Evening star., 1919-05-04

Thierry, France" and the number of
citations for extraordinary herolsm
that were bestowed upon the marines
is another evidence of the way In
which they made the sacrifice that
paid for the victory. Passing over
commissioned men. take the case OF
a non-commiss!oned officer = Seree.
Donohue. OF him Gen. Pershlng. IN
official communique August, 19. 1918.
said: "Northwest of Chateau Thlerry,
in the Bois de Belleau. he led his
platoon against a violent flre. 70 de-
stroy a machine gun position. killed
or wounded eight Germans himself
and did not cease firing until over
come from loss of blood from his
own injuries" Again. on June 20, Gen.
Pershing wrote: please congratu-
late those officers and men who took
part in the action in the chateau
Thierry region in the afternoon OF
June 25. when 240 prisoners and nine
teen machine guns were captured
from the enemy" The command in
cluded the marine brigade. The com
manding general of the French armies
cited the marine brigade for its con-
duct in the fighting in this sector
The commander-in-c chief, Gen. Per-
shing. awarded distinguished service
crosses to enlisted men and officers
for their action in this region. TWen-
ty-seven of these went to the living.
survivors of the stiffest fighting that
Prussian shock troops knew how to
make: and twenty-seven to those who
gave their lives in living proof that
the marines were there.
The commanding general of the
French 9Th Army ordered that here
after the Bois de Belleau shall be
known as the Bois de la Brigade de
Marines; and he bestowed many
croix de guerre upon the officers and
l. ytr 1ri n hn
part in the fighting in the Chateau
Thierry sector. The marines were
very much in evidence in the Chateau
Thierry.
few years ago Admiral Braisted,
surgeon general Of the Navy. re-
quested Con-
Navy Hospital Corps sress to legis-
Active Under Fire. grades e FOR
Naval Hospital Corpsmen: and. as
usual, Congress granted the re-
quest when he made plain the
advantages it would give to
the medical service. Due to this
action, the surgeon general. when the
storm broke in April, 1917, was pre-
pared to expand this needed body
with the development Of both Navy
and Marine forces. Hospital Corps
men are young men Of good educa-
tion who are assigned to the care OF
the sick and wounded in the hospi-
tails and are trained in giving first
aid and care to the wounded on the
battlefield or on the warships. Their
duties are very important and they
have won praise from all sorts OF
men and officers for their gallant
conduct in war.
A battalion of $50 OF these young
men were attached to the medical
staff of the 9Th Regiment Of Marines
and followed them through all the
hard fighting north of the Marne.
How well they conducted themselves
this fact alone will tell Eighty-five
of their number were cited for brav-
cry and received decorations ranging
from the D. S. C. to the military
medal. Their courage was reckless.
In one engagement the marines had
charged a German machine gun four
under fire. AS they gathered for
another dash. the corps men were
right behind them. One cried. Go
on, you. Go on, you-. Go. We
are right behind you to pick you
up." The marines won the machine
gun that time and put its crew out
Of action forever The corps men kept
their word; they picked up FIVE of
their friends.
An old sergeant wrote about these
young men: And these Medical
corps men who followed us over the
top to the very last apprentice, these
saviors have preserved many lives
and have won the highest award the
American people can give. We DON
our helmits to those supermen who.
unarmed. seek the wounded and dy-
ing and calmly. with CHEEKY words.
apply first aid in a storm Of bullets
as coolly as children plucking violets
in a spring-time snow furry.
brayer set of men never faced an
enemy. They are SO brave that they
would walk right up to cannon's
mouth and try to remove it's tonsils."
During the war the Hospital Corps
men were in charge Of DR.. George
F. Cottle who was enthusiastic In
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