The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1926-06-26
CAPITAL FOLK
STARRING AT
ST. NAZAIRE
Admiral Gleaves and Gen.
eral Rockenbach With
General Pershing
n jean ELIOT

" France. the days when Anne
lea sent her first troops Sove
There are being relieved with To
dedication today OF Mrs Harr
Payne Whitney,s coinmen1orat nv
memorial. Mylon HerFici
American Anlba ssador to francs
General Pershing and a group g
French dignitaries are taking PAL
In the ceremonies. while two wei
known Wshingtonians, Rear At
nnfral Albert Gleaves. y. s. N. r
tired, and Brig. Gen. Samuel N
Rockenbach. are playing importan
roles.
Admiral GIeaves conducted tn
first American convoy to Franc
during the World War and ter
eraI Rockenbanch was the hrs
commander of the St. Nazafre bass
According to a story in the Pari
Herald. both soldier and sailor haVl
been unfolding some chapters 9
unwritten history.
Fooled the Public
Admiral Gleaves, the story goes,
told how he had prevented 1eai-
ousy between the in aIltry anu
the marines, both OF whom wanted
the honor OF being the first 70
land in France.
II played Solomon. said Adj
nniral Gleayes. Il put EN- of
together
- General Rockenbach revealed
The plight of General Pershlng
when the day after his depar-
ture for Europe the Francn ana
British missions in the United
states called and demanded that
troops be sent Immediately
ssNot a camp was ready TO
handle them and we hadn t pre-
Tared the ground, but Admiral.
: fSleayes brought them over anu
took care. OF them somehow.
ror five days unloaded them
from ships. walked, them into the
: eo,,ntrg. for exercise, camped tor
Z food end then walked them back
along another route and reloaded
ttsSeIa on the ships. the pubic
fSs.,,aking we had sent them 70.
fht, front. In five days we han
dled 10000 men that way. The
london newspapers estimated that
81 600 had passed through St.
Kazaire. The German figured It
as high as 10000. and the French
carried the story to 80, Oea
what l am saying today Is the
first real information Of how
we fooled them-al.
Mrs. Whitney went to France 70
witness the unveiling Of her strtk-
ing memorial; and. a. understand
It. her mother. Mrs. Cornelius Van.
derbilt. is with her before going g
Hungary to visit Countess See
chenyi, another daughter
Crossed on Memphis
Admiral Gleaves made the journey
10 France on the United States ship
Memphis, which is to be flagship
81 the American fleet in European
waters. BY an odd chance the bat
teIship sailed just nine years to a
day from the date on which the
first American convoy set out for
France. The ceremonies today cele-
brate the ninth anniversary of the
landing at st. EaZafre, but that. Of
course, is by design.
The admiral win return to this
country aboard the United States
shin Pittsburgh. which has been
time, but which is coming home
for refitting before being sent to
the China station. On landing he
will go TO jamestown, r. l., to join
Mrs. Gieaves and Miss Evalina
Gleaves. who will then be estab.
lfshed there for the summer. They
are leaving Washington on June so,
Grandson and NamesaIte
Mrs. Thomas Earle Van Metre,
smother daughter of Admiral and
Mrs. Gleayes, and her three children
are already at Jamestown, where
they have a cottage. Lieutenant
Van Metre is on sea duty. but his
ship viii be in jamestown Harbor
for much of the summer. Lieuten'
ant and Mrs. Van Metres newest
baby, a son a few weeks old, has
been named Albert Gelaves Van
Metre for his distinguished grand
father. p.
The Minister of China and Nine,
SEE and their daughter, Miss Julia
SEE, left Thursday by motor for
Ithaca, n. Y, where they will pass
the summer. They will be joined
soon by their two sons. SEEMING
SEE and Dedie SEE. who will arrive
from England, where they have
been attending school,,
Mr.. and Mrs. Terrill Brazletor
were hosts to a company of about
IS last evening at an al frescC
supper served in the grove besId.
their home in Chevy Chase. .Amonl
the guests were Rear Admiral ant
Mrs. Magruder and their son.in
law and daughter, Mr.. and Mrs
Charles Gregg, Mr.. and Mrs. Jesse
w. Nicholson. Mr.. and Mrs. Roger
.Whiteford and Capt. J. c. Pryor.