Evening star., 1948-07-20

Soldiers funeral was the only mill
tary funeral comparable with PERISH
ing's in this century.
The tomb has been constructed by
Nation confident that it had taken
part in the war that would end wars.
But a few hundred feet away, in the
direction of Fort Myer, bulldozer
and power shovel were leveling a
vast grove to make room for graves
for men of World War II being
brought back from Africa, Europe,
Asia and the archipelagos of the
Pacific.
The cannon had been booming
10 times very sloWly-43-second in
terva1s-since the procession entered
the cemetery.
The body bearers put the casket
on a catafalque. The Army Band
played Rock of Ages" The Gen
erals sister, Miss May Pershing,
supported by his son, Warren Persh-
ing, seemed so frail that she might
collapse from heat and strain. She
did not
Marshall With Family.
With the family was Secretary
of State Marshall. Of all the COM
mendations Gen. Pershing gave in
his book, MY Experiences in the
World War;" the highest was for
Col. George C. Marshall, who sue
ceeded in the almost impossible task
of moving the American 1st Army
from the st. Mihiel sector to. the
jumping of point for the Meuse-
Argonne offensive in IA days.
Also with the family was Charles
Gates Dawes, former Vice President.
One of Gen. Pershing's oldest
friends, he taught law at the Uni
versity of Nebraska at Lincoln
while the General was teaching
military science there He was pur-
chasing agent for the A. Z. F. He
looked feeble yesterday and did not
go to the gravesite.
Gen. Bradley, Chief of Staff, and
Secretary of the Army Royal also
were with the family group.
AS BLACK Diamond" the 13-year-
old gelding with the empty saddle
and boots reversed became restless,
the hymn played by a section of
the Army Band at the Tomb Of the
Unknown Soldier was taken up by
another section in the amphitheater.
The casket was carried through
the portico at the apse of the
amphitheater to another black
catafalque on the stage directly
within.
Army's Hierarchy at Service.
BY this time the boxes were all
filled. President Truman along with
his Chief of Staff, Admiral William
D. Leahy, Chief Justice Vinson and
Secretary of Defense Forrestal were
in the box at the left of the stage.
The justices of the Supreme Court
and the cabinet officers were next
to them.
On the right were Gen. Dwight
D. Eisenhower, Gen. Jacob L.
Devers who heads the ground forces,
and the six continental Army COM
manders: Gen. Courtney H. Hodges
First Army, 1t. Gen. Leonard T.
Gerow (SecondD, 1t. Gen. Alvan c.
Gillen CThird). Gen. Thomas T.
Handy (Fourth), 1t. Gen. Walton
H. Walker Fifth and Gen. Mark
w. Clark (Sixth). It was the great
est assemblage of the hierarchy of
the Army within the memory of
man.
Most Of the top-ranking officers
Of the Navy were there in summer
whites. They accounted for a large
arc in the ring of boxes. Admiral
Ernest j. King left the Naval Hos
pital to attend. Another large
group in the boxes was the diplo-
matte corps. All the Ambassadors
in the country at this time were
there, including newly arrived Sir
Oliver Franks of Great Britain,
Henri Bonnet of France and Al
berto Tarchiani of Italy (our allies
of World War y and their military
attaches. There was a great variety
OF uniforms, including Italian cara
binieri with plumed head dress.
Gen. Peyton c. March, the World
War I chief of staff, who wrote
bitter book because he felt Gen.
Pershing insufflciently credited him