Evening star., 1934-01-14
MOSCOW ATTACHE
KNOWS FAR EAST
Lieut.. White, Flyer Assigned
to Russian Post, Well.
Known in District.

Keen interest centers here in the ap-
pointment yesterday of First Lieut..
Thomas Dresser White, Boiling Field
pursuit pilot, as the first Army repre-
sentative at Moscow in II years. Lieut..
White, who Is to serve in the dual Ca
pacity of assistant military attache and
assistant attache for air at the new
American embassy, is regarded as one
of the most accomplished junior omcers
In the service.
His appointment, which soon Is to be
followed by the designation of his chief
at Moscow, was the result Of a singu-
larly distinguished career for S3-year-
old officer He was graduated from the
United States Military Academy at 10,
the youngest man in his class and one
of the youngest graduates in West Point
history. He is student of languages,
familiar with Russian, and descendant
of Gen. Francis Marion, the Swamp
Fox" of Revolutionary War fame, and
John C. Calhoun.
Lieut. White has spent all OF the
eight years Of his Army flying service
in Washington, where he has put in
two tours Of duty at Boiling Field, and
in the Orient.
- Observed Fighting.
During his four years Of foreign duty,
In Manchuria. China and the Philip
pines, he spent year as military OBJ
server of the Chinese-Ja battling
for the Manchurian railroad He also
was attache at the United States en-
bassy at Pekin, where he studied Ian.
guages, learning Chinese and obtained
a working knowledge of Russian.
interviewed during the midst Of 9
downtown shopping trip Lieut.. White
asked modestly that nothing sensa.
tionar' be said about his appointment
There's really nothing unusual to sa!
about it," he said. Il can't say any.
thing. obviously, about the Russian Sit
uation. even if I had anything to con.
tribute to what already Is known. i
will be a very interesting assignment"
Lieut.. White said he had met the new
Ambassador to Russia, william G. Bull
lit, for the first time only a few day
ago. He does not know when he VII
leave for Moscow, he said. :.
Lieut.. White Is married, his wife be-
ing the former Miss Rebekah Blaint
Lipscomb of Washington. They vert
married here May 81, 1927, and have .
3-year-old daughter, Becky Ann, whit
was born in Pekin, China. They live al
5000 Connecticut avenue.
owing to the fact quarters now art
being improvised for the American dip
lomatic representatives to the Sovie1
Republics, Mrs. White and the baby
probably will not join Lieut.. White II
Moscow for several months.
Son Of Bishop.
During his present three-year tour o
duty at Boiling Field, Lieut.. Whit
served first as assistant operations ON
Ger and later as commanding offlcel
of the Capital Detachment of the All
Corps. He served a two-year tour o
duty at Boiling just after his gradua
ton from the Air Corps Advanced Fly
ing School, Kelly Field. Tex, In 1925
Lieut.. White was born in Minnesota
August 6. 1901. the son Of Bishop Johi
Chanler White. present fourth bishol
of Springfield, III. He traces his de
>-ck to the most brilliant Of tn
early American patriots Bishop Whit
was born in South Carolina, the hon
of Gen. Marion.
Lieut.. White was appointed to tn
Military Academy from Illinois, June II
1918. during the closing months Of tn
World War, and was graduated In 1870
He became a second lieutenant and wa
promoted to first lieutenant of Infantr
on the same day, July 2, 1920.
He applied for flying training ana va
sent to Texas, graduating from the Pri
mary Flying School ana the advances
Flying School, where he took the pur
| suit pilots course in 1925. He trans
ferred to the Air Corps March ,, 1871.