Evening star., 1950-07-31
500 Reserviists
Leaving Today
For Marine Duty
5th Battalion Stands
Final Muster Before
Headquarters Here
By George Kennedy

BY George Kennedy
The 5th Marine Corps Reserve
Battlion, "Washington's own"
stood muster for the last time in
the 200 block of c street today
before entraining for active service
at Camp Lejeune, N. c.
They we're to parade later this
afternoon from their headquarters
at Third and c streets NV. to
Union Station. Train departure
was scheduled for S pm.
They were jocular as they took
their place in line in the hot sun
for roll call and a brief inspection
by their commanding officer, Maj.
David Condor, an attorney for the
National Labor Relations Board.
These men from civil life soon
to be hardened to merit the
'Leatherneck" designation were
a f1t-looking body of troops. Most
Of them were well-tanned from
outdoor work.
They were dressed in combat
uniform, the green herringbone
twill that the Marines wore in
their conquest of the beaches of
the Pacific.
Each man carried his carbine
slung over his shoulder. Packs
contained a change of socks and
underwear, soap and razor and
what personal belongings the men
cared to pack.
There had been few requests
for deferment among the 500
officers and men in the outfit ana
most of those were on request
of the Government itself for men
considered not Immediately re-
placeable in the defense setup.
II advise every man to get him.
self a pair of sun glasses" Mai.
Condor repeated as he walked
down the line. You are going to
find the glare of the beach at
Lejeune terrific"
About half the men in the 5th
saw service with the Marines in
the Pacific in World War II, Off
GERS said. More than half of the
men are married.
Put in a boost for family allot-
ment," said a sergeant after the
troops were given the order to
fall out.
Fought in War.
The nonveteran half of the bat
talon is composed mostly of high
school students bringing the aver
age age of the organization to
about 81.
The 5th Marines, Washington's
only Marine Reserve group, were
organized here between wars.
They marched away in February :,
1941, expecting they were leaving
for only a year of active duty.
But in August, 1912, they were
sizable part of the Marines who
landed against enemy fire at
Guadalcanal in the first United
States offensive of World War II.
The 5th was reactivated after
the war in 1947 with about 100
veterans as nucleus. For time
there was difficulty in getting the
outfit to full strength but recruit
ing lectures in the high schools
and direct mail appeal to gradu-
ating classes finally achieved that
last year.
Drilled in Street.
Every Tuesday night, weather
permitting, the 5th drilled in C
street between the Municipal
building and the new Court House
building now under construction.
They were unable to obtain a
drill hall.
The 5th has three detached
companies-one at Lynchburg.
Va, another at Charlottesville,
Va, and a third at Cumberland,
Md. These companies will join
the Washington reservists at
Camp Lejeune. The entire Marine
Corps organized Reserve has been
called to active service and is en-
training for camps. The 5th Bat
talon is the first to go from the
Washington area.
One of the boys who showed up
for roll call today had a broken
arm in a cast. He was Alfred C..
Di Mario of EdgeWater, Md. A
member of his local volunteer fire
department, he answered a fire
call Saturday night, fell off the
truck and suffered the fracture
1t was set at the Naval Hospital
; In Bethesda. He raised so much
clamor about missing the trip to
Camp Lejeune that the medical
officers finally let him go.
Sergeant Gets Permission.
| Another was Sergt. Joseph C.
Macchio, 80, a linotype mechanic
at the Government Printing Of
flee. He was one of the men in
the prewar 5th Marines. When
they were mustered out in 1910 he
asked for deferment because he
had one child and another on the
way.
Sergt. Macchio always figured
that he had missed something.
Two weeks ago. when the calling
up Of the reservists was imminent,
his enlistment expired. The Mac
chioS now have five children in
their home at Greenbelt, Md. He
wanted to go. He talked the family
budget over with his wife. He had
q days leave coming from the
Government. BY then family allot-
ments probably would be resumed,