The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-03-24
Four Wounded Medal Win
ners Of 9th Are Unable
to Be Present.
I POSTHUMOUS AWARD
Brave Ones Are Swamped
With Presents and Smoth-
cred by Kisses.
SCENE INSPIRES CROWD
First Ceremony Of Kind in
This City Starts Exercises
in Honor of Division.

First magnitude stars of the con-
stellation Orion blazed in the daylight
yesterday in the wonderful sunshine
Of Central Park, while $4,000 persons
tuned their cheers In preparation for
the big show tomorrow.
New York's fighting men whose
valor carried them through the Hin
denburg line and whose names are
now carried on the hero rosters of
the United States or OF France re-
ceived their Distinguished Service
Crosses or their French War Crosses
from the hand of their division COM
mander. Major-Gen. John F. O'Ryan.
while a battalion OF their veteran
comrades presented arms. the band of
the 107th United States Infantry-the
old Seventh-played Onward. Chris
ton Soldiers" as it ought to be played
and while half hundred thousand
civilians (some of whom had had their
dreams Of such day, no doubt) We're
fred by the thrill OF this aftermath of
victory. 1t was the first ceremony of
the kind that had ever taken place in
New York.
As the first event OF the programme
for honoring the Twenty-seventh Divi-
sion a programme which will culminate
Tomorrow when Organs men swing up
Fifth avenue within lane of a milton
people. the ceremony Of decorating
twenty-seven men whose courage has been
recognized by their country or it's sister
republic attracted a tremendous crowd
To say that $4,000 thronged upon the
emerald carpet OF the Sheepfold is
merely a guess. Nobody could estimate
accurately the number that formed n
great. solid hollow square within which
q battalion of the 107th marched and
countermarched and the heroes received
their crosses OF honor. The beauty Of
tho day and the fact that the day was
Sunday turned the feet OF .normous
crowds toward the walks OF the park
and brought them there too in pre-
cisely the mood to enjoy a brilliant
military spectacle.
Greeted by Crowds in streets.
The battalion forming the escort of
honor nd commanded by the regiments
Colonel Mortimer d. Bryant, marched
to the park from the Seventh Regiment
Armory. passing all the way through
densely crowded streets. The combatant
troops wore their metal helmets whicl,
had been painted a duh green and
which carried also the now familiar
division symbol, the dark red mono
gram ard its seven dark red stars
upor disk OF black. while the nom
combatant units wore their overseas
caps.
Swinging into tho park by the Fifty
ninth street and Central Park West
gateway, the battalion marched TO the
oheepfold along it's western side, then
turned to the south and took position In
double line. facing east. Accompanied
by Mator-Gen. Thomas II. Barry. COM
manding the Department OF the East,
and by Major-Gen. Daniel Appleton,
who was Colonel OF the old Seventh for
many years. Gen. Organ with his di-
y.s,onai staff reviewed the battalion.
At the south end OF the battalion line
stood the men who were to receive dec
orations. most OF the lads looking pretty
eeif conscious under the stare OF the
rreat crowd. When Gems O'Ryan. Barry
and Appleton completed the inspection or
the battalion escort they walked to the
east Of the field and turned TO face the
Double line of motionless troops.
At a sharp order the squad OF men
about to receive crosses got in motion
and in files OF four marched across the
held, taking position about fifty PAGES
from the little group of generals. When
they were drawn up Gen. Barry nd
dressed them briefly. saying that Gen
O'Ryan had asked him to wish them
long life and happiness and to express
his own and the country's pride in them
as worthy soldiers Of tho United States
Gen, O.Ryan snakes Their Hhn6E
When Gen. Barry stepped back the
names of the men were called one b"
one, and as each name rang out the
owner stepped forward two PAGES TO
receive from Gen. Organ handshake
the Cross, and then another handshake.
When this ceremony, which was very
brief, had been completed, the decorated
men faced TO the east and had the honor
of reviewing their escort az II marched
past snappily and disappeared in the
road which wound southward toward
Fffty-ninth street. Then there was a
rush. pell nell, by the crowd TO sur
round the heroes and to shake hands
with them,
The police either didn't want TO stop
the surge or couldn't. They just fell out
OF the picture and Immediately tho
laughing. blush'ng soldier boys were
swamped by their admirers.
Girls kissed them. Men nearly wrung
their hands of. Cigarettes and flowers
were fairly forced upon them, and as
they got out OF the Jam later and walked
out of the park some of them carried
arII1load ds OF this pleasant loot
Men Who Received Crosses.
The officers and men honored and the
reasons therefor follow
Major Paul Daly. Infan,ry, y; 5. A.
Tor haroism near Soissons July l"-g2
ha n