Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-06-05
FLAGS PRESENTED
SECOND DIVISION
Veterans at Reunion Dinner
Wildly Cheer World War
Battle CoIorS.

Presentation of the masSed battle
flags Of the End Division. brought here
by airplane through a series of storms
to save the honor of the division,
featured the closing reunion dinner
last night in the Willard Hotel.
To the hardy veterans who followed
them through some of the biggest
drives Of the A. Il. F.. the incident will
remain as an unforgetable memory of
Z their reunion. At signal from a
bugle the hall was plunged into dark
ness and a light thrown upon the
massed colors, borne by a guard of
soldiers and Marines. Then. amid wild
cheering that was carried over the
radio to thousands of their comrades
who "listened-in," the colors were pa
raded about the hall and placed be-
hind the former commanding officers
of the division.
The tribute to the colors was one
direct from the hearts of the 1000
veterans who stood in reverent silence
as the banners cleaned in the bright
light before them. 1t was a sublime
moment that caused more than one
eye to moisten in memory of the 5,137
men of the division who died in battle.
Brought Here by Plane.
Capt Charles Hirshfelder, who
brought the colors here, told of the
flight through storms in Oklahoma
and the Middle West that more than
once threatened to send the plane to
earth. At Sullivan, Mo-, bad weather
forced landing in the mud, and
second plane was Communicated.
Leaving San Antonio June the colors
were landed here yesterday afternoon,
the first time they have been present
ed in a group at a End Division re-
union.
Generals and colonies were the
guests of honor last night, but the
buck" privates and sergeants took
command of the situation.
: Maj. Gen. John A. Lejeune and Col.
Hanford MacNider We're picked up
bodily by a couple of husky enlisted
men, who carried them on their
shoulders about the hall as several
hundred shouting. gleeful men fol-
lowed in their wake. 1t was a scene
that the microphone could not de-
scribe.
Col. MacNider, who presided, called
for five-minute talks from former
commanding officer of the division. but
the men were bent upon making a
free-for-all night of it and speeches
were drowned out in the uproar. Brig
Gen. w. c. Neville, u. s. NJ c.; Maj
Gen. Hanson Ely, commandant of the
War College, and others were given
ovations by their former men as the
program of speaking continued.
Headed by a Marine and Army color
guard, more than one thousand of
the veterans marched yesterday from
the Willard to the monument of the
1st Division. where an impressive
service was held in honor of the dead
of that famous unit.
As the Marine Band played and the
color guard stood at attention, Col.
MacNider unveiled a memorial wreath
at the base of the monument, q
tribute from the men of the End Divi-
sion. Rev. DR.. Jason Noble Pierce of
the First Congregational Church
and former division chaplain. led in
prayer at the conclusion of the serv-
ice.
All the former commanding officers
of the End Division, including Maj.
Gen. Hanson Eli, Sd Brigade comman-
der, who led the 1st during the cap
ture of Cantigny before Joining the
End Division, were present at the serv-
ice. Maj. Gen. John A. Lejeune and
Col. MacNider both made brief adj
dresses.
Earlier at the business meeting, Col.
MacNider had payed splendid trib-
ute to the list Division when he spoke
feelingly of the generosity of those
veterans in contributing to the me-
mortal fund of the End Division.
That" he declared twas the finest
tribute since the war"
After the memorial service, busses
took the veterans to the Washington
Barracks, where Chow" was served
and then the men were taken for
trips down the Potomac on the Gen.
r. c. Buckner and the Sylph,
Army and Navy boats. Music and en-
tertainment was provided on the trip.