The Washington times., 1918-12-18


rines are beginning to come home.
Wearing the crimson shoulder
straps of the Legion of Honor and
covered with glory won at Chateau
Thierry. Scissors, and in half a
dozen other memorable fights, Sergt.
EYerette l. Wilson and Private Byron
Berkeley. first of the immortal Sixth
Regiment, are at their homes on
Christmas leave.
These first of washington's ma
rines to return are the warmest of
pals" and saw the fight through to-
gether. They live next door &c each
other in Washington, Sergeant Will
son at 1872 and Private Berkeley at
1874 Jefferson street. They went TO
France on the same transport last
January. They were wounded and in
the same hospital together in France.
They landed from the same transport
at an American port, December l.
and now-"Well, it's wonderful to be
able to spend Christmas together"
they say.
1t is a great story these Washing
ton boys have to tell, provided you
can get them to tell it
Two Bullets In Side.
Private Berkeley, for instance, re-
ceived two machine gun bullets in his
left side. three shrapnel fragments in
his left arm, was gassed and shell
shocked, and has been in nearly every
large hospital in France from wounds
he received in battle. Yet he says:
what do you want with my pic
ture7 Somebody'd think I'd done
something"
Sergeant Wilson is quite as modest,
and 1t takes questioning to learn
that the blood-red cord around his
left shoulder is the Legion of Honor
decoration following nine separate
that the small bar on his
breast represents the Croix de Guerre.
that the long bar is for the Boxer
in China, that the next one
Is for the Philippine campaign, the
next one for Haiti, the next for
the next for Nicaragua, that
the silver medal is that OF a sharp
shooter, that the gold chevrons stand
for his overseas service. thar the
three red-lined chevrons on his cuffs
mean he has seen more than twelve
years service in the marines.
He may tell you also. and with
note of regret in his voice, that he
missed the little affair in Cuba, in
loOO. DCCduSC at NAdA NAAAiC hoppSh
ed to be with the American fleet on
a stour around the world.
GasSed At Chnteau-ThIerry.
Sergeant Wilson was gassed at
and he may have
other marks of honor for his splendid
record, concerning which, not being
specifically asked, he failed to make
any mention
The decoration he prizes most OF
all. though. is the little silver ring he
wears, bearing in enamel colors the
miniature coats of arms of the central
allies. This IS the souvenir of the
only German he met in France who
had the stuff in him to stand up and
fight. Because Sergeant Wilson has
the souvenir is probably why more
cid not care to try IT.
This remarkable exception occurred
At Chateau-Thierry.
81 just happened to bump into this |
fellow" said Sergeant Wilson. 1--WE |
had gone over the top and were ad- |
across captured territory |
when l saw him. ! fired at him, but |
missed. and then ] went for him with |
ny bayonet. He met me. II he had /
lot taken the chance that all the /
Germans took whenever they were !
'Orced TO bayonet fighting. the scrap |
night have been longer and tougher. 1
,ut he took it, Instead OF steadying /
lis rife with both hands. he made a |
Jingle thrust with one hand in order |
o get a longer reach with his ex-
.eptionally long bayonet. 4 parry |
md a five-inch thrust was simple
,nough after the training we had
lad, and it was all over. I aimed at
lis throat, as we had been trained
o do, but l caught him squarely be
ween the eyes. Then, to be sure
hat he would play no tricks-they
ire treacherous BIRDS let him have
me in the stomach. He wore this
title silver ring"
In UnIueky Company.
Sergeant Wilson is a member OF
he "UnIucky Seventy-fourth'' COM
ANY OF the Sixth regiment. His COM
amy was replaced five times.
Sergeant Wilson was in numerous
but he regards the fight
L Chateau -Thierry as the worst OF
hem. This is especially true OF the
errific barrage the Huns set down
Ipon the marines there on June II,
vhcn high explosives and gas shells
we're falling at rate OF one every
our seconds, he said. 1t was on that
ay that he was gassed. He wore his
.as mask so long that he was over
ONE from nausea and became drowsy.
Ie did not know at the time that he
ad suffered from the effects OF the
as, and only realized IL on June 20,
yhen he lost his voice as a result.
This incident resulted in his meet
- l. IL 81 I