PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP69B00369R000200300011-9
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 11, 2004
• Sequence Number: 11
• Publication Date: June 21, 1967
• Content Type: OPEN

Approved For Release 2004/05/25 : CIA-RDP69B00369R000200300011-9
1117648 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - HOUSE June 21, 1967
After Aitape, the 31st made its way through
Japanese-held territory, Hollandia, Toem,
Wakde Island, Maffin Bay were all areas where
the 31st went on its trampings in the jungle
in search of the Japanese. The division con-
tinued to move forward.
After the conquest of New Guinea (where
all three regiments earned campaign stream-
ers) the next stop for the 31st was the
Philippines.
The Philippine Islands were Gen. Mac-
Arthur's next objective. The general had
said, "I shall return," and he meant to keep
his word.
The old warriors were back together
again-the firm and stern MacArthur and
the Alabamians.
For the return to the Philippines an air
base was needed. Intelligence reports dis-
closed that the Japanese had begun con-
struction of an airstrip on the island of
Morotai. In September 1944, the 31st, made
up of the 124th, 155th and 167th Infantry
Regiments, took the island with light resist-
ance from the Japanese. Gen. MacArthur had
the island for his needed airstrip.
In April 1945, the 31st played a major role
in the liberation of the second largest island
in the Philippines, Mindanao. The island was
taken, but total Japanese resistance did not
cease after the island had been secured. The
31st Division was assigned to remedy this.
Again the men of the Dixie took to the hot,
muggy, swamps and insect infested jungles.
World War II service cost the 31st Divi-
sion 1,709 casualties. Its record, however,
speaks for itself. The Dixie killed 7,346 Jap-
anese soldiers, captured 22,405 military
prisoners, and took 11,918 Japanese civilians
prisoner on the islands which it secured.
Campaign streamers for World War II
service include: Southern Philippines, 124th
Regiment and 155th; Western Pacific and
Southern Philippines for the 167th. All three
regiments earned New Guinea streamers.
One member of the Dixie Division, Cpl.
Harry R. Harr, Company D, 124th Regiment,
earned posthumously the Medal of Honor on
June 5, 1945, near Maglamin, Mindanao, the
Philippine Islands.
A fierce counterattack by Japanese infan-
trymen was launched against Harr's machine
gun position. A grenade landed in the ma-
chine gun emplacement, putting the weapon
out of action and wounding two of the crew.
As the men tried to repair the weapon, an-
other grenade landed in the crowded em-
placement. Harr realized quickly that he
could not throw the grenade before it ex-
ploded.
Unhesitatingly he covered the grenade with
his body to smother the explosion. He gave
his life so four of his comrades could live.
Most of the Dixie Division came home and
was deactivated at Camp Stoneman, Cali-
fornia, on Dec. 12, 1945. The regiments were
then returned to the. state for National
Guard duty.
The announced planned enrollment of two
Negroes as students into the University of
Alabama at the main campus in Tuscaloosa
brought the 31st Division out under orders
from Gov. George Wallace. The time was
June 1963. Gov. Wallace tried to block the
admission by using the Dixie Division.
President John F. Kennedy issued Execu.-
tive Order No. 11,111 federalizing the Dixie
Division. With the stroke of a pen, the troops
found themselves under federal command
and on opposite sides of the fence.
With the federalization of the Alabama
National Guard, the admission of James A.
Hood and Vivian Malone as students pro-
ceeded quietly. Most of the Dixie guardsmen
were released from federal service after five
days. Some stayed longer. While at the Uni-
versity, the troops were under the command
of Maj. Gen. Alfred Harrison.
To prevent the integration of public
schools in Birmingham, Mobile and Tuskegee,
Gov. Wallace again called out the Dixie
Division in September 1963. Once again
President Kennedy federalized the guards-
men and removed them from the governor's
control. The desegregation proceeded quietly,
On March 20, 1965, the 31st again heard
the federalization call. This time it was from
President Lyndon B. Johnson. The President
did so in order to protect the participants
of the planned Selma-Montgomery march.
Gov. George Wallace had said that he did
not have the men at his disposal to ade-
quately protect the marchers.
The march, led by Dr. Martin Luther King,
began on March 24. It was accompanied by
some 4,000 Dixie Division troops under the
command of Brig. Henry Graham, the pres-
ent assistant commander of the Dixie.
The citizen-soldiers have come a long way
since their first use in the American Revolu-
tion. The members of the 31st Infantry
"Dixie" Division have a proud heritage. They
have shown themselves to be up to any task,
be it in war or peace.
The 31st Infantry Division, a pride of
Dixie, was born during the fear and closeness
of war. It survived that war and the next
one.
Now, in a troubled peace, the Dixie may
PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST
introduced a concurrent resolution which
if adopted by the House and concurred
in by the Senate would advise the Presi-
dent of the sense of Congress with regard
to obtaining a just and lasting peace in
the Middle East. I recognize that my col-
league, the gentleman from Ohio,
CHARLES WHALEN, and a number of other
Members have introduced resolutions
which differ only slightly from mine.
Accordingly, I take no special pride of
authorship in the form of my resolution.
I also note that the proposals being made
by Ambassador' Goldberg on behalf of
the United States at the United Nations
are in many respects parallel to the pro-
posals in the resolution.
It is important that Congress, at the
earliest possible date, take up considera-
tion of the principles which should gov-
ern our position with regard to a Mid-
dle East settlement. By doing so, we can
give backing to the President and help in
forming a firm and united position on
the part of the American people, some-
thing that may well be essential to giv-
ing full impact to the American position
in international councils.
I therefore urge that the House Com-
mittee on Foreign Affairs take up with-
out delay this resolution and other simi-
lar resolutions and that action be taken
upon them. Delay only adds confusion to
the situation.
UPWARD BOUND PROGRAM EVAL-
UATED FAVORABLY BY OKLA-
HOMA BAPTIST TRUSTEES
Mr. STEED. Mr. Speaker, the Upward
Bound program is one of the phases of
the activities of the Office of Economic
Opportunity thus far relatively little
known to the public.
The Headstart program for pre-
school-age youngsters has received wide-
spread acclaim. Upward Bound aims to
achieve similar goals with high school
juniors and seniors. It takes young peo-
ple from this age group with college
potential undeveloped because of a dis-
advantaged background, and seeks to
prepare them for college work.
A year ago some 100 young people
from 23 high schools in central Okla-
homa took part in a program coordi-
nated at Oklahoma Baptist University,
Shawnee.
A few weeks ago I wrote the trustees
of the university to ask their opinion of
Upward Bound and whether they feel it
is functioning effectively and is worthy
of implementation. Without exception
those who replied feel this program is
worth continuing.
On the basis of testimony like this,
coming from other institutions in my
district as well, I believe that Upward
Bound, properly implemented, shows
promise of paying off manifold in fu-
ture increased earning power for the
relatively modest investment it requires.
DEAR REPRESENTATIVE STEED: Thank you
for your letter giving me an opportunity to
evaluate the Upward Bound Program as it
was performed at O.B.U. last year. I am sure
that you probably have some of the facts
and results of progress that are more
thorough than my assessment would be, but
here goes anyway. I was preacher for the
summer school for preachers on the campus
at O.B.U. one week last summer and had an
opportunity to observe the work for a few
days. The young people seem to be well ad-
justed to the situation and making real
progress. Everything seemed to go fine be-
tween the school and the boys and girls. I
have talked with some of the faculty since
that time and they seem to think that it
was a real success.
I received a report from the Head Start
Program from Sargent Shriver's office and it
was phenomenal in the help that was ren-
dered, it appeared to me. He pointed out
that eighty per cent of the high school sen-
iors in Upward Bound continued their edu-
cation with seventy-eight per cent going on
to college. The rate of this population going
on to college ordinarily was eight percent.
Furthermore only twelve per cent of these
Upward Bound Alumni dropped out during
their freshman year of college. This seems to
be less than half the customary college drop-
out rate for such students. According to his
report of the nineteen thousand students
enrolled in the Upward Bound Program at
the beginning of last summer 91.6 per cent
entered the academic phase of the program
in the fall of 1966. I know this is a total re-
port of the Upward Bound Program across
the nation but I would assume O.B.U.'s part
in the program was comparable to that In
other places. I am enthusiastically in favor
of continuing this program and I believe it
is a great help to the very potential dropout
students that need it and that we need to
help.
Thank you so much for writing. I trust
that these remarks will be of some small
value.
Sincerely yours,
ROBERT L. CARGILL,
Pastor, First Baptist Church.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLA.
DEAR MR. STEED: You wrote a few days ago
to inquire concerning the Upward Bound
program and its effectiveness at Oklahoma
Baptist University. The only information I
have is what has been passed on to us in
trustee meetings by the administration at
the school, along with some few comments
from outsiders, My impressions from these
two sources are good. I had occasion to talk
with one Negro lady whose son was involved
in it and she was very complimentary and
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 Approved For Release 2004/05/25 : CIA-RDP69B00369R000200300011-9
June 21, 1967 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD -HOUSE
The 155th Infantry Regiment proudly
bears the campaign streamers "Florida" and
"New Orleans" for this service.
The 1st Mississippi Infantry Regiment
(Mississippi Rifles), under the command of
0o1. Jefferson Davis, entered federal service
in June 1846 to fight against the Mexicans.
Davis resigned from the U.S. House of Repre-
sentatives to take command of the regiment.
Serving under the command of Gen. Zachary
Taylor, Col. Davis proved himself a hero at
the Battle of Monterey (September 1846) and
at the Battle of Buena Vista (Feb. 22, 1847).
Col. Davis and the 1st Mississippi Infantry
saved Gen. Taylor at Buena Vista. Using a
V-formation in deploying his troops, Davis
rallied the Americans. This tactic made even
the military of Europe sit up and take notice.
It was also at Buena Vista that Davis said,
"Stand fast, Mississippians," when the other
troops were beginning to fall back under the
Mexican attack. Today "Stand Fast" is the
motto of the 155th Infantry Regiment.
For its distinguished service, the 155th
carries campaign streamers inscribed "Monte-
rey" and "Buena Vista"
For almost 20 years things were quiet. The
birth of a nation saw the regiment once again
march off to war. As the 1st Regiment of
Infantry, the Army of Mississippi, the 155th
entered Confederate service on Sept. 10, 1881.
The regiment's deployment during the
Civil War can easily be seen by the campaign
streamers It won. "Henry and Donelson,"
"Mississippi River," "Franklin," "Nashville"
and "North Carolina, 1865."
During the course of the war, the regiment
was reorganized twice, the last time'as the
22nd Mississippi Infantry. It surrendered on
April 26, 1865, near Durham Station, N,C. It
was pardoned at Greensboro and allowed to
return home.
Reorganization of the regiment took place
in 1876. It became part of the Mississippi
Militia. The name was changed to Mississippi
National Guard on March 3, 1888.
Drafted into federal service Aug. 5, 1917,
as the war clouds from Europe reached the
United States, the regiment was redesig-
nated the 155th Infantry and assigned to
service with the 39th (Louisiana and Arkan-
sas National Guard) Infantry Division.
Another regiment that has fought with
the 31st Division is the 167th Infantry. It
traces its history back to 1836, when it was
organized as a regiment of Alabama militia
under the command of Col. William Chis-
olm. It served with distinction during the
war against the Seminoles, and carries a
campaign streamer for this service.
During the next 25 years, the regiment or
parts of it was mustered into federal service
for short periods. Otherwise, the regiment
served as independent militia companies in
the central part of the state,
Reorganized as part of the 4th Alabama
Infantry Regiment, the 167th was mustered
into Confederate service on May 2, 1861, at
Dalton, Ga.
The campaign streamers, 13 of them, tes-
tify to the journey of the regiment during
the four years. Bull Run ... Peninsula ...
Manassas , . . Antietam ... Fredericksburg
Chancellorsville . Gettysburg .
under Gen. James Longstreet at the battle
of Chickamauga . the Wilderness
Spotsylvania . Cold Harbor (where the
regiment lost 108 men killed of 500 engaged)
Petersburg ... and finally Appomattox.
The regiment surrendered, as part of Gen.
W. F. Perry's brigade, with the Army of
Northern Virginia under Gen. Robert E. Lee,
at Appomattox Court House, Va., on April 9,
1865.
it was not until 1875 that the regiment
was reorganized as the 1st Regiment of In-
fantry from existing independent militia
companies. The units were the Montgomery
Greys, the Governor's Guard (Montgomery),
Selma Guard, Greenville Light Guards, the
Conecuh Guards, Troy Light Guards, the
Bullock Guards (Union Springs), Eufaula
Rifles, Birmingham Rifles, the Lee Light In-
fantry (Opelika), Gainesville Rifles and the
Tuskegee Light Infantry.
Further reorganization and redesignation
broke some of the detachments of the 167th
(4th Alabama) into the 200th Infantry Regi-
ment. Both served with the Dixio Division
during World War II and are still part of the
division now,
Other units of the 167th became part of
of the Alabama State Troops in 1877. The
Alabama Na4tonaI Guard was established
Feb. 18, 1897, when the State Troops were
redesignated.
Through several more reorganizations and
redesignations the regiment once again be-
came the 4th Alabama on July 15, 1911.
The 4th Alabama entered federal service
Aug. 5, 1917. Ten days later it was redesig-
nated the 167th Infantry Regiment and as-
signed to the 42nd "Rainbow" Division In-
fantry.
The 167th was under the commend of Col.
(later Brig. Gen.) William P. Screws-the
nephew of the one-time Montgomery Ad-
vertiser publisher-editor William Wallace
Screws-was one of the first American regi-
ments to be put into the line in France
after the arrival of the American Expedition-
ary Force in Europe.
The chief of staff of the 42nd "Rainbow"
Infantry Division was Col. Douglas Mac-
Arthur. It was the first time the Alabamians
fought under the hard officer. The next time
would be almost around the world, In the
steaming jungles of the Pacific. The enemy
would be different, the division would be the
Dixie, and the colonel would have become the
General of the Army. The result, however,
was the same. They won.
The trek of the 167th Infantry through
France was a long one. The men from the
hills and forests and cotton fields fought well
on the often muddy soil of France.
"We Shall Drive Forward" is the motto of
the 167th. It did and with` valor. The cam-
paign streamers with the names of France
such as Champagne-Marne ... Aisne-Marne
. Lorraine. St Mihiel ... Champagne . .
Meuse-Argonne ... embroidered upon them
testify to the fact.
One soldier of the 167th brought glory
upon himself and the regiment. He was Cpl.
Sidney E. Manning, Company G. The date
was July 26, 1918, and the place was near
Breuvannes, France.
After his platoon commander and platoon
sergeant became casualties in assaulting the
fortified heights on the Oureq River, Mann-
ing took command of the platoon. He was
severely wounded but led 35 remaining pla-
toon members and succeeded in gaining a
foothold on the enemy's position.
Manning was wounded several more times,
and only seven men of the platoon remained.
By automatic rifle fire, Cpl. Manning held
off the enemy while directing the consolida-
tion of the position. He did not seek cover
until his line was consolidated with the
platoon in front of his own. Here he dragged
himself to shelter, suffering from nine
wounds in all parts of his body.
For his gallantry and intrepidity above
and beyond the call of duty, Cpl. Sidney E.
Manning was awarded the Medal of Monor,
this nation's highest decoration.
Dubbed "lea tigres" (the Tigers) by the
French, the 167th first had encountered the
enemy on Feb. 18, 1918. The meeting was not
a pleasant one. A German airplane dropped a
bomb on the regimental headquartersI
The first man-to-man combat encountered
the 167th had came 10 days later.
The 167th scored a "first" during World
War I. It has the distinction and honor of
being the first American unit to knock down
an airplane by rifle fire. The teat was ac-
complished by a private, Brock Hill, on April
28, 1918,
H 7647
Perhaps in repayment for the bombing of
the headquarters.
The shield of the regiment shows a bend
archy In the colors of the rainbow (to denote
its service with the 42nd Division), five
fluer-de-lis (for the five major campaigns in
which the regiment was engaged in France)
end the Greek cross, in red, with edges em-
battled (for the offensive on the entrenched
Croix Rouge-Red Cross-farm below Fere
en Tarndenois on July 26-27, 1918, which
serves as a commemoration of the event),.
What was to become the 200th Infantry
Regiment was organized as a battalion on the
1st Regiment, Alabama Volunteers, in May
1846. It passed through numerous reorgan-
izations and redesignations and ended up as
the 3rd Alabama Infantry in Confederate
service on April 28, 1861, with Col. J. M.
Withers commanding.
The 3rd Alabama earned streamers at
Peninsula, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chan-
cellorsville, Virginia 1883, the Wilderness,
Spotsylvania, Shenandoah and Appomat-
tox.
Not until 1871-72 was the unit reorga-
nized, as small independent militia compa-
nies. These units served with the Alabama
State Troops and the Alabama National
Guard.
The 200th was mustered into federal serv-
ice in 1916; in 1917, it was drafted Into fed-
eral service and it was redesignated the
123rd Infantry Regiment, 31st Division, on
Sept. 18, 1917.
The regiment was returned to the Ala-
bama National Guard in 1946, after seeing
wartime service with the Dixie Division in
World War II.
Part of the 121st Infantry Regiment (old
Second Georgia) served with the 31st dur-
ing World War I. Three companies, F, H
and I of the 121st were removed from the
31st and joined to form the 151st Machine
Gun Battalion. The 151st Machine Gun Bat-
talion also served with the 42nd Infantry
"Rainbow'( Division under Col. McArthur
during World War I, Its campaign streamers
for this service are "Champagne-Marne,"
"Aisne-Marne," "Lorraine," "Champagne,"
"St. MIhiel" and "Meuse-Argonne."
The 124th Infantry Regiment first joined
the 31st Division in 1917, After World War I
service, it was moved to the 39th Infantry
(Louisiana and Arkansas National Guard)
Division. It rejoined the Dixie Division on
April 5, 1944, and saw service with it during
the entire war.
The 31st Infantry "Dixie" Division was de-
activated in January 1919. Its regiments were
returned to their states and served with the
national guard until the federal government
reactivated the divisions.
The war in Europe raged and the U.S. be-
gan to prepare for the possibility of having
to fight in that war. On Oct. 25, 1940. Presi-
dent Franklin D. Roosevelt ordered the Na-
tional Guards of the states into federal serv-
ice. The Slat went on active duty Nov. If.
1940. Maj. Gen. John C. Persons of Bir-
mingham commanding.
The Dixie Division went into training in
the swamps of Louisiana, moving from there
to different parts of the United States for
other combat-readiness techniques. After
initial training had been completed, the Slat
was used to train other troops.
It was not until January 1944, that the
Dixie Division left the U.S. for the Pacific.
In March 1944, the division assembled at
DeBrodure, New Guinea. Its first combat was
at Aitape. Here the Dixie Division opposed
the 20th, 41st and 51st Japanese Divisions.
The Dixie proved Itself up for the task of
taking on the Japanese.
While in Pacific the 31st was under the
command of Maj. Gen. John C. Persons. He
was allowed to take his National Guard divi-
sion into combat. Only one other division
had its guard commander while in the battle
line.
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