Evening star., 1947-08-03
Marine Officer Leads
AS $50 Pistol Experts
Vie in Tourney Here

Pistol experts from points as dis
tant as Hawaii today were sched-
uled to complete the United States
Park Policies third annual pistol
tournament, which got under way
yesterday at Fort Totten Park.
The matches drew $50 contestants.
many of whom made the trip to
Washington to get their final warm
up for the 1947 national champion
ships next week at Camp Perry,
Ohio.
Favored for individual scoring
honors as the tourney entered its
final day was 1t. Col. Walter Walsh,
former FBI small arms instructor
who now directs Marine Corps re-
serves target practice.
Regarded for many years as one
of the country's top pistol marks
men, the serious, soft-spoken Ma
rine officer lost no time in setting
the pace. In the first match, firing
a 20 caliber pistol at so yards, he
peppered the target for 1874 points
of a possible 200 Next in line were
o. Pinnion, of Patuxent Naval Air
Station, Md. and Ulrich o. Drexel
of Reading. Pa, each with 1874.
Col. Walsh is stationed at Guam
tico. and makes his home at 1911
North Harrison street. Arlington.
He also won the rapid fire match
with score of 1873 out of a possible
300. Arthur Murray of Washington,
who shoots with the No. II police
precinct team, was second with 1877
and Detective Sergt. John B. Lay
ton of the metropolitan police, third
with 1874.
Police Team Wins Trophy.
The Secretary of Interior trophy
was won by the Washington metro
politan police team with a score
of 1,141 out of possible 1900. The
trophy will be presented tod4y at 4
pm. by Interior Undersecretary o.
car Chapman.
Clyde A. Byrd, a one-armed spe-
cial policeman who is a building
guard here, won the time fire match
with 199 out of possible 200. Ma
rine Sergt. Harry L. Devine of
Quantico and police Pvt. George
Manuel of Washington both shot
198
Mr.. Murray won the combination
slow. timed and rapid fire national
match course with 2SS out OF a pos
sible 300. George Manuel and
Clyde Byrd each shot 2S6.
Also up for decision were two
team trophies, as we'll as numerous
plaques and minor awards. Com
petitors were grouped according to
their National Rifle Association
rank, and separate contests were
held for police teams, servicemen
and civilian groups. Local Park Po-
licemen, acting as the host organi-
cation. did not compete for the
honors.
Longest trip made by any of the
marksmen to compete in the Dis
trict matches was that of two
Hawaiians, George K. Nakamura
and Richard w. c. Lum, both Of
Honolulu.
Were in West Coast Tourney.
They left Hawaii nearly month
ago, taking a plane to California
where they entered a pistol tourna-
ment in Los Angeles. Buying 1947
car, they proceeded to Denver for
another match, then travelled across
the country to washington. Mr..
Nakamura, an alternate on the Ha-
waiian team which will compete
next week at Camp Perry, was a
second lieutenant in the Hawaii
Territorial Guard during the war.
The Coast Guard League of Phil
adelphia sent seven marksmen. in
Guiding three women, to compete In
the District event. One of the fe-
male pistol experts, Miss Marie
Rodgers, is a member of the groups
team of four which competed
against all-male teams.
All former members Of the Coast
Guard, the group was required to
demonstrate proficiency with a pis-
tol while in uniform, and kept up
their meetings for target practice
after leaving the Coast Guard be-
cause they learned to enjoy the
sport.
The tournament attracted a num-
ber of women contestants, among
them Mrs. Rose Thomas, wife of
a Marine Corps officer. Mrs. Thomas
never fired small arms until a year
and half ago, when her 40-year-
old husband. Capt. Harold j.
Thomas, came back from the Pa
cific where he had served with the
Fourth Marine Division.
Capt. Thomas, who has been a
small arms enthusiast for 20 years
resumed his hobby when he was
stationed at the Ouantico Marine