The Washington times., 1919-09-25

CAMP MEADE, Nd, Sept. 25.-Eager
to get home as the officers and men
Of the First Division are, there is con-
siderable sentiment over. the breaking
up Of the First Division. and. in, a
sense, the ending of its war TecOrd:
( The division was the first to go into a
sector. to shoot at Germans. tO-a attack.
to conduct a raid. 70 capture pris-
/ oners, to suffer casualties, to be cited
singly in general orders and in the
number Of division. corps, and. army
commanders and general staf officers
produced from its personnel.
Il The individual regiment OF the di-
vision in which there was the most
sentiment Is the composite one known
as "Pershing's Own" the demobilfza-
tion Of which has commenced.
Never before in the history OF the
American army has any one regiment
included as large a number Of distin-
guished veterans. IT was formed May
10, 1919, at Coblenz Germany. The
personnel was selected from 100000
men Of six army divisions. and as il.
was to be. Pershing's guard OF honor,
assignment TO II was regarded as a
high honor and reward.
Nearly All Have Wound Stripes.
Practically all the men had wound
stripes and the great majority cita-
tions. After being gathered at
CobIenz they were given intensive
drill, and the men who were not alb
soIutely up to the mark in. all respects
were returned. to their organizations.
OF the $3.50 officers and men, only
246 were formerly in the6 regular
q. rr.T
few dFafted men.
Their, first, public appearance was
at the opening OF the. Pershing
Stadium, where they served as, ,Persh-
ing's guard or honor. They then pa
raded twice ia Paris. the second time
in the great BEstiile DaN celebration
July a. They then took part in the
great victory parade in London. and
were the guard of honor when Perish
ing decorated eighty British officers.
The ReNt big parade in which they
marched was the recent one in New
York. after which they were hurried
to Washington for their last appear
.ance.
Each Has at Least FouF stars.
While all the other salts. includ.
ing even the rest of the Fhv$ Division
itself. have in their ranks a percent
age Of replacement men who did not
join until after the armistice or take
part in the fighting. the composite
regiment is composed entirely OF
men with four. fye, and six campaign
stars on their service ribbons, and
generally with one OF them Of silver,
TO show their unit was decorated.
Many members Of the First divis-
i
green and red wooden cord ending N
a long. shiny metal tip. II is called
the fourraEere. and is the highest
decoration given by the French army
q fter the Legion Of Honor. II is
awarded TO entire units after they
have been twice especially mentioned
In citations, and was given the men
Of the Eighteenth Infantry for their
bravery in the scissors and ArgOnne
campaigns. and the Twentieth Infan-
try for their heroism in the Cantigny |
and ATEonne campaigns.
The men wearing the fDurraEere /
haYe been questiOned a great deal /
about the decoration since their ar /
rival in the United States and now /
have a stock OF joke answers ready /
they say il is an Irish |
decoration, the green being quite con- /
spicuous: sometimes they say the |
metal tip is a cigarette lighter, and
q few .waRs have been telling eager /
,hirsters for information the cord Is 1
2 sign that a man has French bride. 4
BFIde-TO-Be stRFtied.
At the dance in the Hostess House /
Saturday night persons IN the hdll 4
were startled to hear a Shrek from |
B young girl who had been approach
ed BIZ a soldier wearing the four
ragere Some OF the secretaries rush