The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-04-27
U. s. SOLDIERS ON
 DUTY IN JAPAN
Sixteen Men Dwell To- gether In Perfect
 Harmony

The smallest detachment of .Ameri- cas- fighting forces is now stationed in Tokio. " %
 It is also the first time in the his tory of American relations that armed forces have been stationed for any length of time on Japanese soil. But precedents went by tine board in the emergency following the earth quake last September and when the fleet of United States naval relief ships arrived from Manila the Ameri- can embassy asked that small detach- ment of men be left to help in the work of distributing supplies and assist the embassy while. the emergency con tinues, says the Japanese Advertiser.
 Nine marines. five soldiers and two '.gobs,' under the direct command of Capt. w. B. Sullivan are duartered on Enokizaka near the site of the Ameri- can embassy. Just how long they will be stationed here no one in Tokio knows, but it will be until the United Stntes war department decides that the existing emergency" has passed.
 Meanwhile, this small detachment is ready to do everything from rescue work in time of a possible disaster to distributing Christmas toys and candy to Tokio's poor children. A fleet of three big motor cycles keeps the em- bassy in touch with the consulate in Yokaham ma, carry mail from the boats and haul supplies.
 Ready For Emergencies
 Wreckins tools and fire fighting equipment are kept handy at the camp for tany possible emergency. At the time of the earthquake on January 15 the detachment was ready instantly for emergency work, while motorcycles were dispatched to the homes of the members of the embassy to find out how the personnel fared during the shake
 At Thanksgiving time last fall the detachment held a festival and had n regular old-fashioned American Thanksgiving dinner. Christmas this group of "hard-boiled' veterans called in crowds of Japanese children to the camp where they were given toys and feeds" The detachment also helped the Japan chapter of the American Red Cross in distributing Christmas toys and clothing to the poor children in Tokio. In the street near Hibiya Park there is a regulation army kitch- en, and big sign in Japanese invites everybody to come up and have free bowl of soup American and Japanese national flags are crossed on top of the stove.
 While the train service between Toki0 and Yokohama was interrupted the army trucks maintained a continu- ous service between the two cities for the benefit of the embassy. The big g. ton trucks, which saw service in France, are piloted by professional drivers. and still are the object of curiosity and ad- miration as they thunder down the streets at high speed. To anyone who has ever ridden over the motor road that links Tokio and Yokohama it it a marvel that these truck drivers have yet to report their first bad acident. They tear through the little villages, down narrow strets crowded with traf- fife on foot and awheel. These big trucks are probably the first vehicles in Japan which make enough racket to shake the horse cart leaders and bicycle riders out of their customary. drowsy indifference.
 CO-OperatiOn Is I1erfect
 The camp of Enokizaka is composed of thirty-five tents, where are quartered, in addition to the detachment, all the Japanese employees attached to the American embassy. Perfect co-Opera- tion exists between the Japanese and the detachment.
 There is yet another feature which distinguishes the detachment from all others in the American fighting service. It is probably the only detachment com posed of marines, soldiers and sailors where the hatchet is buried. That is to say, the usual rather bitter and some times physical rivalry that exists be- tween the three branches of the service is not known in this detachment, where cooperation is the camp slogan.
 There is also the usual camp mascots. One of the mascots, dog, was found by one of the men at Kamakura following the earthquake. The dog, then a mere pup, had evidently lost it's home and was dirty and hungry. It was brought up to Tokio. and has become one of the pets of the camp as we'll as the whole neighborshood.
 The camp observes all army regula- tions, including the ceremony each morning of raising the Stars and Stripes on the camp flagpOle and lowering 1t aaain at SunSet.