Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-03-25
By associated Press

New York, March 25.-Major
General John +. O'Ryan's Twenty
seventh division, composed of for
mer New York State Guardsmen-
veteran two-tisted fighters who
broke through the "impregnable'
Ilindenburg line last summer in one
of the most gallant exploits of the
world war-marched in triumph up
flag -bedecked Fifth avenue to-day,
to the tumultuous acclaim of Il mill
lion or more spectators.
The doughboys were in heavy
marching order. They wore their
oliVe-colored campaign helmets or
tin hats" gas masks We're slung
from their shoulders, light packs
and tull canteens were carried and
bayonets were fixed on their rifles.
Each regiment, carrying the wealth
er-stained guideons and flags that
saw service in Flanders, marched in
half-battalion units, equivalent to
two infantry companies to the unit.
The rhythmic tread of these solid
blocks of fighting troops, with
! bayonets glistening in the sunlight,
presented martial picture never to
be forgotten.
Honors For the Dead
Along the line of march-from
Washington Square to One Hundred
and Tenth street-were little groups
of men who were unable to partici-
pate in the glory of the marchers-
! soldiers of the division who had lost
a leg or an arm at Guillemont farm
! or at the lie Selle river; men who
We're otherwise injured in the daring
| attacks that crushed the pride of
| the German legionS The wounded
| were not forgotten by the crowds,
and the cheers that greeted them
were IS full-throated as the demon
strations for their more fortunate
! comrades.
After the first roar of cheers that
! heralded the start of the parade a
hush fell over the crowds and heads
| were uncovered as a caisson draped
| in mourning came into sight A
| great service flag. with a gold star
! for each of the 1880 men who per-
! lshed in service overseas, furnished
| the symbolic evidence of the di-
! visions remembrance of those who
made the supreme sacrifice.
| Cheers Drown Bands
| The deep solemnity of the occa-
sion gave way moment later,
when General O'Ryan and his staff,
| mounted. trotted up the avenue, fol-
| lowed by the Fifty-fourth brigade,
! which headed the column. The ova-
| ton along the five miles of march
was continuous. and the cheers
were of such volume as to drown
| the music of the military bands.
At Madison Square, where dense
| crowds had congregated, the troops
passed through the stately arch Of
| victory" just completed The re-
viewing stand was at Eighty-second
| street, with Governor Alfred E.
Smith as the principal reviewing
officer. Others in the stand were
i Acting Secretary of War Benedict
| Crowell, Acting Secretary of the
Navy Roosevelt. and various repre-
sentatives of the State and city gov
| ernmcnts.
Greatest Crowd in History
Police officials, who called out
ten thousand reserves to aid in
maintaining order, said that it was
by far the largest crowd that had
ever assembled to view a parade in
this city, the nearest approach be-
! ing the Hudson Fulton celebration
a number of years ago. The crowds
packed the sidewalks and cross
streets almost to the point of suf-
location. Every window was crowd
ed, and owners of rooms facing the
avenue charged fancy prices to spec
tators. Single windows, from which
several persons could see the pro-
cession, brought as high as SIS.
Relatives and friends of the troops
were seated in an immense stand
running the entire eastern length of