The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1919-05-22
GLOWING TRIBUTE
ll7TH ENGINEERS
MIR. OSCAR X. LaROQUE TELLS or
WORK OF REGIMENT.
In Chateau ThierryDrive
Worked All Day With Picks anu
Shoyels-Held at Night as
Reserve Infantry.

Columbia. May 10.-The work OF
the forty-second, or Rainbow, d.
vision, composed of men from 20
States and the District of Columbia,
was continuous and without leave
from February 19, 1918, until after
Christmas of last year, according to
Oscar K. LaRoque, formerly private
secretary to Ex-Governor Manning, of
South Carolina, who resigned as
State Bank Examiner to enter the
overseas service of the Young Men S
Christian Association. Mr.. LaRoque
was attached to the Rainbow" di-
vision and was under fire himself al
most continuously. He was gassed
several times.
Mr.. 1aRoQue, in his statement,
said that ''the American soldier is
without doubt the coolest, nerviest,
bravest and most efficient fighter
there is on the face Of the globe"
An interesting statement made by
Mr.. LaRoque is that the American
soldier is essentially religious; that
he will come back home demanding,
practical religion and definite results
in politics.
High Tribute to 117th Engineers.
A high tribute was paid by Mr..
LaRoque to the 117th engineers,
composed of troops from North Car
olina, South Carolina and California,
commanded by Col. J. Monroe john
son, of Marion, S. G. Every imagin-
able service was performed by this
regiment, he said, except exploits
in submarines and aeroplanes. The
regiment made a record in road and
bridge construction, under heavy
shell fire and almost insuperable OBJ
stacles, said Mr.. LaRoque.
The Rainbow" division, which
was commanded by Major General
Charles T. Menoher during itstfght-
. ing period, was taken overseas by
Major General George W. Read, COM
mander of Camp Jackson; and
brought back by him. Among the
States represented in the division are
New York, Ohio, Alabama, Iowa,
Pennsylvania, Wisconsin. Georgia,
Illinois, Minnesota, Kansas, Virginia,
Maryland, Louisiana, Oregon, North
Carolina, South Carolina, California
and the District of Columbia.
The statement of Mr.. LaRoque fol-
lows:
The 42d, or Rainbow" division,
after period of training in the var
ious training areas in France, en-
tered the lines, taking over parts of
the Luneville sector on February 10.
1918, continuing in line under shell
fire until after the signing of the ar
mistice on November II. Though
the men of practically every other
division in the A. E. F. were granted
leave and given periods of rest in
the back areas at various times, the
men of the 42nd division did not
learn the meaning of the word
leave" until after they had landed
in Germany, and then not until after
Christmas. The boys suggested that
the name of the division be changed
from the Rainbow" to the "Pine
Tree,' since the pine has no leaves.
American Soldiers Bravest on Earth.
The American soldier is without
doubt the coolest, nerviest, bravest
and most sensible fighter there is on
the face of the globe. It will never
be possible for any human being to
say enough in praise of the humble
private who fought and won this war
1t is true, of course, that the work OF
the enlisted men was necessarily di.
rected and planned by the high type
OF officers commanding them, and as
a rule. the American officers though
fully respecting the dividing line be.
tween the officer and men, at al
times had the interest of his men al
heart. A bishop told me in Germany
that the American soldier is the only
person on earth that can "cuss" anG
pray at the same time-and he is
right. I attended a conference o1
chaplains from three divisions at &
little town in Luxembourg. At this
conference one of the chaplains made
the statement that fully 80 per cent
of the American soldiers he ha6
buried on the battlefield carried Tes
taments in their pockets and that the
Testaments showed constant use
These men who have survived thi!
war have done some deep thinking
since they left home and their idea!