Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-08-25
LEATHERY MAPS" NOW THE RULE
AMONG Sd Maine BOYS AT DEvENS
CEN. PERSHINC PRAISES OUTFIT
BOYS. IN FINE FETTLE


Camp Devens, Mass, Aug. a.
Especial to Kennebec JournaD-
There's been great change in the
appearance Of the Maine National
Guardsmen now in camp here. 1t is
a change for the better, not only in
their drilling, but also in their
physique.
Bronzed to the color of light leath-
or because of their exposure to the
sun and Strengthened and toughened
by the exercises through which they
have gone. the men Of the whole
State. and especially those Of the
Kennebec valley, are in as near per-
feet condition as possible.
The Augusta and Waterville men
have been feeding exceedingly well.
Many of them have been forced to let
out their belts notch Fat soldiers
! have become merely stout. but solid
and muscular, while the thin men
! have begun to reach the proportions
of the stout individuals.
It has been something to these men
to be able to go through the grill
, ing drill periods they have. The
weather has been SO uniformly good
that there have been few hours of
daylight when the sun has not
! shone. On the drill fields and at
! rifle range it has beat down severe
ly, especially during the noon hours.
| the weather has been hot but not
: uncomfortably so, but men drilling
under the sun have sweat freely and
! they have grown darker and darker
/ in complexion as the days have pass
ed by They will be changed indi-
! Vlduals when they return to camp
and friends and relatives may find
/ difficulty in recognizing them
Capt. Carl w. Smith of Portland.
! regimental adjutant of the 3rd
: Maine. witnessed a little incident on
! Monday that comes rarely to any
! one. Major General Clarence r. Ed :
wards. commander of the First
. Corps area, was in camp and at the
time he was passing through the
4 barracks Of the 3rd Maine. A note
! arrived from General Perkins. Il
didn't know what was in it," said
/ capt. Smith afterwards, but Cen
! eral Edwards started off. It isn't
! OFTEN that one is present when a
| major general is ordered to do some
/ thing by fun -f1edged general"
while General Edwards was in
! camp, he upheld his reputation for
! looking after the men He visited
the barracks of the Maine Quarter
master Corps from Augusta and
round about ten of the detachment
! there. Serets. Joe Trask. Leslie
; Trask. John Conant Lester Hjgrins.
and Privafes Avore. Morton. Morris
| sey and others had converse ton NTH
/ The former leader OF the osth Divi-
: sion.
Because OF this incident. there is
PROBABLY no happier men in camD
: perhaps, than these men of the O. NJ
- with the exception Of Emile FL,
eere of Co. f. Of Lewiston. Tugere
ourIng the inspection of She regiment
oy General Pershing, attracted the
noted leaders attention and caused
the general to pause in his walk. The
Lewiston man wears seven overseas
stripes on his left arm and two wound
stripes on his right arm as we'll as
Two enlistment stripes. TIc was not.
however. member Of the America
txpeditionary force. He served for
more than three and half wears
overseas in the 22nd division of the
canadian army and during that time
won the Victoria cross. the Croix de
suerre, the DISTINGUISHED conduct
mccall and the medal millitaire. He
wears the ribbons of four of these on
MS coat 50 that with the overseas s,
wound and enlistment stripes. he is
a much decorated hero. It was little
wonder that General Pershinr stoo-
ped to speak to him.
1here were others with whom the
READ of the American armies also
talked, for General Pershing looked
at every officer and man of the 1900
lined up for inspection One of the
men was slightly stcop shouldered.
! stand like this said the General.
ana he threw back his shoulders in
! Illustration.
! Altogether. the officers and men of
the 3rd Maine were a pretty hapnv
lot TO think they had been inspected
by Pershinc. and. if the truth he told
! they were immensely relieved when
! it was over
| capt. Erion l.. Newdick was TEN
porarily assigned to the hea dnuarters
company of the fourth battalion dur
ing the review and commanded it
during inspection. Dick" was just
as nervous as the rest so he saws.
! capt. John Ackerly and Capt.
George Anthoine. both of Btddeford,
nave been guests of Capt Wilbur II.
Dewey of Go. A of that city. Both
visitors are old men and Capt. Acker-
iy has the distinction OF having serv-
ed II years in the Maine National
Guard He also organized the first
recognized National Guard COMPANY.
| old Company G of Biddeford. which
came into being Al wears ago. He
served in the State militia before the
Guard was organized.
| Most Of the boys call them hash
stripes They are, in fact, enlistment
stripes aud 20 on the lower half Of
soldiers left sleeve. One stripe is
/ to be sewn on for each complete on
! listment through which man has
passed in the National Guard Many
Of the Augusta and yvaterville boys
/ have purchased their hash stripes be
cause of previous service in the
Guard
/ Gassed-that's what has happened
Z e. - r.