Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-27
Col. GiIchrist and Col. Fugua
Appointed Chemical War
fare and Infantry Chiefs.
POLICY OF ROTATION
BY COOLIDGE FOLLOWED
Officers Whose Terms Expire to
Revert to Regular Rank
of Colonel.

Following the policy adopted by the
last administration for the rotation OF
officers in bureau Offices, the President
today appointed Col. Henry l.. Gilchrist,
Medical Corps, to be chief of the Chem
ical Warfare Service, replacing Maj
Gen. Amos E. Fries, whose term of office
expired today, and Col. Stephen o.
Fuqua, Infantry, to be chief of Infan-
try, replacing Maj. Gen. Robert H. AL
len whose four-year term also expired
today.
AS a result of these appointments
Gen. Fries and Gen. Allen will revert to
their regular rank of colonel in their
respective arms, but will be eligible for
retirement as major generals on their
own applications or because OF age
limit.
The appointments of Col. Gilchrist
aid Fuqua carry in each case the rank
of major general.
Col. Gilchrist is from Waterloo, Iowa.
He was graduated from the Western
Reserve University in Ohio in 1896, and
entered the Army as a contract surgeon
in August. 1898. He has held the rank
of colonel in the Medical Corps since
October 4, 1926.
Prior to the World War he performed
the usual duties of medical officer as
well as such unusual duties as health
officer of Manila. He also volunteered
for research work in the treatment OF
leprosy by use of the Roentgen rays.
and spent one year in that work on
Tybee Island, Ga. Later he volunteered
for similar research work in connection
with the prevention Of typhoid fever.
and during his experiments contracted
the disease.
Service i'm World War.
On the entry of the United States
into the World War, Col. Gilchrist sail
ed overseas in command of Base Hos
pital No. 4, which is said to have been
the first United States organization TO
participate actively in that war. Later
Col. GilchriSt commanded the British
General Hospital No. 9, and in Decem-
Der, 1917, was made director OF the
Chemical Warfare Service in the Amer
lean Expeditionary Forces, and con-
tinued in that position until the close
of the war. During that time, as med
ical adviser to the Chemical Warfare
Service, he supervised all activities per-
tanning TO gas casualties, devised mobile
degassing paraphernalia, mobile COL
lapsible terminal apparatus for the pre-
yention of gas casualties and methods
for neutrafizing mustard gas in both
liquid and vapor forms, and other valu-
able measures against gas attacks.
Since the World War Col. Gilchrist
commanded the American typhuS fever
expedition to Poland and on his return
to the United States in January, 1921,
he was detailed to duty as chief of the
medical division of the Chemical War
fare Service in this city and has con-
tinued on that duty to date.
Among numerous decorations received
by Col Gilchrist are the Distinguished
Service Cross. the World War Badge
with nine clasps, the General Service
Medal from Great Britain. the Cross of
Honor from Poland and citation from
Sir Douglas Haig of the British Army
for gallantry in action with the British
forces on the Cambria front.
Fuqua Louisiana Native.
Gen. Fuqua was born in Louisiana.
December rs, 1874, and saw active SER
vice in the Spanish American War, the
Philippine instruction. and in the
World War. During the latter conflict
he was assistant chief of staff of the
37th and 18th Divisions and afterward
chief of staff of the 1st Division. He
served in that capacity in Germany and
also after his return to the United
States.
Then he was detailed to similar staff
duty In the Hawaiian department and
in the Second Corps Area at New York.
For the past two years he has been
stationed at Fort Jay, Governors Is
land, New York, and has held the
rank of colonel since January IA, 1928.
He was awarded the Distinguished
Service Cross for his services in France
and especially for supervising the move
ments incident to the concentration of
troops for the st. MihieI and Meuse
Argonne offensiyes.
He was commissioned second lieuten-
ant of infantry in the Regular Army in
1901 and is distinguished graduate
of the Infantry and Cavalry School of
1907 and a graduate of the Staff COL
lege at Fort Leavenworth, 1908.
Secretary Good today said that by ro-
tation of details there will be available
in each branch of the service men who
have had the benefit of increased au-
thority as chiefs and assistant chiefs of
branches.
Encouragement will be given" Mr..
Good said, Ito the younger officers. who
will have opportunity as assistant chiefs
to demonstrate their capabilities to be-
come the chief of their branch. Fur
thermore, application of such principle
will prevent the possible evils of bu-
reaucracy for which there might be some
apprehension If the personnel in each
branch remained In control for long
periods, such as 10 or Is years"
O