USA > New York > The first hundred years : records and reminiscences of a century of Company I, Seventh Regiment, N.G.N.Y., 1838-1938 > Part 40
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1925 ATHLETICS
The Regimental Athletic Games (the 76th) were held April 18, 1925, and Company I made a most creditable showing. Our first points were turned in by Jack Downing who placed second in the half-mile and would have won easily but for an unfortunate spill on one of the turns. Bill Glynn, our team captain, next took third place in the high jump, then our wall-scaling team (W. G. Glynn, E. C. A. Vial, R. T. Waite, J. Van der Boget, C. Connolly, A. M. Morris, A. E. Roberts and J. C. Vosoff) repeated their last year's performance and again took first place. Charlie Connolly added three more points with third in the shot-put and the final event was the Inter-Company one-mile relay race for the Captain Philip Rhinelander Challenge Cup. Our team of Marty Paulson, Bill Glynn, Art Roberts and Jack Downing were up with the leaders all the way and finally, giving a last "do or die" kick, broke the tape in first place. Their race was the best bit of running we have seen in many a day and through their fine efforts, Company I once more is in among the leaders in Regimental track athletics. The Military Athletic League held its annual games in the 106th Infantry Armory of Brooklyn and the Regiment again placed third. Our boys turned in some of the points won, Jack Downing show- ing his versatility by turning from running to walking and taking down second place in the mile walk. Also, our champion wall-scalers repeated their last year's performance and won their specialty, again lowering the four-man team record, this time to 381/2 seconds.
We report with regret the resignation of Lieutenant Eugene Potter, He is an able officer and well liked by everybody in the Company. Former Sergeant Edward C. I. Vial has been promoted to the vacant lieutenantcy. Lieutenant
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THE FIRST POST-WAR DECADE
Vial enlisted in Company I, April 1, 1920; Corporal, July 14, 1921; Sergeant, July 3, 1923; First Sergeant, August 14, 1924. In addition to being a member of the Regimental Fencing Team, Lieutenant Vial is a wall-scaler of no mean ability.
CAMP, 1925
State Camp looked quite dressed up with its large new outdoor swimming pool and newly laid cement roads when the Regiment moved in July 12 for a two weeks' stay. The schedule was reversed from that of last year, the first week being devoted to manoeuvers in the hills and the second to qualifications. Two innovations were introduced to us, the bayonet run and a competitive musketry problem. The bayonet run proved to be a real sporting event and a "whale" of a test. A "ten-second" man who has a good eye, is made of rubber and has a good memory, has only a fair chance of negotiating the fifteen dum- mies, shell holes, trenches, etc., covering the distance of 125 yards in the time limit of 45 seconds and score the prescribed 82% of hits. In this test the Regiment qualified 16 men and "I," two of them, namely, Alfred (Maury) Mor- ris and Joseph (Dixie) Nelson.
In the newly created musketry problem, each of the three Battalions is re- quired to organize a provisional war strength platoon. Successively over the same ground these platoons simulate a combat situation taking a position behind the 500-yard firing line. Three groups of silhouette targets, thirty-two in all, appear from time to time at different points in the woods and as they appear, the Company on line opens fire, scoring as many hits and covering as many targets as possible-with the ammunition and the time of fire limited to five minutes per company-just to make it that much harder. As the problem is about complete, "a running deer" silhouette target suddenly appears, inviting whatever fire may be left. This, incidentally, is the "creation" of our own Colonel Wade Hayes (ex-Company I). It has been adopted "as is" by the mili- tary authorities as part of the training course for all Regiments at Peekskill. This is undoubtedly the first attempt ever made, in the memory of the oldest habitué of Peekskill, to acquaint the citizen soldier with real battle conditions, to make his work realistic, and thus hold the intense interest of all the men involved.
The 3rd Battalion took first place in this difficult test with 26%, 2nd Bat- talion second, with 18.75% and 1st Battalion third, with 17%. Individual rifle qualifications were only fair, the Company making a total of 12.
The Regimental championship baseball team, of which "I" claims nearly a one-quarter interest through the splendid efforts of Joseph F. Nelson, catcher, Charles C. Connolly, outfielder, William Willberg and Charles Walsh, pitch- ers, played a league game with the 105th Infantry of Troy, N.Y. The 7th won 9 to 4, one of the features being Dixie Nelson's banging out a home run in the fourth inning with the bases loaded. For a few moments it looked as though the ball would score a "bull" on 47 target but it finally fell short of the range.
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THE FIRST HUNDRED YEARS OF COMPANY I
1926
The Regimental Athletic Games on January 30, 1926, found Company I with a small but capable list of entries. In the 220-yard dash Captain Marty Paulson took third place and in the one-mile walk we took the first three places, with Jack Downing, Tom Diviney and Sergeant Bill Glynn in that order. The wall-scalers (Lieutenant Edward C. Vial, Sergeants W. G. Glynn, R. T. Waite, Corporals H. J. Hush, A. M. Morris, M. Paulson, Privates H. A. Rich- mond, J. J. Schwerd) again took first place and the relay team (Sergeant W. G. Glynn, Corporal M. Paulson, Privates J. R. Downing, A. E. Roberts) placed second in a stirring race. This gave us a total of 21 points or third place in the regimental standing. As a result of this splendid showing, we placed six men on the Regimental track team and the old drill floor was a "bee-hive" of activity every Tuesday and Friday night with athletes training for the big M.A.L. games on March 13. This contest was held on our own Armory floor, and the final result was in doubt up to the finish of the last event-the one- mile relay. But it was nonetheless convincing when it came for the point score was 107th Infantry, 48; 245th Coast Artillery, 41; and the 106th Infantry, 30.
Our share in this first "big-time" victory since the war, included second place in the one-mile walk by Thomas J. Diviney, our newest and coming walker; and first in the wall-scaling for the third consecutive year by the team of Glynn, Waite, Morris and Paulson. They ran the 100-yard course and took the high wall twice without a slip, again lowering their own four-man team record to 36 2/5 seconds.
1927
With regret we announce the resignation of our two Lieutenants, Charles Steiger and Edward C. A. Vial. To fill these vacancies we present First Lieu- tenant Albert J. Shartle, promoted from Sergeant January 6, 1927, and Second Lieutenant Alfred M. Morris, promoted from Corporal on the same date. Lieutenant Shartle was a Captain overseas and should fill his new rank with the greatest of ease, and as for Lieutenant Morris, our wall-scaler extra- ordinary, while "leaping high" he will undoubtedly be a "natural."
The Regimental Games (the 78th) were held April 2 and again Company I had a small but exceedingly capable band of athletes striving for her glory. Jack Downing continued his good work by winning the 1000-yard run; Ser- geant Bill Glynn surprised even himself by capturing the high jump with a fine leap of 5 feet, 9 inches; Tom Diviney, showing what practice will do, gave handicaps up to 150 yards, and won the mile walk with no exertion at all. Our wall-scalers failed to win their specialty for the first time in four years and had to be content with second place. The team included Morris, Glynn, Hush, Waite, Connolly, Mitchell, Roberts and Vosoff.
The last event, the half-mile inter-regimental relay for the Philip Rhine- lander Challenge Cup was bitterly contested. "I" and the Service Company both had two legs on it, but our team (Glynn, J. Atkins, Downing, Roberts)
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THE FIRST POST-WAR DECADE
though striving mightily could do no better than reach "second." As to points, Company I was third in the Regiment.
The Military Athletic League Games held at the 245th Coast Artillery Armory in Brooklyn, found the 7th in the rôle of defending champions. They were, however, unable to repeat and placed third. That they were unable to win was no fault of Company I. We scored two firsts, two seconds and one fourth. Jack Downing won the one-mile run from a high-class field, Tom Diviney, in beautiful form, won the one-mile walk by a wide margin, Lincoln T. Miller, one of our newer members, took second in the shot put, and Jack Downing, showing remarkable recuperative powers, came back after his one- mile win to place fourth in the 880-yard run. The wall-scaling team (Glynn, Waite, Morris, Ennis) took second place.
The Regimental hockey team closed out its first real big-time season and although they did not win a large number of games, they played close matches with all their competitors, and met, among others, Princeton, Boston A.A., Cres- cent A.C. and the Knickerbockers. Company I placed two men on the squad in Lanier Violett, regular goalie, and Harry Hush, substitute forward.
On June 6 the Company turned out en masse to take part in the mammoth New York City parade in honor of Captain Charles A. Lindbergh for his suc- cessful one-man flight from New York to Paris. A beautiful day greeted the marchers although the route from Bowling Green to Central Park was like marching through a terrific blizzard as tons of paper, ticker-tape, etc., were thrown from the windows and roof tops.
The Regiment's 1927 camping tour took place from August 6 to 21. Com- pany I's qualifications with rifle were only fair, 1 expert, 3 sharpshooters,
CAMP SMITH 1917
Company I, Camp Smith, 1927
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THE FIRST HUNDRED YEARS OF COMPANY I
and 14 marksmen. In addition we had 3 automatic rifle and 2 bayonet quali- fications, a total of 23 with all weapons.
First Lieutenant Albert J. Shartle resigned December 9, 1927, due to business and our former buddy "Tip" Johnson was transferred "back home" to fill the vacancy.
1928
Due to lack of support the annual Regimental Athletic Games were not held and owing to an erroneous rumor that the M.A.L. Games were also off, the regimental team, which had been training faithfully, discontinued and dis- banded.
The morning of April 14 someone suddenly noticed that the games were to be held at the 106th Armory, Brooklyn, N.Y. With no real time to do any- thing about it, Tom Diviney of "I" and Radcliffe Entwistle of "K," journeyed over the bridge and scored 12 points for the Regiment. Tom Diviney won the one-mile walk in 7.16 thereby retaining his last year's title.
The Ninth Company was represented on the 1928 Regimental rifle team by Lieutenant Theodore Tyler Johnson and Sergeant William A. Willberg, our first team representative in many years.
Peekskill Camp was invaded by the 7th July 15 to 29 and Company I was up with the leaders in shooting. Twice as many men were qualified as for the previous year and Corporal Harry W. Carr and Private Frank W. Sullivan pulled out perfect scores on the bayonet run. Our First Lieutenant, T. T. John- son, bestowed further honors upon himself and the Company by earning a place on the New York State Rifle Team and the right to represent New York State at the National Match to be held at Camp Perry, Ohio, August 25.
We proudly though regretfully announce the loss of our Captain, Philip Garey, who has been named Major and assigned to the 1st Battalion.
Dinner to Major Garcy, Ritz-Carlton, May 25, 1929
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THE FIRST POST-WAR DECADE
1929
OAK LEAVES BRING OAK ROOM PARTY
On Saturday evening, May 25, the officers and men of Company I of the 7th Regiment, 107th Infantry, N.G.N.Y., tendered to their former captain, now Major Philip Garey, a testimonial dinner in commemoration of twelve years of service with Company I and his appointment to the rank of major. The affair was held in the Oak Room of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel.
The principal speaker of the evening was Lieutenant Colonel Ralph Tobin. The presence of Colonel Tobin made the occasion one of doubled rejoicing in that he also was recently elevated to his present rank. Colonel Tobin reviewed Major Garey's career with 7th and told the members of Company I many things about him. He concluded by presenting to Major Garey a personal token of
Gordon Cirant
Annual Dinner of the Society of NANTH COMPANY VETERANS.
Manhattan Club March 91929
his appreciation in the form of a pair of gold oak leaves. Captain Johnson, now in command of Company I, spoke in behalf of the officers and men of the Company and presented an automatic service pistol to Major Garey as a re- membrance of his former command.
In responding, Major Garey said that he had entertained the idea of mak- ing a formal speech for the occasion, but decided upon reconsideration to speak to the men as he had for so many years, directly and informally. While happy over his advancement and full of gratitude for the splendid gesture of the
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THE FIRST HUNDRED YEARS OF COMPANY I
members of his old Company, Major Garey stated that there was no other posi- tion in the Regiment that he would rather have than that of captain of Company I. He assured everyone of his heartfelt thanks and in leaving asked only that the men of Company I be as true and loyal to their new commander as they had been to him.
Sergeant Thomas J. Diviney, Jr., who is chairman of the entertainment com- mittee, presided as toastmaster.
CAPTAIN THEODORE TYLER JOHNSON-1929
Theodore T. Johnson was selected to command Company I, July 5, 1929. At the same time Alfred M. Morris advanced from Second Lieutenant to First Lieutenant and Corporal Frank S. Kent was commissioned to fill the vacant Lieutenancy.
"Tip" Johnson enlisted in Company I, May 21, 1917. After serving during the training days in Central Park and at Camp Wadsworth he went overseas with the Company in May, 1918. He was made Corporal, July 24, 1918; Ser- geant, September 14, 1918 and Supply Sergeant, the day after. Sergeant John- son was with Company I during its entire period of service in France and filled the important position of Supply Sergeant with unusual ability and efficiency, having full charge of feeding the Company in the front line under fire, as well as keeping the ammunition coming forward and evacuating the wounded.
Officers and non-coms, Camp Smith, 1929
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THE FIRST POST-WAR DECADE
After being discharged from the service of the U.S. April 2, 1919, Sergeant Johnson reenlisted in Company I, N.Y.G., December 13, 1919, was made Supply Sergeant April 21, 1920, commissioned Second Lieutenant May 11, 1920, First Lieutenant and Battalion Adjutant November 16, 1921. He is of the stuff that real 7th Regiment men are made and an honor to the roll of Ninth Company commanders.
At the annual Camp from August 11 to 25, 1929, Company I did some re- markably fine shooting. The total number of men qualified was 56, includ- ing 6 rifle experts, viz., Private Gregory T. Kelly, Captain Johnson, Corporal T. L. Gerety, Lieutenant Morris, Private DeWette and Sergeant T. J. Diviney.
XI 1930-1938
SOCIETY OF NINTH COMPANY VETERANS 7TH REGIMENT, N.G.N.Y.
February 1, 1930
Dear Toujours Pret :
It is with a peculiar feeling of pride and pleasure that we announce to you a
GOLDEN WEDDING DINNER at the MANHATTAN CLUB Madison Avenue and 26th Street on Saturday, March S, 1930 at 7:15 p.m.
This occasion is to honor the sixteen members of our Society who enlisted in Company I fifty years or more ago, all of whom, it is hoped, will be our guests on that evening.
Of course a family event of this importance requires the presence of the descendants as well as the contemporaries, and you as a proud son or grandson of the Ninth Company, will find all your uncles, brothers and nephews among those gathered to do honor to the Nestors of Company I.
To those who attended last year's dinner at the same place, it will be unnecessary to state that the informality which made it possible for everyone to "get thick" with those of his own vintage, will again be our main objective. No wax-works, no set speeches, but reminiscences and pictures of Company I in action (both military and social) will make the evening pass altogether too soon.
From a preliminary canvass the Committee can guarantee that you will find enough of your contemporaries, no matter what your year, to carry you back to the Brooklyn Trolley Strike, Croton Dam, The Palmer House, the Leonori, McAllen, Spartanburg and France. So don't hesitate-there's an addressed stamped envelope enclosed. Fill out and mail the attached stub today and paste the Eighth of March in your hat as a Heavy Date.
THE COMMITTEE Charles A. Slosson '96, Chairman
Henry V. Keep '85
Arthur W. Little '91 George P. Nichols '02
George G. Murray '89
Benjamin B. McAlpin '93
Francis L. Gould '06
J. Hegeman Foster '90
Harry H. Bottome '96
The Manhattan Club was the scene of a large and enthusiastic gathering on the evening of March 8. The Ninth Company Veterans, in rare form, gave their guests of honor a royal welcome, an excellent dinner and a time that they will not forget for the next fifty years. The "Golden Wedding Guests" were:
Francis N. Howland 65 Percy Wisner '73
George W. Vanderhoef '77
Howard Ives
'68 Harmon B. Vanderhoef '74 Charles Le Boutillier '78
Harry B. Jewett
'72 John A. Hance '75
John J. Riker '78
Isaac T. Comstock
'73 Thomas Williams
:75 William C. Fargo '79
William S. Perry
'73 Walter H. Close '77
Henry K. S. Williams '79
A. Mitchell Hall '77
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1930-1938
Captain Johnson had no sooner got the Company eating nicely out of his hand than he was selected for the important post of Regimental Supply Officer. Someone is always coming along and stealing an "I" Company officer for special duty, promotion or special honor.
To fill the vacancy the following promotions were announced June 2, 1930: Alfred M. Morris, Captain, Frank S. Kent, First Lieutenant, and Joseph J. Farley, Second Lieutenant.
On June 5, the Regiment gave a farewell dinner to Colonel Wade H. Hayes, whose resignation to the deep regret of every loyal 7th Regiment man active or "yet," had been filed March 14. Thus Company I's "Colonel" closed a bril- liant and devoted period of service to his country in war and in peace.
1931
The active Company were the guests of the Veterans again on March 13, 1931. They were first dined in the Colonel Daniel A. Appleton Mess and then challenged to shoot for the Veteran-Active Bowl which had been twice won by the Vets. This time, however, the youngsters were ready for them and took sweet revenge for their former defeats. The usual claims of bribery, off nights,
OCIETY OF
COMPAN VETER ANS
Tordon Grant-
DINNER in HONOUR of the TOUJOURS PRÊTS who enlisted before 1880 Manhaffan Club March 86 1930
ANNUAL DINNER
0
THE SOCIETY OF NINTH CO. VETERANS
Gordon Grant
MANHATTAN CLUB Sat. April 11th 1931
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THE FIRST HUNDRED YEARS OF COMPANY I
Captain Theodore Tyler Johnson 1929-1930
Captain Alfred M. Morris, Jr. 1930-1934
best men not present, etc., were voiced after the match while thirsts were being quenched in the Mess but added rather than detracted from a most enjoyable evening. The score was lost in the excitement.
The Regimental Athletic Games on March 21, caught Company I pretty much off its stride but the gallant wall-scalers, an eight man team (Morris, Batstone, Waite, DeWette, G. Byrnes, S. Pascale, N. R. Martinus and Rad- ford) went over the walls without a miss and figured the event as good as won. Company L, however, had other plans and turned in a very fast score, putting "I" Company on the anxious seat. "I" and "L" were tied but on the run-off the old Ninth showed perfect form, lowered the eight-man team record, time 1.17 2/5, and walked off with the gold medals.
As might have been expected, when the Daniel Appleton Memorial in the Mess Hall of the 7th Regiment Armory was dedicated on March 1, 1931, it was discovered that out of the 228 chairs, 58 had been subscribed by Company I. The fine collection of big-game heads that adorn the hall were also given by an original Ninth Company man, J. Stanley Foster, afterwards of "L."
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1930-1938
MEMORIES OF SPARTANBURG CAPT. G. W. HOBBS, JR., Regimental Chaplain
Spartanburg, S.C., is well off the beaten track even of so chronic a traveller as the Chaplain of the Regiment. A professional engagement, however, brought him first to Hendersonville, and then after a beautiful ride through the mountains to this interesting southern city. His host was the Reverend W. H. K. Pendleton, rector, Church of the Advent of that city. We had many interests in common but neither knew that the stay of the 7th near Spartanburg in the thrilling days of '17 would prove to be by far the chief of these. The Chaplain was invited to see the interior of the Church of the Advent and almost immediately noticed on the wall back of the pulpit a memorial to "Sergeant Washington Irving Clayton, Company I, 107th Infantry."
"I am proud to be the Chaplain of this 107th Infantry," said the Chaplain. "What is the meaning of this memorial way down here in Spartanburg?"
Then came the story of the Regiment's stay there and a vivid picture of all that part of war preparation which had centered both in the camp and at the Church of the Advent. The rector had made his church and parish house centers not only of spiritual ministrations but of a fine hospitality. All through the story were memories of contacts with officers and men of the 7th.
Sergeant Clayton was an Episcopalian and on the arrival of the Regiment in Spartanburg joined the choir of the church and took an active part in its activities through all of the period during which the 27th Division was in Camp Wadsworth. Sergeant Clayton's death has been followed by an unbroken series of incidents born of the fact that he had learned to love the place. His mother not only has presented permanent memorials, but at Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving has provided beautiful flowers for the altar, filling the brass vases which are numbered among her gifts.
"Another memorial to a member of your Regiment," said Mr. Pendleton, "is a handsome silk flag in memory of Charles W. Rowe, Jr., who was also a member of Company I, 107th Infantry. The flag was presented as a memorial by the father of this soldier who was
WELCOME HOME ( SAMURA 12ANDERE:) CART. A.M. MORRIS #
Dinner to Captain Alfred M. Morris, June 1932
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THE FIRST HUNDRED YEARS OF COMPANY I
one of the first members of the Division to die during its stay in Spartanburg. He was buried with full military honors from this church on December 9, 1917, the service being conducted by the Chaplain, Major W. E. McCord, and myself."
1932
CAPTAIN MORRIS WINS A COURSE AT THE INFANTRY SCHOOL AND A STAR GAUGE RIFLE
On Wednesday, February 17, a "temporary" farewell dinner was given for Captain Morris by the actives in view of his three months' attendance at the Infantry School at Fort Benning, Georgia. Sodapop was served both before and after the dinner (and during it, come to think) and afterwards Sergeant N. Smith, in a very touching speech, presented a dozen golf balls to the Captain. Probably so that he could still be "on the ball" while he is away as much as he is at home.
The week before Captain Morris's departure for points South, he received, on behalf of the Company, a Star Gauge Rifle from Captain Frank Gould who represented the Ninth Company Veterans. Captain Gould, in a very inter-
Riverside Drive, Decoration Day, 1932 Company I passing in review
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1930-1938
esting talk, told of competitive shooting in the old days and, incidentally, of the yet-to-be-beaten mark of 626 rung up by the Ninth Company in the Abeel Trophy Match. He also said that a Star Gauge Rifle was to be an annual prize from now on donated by the Veterans to the Actives of "I" Company for the purpose of bringing "I" to the front again in inter-company rifle matches.
The Appleton Memorial Mess, on March 19, was the scene of the Ninth Com- pany Veterans' dinner. It was one of the finest, most hilarious affairs ever held by the Vets, and that statement goes a long way back. Thirty-one of our actives were present and some eighty veterans, and the actives haven't gotten over talk- ing about what a fine affair it was, and what a great bunch of veterans we have.
Our beloved Major Landon was toastmaster, and just to show his versatility, he personally led a snake dance, in which everybody joined, around the room banging out the old Company I song, "Toujours Pret," on a big bass drum. The guests of honor included Colonel Tobin, that grand old veteran, Francis N. Howland (who enlisted in "1865"), the enthusiastic dinner committee- George P. Nichols, Charles A. Slosson and Francis L. Gould, Van F. Pruitt, J. Hageman Foster, our more recent ex-Captains Phil Garey and "Tip" John- son, and last but not least, our well known artist and teller of "good stories," Gordon Grant, who was responsible for the cover design of our attractive menu, reproduced below :
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