Evening star., 1943-12-29
kin Of Col. Devereux
To View Ceremonies
Honoring II Heroes

Members of the Devereux family
of Chevy Chase, Md, will attend
ceremonies at the Stage Door Can
teen in honor of Washington's war
heroes with a lighter heart tonight
following word received here yes
terday that 1t. Col James Patrick
Sinnott Devereux, commander Of
marines in the heroic defense of
Wake Island two years ago, is safe
and well in Japanese prison camp
in Shanghai.
Arrival of the message after two
years Of uncertainty makes espe-
cially significant the showing of the
first % drawings in the Heroes of
the Washington Area" series, by
STAFF Artist Newman Sudduth of
The Star, which will be placed for
mally on display at the Canteen to-
night.
Families of all the men who fig
ure in this series, which is running
in The Sunday Star-and in some
cases the subjects themselves-have
been invited to attend the opening
ceremonies.
% Heroes to Be Honored.
John S. Devereux, brother of the
officer, and Mrs. John Devereux
and their children will all be present
when Col. Devereux and the 81
other local heroes are honored. Bio
graphical sketches of all the heroes.
along with accounts of their deeds
and the citations that accompanied
their military honors, will be told by
Jay Carmody, drama critic of The
Star, who will act as master Of cere-
monies.
Information that Col Devereux
was safe, though in enemy hands,
came in a letter from the officer
himself to his 1O-year-old son Pat
rick, who lives with his grand
mother, Mrs. John P. WEIGH, in
Burlingame, Calf. Inclosed with
the letter was snapshot of Col.
Devereux.
In the letter, Col. Devereux con-
Soled his son on the death of the
boys mother several months ago.
Our loss must have indeed been a
shock to you. 1t was to me. We
loved her so much"
Unaware of Promotion.
The card said, Everything Is
going along quite we'll here, but
naturally we would all like to be
exchanged. All we can at
present is plan for the future" The
name Maj. Devereux was carried
on the envelope bearing the letter,
indicating that the officer is not yet
aware of his promotion.
Col. DevereuX's conduct in COM
manding the defense of Wake Island
against vastly superior enemy forces
won for him an early place in Mr.
Sudduths Sunday rotogravure series
The other men who have been
sketched are no less deserving of
the honors which will be paid them
tonight.
Mr.. Sudduth selects his own sub
Ijects and often spends as much time
on research as he does on the draw
ings. One of his principal problems
is to determine whether the men he
chooses are actually natives of this
area or residents of long standing
rather than persons who merely
lived here for short time He also
makes an effort to distribute the
subjects equally among all branches
OF the service and to insert them in
the order of Importance of the dec
orations they wear. Two Of the
heroes in the series have received
the Congressional Medal of Honor.
Gives Sketches to Men.
Mr.. Sudduth spends much OF his
spare time doing quick sketches" of
servicemen at Walter Reed Hospital
and at the USO lounge in Union
Station. These sketches are pre-
sented to the men along with en-
velopes ready for mailing to the
folks back home.
The exhibit at the canteen will
be open to the public for the first
time today between and pm
and daily thereafter, except Sunday
during the same hours until Janu-
ary II. The ceremonies tonight will
be restricted to servicemen and to
the families of the heroes.
The art exhibit will include 40
;ketches of servicemen drawn from
life at the canteen. Four other Star
artists are represented in the dis
play.
Visitors to the exhibit will be
asked to contribute a dollar each
toward the purchase of food for use