The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-11


more or dess despised personages of the
camp and Of the rear. Yesterday they
were honored for what they were. heroes
OF the front line, for whenever their out
fits were in range of the German big
guns they were there too and whenever
their outfits we're way up In the front
trenches they were either there or trying
desperately to get there.
Had this been n circus parade the
next outfit would have been called the
elephants. Here came the FIRST unit of
trucks Now an army truck is hugely
terrifying thing when seen alone in an
open road. II bulks large with Its high
topped canvas cover, it's thrusting, throb-
bling. gigantic hood, with the massive
wheels and springs that tell of strength
and power. Yesterday they came down
through the narrow confines OF the ave-
nue.. four abreast, in perfect alignment.
Radiator moved with radiator, top
with top and tail with tail. They looked
like nothing but elephants. At a walk
Ing pace, deliberate, crushing, irresistl-
Bile, they moved on. Hub touched hub,
for there was Just room for them to
pass. Side apparently touched side. but
ouch was their skill that these boys who
learned to drive ON pitch dark roads at
night where German shells and German
any moment of their mad career, treated
the drive down Fifth avenue as child's
play. They were only less phlegmatic
than the muleslinners. As they struck
the new note OF romance in military
transportation they were perhaps even
more impressive TO the onlookers
Most of them were filled with barrack
bags, provender, and the hundred and
one things they ought to carry, for they
start tonight, nearly 100 OF then and
their little brothers, for Washington,
where they will repeat their appearance
when the First Division parades behind
Gen. Pershing. The vehicles will proceed
under regular field conditions, with their
own six days rations and their own
schedule These cars did not belong TO
the First Division in France. They were
assembled by Lieut.. burlington OF
the Motor Transport Corps and Lieut.
Col. Lawes OF the New York district
1891 Vehicles in Line.
of the size of the fighting motor transport
of single division, were SO ambulances.
~ light passenger and s heavy passen-
ger cars, 30 reconnaissance cars. IL star
observation cars, 420 trucks, one ma
chine shop, 20 tank trucks for water
and oil and gasolene, 16 artillery supply
and repair trucks, &c trailers, 2S3 motor
cycles and 342 bicycles. A total of 1891
vehicles
There was a pause after the first of
this great train had got by. The crowd
settled back for a moment and then sat
up again. for the cheers up the street
could mean but one thing-that the first
of the doughboys were coming. 1t was
the Sixteenth Infantry, glorious since
the days of 1912, broken up for the
civil war, but reunited for reconstruc-
ton, during which time 1t helped wipe
out the ku Klux terrorism in the South.
1t bore upon its standard yesterday the
silver rings for Fredericksburg. Gettys-
burg. Shiloh and a half dozen other
major engagements of the civil war and
1t won fame in the Indian battles Of
the frontier. II fought at San Juan Hill
and in the Philippines
But perhaps the thing that most peo-
pie remembered about the Sixteenth yes
terday was that 1t gave the first Ameri-
can lives In the great war. 1t was a
platoon of Company F. that was cut OF
by a German box barrage near Battle
mont on November 3. 1917, and there
fell Corporal Gresham, Private Enright
and Private Hay. the three whose graves
France asked to care for forever.
1t was this regiment that stormed and
captured Mont Sec. That was perhaps
the toughest single battle of all the war
for the Americans. Many people knew
about 1t yesterday and the regiment got
a thunder of applause all the way down
the long line.
1t was followed by the first one
Founders and trench mortars that New
york has seen. Motorized and mule
drawn they slipped by while the mil
lions stared at them. The trench NOR
tars excited particular interest, Each
was platformed well on top of a truck,
and beside each was an armed dough-
boy, his rifle slung over his shoulder.
his pose a stiff attention" despite the
rolling OF the truck.
Colors Date Back to 81,
Then came the Eighteenth Infantry,
It's colors dating from '61 and the Army
OF the Ohio under Buell.. But its re-
cent record, its storming of the strong
points to the south of Scissors. nipping
into the Crown Princes right on the
heights where he had ordered a stand
at all costs. when the Americans turned
the tide definitely and finally in July
and August. 1913. have crowned It with
distinction which 1t shares with only
one other American regiment-the
OF the same division
that OF the regimental right to wear
the fourragere OF the French Croix de
Guerre. The regiment as a whole was
cited twice in French army orders It's
colors bear the green streamer tinsed
With red. Its officers wore Il as q shoul-
der cord. and many of its men availed
themselves OF the same privilege.
The Second Machine Gun Battalion,
not motorized as was the First.
but plodding as most machine gunners
plodded in France, driving mules and
following a few trucks and fivvers,
the Eighteenth. Then there
came pause before the Second Infantry
Brigade, headed by Col. r. A. Brown, |
came along.
Two pretty women seized this oppor- |
tuniey 10 desert the reviewing stand. |
They got across the avenue and as far |
as the serried ranks OF the Police Ayia- |
lion Reserve and fell back appalled, |
Col. Helen Bastedo OF the Woman's
Motor Corps was the first TO note their
plight. She came running over with an |
offer of help. She had hardly voiced It |
when Rodman Wanamaker was there |
100, hat In hand. And Mr.. Wanamaker |
had hardly said his say when Secretary !
Baker, leaping out of his place rushed !
across the street with an OFFER of assist
lnce. They had already accepted that !
u Col Bastedo, however, and after a /
chat with the bare headed |
they moved OF. They were
Mrs. William G. McAdoo. the Presidents |
laughter. and the one time Mona Nc |
Adoo, now the wife of Russian form |
.rlv attached 10 the au1haa Sv % 1ha