The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1919-07-04

good. natured American boys. No wonder the
French loved them for their looks and their ways,
wondered If it was possible that they really could
fight and went delirious with ecstasy when they
put the Hun on the run and kept him going!
Well, the generations to come, who cannot see
these American heroes in the flesh, will have the
chance to see a few of these heroes in official por-
traits.
Joseph Cummings Chase, well-known portrait
painter, who went overseas In October on a SDe-
cial mission for the War college, has returned.
He brought with him 142 portraits, including a
complete set of likenesses of the American gen.
erals Overseas-save four, which he will be COM
PEELED to paint here. There are u portraits Of
generals, so Of privates, "noncoms" and lieuten-
ants who performed especially noteworthy serv-
ice 90 are pictures of officers Of various grades.
Mr.. Chase was selected by the War college to
paint these portraits, which are to be incorporated
into the official history of Americas participation
in the great war.
Doubtless the generals and other officers of high
rank are all imposing in looks, but their portraits
have been published before. 1t is quite likely pop
ular interest in these official portraits will run
largely toward those of the fighting men. Some
body said: mo army is bigger than its buck
privates.'" He said something.
The four portraits here reproduced out Of IS at
hand are the selection of the etcher and not Of the
writer; so it is clear that reproduction quality and
not the record of the soldier determined the
choice. Yet this choice, haphaZard as to deeds,
shows clearly the marvellous qualities of the
American soldier. Here is what the four did, in
brief:
Lieut.. Philip Benson, One Hundred and Eighty
fifth Aero Squadron.-During the last three weeks
of the fighting Lieutenant Benson made trips
nightly over German towns, dropping hundreds of
bombs and fired thousands of rounds OF ammuni-
tion into Hun supply trains. OF the pursuit group
TO which he belonged, only two pilots remained
alive. His father is q well-knOwn New York arch
itect. and his uncle is the famous painter, Frank
Benson. Work like this requires a different sort
of courage from that Of the charge In the heat of
battle. Let your Imagination 90 along with this
aviator, alone In the heavens at night over the
enemy country, and make your own estimate of
this city boy, well-bred. educated and refined and
of native American stock. Keep in mind, too, that
aviators have to be just about 100 per cent per-
feet mentally and physically. and in a sense are
volunteers.
Corp. Misczyslaw Brock, Company B. Sixteenth
Infantry, First Division.-South of Scissors on
July 81, Corporal Brocki came to the conclusion
that the Germans had too many machine guns, he
picked out the two that were causing the heaviest
losses to his company, went out single handed
and captured those two particular guns, with
every Boche pertaining thereto. His citation saws
this was only one incident Of Corporal Brocki's
activities. This man is Of Polish birth or blood,
according to Chase-evidently one of those "tem-
rnramr avs.