone like it was re-
Gently scrubbed by mother.
The reason he attracted everyone's
attention was because of his peculiar
walk His right leg seemed to drag
and yet didn't. He seemed TO vince
when he stepped on it, but still he
didn't. There was some little strange
movement, indescribable in Itself
which gave a clue to his trouble. AS
he went up the steps the trouble be
came pronounCed-he had to drag
the right leg up each step sidewise
and you could see it panied him.
He was one of the fellows sent to
Cleveland during the Fourth Liberty
Loan to help boost it. He was from
the Waiter Reed hospital, Washing
ton, D. c.
That night sat by him at the
table and afterward played him a
game of pinocie. He told me he was
from Oklahoma and was wounded by
shrapnel In France.
/ asked il ne had ever heard of
Lieutenant Boyd Maynard and he
said You're - right. Maynard
was my lieutenant He was the best
liked of any officer in the regiment,
unless it was our colonel. Did you
know him?"
Well, / told him | knew Boyd in
college and told him of some of our
escapades together. Then we were
off. He wouldn't talk about anyone
but Lieutenant Maynard" He told
how Maynard was the private S
friend; how they would go to him
first with their troubles; how all the
members of the regiment wanted to
get into Maynard's company. Then
he told me how he saw Boyd "get
his"
Not being versed in the art OF
story telling, nor being acquainted
with conditions over there, my repe-
tition of his narrative will indeed be
sad. He Is born narrator who uses
SMILES of the soldier from France,
OF the Marine Corps, and of the soil.
1t seems the boches had started
~ oIx hxv hot IF 70
fire. 1t was signal that the "gray
backs" were going to come over the
top in about an hours time. The
Americans again demonstrated that
they always do the unexpected. They
waited for the sl1ell-fire to quiet
down and then they went over the
top.
1t was barely daylight and the SER
geant was the right guide of May
nard's platoon. Boyd, as expected
was we'll in front and was giving the
old w. s. G. battle cry, which was
changed to suit the occasion. 1t was
Give them hell, boys! Give them
hell"
They did, but Boyd went down;
30 did the sergeant. Boyd was NOR
tally wounded, the sergeant seriously
wounded. He told me that he heard
about his death three or four days
after he had been buried; how the
boys wrote with a pencil on cross
Here lies Lieutenant Maynard, who
gave his today for others tomorrow
he was liked by all and admired fol
MS bravery under shell and hel
fire"
The boy knows DIR. Clough II
Washington also. don't know hi
name. but shall find out and hav'
Doc" verify the story.