Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-07
LANDS ASSISTANT
AFTER PLANE TRIP.
Flies to South Dakota and
Gets Colonel to Give Up
Man He Wants.
ny LAWRENCE PERRY.

Y row West Point brought about
the return OF an end coach
whose services will be more
greatly needed this year than
In long time involves a story
a. Army athletic life which will prove
interesting in and out of the service.
II should be recorded that in all de-
partmentS of team organization the
Army foot BALL eleven seems to BE- sit
ting handsomely. with the exception
Of the wings. Now the best end coach
in the service is Mai Sassy CT the
Cavalry, who has done invaluable work
on the Plains in recent years.
Capt. Biff Jones, the head coach al
West Point. was counting heavily upon
the ma ior to take hold of the raw wing
material and Go a quick Job in develop
ing at least four M. qualified 10 hold
down these important positions in sol
dierly manner,
Decides to Make Trip.
A few weeks ago when every one al
West Point was Steaming in the hottest
CAV that the Hudson valley hes pro-
duce6 in years. came telegram from
Fort Meade. S Oak, cavalT..' post
where Mai. Sassy is on duty, that ne
would be unable TO leave his outfit and
come to West Point this year because
Of the attitude of his colonel.
Letters and kilograms went back ano
forth. all of them without effect, until
A. length Cant. Jones decided that the
only thing 10 do was to hop over the
Bad Lands in an airplane and make
personal appeal to SasSy'S colonel.
So he went over TO Mitchell Flelo
and found there that an aviator lieu
tentant was Just ready for his flrSt
cross country trial. The coach was ac-
cepted as a passenger, and Fort Meade
was named as the destination. Through
out the trip Biff was impressed chiefly
by two things-first. the splendid or
ganization of the Army Air Service. It's
unfailing attention TO details. the CHAR
acter of its personnel and the precau-
tions observed. and, second. the
extraordinary commercial airport Serv-
Zee in the Middle West.
Paws Tribute to Service.
As to the first, Biff Jones, who was
in the air as an observer for Infantry
and Artillery in the World War and
should know what he is talking about,
sayS that since the war Army aviation
IN this country has made amazing
progress. and that II the public knew
all that had been done it would be
proud. AS to the airports, practically
every midland city has one, he says,
and everywhere the reception and
treatment OF the Army aviztors were
splendid
well. the plane snored into South
Dakota without untow2rd incident, and
the post, never before visited BY a
plane, received the visitor from the
clouds with enthusiasm. Maj. Sassy
was the first officer to take Jones hand,
and the two at once went to the
colonel's ONCE. The colonel stormed
and ragged. Sassy. he said, was his most
valuable officer, or at least one of the
most valuable He had organized polo
at the post, had put on two successful
horse shows, had injected an ardent
athletic spirit throughout the outft,
and. In a word. the colonel could not get
along without him.
Jones Gains His Point.
The Army coach in reply must have
heen very eloquent. even tearfully elo-
event At anv r.te, when he had con-
Guided the colonel stalked to window,
locked out upon this arid rattlesnake
country for time, and then Wneeleo
about
Take him. captain" he said. y
guess West Points foot bali fortunes
are OF more importance than those OF
this Cavalry outfit.
They say that Bits whoop OF joy
almost caused stampede in the stables
There was general handshaking. Bin
hoped aboard the plane, and Sassy
viii be al West Point next month.