Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-04
SERGT. YORK AGAIN
'S|LENCES" GUNS
Thousands Watch Re-Enact-
ment OF Famous Feat and
Mimic War in Army Show.

Mimic warfare, with all the bedlam of
battle, from the bark of the rifle to
roars of heavy artillery and of diving
'strafine" pursuit planes, was shown in
the Ariny's presentation of Smashing
Through the Argonne with Sergt. York, !"
in the first days performance OF the
annual military exposition and carni-
val at Washington Barracks yesterday
afternoon and last night. The show Is
being repeated this afternoon and eve
ming and will close with shows tomorrow
afternoon and evening.
Approximately 10000 persons turned
out for the opening performance OF the
show, the biggest turnout recorded.
Yesterday was Virginia day at the
exposition and the show was attended
by Gov. Harry Flood Byrd of the OLD
Dominion, who few from Richmond to
the National Capital with his retinue in
an Army, tri-motored Ford monoplane,
piloted by Capt. Ernest Clark, yester-
day afternoon. Secretary of War James
w Good also was guest at the open
ing performance and was accorded
19-gun salute upon his entrance to the
post.
Today is Maryland day and high
Maryland officials are the guests OF
honor.
Sergt. York Is Honor Guest.
Sergt. Alvin C. York, whose feat in
silencing a machine gun battalion and
capturing 80 machine guns and 1872
prisoners, including a battalion COM
mander and three other officers, was
characterized by Marshal Foch as the
outstanding feat of any single soldier in
any of the armies of Europe, is the
honor guest of the exposition and yes
. terday saw the Army reproduce his eX-
plot on the greensward square" of the
War College post
= The show program opened with
Cavalry drill by Troop F of the Sd
Cavalry. stationed at Fort Myer. Next
the tanks roared up and down the turf.
The Sd Battalion, 18th Infantry, then
participated in silent drill, executing
all the maneuverS of the Army Infantry
drill manual.
Three aces of the Air Corps, Lieut..
Elwood Quesada and Capts. Frank CD.
Hunter and Ira c. Eaker. in fast Army
pursuit planes, came over from Boiling
Field and gave an exhibition of stunt
and formation flying.
Battery B of the 10th Field Artillery
of Fort Myer, the black horse battery
of the post, contributed an intricate
mounted drill.
A monkey drill" of crack riders of
Troop F of the Sd Cavalry of Fort
Myer gave the spectators view of all
sorts of antics ahorse, closing with a
charge through circle Of flame.
Sergt. York made his first appearance
at the exposition when he entered the
drill field in front of the grandstand.
and after posing for movie and still
cameramen for several minutes released
basket containing Is racing pigeons,
starting them for Fort George
Meade, Md.
Bombardment Opens Battle.
Then came the big event OF the show,
the battle in the Argonne. The battle
opened with heavy bombardment of
artillery from the rear of the American
lines. at the entrance end of the parade
grounds, with answering fire from the
German position at the point end of
the field. There followed an advance
of the American Infantry, which was
halted effectually by the vicious splitting
of big German machine gun nest in
the vicinity of a ruined French farm
house
While anti-aircraft machine guns
and heavier artillery doomed away at
planes overhead and ground forces at
tackled and counter-attacked with
grenades and gas in addition to rifles
and machine guns, the patrol in which
6ergt. York rose to glory circled back
of the American lines, executed q flank
Ing movement and came up behind the
German machine gun nest. The Ger
mans, discovering the Americans in
their rear as well as before them.
turned about and leveled their machine
guns on the enemies to the rear, fore
Ing Yorks detachment to seek what
ever cover the shell holes and UNDER
growth furnished.
Sergt. York "a Washington Barracks
soldier distinguished for the occasion
by white painted helmeD alone rose
TO his knees and with his rifle began
picking off members of the machine
gun crews. AS his rifle ammunition
became exhausted, York reSorted to his
pistol and one by one shot down Ger
man officer and five men who attacked
him. Finding himself in bad way
and not knowing definitely the strength
Of the force which had cut him off
from his own lines, the German bat
talon commander blew his whistle and
the machine gun firing ceased. The
Germans came out of their gun en-
placements and advanced toward York.
their hands raised in surrender, led by
the German major and three other
officers. York and his men, with fixed
bayonets. held together the Germans.
and using the German officer for a
shield, York advanced on one machine
gun which had not ceased fire. The
German, constantly prodded by York's
bayonet, ordered the gun crew to cease
firing and this last crew is added to
the file Of York's prisoners.
Then York and his men escort their
prisoners from the field and the Ameri-
fan troops before the original line be-
kin their advance in earnest.
At night the Air Corps is giving dem
pnstrations of night flying in brilliantly
lighted ships and the ground forces
with searchlights show their adept
ness in picking out the unlighted planes
In an aerial attack. Flares which light
up the whole scene of the re-enactment
of the York exploit lend added war
color" to the show.