Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1924-10-23

is largely to be credited. And here's climax to
his career which shows in what regard. Uncle Joe
is held. He was elected by reclamation conf
mander of the San Diego post of the American
Legion. Can you imagine brigadier general of
anything being elected commander Of an American
Legion post, let alone BY reclamation!
s. There is astonishing amount of hero wor-
ship IN the United States for the Marines May
be it Is in part due to the romance of adventure
that surrounds the Corps. Why, Marine OF any
experience spin yarns that shame fiction Let's
take for example the career of Sergt John L. Pra-
ter of Nutley, N. J.. retired at forty-two, with a
bungalow, wife, little daughter end job as
a bank guard in Newark In his twenty years of
service he's seen enough and done enough to fill
20 volumes.
Sergeant Prater was rejected as too young when
he tried to get into the Rough Riders at sixteen.
In 1908 he enlisted at Kansas City, the first Ma
rine from Indian territory. And he certainly has
lived up to the legend, "Join the Marines and see
the world" He passed Christmas twenty years
ago in the Holy Land The Turks were killing the
Syrians and the Brooklyn was sent to prevent
J bloodshed For many weeks Sergeant Prater stood
guard over the Presbyterian School for Syrian
Girls in Beirut. Then came orders to proceed to
Abyssinia to make a treaty with King Menel1k.
That same year, the return trip Sergeant
Prater saw the then German emperor at Klel.
Next came the Perdcaris alive-or Raisuli-dead ex-
petition Africa by order of President Roosevelt.
don That was the year the United States decided
to bring back the body of John Paul Jones from
France. Prater was of detail of six Marines
that escorted the body. Then Roosevelt picked
him out for his personal orderly.
When the Marine Corps was called upon to fur
nish a guard for President Wilson, Prater was
selected He remained with the party when Pres
ident Wilson visited King George and Queen Mary
in Buckingham palace; when they visited King
Albert in PrI1SSplS and Victor Emmanuel in Rome.
1t should not be necessary here to dwell on the
services of the Marines in the World war, where
they lived up to their reputation and won new
fame. Every good American knows that on all
French maps what was once Belleau Wood at Cha
teau-Thierry is now "Wood of the Marine Brig
ade" When it was formally named and was con-
secrated last year as the final resting place of its
Marine dead Marshal Foch proclaimed its battle
"the turning point of the World war, the jumping
off place of the final allied offensive and march
across the Rhine"
That's9a fair sample Of the fighting qualities of
the Marines. And it gives an American an added
thrill to know that the Marines so deadly
largely because of their skill with the rifle. For
we invented the rifle and With it we won in
dependence and achieved our march across the
continent. 1t is our natS0nal weapon. And we
have the most accurate ind Understanding rifle
there is. We Americans lead the world as rifle
shots and the Marine Corps leads various mill
tary services Every Marine is expected to be at
least qualified marksman, able to stop man
four times out of ive shooting offhand at 200
yards. Then comes the sharpshooter. The expert
rifeman tops them all-and the rifle in his hands
is sure DEATH AS to the way the Marines shoot
in time of peace, look up the records Of the rife
tournaments Consult German officers in the World
to battle, murder and sudden death" when
the Devil Dogs" go into action with rifle and
bayonet