Evening star., 1945-04-15
All Branches of Nations Armed Forces March
In Final Tribute to Commander in Chief
BY CARTER BROOKE JONES.

In Final 7 ribute
BY CARTER BROOKE JONES.
1t must have been as President
Roosevelt would have wanted it
the cortege that escorted his body
from the Union Station to the White
House on the soft spring day that
was yesterday.
Every branch of the country S
armed might was represented in
that procession. and the commander
in chief glorified in them all and
paid them high tribute on many an
occasion.
There were the soldiers. And the
President personally had decorated
heroes of Anzio. Casino. Normandy
and other hard-Won fields. Marines
were marching, and imperlshable
names came to mind-Guadalcan
Guam, Bougainville, Two Jlma.
The sailors brought memories Of
brilliant victories across the Pa
cific, of far-hung beach heads that
turned the tide of the war.
Mr.. Roosevelt had hung medals
of honor around the necks of some
whose exploits stood out above 9TH
erS, and he had signed presidential
unit citations honoring whole out
fits for their valor But, more than
that, he knew and often spoke Of
the bravery, the heart breaking
work. the sacrifice of the rank and
file who win no medals.
Now it was their turn to honor
him.
They were ready for battle as they
marched or rode, wearing helmets
and their khaki uniforms, their rifles
in hand They and their millions
of comrades would finish the job
their Commander in Chief had lived
TO see so near completion.
/ Companions in Death.
/ Over the horizons of battle many
a comrade slept under white cross
And now he had joined them. He
too, had gone as good soldier goes
his face to the enemy. And SO these
segments of the greatest army and
navy in history escorted him on his
last journey. He would have asked
nothing better The simple, crepe
sheathed caisson on which his flag
draped casket was drawn by six
white horses would have suited him
far beyond the most gorgeously COM
parisoned hearSe, cushioned with
the finest satin. 1t was on an artil-
lery caisson that Lincoln's body was
borne. 1t was thus that many an
other illuStrious American was taken
TO his honored grave.
twin advances and was in the vicin-
itv of MeinSdorf. miles west of
Chemnitz, and Hohenstein, 9 miles
to the southwest.
There was no late news from the
9Th Armored Division. which last
was reported near Lindenberg, %
miles southeast of Leipzig.
Nearing Lichtenberg.
The goth Infantry, in 10-mile
advance was nearing Lichtenberg,
l8 miles from the Czech border.
The l1th Armored Division swung
Is miles southeast into Bayreuth,
home of the Wagner music festivals
and at the northern edge Of noun
famous South Germany where the
Nazis finally will be brought to bay.
The 1lth Armored Division also
battled to the vicinity of Inter
steinach. where it was Is miles from
the border of Czechoslovakia
Infantry was crowding in close be-
hind the armored spearheads, clear
ing town after town.
The 10th Infantry cleared Zeitz
20 miles southwest of Leipzig,
against moderate resistance. while
the 80th Infantry captured Gera,
city of $4,000 population 33 miles
southwest of Leipzig.
While attacking in front of Leip-
zig, 1t. Gen. Courtney H. Hodges
United States 1st Army likewise
was by-passing it on the south.
Following over a route churned by
the treads of United States Sd Army
tanks headed for Dresden, the 1st
Army'S 9Th Armored Division
reached the Pleisse River at Bergis-
dorf, IS miles southeast of Leipzig
Heavily Engaged by Nazis.
Columns nearest Leipzig still were
reported miles southwest of the
city and heavily engaged by Ger
mans manning leveled antiaircraft
guns. The German strong point of
Wissenfels, 16 miles southwest of
Leipzig. fell after a 2O-hour battle
Another armored column also was
heavily engaged 9 miles southwest
of Halle, which lies Is miles north
west of Leipzig. The Germans
turned villages into strongholds blaz-
ing with bazooka, mortar and artil-
lery fire.
German villagers were so angry
because their homes were being de-
stroyed in this last-ditch fighting
that they pointed out location of en-
emy guns to American troops.
To the northwest, infantry drove
7 miles deeper into the Harz Noun
tains where isolated German forces
are holding out.
Tanks, trucks and troops. moving
relentleSsly toward the Elbe River
and junction with the Russians,
kicked up binding clouds of yellow
dust, and supply trucks, returning
from the front, travelled by day
with their lights on to avoid colli-
sionS.
1t. Gen. William H. Simpsons
United States 9Th Army infantry
was spiiling out on the north Ger
man plain and cementing the flanks
for the two Elbe River crossings.
The 84th Infantry reached Wit
tingen and Gladdenstadt. 80 miles
north of Brunswick and close TO-