The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-03-15
Second Division of Ameri-
cans Was Inspected by
Gen. Pershing
WHO CONFERRED
OVER 80 DECORATIONS
Troops Were Drawn Up in
Combat Formation on
a Great Plateau

Coblenz, Friday, March IA tBy the
Associated Press General John j. Per-
shing, who is inspecting the fighting di-
visions Of the American army Of occupa-
ton had his first sight this morning Of
American troops in combat formation on
| German soil. On 600-acre plateau on
the east bank of the Rhine overlooking
Coblenz and the winding river, he in.
spected the I'd division and presented
more than 80 decorations. He later re-
viewed the division, which passed before
him in massed formation, the marching
| time of the $4,000 men being about 20
| minutes.
Mounted on dappled gray cavalry
| horse, which was presented Brigadler
! General John l.. Hines, commander Of
the third army corps, by the British
mission, General Pershing inspected the
| supply trains, ammunition units and
motorized artillery and then passed on
to the infantry,
The commander.in-c chief, in this part
of the program, walked along the lines
of soldiers, devoting more than an hour
to the work. He questioned company
commanders as to their quarters and in
reference to conditions generally. He
talked to scores of doughboys who wore
wound stripes, inquiring if they had
fully recovered, and asking others if
they wanted to 60 home. Without ex-
ception they were eager to return to
America as soon as possible for family
and business reasons, but all were per
fectly willing, they said, to serve as long
as it was necessary for the United
States to keep an army in Europe
At the head of the line those receiv-
ing decorations, and for the moment out
ranking two generals, was Sergeant
Louis Van Israel of Newark n. j.,
whose mother is living in Holland. He
was given the congressional medal of
honor, During the battle of the Argonne
he crossed the Mouse, fell into a German
trap, escaped and again crossed the river
with valuable information as to the en-
emy's forces.
Major General John A. Lejeune, com
mander of the I'd division, was given
the distinguished service medal and re-
ceived the insignia of commander Of the
French legion of honor. Brigadier Gen
eral w G. Neville, commander of the
marine brigade at Beleau wood, was
decorated with the distinguished service
medal Seventy eight soldiers received
distinguished service crosses.
As surprise, General Pershing
brought with him a congressional medal
of honor for Private John J. Kelly of
Chicago, 9th marines, as a reward for
attacking machine gun nest on Blanc
Mont ridge, in the Champagne. Kelly,
however, was on outpost duty and I'M
able to be present.
The plateau where the review took
place was used for years by the eighth
German army corps for the same pur-
pose.
This afternoon, General Pershing in
spected and reviewed the lst division,
which he helped to organize in Wash
ington for service in France. The re-
view took place at Montabauer, the
headquarters of the lst division, and, in
addition TO visiting the troops, the COM
mander -in-chief presented a number of
decorations, among them being a dis
tinguished service medal for Brigadier
General ], d. McLachlan, the comman-
der of the division.
After the review the commissioned
and non-commissioned officers gathered
in the center of the field and heard Gen
eral Pershing tell Of the part he took in
the formation of the division and re-
count some of the fine performances of
its men during the war. He reminded
the men that, when they returned home
they would receive especial attention
for their gaIlantry in France and ex-
pressed the desire that they should ''up-
hold their fine, clean records as soldiers
when they become civilians" He spoke
Of the entry of America into the war
and of the efforts in securing the peace
which is now being debated by the allies,
adding that American troops have won
the respect of all the allied nations
General Pershing dined with General
Dickman in Coblenz tonight