The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1919-08-01
WANTS WELCOME ron REAL
HEROES
Chaplain Says Courage and Devotion
Of American Soldiers Has Never
Been Seen In the World.


of American Soldiers Has Never
Been Seen In the World.
The following item taken from tie
June 18th edition Of the Evening
Register, published at Hudson. New
York, will prove of especial interest
10 the Ord Division, and also TO all
regulars Of the A. Of O.. because Il
shows what the men back home are
doing for US and saying about u
that Will Offset the published rumors
that we are not deserving Of as much
credit as some Of the units that are
now demobilized. The item Is here
With reproduced.
For the first time IN its history, ap-
pIause sounded loud IN st. Joseph.s
1t Albany. Sunday night. The pulpit
AS occupied By the unfamiliar figure
OF q soldier in khaki. 1t was the Rev.
Thomas A. Flanagan, chaplain Of
the 10th C. s. Inf. Of the Ord Div.
now IN Germany. and which during
the war was in the van at Cantigny.
the Marine, Chateau Thierry. the
vesle, San MihIel, the Argonne and
scores of lesser engagements.
Il could picture terror. but l
would not like to do that" Father
FLANAGAN said. Il could also pic
tnre the horror Of war. but I wouldn't
Ike to do that But ] can picture the
courage and devotion of the Ameri=
can soldier and such courage and
devotion has never before been seen
in the world"
Father Flanagan gave his ex-
perienees from The time he left the
pier at Hoboken. until he finally ar
rived at Coblentz with the first
American troops OF the army Of oe-
cupation. lie talked for Two hour
and a big congregation listened n
every word.
1T was common sight" he de-
clared. ito see man with one leg
hanging on crawling To aid another
wounded man gain the safety O
shelter Il was common IL hear one
dying man say. Help that fellow
there, I'm going out anyway. That
was the spirit that characterized the
American soldier and ! want . saY
to you people tonight: Don't seon Al
the regular soldier again. He has
his faults, but his virtues far out
weigh them. He is the greatest fight
er in the world and nothing Is too
great Or too hard for him TO accom-
plish"
As an illustration Of the discipline
Of the American army. which despite
what foreign critics say. was the best
discipline IN Europe. he said. Father
Flanagan related an incident during
the San MIhiel offensive. when the
Goth Regt. vas sent into a sEpDos5
position. Their station was q small
woods and German planes had sight
ed French broken down tanks there
Immediately guns were turned loose
and bombs we're dropped in profnsion
Despite the hell raging In the
forest the regiment swung into line
at the order 10 Forward March,
walked straight into the raging In
ferno Of death. hundreds never 10
GENE out
God forbid should take any
credit from the American Marine.s
he said. speaking OF the hattie o.
chateau-Thlerry. Hes as fine , sol
der a. ever lived, but there were No
marines II chatean-ThIerry. rhe
Marines fought splendldly II nelleau
Wood, which Wa three miles north
Of Chateau hieffy and If you wish
To call the whole sector Chateau
ThlerrY fhey were there. But It wa
one unit of the 3nd Dr.. the eth Il. G.
Bn.. that stopped the German tide d
Chateau-Thierry.
After leaving the 26th DIV. 10
which | had been first assigned. !
was sent TO a replacement camp and
there Joined the Bird Div We were
kept drilling and drilling until the
German drive opened IN May. Then
came the word 10 move and we we're
loaded IN eamions. on gun carriages
and practically everything that could
carry II, and were sent to the FROM
It was The 7th. however, that reached
Chateau-ThIerry. Five hundred
French troops were caught across the
river and for twelve hours that bat
talon kept up q steady fro until
night fell, when the Fnenchmen swan
the river and escaped.
All the next day they fought IN the
streets. IL vas the last engagement
the battalion ever went into for the
reason That when the day was over
there wasn't 4 man lefI OF Il"
He told OF hearing the confessions
OF l 800 men and Of giving Ihem com
munion the next morning, the day