Sewickley Herald

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The Herald
The Sewickley Valley's Home News Weekly
Vol. 34.   No. 45.
SEWICKLEY, PA., THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1940
Price 5 Cents
LIETJT.-COL. CHARLES IRA MURRAY
Sewickley Man's Distinguished Service
in XT. S. Marine Corps
'Walla Walla' is n magazine-form
weekly news review 'Of The Men, By
The Men, For The Men,' published by
the Fourth Marines, TJ. S. Marine Corps,
at Shanghai, China.    In its July, 1040,
issup, it published the following article
sketching the distinguished record of
Sowieklcy-horn Lieut-Col. Charles Ira
Murray, Regimental Executive Officer
of the detachment stationed there, under thc heading—
Who's Who on Asiatic  Station
Lt.-Col. Charles I. Murray
Lieutenant Colonel Charles I. Murray, Executive Officer of the Fourth
Marines, has had a long and varied
career in the Corps. Entering the Marine Corps from civil life on 21 May,
1917, when he accepted his commission,
he went overseas with ithe 6th Regiment, Marine Brigade, Second Division.
He was wounded in action during the
attack on Bouresehe, for which he was
awarded the Order of the Purple Heart.
He was cited in Army General Order
No. 12(i, dated December, 191S, and
was awarded the Distinguished Service
Cross and the Navy Cross.
Returning to tlie United States alter
the War, Lieutenant Colonel Murray
served for some time as Aide to the
Major General Commandant. While
serving as junior Presidential Aide to
President AVilson he was assigned to
duty as Aide-de-Camp -to Albert, King
of the Belgians, and as Aide-de-Camp
to the Prince of Wales, on the occasion
of their visits to tlio United States in
1919. For his services to the Monarch
of Belgium, King Albert bestowed upon
Lieutenant Colonel Murray the decoration of Chevalier de l'Orde -tie Leopold
TI.
Upon completion of his duties In
Washington, Lieutenant Colonel (then
Captain) Murray was assigned to the
Department of tho Pacific where Iio
acted ns Aide-de-Camp to the Commanding  General.
From October 14, 102-3, to June 30,
302-1, he was on board the USS Oklahoma as commanding officer of the
Marino Detachment of that vessel.
While serving with the Garde d'Haiti
from 1028 to 1031, Lieutenant Colonel
Murray was assigned duty as Chief of
Police-,   Military   Department   of   Port
an Prince. For this duty he was awarded the Haitian Distinguished Cross and
the Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal.
After graduation from the Marine
Corps Field Officers' School in 1032,
he was ordered to duty as the senior
Marine Officer at the United States
Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland,
during which time Rear Admiral Thomas O. Hart (now CinC, Asiatic Fleet)
was Superintendent of that institution.
On May 31, 1935, he reported for
duty with the Fleet Marine Force,
Marine Barracks, Quantico, Virginia,
and was assigned to duty as the Assistant Chief of Staff of that organization.
He served as Assistant Chief of Stall"
of the Fleet Marine Force until Juno
30, 1037, when he returned to the Department of the Pacific, San Francisco,
California, where he was Assistant
Chief of Staff at Headquarters until
23 March, 103S.
On 23 March, 3938, Lieutenant Colonel Murray was detached from the
DofP, and ordered to the Island of
Guam whero he assumed the duties of
Commanding Officer, Marine Barracks,
at that Naval Station.
In June, 1039, he was detached, from
Naval Station, Guam, M. I., and ordered
to Shanghai for duty. Reporting for
duty here he was assigned duty as
Regimental Executive Officer under
Colonel J. C. Fegan.
During the interval between the departure of Colonel Fegan and the arrival of his relief, Colonel Peck, Lieu-
tenanit Colonel Murray was Regimental
Commander. Upon the arrival of Colonel Peck, Lieutenant Colonel Murray
was again assigned duty as Regimental
Executive Officer.
Lieutenant Colonel Murray holds the
following awards and decorations: the
Distinguished Service Cross; the Navy
Cross; the Victory Medal with three
stars; the Order of the Purple Heart;
Chevalier de l'Ordre de Leopold II;
Haitian Distinguished Service Cross;
Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal. He
is also entitled to wear the French
fourrngere   which   was   bestowed  upon
members of thp (itli Marines.    A summary of his promotions:
First Lieutenant, May 22, 1917; Captain, July 1, 1918; Major, February 1*,
1033; Lieutenant Colonel, October I,
103.1. Selected for promotion to Colonel, December 1, 1030.
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Captain Murray in the 'Other War'
RED CROSS CANTEENS
Aid Air Raid Victims In London
A graphic description of mobile canteen units rushing to the scene of London's nightly air raid bombings to feed
the victims and tho firemen, police and
Air Raid Precaution workers, is given
in a letter from Lady Stella Reading,
Chairman of the AVomen's Voluntary
Servicos for Civil Defense, received by
Chairman Norman H. Davis, of tho
American  Red Cross.
The canteen units, each containing
eight motor cars, wero furnished by
the American Red Cross upon a cabled
request from Lady Reading who reported the W. V, S, was "besieged with
requests to feed tho homeless and fcho
workers" following raids which in ono
night hit 24 out of 28 London boroughs. Tho units were purchased in
London.
Lady Reading's letter, written during the heaviest September air raids,
follows:
"Dear Mr. Davis:
"It is difficult in writing to express
to you exactly what W. V, S. feel about
tho stupendous gift of 12 Mobile Canteen Units. I should like, to step into
tho Clipper and come and paint you
n picture  of the  work of the  Mobile
Canteens and broadcast to the American- people exactly what this gift means
to Britain. However, as this is not
possible, you must bear with a totally
inadequate account of what is being
done by the Mobile Canteen Units.
"Some months ago when the influx
of refugees from Holland, Belgium and
Franco took place, Mobile, Canteens
wero badly needed to food these people
at their port of arrival and again at
their terminus station, 'It was good
to seo the faces of those unfortunate
people light Up when given refreshment.
They seemed to realize at once the
friendly reception which the language
of the tea or coffee unti gave them,
which was perhaps the only method of
approach when interpreters were not
always available, Now that the refugees are settled, the scone changes and
we have crowds of our own homeless
people/ whose houses have boon bombed
or who have had to bo evacuated from
their homos owing to the presence of
a time bomb nearby which might explode at any moment. The glorious
hot tea, sandwiches and buns which
aro provided ou these occasions arc
extremely welcome, ns you can imagine,
"When gns is off, electricity interfered with, it becomes impossible to
cook or even boil water for the Britisher's beloved cup of ten.   This surely
is a tragedy in itself, and though to
the comfortable, warm and well fed it
• sounds a minor thing, to those hard
pressed, bombed, cold and miserable
folk, it is an added hardship to bo unable to get a hot drink. The Air Raid
Precaution personnel, magnificent and
efficient, need to be sustained physically and again thc Mobile Canteen is invaluable in going around and feeding
and comforting these gallant  workers.
"Our W, A7. S. girls havo been out
on those canteens during raids and
when these get too hot, thoy just got
under the Canteen until things aro calmer, then proceed calmly on their way
to post after post of A. R, P., First Aid,
and Demolition Parties, etc. The Street
Wardens and Police come in for this
feeding too, and right glad thoy ore
to have it. Their lonely vigil, full of
danger and responsibility, is continually lightened by the thought of refreshment coming just when they may
feel life is rather too grim and earnest.
"After severe bombing at Ramsgato
for instance, 000 people wore rendered
homeless and took shelter in the underground tunnels which had boon provided for this contingency. Mobile. Canteens came into their own with a vengeance and were sent from nearby towns
to carry ou the difficult work of feeding and supplying hot drinks, as bho
local supply of gas had been blown up,
the big local grocery stores had boon
completely wiped out by a bomb and
the electric supply had been cut.
"Perhaps you can visualize for yourselves what a Godsend, these. Canteens
aro being to hundreds of our people,
without thorn I frankly do mot know
how the vital services could have carried on. Their efficiency has been increased 100 per cent by your noble
gift. We thank you from, the bottom
of our hearts and beg you to pass on
our gratitude and appreciation for your
practical  thoughtfulness.
"It is indeed good news to hoar your
American women volunteer workers aro
undertaking the woolen garments which
we so badly need, and I know I can
assure you that we aro most grateful
for this further evidence of your avoii-
derful interest iu relief work in this
country.
"As you have been seeing iu tho
papers, wo havo boon taking a pretty
good gruelling for the last few days
and it is immensely interesting to seo
how fore-thought is putting us into a
position to alleviate suffering quickly.
Tho stores of clothing that had boon
assembled, tho food and rest shelters
which had been prepared havo all come
r'.-l
(Continued on Pago 0)
'if'
*i.i..;'l
ONLY EIGHTEEN DAYS TO THAT IMPORTANT ELECTION ON NOVEMBER FIFTH