Evening star., 1946-03-24
China Honor,
AW2Ra'1CnnS at
EmbasyyFete
Medals Awarded
At Reception
By Ann Cline

Chinese American relations
reached q new high yesterday when
the Chinese Ambassador and Nine.
Wei entertained In honor of q group
Of American men who worked side
by side with patriots Of China during
the war. The party was held at
Twin Oaks, the lovely Chinese En-
bassy on Woodley road.
The purpose of this coiorful af-
fair was to decorate the is Amer
ican members of the Friendship
Project, secret operation similar
to our OSS. This project was or
ganized by the two countries. China
and the United States. to Tight
behind the Japanese lines, and was
authorized by President Roosevelt
and Generalissimo Chang Kai-shek.
The organization was a Joint en-
terprise Of officers and men fight
ing a guerrilla war. Their job was
to rescue flyers downed by the
Japanese, distribute food and do
many other difficult and dangerous
tasks.
The gold braid and beautiful deco
rations added much brilliance to
this important gathering. The men
receiving the high Chinese honors
included six Navy captains. two
Navy commanders, three Navy lieu-
tenants, two Navy enlisted men and
a Marine captain and major.
The Navy men honored were
Capt. Jeffery C. Metzel, Capt.
Gordon B. Rayloe, Capt. Howard
T. Orville and Capt. George Bow
man, all of whom received the
Cravate Blue of the Order of Yum
Hwei CLOUD and banner), with
border of red and white; Capt.
Edward Brumby, Capt. Aubrey B.
Leggett, Comdr. Raymond A. Kotrla
and Comdr. Charles S. Johnston,
each receiving the Cravate Blue of
the Order of Yum Hwei, with border
of yellow and red; 1t. Maurice L.
Nee, 1t. Hilton Jayne and It. Robert
M. Crumley, ribbons designating
the Rosette White of the Order of
Yum Hwei, with border of yellow
and red; and William Barratt, G. M.
1/c, Army, Navy and Air Medal,
First Degree, First Glass, and H. c.
F. Ent, jr., Phi. M. 1/c, the Military
Order of Kuang-Hua (to glorify
China), First Degree, First Glass.
Capt. Theodore Cathey of the
Marine Corps was given the Rosette
White of the Order of Yum Hwei,
with border of yellow and red, and
Maj. Edward Dupres, also Of the
Marine Corps, received the same
decoration except the border was
red and yellow.
Among those attending the re-
ception and witnessing the cere-
mony were the Chief of Naval Op-
erations and Mrs. Chester w. MINI
itz, the Assistant Secretary Of the
Navy for Air, John l.. Sullivan; the
Under Secretary OF the Navy, Ar
temus l.. Gates; Vice Admiral Ross
T. McIntire, the Commandant of
the Marine Corps and Mrs. Alex
ander A. Vandegrift, Representative
and Mrs. James P. Richards, Mr..
and Mrs. John Garter Vincent
he is the chief of the Far Eastern
Affairs Division of the State De-
partment; Mr.. and Mrs. Joseph
Ballantine and Comdr. Walter r.
Amesbury.
Others there were Mr.. Jack Fry,
president of TWA, and Mrs. Fry;
Mr.. Everett Drumright, Mr.. and
Mrs. Nelson johnson, Maj. Gen. and
Mrs. Patrick Hurley, Judge Marion
j. Harron and her mother, Mrs.
Charles M. Harron, and Mr. Clar-
ence Hughes.
Approximately 200 people in all
dropped in. Most of them were
Navy personnel or relatives of the
men who were decorated.
Mime. Wei was dressed in one of
her exquisite Chinese gowns and
looked especially radiant, possibly
over the prospects Of her forthcom-
ing trip to her homeland.