The upper Cape Fear and Sandhills country celebrated the Fourth of July at Fort Bragg today, making it one of the most elaborate and meritorious observes of the National holiday that has ever been held in this State.
The climax of the day came with the closing daylong feature when 4,000 troops of the garrison, including 1,200 members of the Citizens Military Training Camp and 200 students of the Reserve Officers Training Corps, assembled on the parade ground for the Defense Day exercises and were addressed by Hon. William N. Everett, Secretary of State. Under an intensely hot sun, Secretary Everett spoke briefly but took time to pay his respects to National and State parsimony. Speaking “in all seriousness and measuring my words,” he said, “I want to say to you young men that I am unable to become enthusiastic over a policy of economy and retrogression that denies to organizations like yours the funds necessary to carry on their great work.” And as the crowd applauded heartily, he added, “neither am I able to evince any enthusiasm over a narrowing state policy that would cramp the work of our State government.
Mr. Everett was introduced by General Bowley. The secretary congratulated the citizen-soldiers on the possession of a privilege that was not in existence when he was a boy, that of coming to a great military post like Fort Bragg and receiving the inestimable benefit of its training and patriotism. Throughout, his speech was happily conceived and well received, and followed by an inspiring spectacle.
As the 4,000 troops marched on the field, they presented a sight thoroughly in keeping with the glorious heritage of the day and one that gave a worthwhile thrill to every patriotic American present. The invocation being delivered by Chaplain Zimmerman, General Bowley administered the oath of enrollment to the trainers and they became members of the United States army. Then in less than 20 words impressively spoken, General Bowley presented its colors to the C.M.T.C. and then from its position among the regimental colors, the standards of ancient and famous regiments, covered with battle streamers, and the line of fluttering guerdons, the colors of the youngest of America’s defenders were brought forward and were accepted by their color guard.
The morning events consisted of special exercises in the C.M.T.C. are during which addresses were made by General Bowley, and Lieut. Colonel George K. Freeman of Goldsboro, followed by the annual track and field meet. At noon the National salute of 48 guns was fired by the second field artillery and the post flag was raised to the top of the new staff at Trophy point.
Following the noon hour came one of the most interesting events of the day, the demonstration of aerial adjustment of artillery fire by radio telephone control. This the most advanced phase of supermodern warfare developed since the World War, was demonstrated by field guns firing blank shells under the direction of an airplane observer whose instructions were transmitted to the gunners by radio and telephone and were made audible to the beholders by loud speakers.
In the athletic events, the Fort Bragg polo team won a beautifully played game from the crack Sandhills Polo Club of Pinehurst. The score was 6 to 5.
The annual baseball game between the Fifth and Seventeenth regimental teams was won by the Fifth, 4 to 3, and the Thirty-fourth Ordinance defeated the team from Cloverdale. A concern was given at 3:30 by the Fifth Field Artillery band, which also played selections during the defense day exercises.
From page 3 of The Sandhill Citizen, Southern Pines, N.C., July 10, 1925. J.F. Morris, Managing Editor, and Hiram Westbrook, City Editor
newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn92061634/1925-07-10/ed-1/seq-3/