Herald and Review from Decatur, Illinois • Page 3

a a to to to to to 35,000 Jam Fairview Park For Army Salute to County May 10, 1943. DECATUR HERALD LOCAL 3 Half of Decatur Watches 'Battle of Fairview Park' At top. the 739th military police battalion band leads the first companies near the entrance to Fairview park in the parade preceding the Army Salute to Industry in Macon County yesterday. Second, two tanks of the attacking force bear down amid smoke and noise on the soldiers defending the west end of the park. Third.

the youth of Decatur comes to the rescue when the army's amphibian "seep' boat-car became fouled 'on the bank of Dreamland lake as it was exhibiting its uses. A tow line and a lot of pull rescued the vehicle from the rocky bank, where it was snagged. At the bottom, a General Sherman tank rumbles down West. Eldorado street, a half block from the entrance to the park, to engage in the maneuvers which lasted 15 minutes, but gave the citizens a rough idea of modern attack. Four young admirers of the tank constitute a sort of unofficial guard of honor for the tank as they step along at the right.

One of the largest throngs in Decatur's history lined the streets along Oak, Sangamon Plants Under New Command General Aurand Here for Show of The Herald Staff From the natural grandstand hillsides of Fairview park, 35.000 persons watched the army its two-day salute to the Macon county area with a loud, fiery and smokey sham battle. With the spectators stood the leader of the army Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana, Maj. Gen. nad H. S.

Aurand of the sixth service command. He told officers of the "Decatur has done a fine job. I am enjoying myself very much." General Aurand's visit was a prise. officers said. He requested that his presence not be announced during the program and graciously waved photographers away.

General Aurand arrived by plane from Chicago shortly before the parade started prior to the "battle." He watched the parade from a residence lawn. Bombs Signal Opening Bombs bursting in air sounded the beginning of the in the flat meadow of the park, bounded on the south. east and west. Stevens creek. Deployed.

or scattered from five to 10 yards apart, on the west were the defenders wearing tin hats of the last World War to distinguish them from the attackers on the east wearing pres-1 ent day fatigue uniforms and helmets. In the trees were snipers. On the. east were tanks. Upon the opening order of the commanding officer from the east.

attackers advanced and defenders took up their defensive position. Fire that jarred the hat brims of nearby onlookers came from the mortars that looked like stove stuck in the The mortars, which in actual battle lob shells into the air. sent up aerial bombs. All ammunition was blank. Action was in reverse order for the sake of giving the spectators a better opportunity to see each of the battle.

In true battle, tanks would appear ahead of the foot troops, the officers explained. But. sham battle, the foot troops were seen in action first. Attack is Made By MAXINE KYLE The attackers made their advances in rushes-a group of men running a distance and falling. Land mines went off in the center and south portion of the field.

As the attacking force established its line, machine guns covered them until they eventually put the defenders out of action. Meanwhile "casualties" could be seen reeling on their rifles, thrust into the ground, and were rescued by litter bearers. Near the close of the 15 minutes of action, the attackers charged the defending positions with bayonets fixed. Then they "mopped them up' or took the arms of the defenders and took the defenders themselves as prisoners. Clinching the action for the offensive.

came the tanks from the east. One was a medium. 33-ton tank which fired a 75-millimeter gun. The other was a light, 13-ton tank which fired a 37-millimeter gun. Equipment Used Equipment used in the "battle" included light and heavy machine guns of 30 and 50 calibre, Garand rifles.

Browning automatics and the Springfield rifle of the last World war. When the "battle" was over. Old Glory was brought down in a retreat ceremony. The 40-piece army band left the bandstand and took its place on the field with the four companies of men. The flag was lowered while the band played "The Star-Spangled Banner." Ail companies then passed in review before Mayor James A.

Hedrick. Lieut. John B. Winn. commanding officer of the army air force detachment at Millikin.

and Lieutenant Colonel Hoffman, commanding officer at Sangamon and Oak ordnance plants. Prior to the "battle" enactment, a number of Decatur persons, representing the Decatur and Macon county contribution to the war effort. were introduced at a bandstand program with Lieut. George W. Campbell as master of ceremonies.

They included John Wittig. 2190 North Union street, who has five sons and a son-in-law in service and two sons who are classified for service. Others were F. E. Mueller, general superintendent of the Mueller C.

O. Branson. a tool and die maker of the Grigoleit Colonel Don O. Hoffman: Lieut. Winn and Mayor Hed- rick.

Decorated Men Introduced Also introduced were two Illinois soldiers who have been awarded the Purple Heart because they were wounded in action. They were Pvt. Del Wrestler wounded in New Guinea and Pvt. John Cauble wounded on Guadalcanal. Three Waacs, who travel with the "show' troops.

in brief talks saluted Macon county and Decatur women for their war efforts. Col. John R. Rhett. commanding officer of district No.

3. recited a portion of Rudyard Kipling's "Ballad of East and West" to point out that "strong men stand face to face" today, and urged: "All we ask is that you help makes ours a little stronger." Boys Pull Out Army Boat Car, Stuck in Lake Civilians had a chance to help out the army yesterday morning when the "seep," the amphibian car, was demonstrated in Dreamland lake and Fairview park and the civilians responded readily. Upon viewing the lake, army officers were reluctant to let the promised demonstration go ahead but hated to disappoint the crowd. The "seep" clambered down the side of the bank and putted off into the water. The trouble was encountered when an attempt was made to the boat-car back on shore.

Jagged rocks on the banks threatened to tear holes in the bottom of the curious car. A tow-line was attached to the car and nearly a hundred civilians. mostly boys. grabbed hold, hauled heartily and pulled the car to safety without damaging it. So many children were lost in the huge crowds at the sham battle site that the first aid tent was converted into a station where parents might gather up their lost children.

The announcer several times through his description of the battle announced lists of names- all lost children. "All parents of lost children are up at the first aid announced. tenpichethem The large, General Sherman tank' was not without its usual escort of young boys yesterday afternoon in the parade. They rode alongside on their bicycles or just got as close as they could and ran to keep up. The tank was surrounded constantly by the youngsters from the time it entered the city until it left.

One of the biggest traffic jams in the history of the city developed yesterday as thousands of persons drove their cars toward Fairview park to watch the activities. Parkplaces near the park were gone by noon and traffic started piling up on nearly every west-end street. State and city police worked together to clear up the tangle. Cars were parked as near as four blocks to the downtown district and occupants walked the rest of the way to the park. Gas rationing was a thing forgotten when the army came to the city.

There's one Decatur man who wished yesterday afternoon that the lure of a parade was not so great. This was Ray McGinis, engineer at the Polar Service who left the office for a few minutes to watch the parade. Upon his return he found that the small office been entered and, $7 taken from cash register, according to report he made to the police. Because it was impossible to park anywhere near Fairview park or Eldorado street. many of the marchers were forced to walk sev-1 eral blocks to reach the blocks where the parade was formed.

One ordnance worker going past the reviewing stand was heard to say in plaintive tones: "I sure hope this is the last lap. My feet hurt." Cases of illegal parking were frequent yesterday afternoon as spectators sought a place near the park to leave their cars. State police ordered at least two cars to be hauled to local garages because they were parked in an illegal The 850 men and 125 pieces of indantry equipment of the 739th military police battalion which staged the Saturday and Sunday salute to the Macon county area will remain in Decatur until sometime Tuesday, officers announced. Although the men are from all parts of United States they directly from Camp Mount come Vernon. and Camp Campbell, Ky.

They will remain in the arfor a rest and to service mory their equipment. Their next stop will be Bloomington. Wismer Made Marine Major M. Wismer, husband of Ralph former Jean DeNoon, 355 the Green street, has been promoted from the rank of captain to major marine corps. the Navy dein the partment announced yesterday.

Major Wismer, former traffic of the Western Union manager here. left 1940 when he called into service by the mawas rine reserves. He to the rank of first lieutenant in December, 1941, and to captain in 1942. He has served with May, the marine corps on Guadalcanal. Tade Funeral Here Mrs.

Huldah Louise Tade. a Decatur resident until two years ago when she moved to California, died at 4:15 a. m. Sunday in San Francisco. The body will be brought to the Dawson Wikoff funeral home here for funeral services and burial Record Parade Exceeds 3 Miles Approximately 35.000 persons crowded Eldorado street from Oakland avenue west to Fairview park and the roadways through the park and the Stevens Creek addition yesterday afternoon to watch the greatest parade of military and production strength in the history of the city.

Although the parade. more than three miles long, was the longest ever staged here, police said that the crowd figures had been topped once before in the city's history, in 1929 at the Decatur Centennial celebration. The crowds yesterday were sO large that they lined the narrow roadways of the park five or six deep and the columns cf marching men were crowded for room as they swung through the park. Hillsides Covered The hills on either side of the entrance to the park addition were covered with people and automobiles as every spectator sought a vantage point from which to view the activities. Although the day's program had been labeled as The Army's Salute to Industry, the general effect given was that local civilians and industrial workers had combined all efforts to give a whole-hearted salute to the army.

Army officials commented on the great length of the parade. Seven thousand persons participated in the march and six of the seven sections were composed of local persons. Interest Centers on Soldiers The section holding the greatest interest for the crowd was the first which was composed of the visiting army personnel. After this section passed, the crowds rapidly lost interest in the following sections until by the time the fifth section came to the reviewing stand. the parade had almost lost its form.

The parade. scheduled to start at 2:30 p. got underway shortly after the scheduled time. Heading the march was the 739th military police battalion's band which set the pace for the entire parade line with swinging martial music. Parade Leaders By DOROTHY KUHNS Of the Herald Staff Leading the four companies of the military police battalion, were the commanding officer of the battalion and his staff.

Marching along behind the miliItary police battalion, singing in their usual style. was the group of the aviation cadets in training at Millikin university. On the heels of the aviation cadets came the rumbling General Sherman, tank standing with up on the their driver seats and sO that their heads could be seen and an officer sitting at the top of the turret. The "seep." as the amphibian car has been dubbed. was next in parade line.

It was followed by the large, armored half-truck. Two armored cars carrying anti-aircraft and anti-tank guns were included in the show of war equipment. Trucks hauling anti-aircraft guns. the 105-millimeter field artillery piece and airplane landing mats were on display next. A jeep carrying three Waacs, the chaplain's trailer, a link trainer on display on a truck.

a Pratt-Whitney airplane engine on display and an army ambulance. completed the parade of equipment. Local Military Paraders Local military organizations headed the next section. The Goodman band led the home militia, the civil air patrol and the newly-uniformed Decatur Schools Military Training corps in the march. A display of manpower strength in local ordnance plants was included in the next section.

The Oak guards -in their green uniforms marched on foot and on horseback and were followed by hundreds of the white-garbed women employes on the lines. Explosive trucks and a screaming float carrying a huge cardboard bomb, were included in the Oak section of the parade. Guards and firemen from the Sangamon ordnance plant and the Victory ordnance plant. marched in the parade with floats depicting their production. Local War Output Shown Local companies with war contracts sponsored floats which showed the types of war manufacture going on in Decatur today more clearly than in any exhibition shown here before.

Large groups marching in the parade were the air raid wardens, service men's mothers, the Boy and Girl Scouts, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and auxiliary, the AmeriLegion and auxiliary, and local can unions. Among the bands which furnished music for the march were the Roosevelt junior high school band, the Decatur high school Redcoats. Clinton high school band and the Noble accordion band. A float depicting prison camps was the last in parade and was sponsored by the Y. M.

C. A. City police, fire and other equipment was included in the parade as well as ambulances. Lieut. Col.

Don M. Hoffman, who comes from the army ordnance department in St. Louis, took over duties yesterday as commanding officer of Oak and Sangamon ordnance plants, near Illiopolis. Colonel Hoffman succeeds Maj. Norman E.

Gillespie, commanding officer at Oak ordnance plant, and Capt. Robert L. Holt, commanding officer at the Sangamon plant. Major Gillespie will take command at the Lone Star Ordnance plant, Texarkana, Ark. Command Unified The ordnance departments at the two plants will be combined again under Colonel Hoffman.

Formerly the two plants were under one ordnance department command, that of Lieut. Col. Francis R. Sherer, who was transferred in January to the Cherokee ordnance works. Danville.

Pa. After Colonel Scherer left. the Illiopolis ordnance setup was divided under two separate commands. Served at Elwood Colonel Hoffman, who was special assignments officer in the ammunition plants division of the ordnance department at St. Louis, was commanding officer of the Elwood ordnance plant at Joliet before going to the St.

Louis office. Major Gillespie came to the Oak ordnance plant from Carbondale, and Captain Holt was transferred from the St. Louis ordnance department to Sangamon. Major Gillespie made his home in Decatur. while Captain Holt lived in Springfield.

Sangamon ordnance plant officials could not be reached last night to learn where Captain Holt will be assigned. Signal Corps Seeking Waacs Waac-signal corps trainees for the first time are being accepted throughout the sixth service command for the Women's Army Auxiliary corps and trained for definite duty with the signal corps of the U. S. army, Maj. Gen.

H. S. Aurand. commanding general of the sixth service command, has announced. One hundred and twenty qualified women will be accepted in the sixth service command by June 15.

Women in this recruiting district interested in qualifying as Waac-signal corps trainees should make application at the Waac recruiting office in Peoria. Women qualifted for both Waac and signal corps training will be enrolled in the Waac, placed on an inactive duty status, and entered in the signal corps training school. Upon completion of that training, they will be returned to active duty with the Waac and sent to one of the Waac basic training centers after which they will report to the chief signal officer for assignment. Applicants, who are required to hold a high school diploma and to pass the Waac physical examination, will execute two applications, one Waac and the other civil service. All trainees will be enrolled in a three months' mechanic learners' course.

Trainees will be placed on the signal corps payroll as civil service employes at the rate of $1,020 per year for the first three months and $1.440 per year for the succeeding three months. Donald G. Weidman, 46, Dies in Kalamazoo Donald G. Weidman, 46, formerly of Decatur, died Friday night in Kalamazoo. according to word received by relatives here.

His parents, Mr. and Mrs. F. L. Weidman, and his sister, Mrs.

Lawrence Thrift. left yesterday for Kalamazoo. Details of his death were not learned. He leaves a son, W. R.

Weidman, in army training at San Antonio, a daughter, Donna Ruth Weidman of Kalamazoo, Mich. Besides his parents and sister who left Sunday for Kalamazoo he also leaves anotner sister, Mrs. O. M. Evans of Decatur.

Funeral arrangements are incomplete. Mrs. Merle Lasater Dies Here; Rites in Sullivan Mrs. Merle Lasater. 36.

died at 10:45 a. m. yesterday in her home at 613 East Leafland avenue after an illness of several years. Wife of Maurice W. Lasater.

she was born March 4, 1907, near Sullivan, and leaves her husband, her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Otto Kinsel, Bruce: two sisters. Ruth. of Bruce.

and Mrs. Mildred Prissey, Sullivan, and a brother, William Kinsel, with the U. S. coast guard. Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.

m. Tuesday In the McMul. lin home, Sullivan, with Dr. B. Lugg of Decatur funerals in charge.

Burial will be in Greenhill cemetery. Richards Funeral Funeral services for Mrs. Fannie M. Richards, 63, 1110 East Walnut street, will be held at 9 a. m.

Wednesday in the Moran Sons' funeral home. The body will be taken to Newton, where services also will be held at 1:30 p.m. and burial will be in the side cemetery there. the line of march and covered action in the west addition of page by Martin Cooney, Herthe hillsides at the scene of the park. All Photos on this ald-Review Photographer..