Evening star., 1948-07-19
Pershing Borne
To Arlington
For Final Rest
Thousands Line Streets
Along Route of
MiIe-Lone Corteee
pictures on Page BIZ
(Pictures on Page BID
By Hermon F. Schoden

in magnificent funeral process
sion today while thousands lining
the route to Arlington Cemetery
looked on with silent respect.
The famed World War I leaders
body was removed at l pm. from
the Capitol rotunda, where it had
lain for "a hours while the great
and the common paid their tributes.
For three hours this morning more
than 1000 mourners walked past his
bier under the massive Capitol dome,
and when the casket Was sealed at
noon additional thousands regret
fully turned away, their last hope Of
seeing the dead warriors face un-
satisfied.
$500 Escort Body.
The generals body was escorted
by mighty company of $500 mill
tary men and high ranking civilians.
The hushed throngs stood along
Constitution avenue and sought
every possible vantage point from
the Capitol to the cemetery. All
Federal and District employees who
could be spared were permitted to
view the procession without charge
against their annual leave.
People remained along the line OF
march despite a shower which
began falling as the procession got
under way.
For nearly mile the cortege
stretched-so formidable a process
sion that when it's head passed the
Washington Monument, the caisson
bearing the general was at Sixth
street.
To the throb OF muff1ed drums
and the strains of funeral marches,
the mighty procession escorting the
general to the cemetery left the Cap
itol. moved along Constitution ave-
nue. to Twenty-third street. across
Memorial Bridge and over Memorial
highway to the gates.
Jet Planes Fly Overhead.
Overhead fight of eight P-80
lets roared final salute to the man
who began his military career by
fighting Indians. but who lived to
take a profound interest in develop
ment of the atom bomb.
The 100-piece Army Band from
Fort Myer and the 85-piece Army
Ground Forces Band from Fort
Meade set the marching tempo for
hundreds of crack troops coming
from as far as Fort Bragg, to honor
the general.
Along the avenue of parades
rolled the caisson bearing Gen.
Pershings body. Three years ago.
this same artillery vehicle carried
the body of President Franklin D.
Roosevelt.
Six perfectly matched grayS pulled
the fiag-draped casket and imme-
diately to the rear came capari-
scned horse, Black Diamond" rider
less as is the custom when generals
are buried.
TrappingS of somber black and
backward turned boots resting in
the stirrups were other traditional
touches for the riderless horse. In
the case of Gen. Pershing this was
doubly appropriate since he led
the 10th Cavalry in the Spanish
American War.
Gen. Gay Leads Procession.
Honor of leading the procession
went to Maj Gen. Hobart R. Gay.
commanding general of the Military
District of Washington.
Behind him in the procession
came the Army Ground Forces
Band. Vastly changed from the
generals days in the cavalry, the
Sd Mechanical Cavalry Reconnais-
Sance Squadron from Fort Meade,
Nd. came next.
The 456th Field Artillery Battal-
ion of tht 82d Airborne Division
from Fort Bragg was represented
by an array of 81 vehicles and
twelve 105-mm. howitzers.
The Air Force, Navy, Marines and
Engineers followed. The Air
Force was represented by two
souadrons from Boiling Air Force
Base the Navy by a company from
the Potomac River Naval Command
and the engineers by $50 troops of
the 4l0th Engineer Construction
Battalion from Fort Belvoir, Va.
Other Units in Line.
Then came the Army Band.
the organization founded by Gen.
Fershing, wearing, perhaps for the
last time, the gray uniforms he
ordered for them.
Airborne troops, unit Gen. Per-
shing perhaps only visualized in the
muddy, trench-flg days, fol-
lowed. In this group were SOL
diers of the 5O4th Parachute In
fantry Regiment. 82d Airborne Di-
vision, Fort Bragg.
From West Point came ACT third
classmen, officered by 50 first class
men-all reminders of the day Gen.
Pershing started on his fabulous
military career.
They were followed by the
officiating clergy. the caisson and
riderless horse, high ranking Army
officials,, honorary body bearers and
members of the family
AS the caisson moved into the
cemetery guns planted on the roll
ing slopes began laundering out q
l9-gun salute.
Fifteen minutes later the caissor
halted before the Tomb of the Un-
known Soldier-World War I shrine
of another fallen hero.
Body Placed on Catafalque.
1t was particularly fitting that the
generals body should be placed fol
a moment on the catafalque there
before the unknown heros grave
for one of Gen. Pershnig's chic
interests following his retirement
was in perpetuating the beauty oi
American cemeteries overseas.
The national anthem was played
the escort troops snapped to present
arms and the caSket was borne into
the trophy room at the east end OF
the Amphitheater for the last rites
Maj. Gen. Luther D. Miller, chief
Of chaplains, called on the 5000
seated in the Amrrithester to rise
(See PERsHING. Page A-3D