Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-07-07
V|RG|N|AN LEADS ,
NEW TANK CORPS
Colonel Rockenback a Graduate
of Virginia Military
Institute.
TYPE OF LEXINGTON SCHOOL
Veteran of Cuban, Porto Rican
and Philippine Islands
Campaigns.
TYPE OF LEXINGTON SCHOOL

SdlllpdlSuo.
WASHINGTON. July 6.-Upon no
6ghting branch Of the army is the at
tention OF the American people GEN.
tered to greater degree than on the
tank corps, motorized unit in train
ing on the gettysburg battle field. led
by Southcrners and composed OF the
hest fighting men 10 he found in the
na ion--of nerve and Drawn blessed me-
chanics. collcEjans and soldiers who are
equipped. mentally aud physically. for
the vigorous demands of tank lighting.
Work done by every branch of the
american expeditionarv force has been
spectacular in the extreme. but the
Dixie-lcd "tankers' claim they will give
tie world further thrills when allowed
to get into action in full force. The
war cries of the unit Treat 'em
rough" and Berlin bound
The chief of the corps is Colonel s.
l.. Rockenback. a Nirgnian. who is on
duty at the American tank center in
France. Colonel ira G. Welborn. Mis-
sissippian. directs the unit on this
side of tho Atlantic. ard with him is
Major W. T.. IIohson. a Tennesseean.
and Captain Il. -. Cunning. another
Mssssippian. The boys who play this
card in the hiS game have gotta be
more n jes' regular fellows is the
caption of a tank cartoon published in
the New Orleans Times pcayune which
best illustrates the man power demand
OF the unit, and the type of officers
leading It.
| Leading features OF the career Of
Colonel n 'rkenback. who has been with
General Pershing since Tho American
chief visited tho tomb of Lafayette and
! announced. We'll, Lafayette. we are
here" follow.
Honor graduate OF the Virginia Mill
tary Institute in 1883: captain in the
Missouri National Guard. commander
or the Kemper School at ROCKVILLE and
| second lieutenant in the Tenth Cavalry
in same year. In 1895. by special act
Of Congress. WAS gwen colonelcy
and made commandant at the Virginia
| Military Institute. Special act neces-
Stated by the fact that he was not
! eligible for the position before COM
plotting i've years or service. Served in
Cree campaign with General pershing
| il. 1896 and received mention for bring
ing in a la Ie body of indians after IA
! spectacular rid. 81 1870 mics IN thirty
| fuurs.
Ills St;lft ". " IN tSI;A
.taD PORTO RICO
In October 1898. after serving in
both Cuban and rorto Iican campaigns.
he was prone ed 20 iirSl lieutenant and
later made reginentai adjutamt Of the
Tenth Cavalry. AS an engineer officer
IN the department OF l. .s,..rn Cuba he
had much to do with building the Guam
tanamo aqueduc, mill, cary roads and
1,n,
capt.!n in th, Twelfth Cavalry in Feb
ruary. 1902. Ind IN 1903 was detailed
as quartermastcr To install the Wales
and Lewis system ana erect buildings
at Fort Uglcthorpe. Ga
Going to the Philippines the same
year. he served with sdch ability that
he WAS made major Of Philippine
Scouts i'll 1905. and in 1909 was ap-
pointed Governor OF the Cattlbato dis
trict OF Mindinao. In July OF the same
year he was placed in command OF
Philippine Scouts by General =. p. Du-
val. and after seven years OF contin-
uouS service major OF scouts was
detailed to the Army War College class
OF 1911. Was transferred in 1912 from
the Twelfth to the Eleventh Cavalry,
and in 1914 spent ei:..t months on
strike duty with that unit in Colorado.
In September, 1914. WAS ordered to Fort
Riley for a field officers course but in
November WAS relieved and detailed as
military observer with the German
forces. In May. 1915, was made major
and assigned to the uuartermaster
corps. In this caoacity lie accompanied
General IershinG to Srance in May,
1917. and when the tank corps was
organized General rershing appointed
him rs chief. The commander of this
-
and Colonel Rockenbacr'S promotion is
expected to he announced within a few
days. He was made chi"f of the tank
corps after General rershiHs had made
n most thorough search for an officer
with proper qualifications.
COLONEL WELBoNN
WEARS HONOR MEDAL
Outstanding facts in the service
record OF Colonel Wclborn. who wears
congress onal medal of honor as
result of bravery displayed when he
left shelter ana under heavy fire. went
to the aid Of a wounded private of his
command at Santiago. are:
APPOINTED to Yves. Point Military
Academy from Mississippi September
!. 1894: commissioned second lieuten-
ant IN Ninth Infantry April %. 1895;
nro"1o'ed to FIRST lieutenant March ..
'"'''' 'htH 10 taF'aln ~ the sixteenth
'rfantr% December % ian2
ErERAN CF BATTLE NJ
IAN JUAN HILL
Assigned Ia cubsn expedition in
June and participated in the battle of
san Juan Hin and engagements be-
fore Santiago c,mpaigned In Luzon
Islands from April 20. 1896. TO June &c.
1900 and fought In the battles of
Guadaloupe Ridge. Las Pnas. Zapote
River, San Fernando. Caiulut, Sindal-
Ion, Forac, Angeles and Ramban.
Joinc dChinese Boxer expedition in
''une 1000. and wcs In battles OF ITEM
tsn, Pieiang. Yang'sunc and Pekin:
also In tho march TO the temples OF
fatachow under General James II, will
son, Was recommended FOR brevet frst