Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-06-29
District Officials
Visit Guard Unit.
AT Camp Mccoy
17lst MPs Parade
Before Delegation
From Home City
By chorIes J. Yorbroush
Stdr SioH g orrespondeni

By Cherries ]. Yorbroueh
s.ar Staff Correspondent
CAMP MCCOY, Wis, June 49,
Washington's Hist Military Police
Battalion. part time National
|Guardsmen until last September,
ARE soldering around the clock
now.
AS civilian soldiers, they may
mot like 1t, but their camoufiage
lis perfect.
Busy enough with recruits and
maintaining their own training
standards. they halted moving
day chores here yesterday to well
come a state visit from home with
|pomp and ceremony enough for a
|potentate.
The Hist, an all-colored unit
commanded by a former chemist,
1t. Col. Sylvester Blackwell, of
1920 California street NV. will
complete its move to Fort Custer,
Mich, early next month. Troop
morale goes up with every mile
and not only because Custer is $50
miles closer to home. The 163rd
Military Police Battalion, another
Washington area, unit. already is
stationed at Fort Custer.
Led by Ex-Mailman.
Residents of Cleveland Park
would have been proud to watch
their former mailman lead the
171st through cracking sharp
parade yesterday for two District
commissioners and their former
commanding general.
Until the Federal duty call last
September, Mai. Robert S. Will
Iliams. So, of 1888 Jay street NE,
was delivering mail out of the
Cleveland Park station and, I'm
rearin' to get back" he said.
But there was no reluctance
with the military showing as he
led the battalion past Commits
sioner r. Joseph Donohue, Engi-
neer Commissioner Bernard L.
Robinson and Brig. Gen. William
II. Abendroth. While other units
on this big, neat reservation in
Wisconsin's scenic lake country
have had official visits from home
officials. this was the District bat
talion's first and they made the
most of the occasion.
| Acclaimed by Donohue.
/ For the visitors, 1t. Joseph Rob-
linson, 26, of 3725 Foote place NE.
mustered as snappy a color guard
Jas any you'll see. At the review
ling party. led by District Commits
lsioner F. Joseph Donohue. went
past the troops, the band-by
sheer coincidence-was playing
I"When Irish Eyes Are Smiling."
I Later. Mr. Donohue told bat
talon officers, ut is an inspira-
Ition to see what you have done
with excellent material. What !
Just saw on the parade grounds
would be the envy of any COM
Imanding officer"
l Col. Robinson told the M. P.'s:
"You have big shoes to fill. You
must exemplify the best the Army
has You are the models and
|, from what I have observed you
,Iare well on the way to those
ENDS"
The Hist still has over 300
Washington area men in its ranks
but it is almost 500 men over
strength and is understrength in
Iofficers.
Welcome Move to Custer.
The move to Custer is welcome
although the installation near
! Battle Creek, Mich, isn't the spic
land span layout they have had at
MCCOY. Recreational facilities are
scanty here and there are few
liberty points for colored troops
:. nearer than Chicago. Conditions
lin this respect are better at Custer
j AS for recreational facilities, the
171st's post basketball champions
coached by Sergt. Frederick Pryor
81. of 1922 Twenty first street N E..
will be happier in Clusters gym
1.-THE team won the post title ano
finished third in the Army-wide
lcompetition.
Il Biggest headache on the post
, has been inherited by 1t. Eugene
IL. Hawley, 81, of 1921 Talbert
street Sc. the supply officer
whose woes began when the move
! order came.
1--WE have to. pack this stuff UP
get it on conveys and still keer
in daily operation" He, too, is {
former mail carrier out of tht
connecticut avenue station.
| And, he, too, would be happier
carrying the mail.
tits simpler" he said.
iF kNE ~g