New Britain herald., 1919-03-15
PERSHING REVIEWS
 TANKS IN GERMANY
Sees 24,OOO Members Of Second Division in Combat Formation
GIVES MANY DECORATIONS
Spectacular Military Pageant Takes .sS--1' Place On Banks of Rhne-Tvvo Soldiers Given Congressional Medal of Honor.

Cs of Honor. Coblenz March fl (By Associated Press )-- Gen. John J. Pershing, who is inspecting the fighting divisions of the American army of occupation, had his first sight this morning of Amerl- can troops in combat formation on : German soil. On q 500 acre plateau on the east bank of the Rhine over looking Coblenz <and the winding river, he inspected the Second division and presented more than so decora- tions. He later reviewed the division which passed before him in masSed formation, the marching time of the .24,000 men being about 20 minutes.
 Mounted on a dappled gray cavalry horse which was presented Brig. , Gen. John l.. Hines, commander of the third army corps, by the Brltsh mission Gen. Pershing inspected the supply trains, ammunition units and motorized artillery and then passed on . to the infantry.
 ConvcrsCS With DouGhbOyS. . The commander in 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 condi- tions generally He talked to scores of doughbOyS who wore wound stripes inquiring if they had fully recovered, and asking others if they wanted to go home. Without exception they were eager tO return to America as soon as possible for family and busi ness. reasons, but all were perfectly willing they said, to serve as long as it was necessary for the United States <xn
 War Heroes Decorated.
 At the head of the line of those ceiving decorations, and for the mo- - ment outrankng two generals, was '. Sergeant Louis Van Israel of Newark, > N. J., whose mother is living in Hol- land. He was given the CongreSsiOn- " al 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 enemy's forces. .-, Major Gen. John A. Lejeune, com mander of the Second division, was given the distinguished service medal >< and he received the insignia of com ;. mander of the French Legion of 4r Honor. Brig. Gen. ". C. Neville, s@ commander of the marine brigade at I3eIleau Wood, was decorated with the ,' distinguished service medal Seventy cight soldiers received distingu shed service crosses.
 Fighting Marine Given Medal. AS surprise, Gen. Pershlng brought with him a congressional medal of honor for Private John J. Kelly of Chicago. Sixth marines, as a reward for attacking a machine gun ; nest on Blanc Mont ridge in the Champagne. Kelly, however, was on outpost duty and was unable to be present.
 The plateau where the review took E. place was used for years by the Eighth German army corps for the same purpose.
 This afternoon Gen. Pershing in spected and reviewed the First dvi- sion, which he helped to organize in Washington for service in France The review took place at Montabauer e- the headquarters of the First division A and in addition to visiting the troops D the commander in chief presented . number of decorations, among then being a distinguished service meda for Brig Gen. J.. D. McLachlan, the commander of the division.
 Pershing Praises His Men.
 After the review the commissioned and non-commissioned officers gather
 ed in the center of the field ant '. heard Gen. Pershing tell of the part h
 took in the formation of the division
 and recount some of the fine per formances of it's men during the war He reminded the men that when the,
 returned home they would receiv
 especial attention for their galantr
 in France and expressed the desir
 that they should "uphold their fine
 clean records as soldiers when the
 became civilians" He spoke of tn ' entry Of America into the war and tn
 eIort exerted in securing the peac
 which is now being dictated by tn
 Allies, adding that American troop
 have won the respect of all the Allie
 armies.
 Gen. Pershing dined with Ger
 Hickman in Ctnhlenz tonight