Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-27
.QUANT|CO MARINES
LEAVE WEDNESDAY
FOR DUTY IN ORIENT
Detachment of 426 Men
and IS Officers RuSheS
Preparations.
By Staff Correspondent of The Star.


QUANTICO. Va. March 26.--For
the second time within month the
Marine Base at Quantico is astir with
war-ilke preparations.
From a peaceful camp that had just
learned to breathe easily after the
hurried departure Of the 5th Regi-
ment for Nicaraguan waters. the
Quantico base was turned into bee
hive of activity when orders came
from Washington today for Marine
units TO stand by to reinforce the ex-
peditionary force under Brig. Gen.
Snedley d. Butler in China.
Three thousand enthusiastic leath-
ernecks would gladly go IL given the
word, but the chosen few from the
Quantico base number IS officers and
426 enlisted men, exclusive of some
IS men in the aviation section, with
six observation planes. This detach-
ment, made up of various special
Philadelphia Wednesday morning to
join the 9Th Regiment, which will
form the second expeditionary force
in Chinese waters.
Call Excites Base.
When word came from Marine
headquarters in Washington that
800 men We're to stand by for almost
immediate departure, the camp was
thrown into a high state Of excite
nent. Then the number gradually
dwindled until some 2 800 men began
to register signs of disappointment.
At a late hour tonight Lieut.. Col.
Edward B. Manwaring. assistant chief
of staff, was making hurried arrange
ments for troop trains to carry the
Quantico forces TO Philadelphia on
the first leg of the nearly 5000 mile
expedition. Upon the results of these
arrangements depend the early
movement Of the field artillery. tanks
and other heavy eQuipage.
Unless swift movement can be
guaranteed. the first trainload of war
paraphernalia may leave Quantico as
early as Monday, so as to meet the
main expeditionary force at San
Diego. Calf, the port of embarka-
ton, on Tuesday Of the following
week
Prior TO notifying Marine head
quarters In Washington tomorrow
morning as to the personnel of the
detachments ready TO leave Quantico,
Col. Manwaring, who was acting chief
Of staff in the illness Of Col. r. S.
Hooker, did not make public the
names Of the officers or men. The
same ban was placed on making pub
lie the individual units that will com
prise the detachment here.
Planes to BE Shipped.
Despite the small size Of the Quan.
tico detachment, it will carry enough
ammunition and explosives to blow
up China" as one OF the men at head.
quarters expressed it.
The six observation planes, instead
Of flying TO Philadelphia or San Diego
viii be shipped by rail direct to the
planes, with pilots, are ready to be
was expected they would not be for.
warded until Wednesday.
In addition TO the planes, from two
| to five armored tanks and detached
/ battery of 75mm guns, with all their
| equipment, will be shipped along with
other heavy equipage, either Monday
| or Wednesday.
No machine guns will go with the
! Quantico forces, since the two In
! fantry battalions, comprising the 9th
Regiment at Philadelphia, under com
mand Of Col. Harold e. Snyder, vet
eran Of the I'd Division. have THEN
! own machine gun companies. Ths
! The Quantico forces, ii was pointed
out. will serve to complete and aug
ment the 9Th Regiment.
Brigade headquarters will be formed
at Quantico. and at least two of the
| officers stationed here now, Maj Ed
/ ~, <