RETURN OF MARINES FROM EUROPE—PARADES IN THE UNITED STATES.
RETURN OF SECOND DIVISION AND FOURTH BRIGADE.
A great many Marines were returned from Europe gradually and in small
detachments from the date the armistice became operative.
The commanding general of the Second Division and his staff,
headquarters of the Fourth Brigade, the Fifth Regiment, and the
Second Battalion of the Sixth Regiment arrived in the United States
on board the _George Washington_ on August 3, 1919; the remainder
of the Sixth Regiment arrived in the United States early in August,
1919, on board the _Rinjdam_ and the _Wilhelmina_; the Sixth Machine
Gun Battalion arrived in the United States on board the _Santa Paula_
on August 5, 1919.
RETURN OF THE FIFTH BRIGADE.
The Fifth Brigade Headquarters, the Thirteenth Regiment (less Company
B), and the Fifth Brigade Machine Gun Battalion arrived in the United
States on board the _Siboney_ on August 8, 1919. Company B of the
Thirteenth Regiment arrived on the _Mercury_ on August 12, 1919. The
Eleventh Regiment arrived in the United States on board the _Orizaba_
on August 9, 1919.
All the above Marine organizations and individuals were returned to
the naval service soon after arrival in the United States.
COMPOSITE REGIMENT, THIRD ARMY.
The company of Marines and battalion commander (major) and staff,
forming a part of the Composite Regiment, Third Army, returned to the
United States on board the _Leviathan_ on September 8, 1919, and were
returned to the naval service in September, 1919.
The colonel commanding the Composite Regiment in a letter dated
September 21, 1919, commended the battalion commander and staff, the
commanding officer of the company, and “the lieutenants for their
loyalty and attention to details, and noncommissioned officers and
men for their soldierly appearance, high standard of morale, and
discipline,” concluding with these words:
The Composite Regiment paraded as escort to the general of the
Army, in London, Paris, New York, and Washington, D. C. The
regiment has been favorably commended. This is entirely due to
the loyalty, energy, and attention to duty of the officers and
individual soldiers in the regiment; and in this the Marine Corps
representatives deserve a large share.
SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN BATTALION.
With the return of the above Marine organizations, all Marines
of the American Expeditionary Forces were out of Europe with the
exception of a few individuals, and the Fifteenth Separate Battalion,
consisting of 26 officers and about 700 enlisted men, which was
retained for duty in France for possible operations in connection
with the Schleswig-Holstein plebiscite.
This battalion, under command of Maj. Charles F. B. Price, was
organized at Pontanezen Camp, Brest, in July, 1919, from personnel
of the Fourth and Fifth Brigades and the Twelfth Separate Battalion.
The battalion designation was changed on August 15 from “Provisional
Battalion, U. S. Marines,” to the “Fifteenth Separate Battalion.”
The Battalion rendered honors to Gen. Pershing on September 1,
1919, upon his departure from France at Brest and on the same day
was inspected by Marshal Foch, who commended the Battalion on its
splendid appearance.
Leaving Brest on the _Mercury_, September 3, 1919, the Battalion
six days later arrived at Bordeaux to take part in the ceremony of
laying a foundation for a monument commemorating the entrance of the
United States into the World War, at Pointe de Grave, near Bordeaux,
France. It then returned to Brest and in December went on board the
_Henderson_, then at that port. The _Henderson_, with the Battalion
on board, sailed from Brest, arriving at Philadelphia on December
23, 1919, after a 16-day trip. On December 30, 1919, the battalion
arrived at Quantico, Va.
RETURN OF AVIATION UNITS.
Information regarding the return of Marine Corps aviation units from
Europe will be found in chapter XXI.
PARADES IN THE UNITED STATES.
On August 8, 1919, the Fourth Brigade, as a part of the Second
Division, paraded in New York City. Maj. Gen. John A. Lejeune, with
many Marine officers on his staff, was in command.
On August 8, 1919, the Fourth Brigade of Marines was transferred to
the naval service upon its arrival at Quantico, Va.
On August 12, 1919, the Fourth Brigade of Marines, then a part of the
naval service, was reviewed by the President of the United States in
a parade at Washington, D. C. Brig. Gen. Wendell C. Neville was in
command.
A company of Marines and a battalion commander, as a part of the
Third Army Composite Regiment, paraded in New York and in Washington,
D. C., as escort to Gen. Pershing. The First Division also formed a
part of these parades.