Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 303, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 December 1918 — VETERAN MARINE ALTHOUGH BUT 18 [ARTICLE]

VETERAN MARINE ALTHOUGH BUT 18

Youth Who Fought at Chateau* Thierry Witt Enter Naval Academy. ENLISTED WHEN ONLY 16 ■ ■ Carried His Full-Burden of Campaign and Actual Combat While He Was 17—More Veterans Will Probably Be Named. Annapolis, Md.-—A youth who was in the very thick of the fighting around Chateau-Thlerry and Beileau Wood and passed a year ~nbr<W as a United States marine has obtained an appointment for the naval academy and Is in Annapolis preparing for his entrance examinations next spring. He is Arthur C. Heller, son of C. Arthur -Heller, an attorney of Newark, N. 3„ and is now a student at a naval preparatory school here. Young Heller is a most modest youth and declines to say anything about his exploits. He wishes only tn pass his examinations for the academy and to enter as any other youth, working hard for advancement through the different classes, and finally to win a-, commission In the navy. He was loath to accept, the appointment, which was obtained without solicitation on his part, as he wished to stay abroad until the end of the war. H« was with the very first troops that went to France with Pershing. He was cited in the debates In congress upon the question of lowering the draft age as an example-of what a very young man could accomplish, for Heller enlisted In the marine corps when he was only sixteen and has Just reached eighteen. Consequently he carried his full burden of campaign and actual combat while he was seventeen. It was argued from his case that the best kind of fighting cotfid he done by American youths between the ages of eighteen and twenty-one. Heller will try for the academy by virtue of a regular congressional appointment. There are quite a number of other service men in Annapolis also preparing for the entrance examinations next spring, young men who have

been In army training camps and others from various branches of the naval service. They have been given furloughs In order to prepare for the naval academy. More Veteranato Be Named. / So far as Unknown none bpt Heller has had actual battle experience, but doubtless there will be a number of others before the next class is formed. These will come from two sources. Members of congress will take this opportunity of rewarding worthy youths of their own district who have done creditable work in the service, and are still of the right age. Undoubtedly Secretary Daniels will be able to designate the full quota of a hundred youths from the enlisted personnel of the navy and marine corps, which the law permits to enter each new class at the academy. This year, though the law has been in effect only a little over a year, more than fifty were designated by the secretary. It was said that one reason why the quota was not foil was that many of the young men in the service refused to leave active duty while there was a chance of meeting Germany either on land or sea. Many. of these spirited fellows will be designated for the next class. Many well-educated youths entered the navy and marine corps for the pur- . pose of getting into the thick of it, and are still of the proper age, that is. below twenty. Any of these can aspire to an appointment to the naval academy through designation by the secretary of the navy. 1 «