Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-06-18
Shouting Thousands
Cheer Eisenhower
Upon Arrival Here

SuuSVb AbSObbuuV"Sb
Upon Arrival Here
CONTINUED From First Page)
the runway, followed by others. The
families and men OF the returning
heroes began laughing and waving
excitedly.
Still the planes circled. None had
yet approached to alieht.
Suddenly from an angle across the
river one Of them struck runway
and glided toward the crowd. The
escort planes roared overhead Mt
varying heights. It was not planned
for any Of the escort planes to land
officials said.
Gen. George c. Marshall, chief OF
stan, took his place on the runway
a little ahead of all the others and
watched the circling planes come up,
his hands clasped behind him. Be-
side him was 1t. Gen. Harold l.
George, commanding general of the
AIR transport Command.
Gen. Eisenhower Alishts.
Finally, the first ship which had
touched land began approaching. A
great cheer broke from the crowd.
The plane was, plastered with tiny
flags of the United Nations.
The great silver ship TAXED to a
stop and group of soldiers carried
the landing ladder forward. Gen.
Eisenhower alighted as Gen. Mar
shall and the other high officials
saluted smartly. Mrs. Eisenhower,
walking just behind Gen. Marshall,
threw her arms around her hus-
bands neck. Cameramen rushed
forward to catch the scene.
Army officers kept back the rest
of the crowd with difficulty. All
wanted to rush forward and greet
the man of the hour.
Gen. and Mrs. Eisenhower waited
patiently in front Of the plane while
close to 100 cameramen photo
graphed the historic scene.
The general of the Armies and his
wife were lost completely to view,
hidden by the small army Of photog-
raphers and guarding MPs.
Finally they had enough pictures
and withdrew from the field as the
general walked slowly forward with
Gen. Marshall on his left and Gen.
George on his right. The Army
Band struck up the Generals
March" and those privileged to wit
ness the welcome yelled themselves
hoarse.
Salute From Escort Planes.
Gen. Eisenhower's staff and those
officers and. enlisted men detailed
to accompany him waited until the
general had been welcomed before
alighting from his plane and the
other planes in his party, which
drew up along the runway in per-
feet alignment.
The second plane bore the title
"Sunf1ower," the official flower of
Gen. EiSenhoWer's home state of
Kansas.
AS the general walked across the
runway toward the ATC admins
tration building, the escort planes
dived over the field in sudden
thunderous salute
Other members of the Eisenhower
party now began alighting from
their planes-ofacers and enlisted
men, each adorned with plenty of
campaign ribbons and many with
decorations for valor. They all got
big hand from the crowd.
The sky was flawless as the planes
arrived and only a gentle breeze
swept the airport.
Step Into Blistering Sun.
The party no doubt was grateful
for the summer uniforms which
were ordered especially for them,
for they stepped into blistering
sun.
A few minutes later the armada
OF escort planes had disappeared
over the horizon. Five minutes
later a lot of them zoomed back low
over the field, as if to see whether
all was we'll with the hero they had
come to honor.
Next, those members of the re-
turning party's families who had
been able to come were allowed TO
visit with them a little while.
Within less than Is minutes the
Eisenhower escort was leaving the
field. Gen. Eisenhower, accom-
panied by Admiral Kirk and 1t. Gen.
Walter Bedell Smith, his chief of
staff, led the procession in a COM
nand car.
Smiling broadly, Gen. Eisenhower
turned to salute the cheering crowd
as the car rolled away.
Other members of the party fol-
lowed in open command cars of the
same type.
Gen. Marshall climbed in the back
seat of the lead car with Gen. Eisen-
hover. The two generals were talk
ing busily as the motorcade pulled
away. Usually speaking in low
tones, they occasionally raised their
voices when the flights of escort
planes roared low overhead.
rs that SOP" Gen. Eisenhower
shouted once. Wonderful"
Yes, we think So" Gen. Marshall
roared back. The planes moved far
Their from the airport and once
more their voices became inaudible.
Mrs. Eisenhower, who got two
long kisses from her husband even
before he stopped to shake hands
with Gen. Marshall, kept putting her
arm around his waist as they posed
later for pictures
Waves to Their, Son.
She said little to him but every
time the flashing bulbs gave him q
moments pause the general turned
and smiled deeply into the eyes Of
his wife. Once she waved to their
son, 1t. John Eisenhower, stand
Ing on tiptoe at the edge of the
crowd to see his father.
Beside 1t. J. Eisenhower was Mrs.
John Shelton Doud, Mrs. Eisen-
hower's mother.
MY assignment is to keep up
with john" Mrs. Doud said. WHIP
ing tears from her eyes, she added,
but it's a tough job with all this
poiyou ~,