Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-11-03
Maine Reserve Unit
To Leave Thursday
For Quantico
Fifth Battalion Expected
To Be Sent to West
Indies Shortly

Indies Shortly
The 5th Battalion, Marine Corps
Reserve, yesterday was moving out
of its armory at 458 Indiana ave-
nue. NV, preparing to mobilize
Thursday for general service"
Several truckloads of material al
ready have been moved from the
old armory to Quantico Marine Bar
racks, where the outfit will be sta
toned, probably for short time
only. From there it is expected to
move on to some point in the West
Indies. The battalion mess officer,
Capt. Earl E. Holmes, and detail
of five men already are at Quantico.
. The battalion, consisting of more
than 400 officers and men from the
District, nearby Maryland and Vir-
ginia, will hold its final drill Tues
day night in the Hecht Parking
Building. The organization will
draw up in battalion formation,
under command OF 1t. Col. Harvey
L. Miller, to receive final orders pre-
paratory to its big parade and re-
view Thursday.
Official Salute to HaZen.
The farewell parade and review
will take place at 10 am. on the
Ellipse south of the White House as
an official salute to Commissioner
Melvin C. Hazen and the people OF
Washington. At II o'clock the bat
TALON will entrain for QuantcO.
Col. Miller and his aides made a
special trip late last week to Guam
tico to look over the quarters which
already have been prepared to re-
ceive them. He was accompanied on
this trip by Maj. William w. Stick
new. battalion executive officer; Capt.
William J. Burrows, battalion ad-
jutant, and others.
No raw recruits are being taken
into the organization, because the
unit is moving to general service,
Col. Miller announced. A few days
remain, however, for acceptance OF
men here with at least one year OF
service in the Army, Navy or Marine
Corps. They are urged to enlist
at the armory before Wednesday
night. Members of the volunteer
Marine Corps Reserve who are on
inactive status also are being urgeo
to rejoin the battalion.
The old marine armory is TO be
the induction center for Selectees
indicted into service from the Dis
trict of Columbia and some nearby
parts of Maryland and Virginia.
Farewell Message.
Brig. Gen. J. c. Fegan, director
of the Marine Corps Reserve, in a
farewell message to the officers and
men of the 5th Battalion declared
1t was quite striking coincidence
that on the 165th birthday ami
versary of the Marine Corps we
find its reserves mobilizing.
This act involves three steps,
he said, first the changing of pro-
fessional status; second, the closing
of official homes, and third, re-
porting for field service with the
colors. Such service may take you
beyond the seas; however, this call
should be no news to you, as you
nave DecIl VI dlilCu ioA oiiN "a =
equal to such occasions.
such steps create both personal
hardship and domestic anxiety.
When our national entity is being
CHALLENGED, then Is the time when
Americans volunteer to serve in de-
tense of homeland and families.
You constitute this class OF Amer
leans.
You carry with you my ever
lasting wishes for an opportunity
to achieve glory which you so richly
deserve.
Battalion Commended Often.
The 5th Battalion has been COM
nended often by District officials
and the major and superintendent
of police for such voluntary local
activities as augmenting the Police
Department in crowd control at the
Presidents Birthday Ball, the Presi-
dents Cup Regatta and similar
functions.
One of the official boards of obser-
vers from Marine Headquarters
he said, 'tirst, the changing of pro-
placed the 5th Battalion at top
out the country in excellence OF
performance.
Paying special tribute to Col. Mil
Ter, a report said: The fact that
two-thirds of the battalion has been
to camp several times, and returned
for more, accounts for the favorable
state of efficiency, based on the abil-
ity, personality and quality of lead
ership of the battalion commander
in particular and his other officers
in general"
The battalion since 1884 has
trained on regular Marine Corps
standards.
Formed in 1929.
The outfit was formed in 1929 as
. 56-man company by Col Miller
who then was captain. Its men,
bership consisted almost entirely of
members of the Metropolitan Police
Department. Since 1880 he has been
its battalion commander. Every
year since 1929 it has attended Is
day field training period and also
has held one weekly drill during
the armory training year.
World War veterans among the
officers include Col. Miller, Maj
William w. Stickney and 1t. Comdr
w. S. Schafer. Col. Miller also had
previous service in Cuba, China
Nicaragua and Mexico.
While the Marines are on duty
q new armory for both Marine and
Naval Reserves will be put under
construction here.
The revised muster list of the
9Th Battalion includes the following
personnel:
Headquarters Company.
Officers: 1t. Col. Miller, COM
n1anding; Maj. Stickney, executive
officer; Capt. William J. Burrows,
Capt. Robert E. Copes, jr.:; Capt.