Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-05-15

in the Armed Forces Day Paras
none.
The young men who mai
war in 1898 with Remember
dwindled in numbers and aged
in years. OF the 100000 in
Americas all-volunteer Army of
the war with Spain. less than
$4,000 are still alive.
About 400 survive in the Dis
trict area.
Two Of these men will marshal
the Veterans Unit in the Armed
Forces Day parade here at 10:45
am. Saturday on Constitution
avenue NV. representing the
shadowy legions who have gone
on before.
Seventy-nine-year-old Robert
w. Livingston. commander of the
District Department. USWV. has
been named marshal. and his
aide will be Grin P. Bailey. co.
although Mr.. Bailey was an act
ing sergeant while Mr.. Living
ston was only a private. They
will take the salutes of the pass
ing troops in the gold-buttoned
blue uniform of the Spanish
War veterans with fingers at the
brims of their felt campaign
hats.
Average Age Of 80
Our principal function now
is to get the death notices OF
dead comrades into the news
papers," Mr.. Bailey said. I'VE
buried two last week. You see,
our average age is 80, but we
have . few youngsters who en-
listed as Navy apprentices when
they were Il. They claim to be
u, but don't know"
Mr.. Bailey. who lives at 493e
Butterworth place NV. is a
native Of Miami County. Ind,
but he Joined up to fight with
the Sd Wisconsin Volunteer
Infantry.
Everybody wanted to fight in
those days." he said. The boys
fiocked into camp from the
farms and factories. There was
cheering and band music. The
Spaniard was q william and
Cuba had to be made free"
His regiment charged ashore
at Ponce, Puerto Rico. after the
battleship Massachusetts shelled
the Spaniards out Of town. Act
ing Sergt. Bailey fought in the
battle Of Coamo, last fight of the
war, where TOO Spaniards were
killed.
Counted Out by Typhoid
SunStroke and typhoid took
Mr.. Bailey out Of the ranks. al
It did so many others in the
campaign. He returned to civil.
ian life in January, 1899. les
than a year after he donned tht
blue uniform of the volunteer
infantry.
Mr.. Livingston took his frs
train ride to st. Paul. Mimi. il
1898 to join the 18th Minnesota
But he ended the war in Chicka'
manga Park, Ga. where 60.00(
men suffered from heat, dysen'
terry and canned horse meat fol
$13 q month. They got 20 pei
cent extra for overseas dut,
where the heat and food were
worse.
OF the Spanish War Army
4.3 per cent Of the men died o.
all causes, compared with seven
tenths Of / per cent in Worlc
War /. They got no Fedora
bonus. no war risk insurance. M
vocational training and no hos
pitalization for many years aftel
their war.
I'VE get fine treatment now.
said Mr.. Livingston. "in fact
they take special pains with u
now that we have grown 50 old.
There were four national or
CARNATIONS Of Spanish War Vet
Grams for a while but the,
merged in 1904. President Tedd,
Roosevelt of the Rough Rider
was national commander Of on
! group. The District had a higl
representation. what with tn
famed Corcoran Cadets. VIII
merged into the 1st Distric
Of Columbia National Guard.
Six ID. C. Camps
But the years have wrough
change. The District Depart
ment has six camps but Mr.. Liv
ingston said, Were lucky If W,
get so men to a meeting"