New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-12-28
Gen. MacArlI,ul.'s
Promotion Urged
BY Gen. Mcnohcr
Brigade Commander i'm Rain
bow Division Il Twice
Wounded and Decorated
by France and tho l. S.

WASHINGTON, Dec GA striking
tribute to the courage and skill of
Brigadicr General Douglas Macarthur,
commanding the S4th Brigade of the
AID (Rainbow) Division, was given by
Major General Charles r. Menohcr,
formerly in command of the division,
IN a letter to General Pcrshing, urging,
for second time. the promotion of
General Macarthur to the rank of
major general.
copy Of the communication has just
reached Washington. 1t reviewed the
chief of the staff of the division and
later as commander of ono of its two
infantry brdages, and disclosed that
the young officer, major of engineers
when the United States entered the
war, had been twice wounded, had been
decorated by both the French and
American governments for personal
gallantry in action, and in addition had
been twice recommended for the
French Legion of Honor.
His Work in Field
II do not feel that | am free to as
sumo another command" General Men
cher wrote to General Pcrshing on the
eve of his transfer to the command Of
the Sixth Army Corps, without re
cording the services rendered by Gen
cral Douglas Macarthur. These ser
vices, rendered constantly for over a
year and, in the large part amid active
operations in the field, have been so
Twoundly, brilliantly and loyalty per
formed that in recognition OF them |
see only fair appraisal Of the OK
ample OF energy, courage and efficiency
,,r1,; ol,
the AID Division and to our entire army
in France
",he contributions made to our mill
tary establishment by this general
officer have already had reaching
effects. He has stood for the actual
physical command of large bodies of
troops III battle, not for day, but
for days duration, and l believe he
has actually commanded larger bodies
of troops in the battle line than any
other officer in our army with, in each
instance conspicuous success.
He has developed, combined and ap-
piled the use Of infantry and correlated
arms with an effect upon the enemy.
husbandry of his own forces and
means and resourcefulness which no
other American commander in the field
has.
No Thought of Safety
His efforts have been untiring, UNI
interrupted and without the least re-
gard for his personal safety at each
OF the many times when he felt his
personal leadership required his pres
enre IN the thick of the struggle"
The itemized account of General
MacArthurs services included the
statement that the AID Division "sus-
tanned the full blunt of the German
drive in the Champagne last July, and
that it was the skill and personal SUI
pervislon of this officer which made
possible great victory Later, during
the AisncMarne offensive, the AID was
driving toward the Nesle when an Incl
dent occurred which General Menoher
described as follows
At the end of this phase of the di-
visions employment, when it had la
and was brought low in numbers by
vigorous resistance to the assaults
from exceptionally powerful positions,
occurred an example of leadership and
the high qualities of command which
consider as unique.
Diagnosed the Situation
general Macarthur, himself on the
advanced line at time when the
American First Army Corps had not
ordered the division to advance accu-
ratcly diagnosed the situation as one
IN which the enemy had but an hour
bci ore broken contact In advance of
orders and without delay, he, with nv
concurrence, at an early hour galvan-
lzsed the entire division into prompt
pursuit which soon brought it on the
very heels OF the enemy and gained
possession Of the great massif of the
J. crest OinNpSlpS
General Menobcr showed that it was
Gcncral MacArthur's brigade which
"'brokc the k'iemhilde position" in the
lighting north of Nerdun with the cant
nrc of Cote dc Chatillion and adjacent
heights. and adds:
"ln fairness ! wish to say that after
having attained the Cote de Chatillion
by three days constant fighting, Cen
cral MACARTHUR had so husbanded and
controllcd his brigade that with unused
battal'ons he. stood ready to exploit
this success Immediately in case that
had been ordered"