Evening star., 1928-06-17
BY THOMAS r. HENRY

TOR more than year the Marines
- have been engaged In armed
conflict in Nicaragua.
n AS MODERN wars 60, 1t has
been a popgun affair. Techni-
cally. of course. it hasn't been war
at all. It is referred to in the Marine
Corps reports as ''pacif1cation just
one of the routine peace-time duties OF
that organization, Probably 1t viii go
down in history merely as footnote, In
common with several score other armed
conflicts i'll which American soldiers
and sailors have taken part since the
birth of the Republic. II hasn't affect
cd at all the current of national life.
But. if il is destined only as foot
note, 1t will add, none the less. a touch
Of striking color TO history's picture OF
these drab days OF peace which have
followed in the wake of the World War
Il is picturesque fighting down there in
the jungle moonlight with the weird
growls of caracals rendlng the night
and 'Chcst wolves" bowling in the
thickcts. And it has added some in
spring examples of rcd-blooded cour-
ege 10 the record of Americas fighting
forces There have been acts of hero
ism and self-sacrifice hardly exceeded
fer picturesque and dramatic qualities
in the annals of the World War itself
During the past l3 months 20 Navy
Crosses have been awarded to enlisted
men and officers Of the Marine regi-
mentS in Nicaragua for acts above and
beyond the call of duty" There has
been one Congressional Medal of Honor,
the highest award within the gift of
the United States, two DISTINGUISHED
F,ving Crosses and one Distinguished
Ss:rtlce Medal.
Enher;can soldiers have been con-
tfontcd with conditions which have
tested their mettle to the utmost. They
rave been engaged in hand-to-hand
Conflict with greatly superior forces of
the enemy They have been outnum-
hsTed two and three 10 one. They have
been plunged into guerrilla warfare at
;ts worst--the kind of war in which the
enemy IS like q venemous snake strik-
ing in the dark without warning. In
this kind OF fighting the advances of
science mean little. It's methods and
means the world over have changed
little since the fall of Rome. The
Marines have been forced TO go back
10 primitive soldierlng-the kind to
which so many pages are devoted III
military textbooks, greatly to the an
noyance Of the average student, who
thinks there never will be any use again
for the methods described.
EEN III AIIlEEiCdil
are more thrilling than that for which
the Congressional Medal of Honor was
bestowed upon First Lieut.. Christian F.
Schilt, whose citation reads:
For extraordinary heroism distin-
guished by conspicuous gallantry and
intrepidity at the risk of his life above
end beyond the call of duty. On the
9Th. 7th and 9th of January. 1928, at
Quilali, Nicaragua, Lieut.. Schilt, then
o member of a Marine expedition
which had suffered severe losses IN
killed and wounded. volunteered under
almost impossible conditions TO evacu-
relief commanding officer TO assume
charge of very serious situation.
Lieut. Schilt bravely undertook this
dangerous and vitality important task,
and by taking of a total of 10 times
in the rough, rolling street of the par
tally burned village. under hostile in
fantry fire on each occasion, succeeded
by almost superhurnan skill combined
with personal courage of the highest
order in accomplishing his mission,
thereby saving three lives and bringing
supplies and succor TO others in des-
per3te need"
The incidents for which the two dis
tinguished flying crosses were awarded
are almost equally picturesque. The
first was to Mai Ross E. Rowell of the
ID Marine Brigade. The citation states
that the coveted decoration was given
Mai Roweu for having distinguished
himself BY display OF extraordinary her,
ossm. coOiness and excellent judgment
waen. on july IS. 1927. having been mo-
tiAed by his patrol that the garrison a:
Ocotai 100 miles away. was in danger.
he at once took the air and, leading
fight Of five planes In the face OF
tropical storm conducted the attack
with the highest tactical skill. destroy
ing greater part Of the enemy. there
b. saving the little garrison from almost
certain destruction