The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser., 1921-07-22
LOVING TRIBUTE
TO War DEAD
National Leaders Participate in
Memorial Services on Ho-
boken Army Piers.
AN IMPRESSIVE CEREMONY
National Commander John G. Emery
of the American Legion Delivers
Grafton Over 5000 Flag
Draped Caskets.

Hoboken, \. with barred ard
bowed heads 1,0O0 Americans, General
Pershing and a committee of congress
men among them, stood in the presence
of 5000 tiag-draped caskets of our re-
turned war dead, and led by National
Commander John G.. Emery Of the
American Legion, took a silent oath of
fealty to the flag and vow to defend
"and. if need be- without hesitation.
emulate the example of the men whose
memories and whose deeds we honor
here today"
The ceremony was one Of the most
impressive ever held on the govern
ment pier, where every Sunday spe-
,ial memorial committee of the Amer
can Legion pays honor to the dead
who have come home from the battle
fields of France.
OF, particular significance was the
ceremony at which Mr.. Emery deliv-
cred the principal eulOgy. because
among the bodies brought back were
hose of the three first Americans to
Fall in battle. 1t happened that these
men were members of the First Divi-
sion with which Mr.. Emery fought I'M
Ill knocked out by wounds in the last
lays of the war
Mr.. Emery said:
There are many things which to
me- personally, invest this occasion
With an especially deep and solemn
significance. l stand here in the hal
owed presence of the ashes of the first
three American soldiers to fall in bat
tie in the late war 1t happens that
.hese three men were my own COM
radeS. They were members of my own
First Division, my own infantry bri-
gade, and all the pride and feeling that
resides within a soldiers heart, to be
.ouched at mention of his old outfit or
his comrades, rises within me now and
makes it exceedingly difficult for me
to speak to you at this moment.
corporal James B. Gresham of Ev-
ansville, Ind.
"Private Thomas F. Enright Of Pitts
burgh, Pa.
Private Merle D. Hay of Glidden,
Ia ...
"They were soldiers of the sixteenth
Infantry They were first to fall, first
to give over, their young lives in the
morning of their years when life is
sweet.
"They went forth valorously to bat
tie And silently now they return in
gallant company with thousands of
others who died following their heroic
example. They come peacefully home
to claim their final residence in the
beloved native soil they died defending
in a foreign land. These ashes will
precious.
"AIfd we who are living, we who are
here today. are the beneficiaries of the
splendid sacrifices these men have
made God grant we may be worthy
heirs of legacy so noble. The very
free air we breathe at this moment is
free because these men died to keep it
free. We enjoy the protection and the
safeguard of the just and democratic
institutions of government which these
men died to insure for us.
"God grant we may be worthy of
these sacred endOwments. To that end
let us, at the bier of these heroes on
this Sabbath day, each to himself,
swear a solemn VOW to God that we
shall strive to be worthy.
Let that VOW mean fealty to the
flag which cloaks these caSkets; for
the flag is the symbol of our country;
it is the embodiment of every deed,
mean or noble. which has been commit
ted in our country's name.
LET that VOW mean devotion to the
institutions of government under which
this nation has grown great. Those
institutions must be perpetuated and
passed on unmarried to new genera
tions as the old generations have pass
ed them on to US; as these men have
passed them on to US.
LET that VOW mean eternal vigilance
in defense of the right as God gives US
to see the right. Let it mean sworn
enmity to those who would destroy
these institutions and ideals of govern
ment which guarantee US so much that
contributes to the happiness and indie
pendence of our people.
Let that VOW mean that each of
us accept solemn personal obliga
ton to defend this flag and these in
stitutions, and, If need be, without
hesitation, emulate the example of the
men whose memories and whose deeds
we honor here today