Absalom
SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
Just a historical curiosity I had not heard about before this anniversary:
A hundred years ago, on July 7, 1919, an Army convoy of almost 100 vehicles set off from the White House to drive across the continent to San Francisco, reaching the goal on Sept. 6 after various adventures. It was basically a War Department publicity stunt. You can find the details on the internet.
Along was a 28-year-old Lt. Col. Dwight Eisenhower. To quote from an article in the WaPo about the expedition:
"Some of the chaos was deliberately engineered mischief. One evening in Wyoming, Eisenhower convinced the soldiers that their camp was vulnerable to attack by Native American warriors.
"Sentinels were posted that evening," according to one biographer, "while Ike and his friend took concealed positions outside the perimeter and exchanged warrior yelps in the best tradition of the Old West." After an overeager soldier discharged his weapon, a report of "hostile Indians" was dispatched to the War Department, before Eisenhower intercepted the messenger "faster than any vehicle in the convoy."
(Photo credit: Eisenhower Presidential Library)
A hundred years ago, on July 7, 1919, an Army convoy of almost 100 vehicles set off from the White House to drive across the continent to San Francisco, reaching the goal on Sept. 6 after various adventures. It was basically a War Department publicity stunt. You can find the details on the internet.
Along was a 28-year-old Lt. Col. Dwight Eisenhower. To quote from an article in the WaPo about the expedition:
"Some of the chaos was deliberately engineered mischief. One evening in Wyoming, Eisenhower convinced the soldiers that their camp was vulnerable to attack by Native American warriors.
"Sentinels were posted that evening," according to one biographer, "while Ike and his friend took concealed positions outside the perimeter and exchanged warrior yelps in the best tradition of the Old West." After an overeager soldier discharged his weapon, a report of "hostile Indians" was dispatched to the War Department, before Eisenhower intercepted the messenger "faster than any vehicle in the convoy."
(Photo credit: Eisenhower Presidential Library)
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