Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1919-09-17
National Capital Makes
Home Coming Great
Holiday
PENNSYLVANIAAV
LINED BY THRONG
Returned Heroes Make
Great Spectacle In
Notable Pageant

" OAN1 ~ RSS~NNS~A -
(By Associated Press. The nation
al capital made holiday today to
welcome home General Pershing and
the First division. Every govern
ment department and commercial
house was closed.
Hours before the parade was to
start every street was pouring its
thousands into Pennsylvania avenue
to line the sidewalks and fill review
ing stands. 1t was estimated near
ly a half a million people saw the
spectacle. Brilliant sunlight, touch
ed with tang of autumn in the air,
made the day ideal.
Marching in mass formation and
equipped with all thh guns, gas
throwers and countless other death
dealing devices of front line service,
the First division, fresh home from
France, moved along the broad ave
enue, a living tide of sunburned
fighting manhood that filled the
SJIGSl IGDII CuIU " CulD.
Epitome of Army.
There was nothing lacking to make
the parade an eptome of the whole
vast army American skill and indomi-
table will had created to meet and
beat the enemy at his own game.
There were guns of all the types
used in France that could be moved
through the streets Machine guns,
big and little, bristled among the
riflemen; squat mortars to hurl
bombs from the trenches; high
mounted rifles which peered skyward
as though still in search of enemy
flyers. Some of the guns were
horse-drawn, some trundled behind
painting motor trucks or tractors
The show was as complete as in
genuity of the War Department could
make, a cross section of the Ameri-
can Expeditionary Forces.
But it was to the lines of khaki
clad, brown faced men themselves
that first interest "f the thronging
crowds all along the wide avenue
turned, The home coming of this
first unit of American man power
to cross the submarine-infested seas
was in marked contrast to it's silent
mysterious, unreported departure
and the men, after months of strain
led the way. After its three bat
talon blocks had passed came the
18th Infantry in similar formation,
followed by the 1st Machine Gun
Battalion of the Brigade.
Sixth F. A. On Job.
Up the avenue at the head of the
division rode Major General Ed
ward F McGlachlin, commanding,
and with him rode two former com
manders of the division the first to
go and the last of the divisions to
come home. There were Major Gen.
William L. Sibert, who took it to
France, and Lieutenant Colonel Rob
ert l.. Bullard, who took it into ac-
ton and surrendered command only
to take a higher post. Marching
ahead of the formations, also came
host of officers and men who saw
their first service with the First di-
vision in France, later to 90 to 9th
er units as instructors.
To one regiment of long, trim
"75's" an unusual honor was accord
ed. The Sixth Field Artillery was
placed between the two infantry
brigades instead of marching with
the rest of the artillery brigade be
hind the infantry, for it was C. bat
terry of the Sixth which fired the
first shot at the Germans on Oct.
%, 1917.
A Great Record.
So far as the First division itself
is concerned, the official record of it's
activities during the war recently
published by the War Department