Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1921-05-20

q X/EAEH N16A IL ~ 70
home in Cherokee. Ia, and take them
with him out to California, where he
is to invest his nest egg in farm
"and live happily ever afterward.
"We are here honoring service says
General Summerall.
''No army is stronger than its nom
commissioned officers" says General
Edwards, late commander of the
Division now command
ing a brigade of the First Division.
"In his humble capacity this man
Brannan has served through all these
years None of the glitter and glory
has been his-iust plain everyday,
old-fashioned hard work. All honor to
the noncomsl They are the chaps who
build patriotism, who uphold morale,
the very Sinew of the army. ThatS
why they are honoring Brennan in this
way"
Every Man Contributes.
The lieutenant has stopped reading
general order No. 5. He turns to
Sergeant Major Brannan. He hands
him a purse of gold-some hundreds
of dollars in all. Every man in the
gallant Sixteenth and many more
friends all through the First Division
have contributed out of their pay. 1t
is their way of expressing esteem and
friendship for slack" Brannan. The
hand of the veteran trembles bit
as he accepts it, The moisture of the
eve is more eloquent than the words
that fall from his lips-for he is not
given to speaking. His long suit is
service.
attention p the cry swings out over
the review field. A word of command,
the band begins to play and at the
call of shoulder arms" the rifles
swing into position. In another
moment the Sixteenth Regiment is
on the march. They are passing in
review before Sergeant Major Brannan.
He who has served unostentatiously
in the ranks all these years is stand
ing by the side of his colonel watching
his comrades of the World war swing
by in review! These boys who helped
hurl back the minions OF German
autocracy and then passed in review
before the crowned heads of Europe
are now passing in review before a
"noncom' sergeant major!
Company after company they are
coming on. They give him the "eyes
right as they pass before him. But
Sergeant Major Brannan's eyes are not
"right." He who has laughed at the
whine of a Heinie's shell or stood
impassive before the spectacle of his
pals struck down in cold blood or
stolidly served on the lonely watch
through all these years without the
Pickering of an eyelash, now stands
with great tears coursing down his
cheeks.
Goodbye and Good Luck.
Soon it is overland then comes
the flood AS though he were one
lone enemy against thousands, these
doughboys of the Sixteenth swarm
about him. They salute him, they
grasp his hand, they wish him good-by
and good luck. The good right arm is
pumped until it is sore and aching.
The general himself comes to salute
this veteran "noncom." 1t was the
general himself who ordered the dem
onstration.
''The departure of such a soldier
as you is a loss not only to the di-
vision, but to the army" says Gen
eral Summerall, as he wrings the
hand of the veteran noncom.
The sergeant major has returned to
his barracks and energies clad in
civilian clothes-the habiliments of
citizen. The Khaki suit and the dec
orations are folded away within the
bag. He is gone, but not forgotten,
for "Jack" Brannan was a personality.
In his quiet way he was the friend of
everybody. From the viewpoint of
the commanding officer this noncom-
missioned officer ever exemplified the
loyal service that is pertinent to the
life of the army His life is a shining
light to all who follow after in the
ranks of service.