Evening star., 1951-07-08
Collins and Truman
Praise 18th Division
AT Reunion Here

Gen. Collins. Army chief of
staff, last night paid tribute to
the veterans who fought under his
command through the Solomons
campaign in World War II.
The general told the 25th In
fantry Division Association at its
second reunion at the Hotel Stat
ier that the Air Force, Navy and
Marines seem to have a more
olamorous existence. While not
detracting from the others, he
said:
The Army needs more CUTS,
more vitality. more real American
blood than any other branch of
the service Our great division is
fighting now in Korea with the
same teamwork it showed during
World War II, something of which
all Of us in America can well be
proud"
Truman Is Surprise Visitor.
Gen. Collins, who commanded
the 25th Division in the early
part of World War II, yesterday
morning introduced President
Truman to the reunion. The Chief
Executive made a surprise visit
to the group. Secretary of the
Treasury Snyder accompanied
him.
Mr.. Truman told the gathering:
1t is pleasure to be with you
this morning. You can understand
exactly what think of the 25th
Division when I made your COM
manding general the chief of
staff of the Army-and he is a
good one.
You naturally ought to be ex-
ceedingly proud-and I know you
are-of the record of your great
fighting organization.
Your record in the South Pa
ciflc. and the present record in
Korea. is beyond compare. And
I want to say to you that it gives
me pleasure, and I feel highly
honored that Gen. Collins would
ask me to appear before his Or
ganization, just to congratulate
you on your career. on your pa
triotism, and on the good that
you have done this great United
States of America
At the banquet last night, at
tended by 500. Gen. Collins told
his colleagues that he is always
on the lookout for the lightning
shoulder patch emblem of the
25th Division, The Tropic Light
ing He said it is inspiring that
these men still feel they can come
up to their old division COM
mander in a natural way and say
Hello" He told the wives of the
veterans that their soldiers had a
terrible responsibility under ad-
verse conditions" He declared it
takes great leadership to fight
through the jungles.
Gen. Kean Sketches History.
Maj. Gen. William B. Kean
now commander of the Third
United States Corps in the 9th
Army at Camp Roberts, Calf.
who commanded the 25th Division
In Korea in July, 1850, until last
February. sketched the history Of
the outfit in the Korean fighting
Ii. Gen. John R. Hodge. com
manding the 3rd Army at Fort
Mcpherson. Ga. who was assist
ant division commander under
Gen. Collins at Guadalcanal and
the New Georgia Islands of the
Solomons, emphasized that team
work brought victory.
Col Stanley R. Larsen. until
recently Gen. Collins aide, was
POSTMASTER at the banquet.
The association chose as its
new president Col. Philip F. Linde-
man, 1927 Cathedral avenue NV
He succeeds Col. Jaroslav T
Folda, Jr., 1869 South Abingdon
street. Arlington.
Others elected were: First vice
president, 1t. Col Fred Plahte OF
Washington; second vice presi-
dent, Edwin C. Hagen of Arling-
ton; secretary, 1t. Col Thomas
Badger Of Washington, and treas
urer, Maj. Joseph Koontz of Ar
llngton.
The association voted to admit
to membership veterans of the
Korean fighting, as well as occu-
patton troops in Japan.