Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-06
District National Guard

a tribute to the service OF Lemuel O.
Fletcher, who not only was honorably
discharged, by reason OF the expiration
of his enlistment, but also was retired
because of his having reached the
statutory age limit. Fletcher, however.
still remains as a civilian employe Of
the Guard at the National Hotel
Armory.
Fletcher, a private. first class, was
presented with a gold medal, bearing
the United States seal, and on the back
OF which was the inscription: FOR
loyalty and long service, from Company
c, 121st Engineers, D. C. N. O., Lemuel
o, Fletcher" The formal presentation
was made before the entire company,
following the regular drill period last
week, by Capt. William F. Jorgensen.
The retiring soldier was member
of the company when 1t was originally
organized as a Home Guard" unit
during the World War, and from which
was later organized the Sth District of
Columbia Infantry Some time after
Federal recognition was extended to
this unit it was reorganized and became
the present Engineer Regiment. Fetch
Ct T6IldlIlGO AOL1lHAuy - ~ was
said that he has attended every en-
campment since that time and has
nearly a 100 per cent drill attendance.
At ali of the camps, it was stated,
Fletcher served as company cook and
all of the members expressed regret at
his retirement.
Two units of the local Guard sue
ceeded in mastering sufficient men at
the weekly drill last week TO reach the
classification of superior in attendance.
They were the Medical Department De-
tachment of the 260th Coast Artillery,
which had 100 per cent of its men
present, and the 29th Division Military
Police Company, with . percentage of
94.64. The other units Of the Guard,
in their respective classiflcations, with
percentages, follow:
Excellent-Headquar Detachment
and Combat Train, 260th Coast Artil-
lery, 88.46; Headquarters Detachment,
goth Division, 84.6l: Battery C, 260th
Coast Artillery, 84.3l; band, 121st En-
gineerS, 5000.
Very ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Spe-
cial Troops, goth Division, 1900; Bat
terry B, 26Oth Coast Artillery, Tall.
sfactory-Company A, 372d In
fantry, $685.; Company D, 12lst En-
gineers, 66.13; Company c, 12lst Engi-
neers, $500; Headquarters and Service
Company, 12lst Engineers, 64.58: Bat
terry A, 260th Coast Artillery, 63.77.
Unsatisfactory-Company B, 12lst
Engineers, 59.01; Company F, 12lst En-
gineers, 1898; Company E, 12lst En-
gineers. 58:o6: Company A. l2lst
Engineers, $3.50.
Very unsatisfactory-Medic Depart
ment Detachment, 121st Engineers,
4762.
Organizations which were not listed
in the above report, it was announced,
did not have drill during the period
covered.
The 260th Coast Artillery and q detail
from the 12lst Regiment Of Engineers
participated officially in the July 4 cele-
bration on the Monument grounds Fri
day. The Coast Artillery unit, an anti
aircraft outfit, furnished salutinE guns
for the ceremonies and also gave a
searchlight demonstration at night.
The Engineer Regiment furnished a
detail of 2 officers and IS enlisted men
for service as uShers and assistants to
the park police. The Engineers detail
was under the direction Of Capt. r.
c. Montgomery, in charge of the United
States Park Police.
The following members of the State
detachment of the local Guard were
especially detailed to 60 to Fort Meade,
Md, with the 29th National Guard
Division Headquarters for the annual
encampment: Capt. Fletcher F. Berns-
dorff, Quartermaster Corps Detachment;
Capt. Ralph l.. Walker, judge advocate
to Maj. Gen. Stephan: Pvts. (first class
Joseph L. May, ir.; John M. Crandall
and Martin r. Keough and Pvts War
rem Hughes, Stonewall j. Yeatman,
Louis j. Brienza and Oberon Warren.
Bernsdorff, May. Keough, Brienza
and Warren, together with Technical
Sergt. Charles r. Drexilius, were named
as the advance and rear attachments
for this encampment. They left early
In the week and will remain at the con-
clusion OF the training period for the
purpose Of handing the supplies.
The local brigade headquarters last
week asked for bids for the transporta-
ton by bus to their respective encamp-
ments of the 121st Regiment of Engi-
neers and Company A, 372d Infantry.
tlllery, will go by boat to Fort Monroe,
Va. according to present plans. The
Engineers are scheduled TO 60 to Fort
Humphreys, Va, and the Infantry COM
pany to Camp Albert G. Richie at
Cascade, Md. The bids are to be OPEN
ed on July IA by the United States
property and disbursing offlcer.
The Centenarian Club Of the Divi-
sion Headquarters, composed of men
who have 100 per cent drill attend
ance, made a visit to Army pests last
week, including Fort George @. Meade,
Md, where they will spend two weeks
in training. They also visited Edge
wood Arsenal, Fort Hoyle, the Aber-
deem Proving Grounds of the Army and
the Conowingo Dam. They spent one
night at Aberdeen and cooked their
rationS on the road.
Following the training camp, this
group, 1t was said, plans trip to their
former training camp site at Virginia
Beach, Va.
Those who made the Maryland trip
were: Lieut.. Willard L. Hammer, pres
ident Of the club, 1853 consecutive drills:
Sergt. Elmer w. Humphrey, 14S drills;
Sergt. Lee r. Wilson, 1856 drills; Capt.
Hobart T. Walker, 1913 drills; Staff
Sergt. Cedric NJ. Gleason, 132 drills;
Master Sergt, Kenneth G.. Jose, us
drills. and Pvt (first class Leslie Rob-
ertson, 102 drills.
While reports on the recent annual
inspections Of the local National Guard.
made by officers from the Regular
army, were Tor the most part satisfac-
tory, nevertheless the Army men found
some fault In certain groups. They
pointed out that there was room for
Improvement in the LIST and I'd Bat
talon headquarters units Of the i21st
Regiment of Engineers, the report
saying:
while satisfactory, there is apparent
possibility for improvement in active
and aggressive supervision of training
and condition and completeness of
equipment in subordinate units"
On the other hand, the regimeutaI
headquarters was said to have succeeded
in maintaining high state of morale
and efficiency within the regiment