Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-06-16
Sergeant Wins l6-Year Fight
If President A pproues Pay
Miles T. Barrett, Who
Went 4. ". o. L. to
Fight, Seeks 500.

For 16 years since the World War,
Sergt. Miles T. Barrett, former COM
blatant with the immortal Fourth Bri.
gade of Marines, has been fighting for
principle.
President Roosevelt has before him
now for his approval a bill authoriz-
ing the payment of exactly $109.85 to
Barrett, as pay he never received
while serving as private in the
Army during a four month period in
France. If the President signs the
bill. Sergt. Barretts long postwar
battle is ended, but If he vetoes it, as
he did once before, he is prepared to
pick up the gauge anew.
1T isn't the money, it's the prin-
ciple of the thing" the one-time Ma
rine, now 81. declared yesterday at his
home, 628 Maryland avenue south
west. IT earned the pay and never
got it, Why. I've fought all these
years to collect it and have spent over
$500 trying"
Bit Careless Of Rules.
More than mere $10985 was in
volved in Sergt. Barretts case. His
strong desire to overcome all OBJ
Stacles to get to France to fight for his
country made him a bit careless of
Marine Corps and Army regulations.
But he got there f1nally-with the
Army-and after a short time with
the 116th Marines. he finally obtained
his transfer to the Fourth Brigade of
Marines. With that outfit he saw
plenty of action and ended up with
the Army of Occupation In Germany.
Sergt. Barrett's l6-year fight to
clear his record and collect his pay
is one of the strangest In the many
niXed-up cases that grew out Of war
time service Even his three citations
one from Gen. John j. Pershing, an
other from Mai. Gen. John A. Le-
jeune, his division commander, and
the other from Marshal Petain of
France-were twisted in the records.
They are made out to Sergt. Miles F.
Barrett, Miles c. Barrett and Miles
T. Barrett, the last correctly. But
for this mix-up in identities. Barrett
would now be wearing the Distin-
guished Service Cross, instead of keep
ing faded citations among his papers.
An old-time Marine who served
in the Spanish-American Warwick
he admits wasn't so hot-Barrett en-
listed in the Marine Corps at the
outbreak of the World War. He want
ed to be among the first to fight as
the Marine Corps boasts. Instead. he
was shipped to Galveston, Tex. When
he learned his regiment was destined
never to see the outside of Texas, Bar
rett got a 72-hour furlough and en-
listed in the Army. That was after
seven months at Galveston.
Went Overseas Then.
Once in the Army. Barrett went
overseas with the 116th Engineers on
June Is, 1918. There he gave him.
self up" and requested a transfer to
the Fourth Marine Brigade.
Pending against Barrett for many
months was the old "desertion"
charge from the Marine Corps. The
late Mai. Gen. George Barnett finally
disposed of the charge, ruling 1t was
enormously made, and Barrett was
restored to duty as a sergeant in April,
1919. Since then the Army has cleared
his record of fraudulent" enlistment.
Barrett made good with the Marines.
At Blanc Mont, with the 9th Com
pany. 9Th Regiment, he went far be-
yond the bounds of duty and was cited
for distinguished and exceptional gall
lantry in action"
"At the risk of his own life" the
citation of Gen. Lejeune reads, "he
rescued many wounded from another
regiment from a field swept by heavy
shell and machine gun fire. BY his
GOODNESS and daring he inspired his
comrades to 60 to the assistance of
the wounded and thus was the means
of saving many lives"
Cited by Pershing.
Gen. Pershing cited him "for GAL
lantry in action near Blanc Mont,
France, October 9, 1918, in rescuing