Press Release Issued by the Department of State on March 3, 193873f
The Department today received the following report from Mr. John K. Caldwell, consul general at Tientsin, China:
“The Fifteenth Infantry, United States Army, left Tientsin on the morning of March 2 and sailed from Chinwangtao this morning.
“Their departure from Tientsin was marked by friendly demonstrations by all nationalities; in local British and American press and at farewell reception there were expressions of regret at their departure and commendation of their conduct during the nearly 26 years they have been in Tientsin. Before their departure American and British communities made farewell presentations, the British military and the British civilians each gave a farewell reception, and the French presented flowers to Mrs. McAndrew in a brief ceremony at the French Club on her way to the station. The route from the American barracks to the International Bridge was lined by British police and British, French, and Italian troops; the British, French, and Italian bands in turn headed the procession and played at the station, where they were joined by the Chinese police band and where there were posted guards of honor of British, French, and Italian troops and Chinese police. The British municipality provided the traditional Chinese farewell firecrackers as the regiment passed Victoria Park. The Japanese Military were extremely courteous and helpful in connection with arrangements for rolling stock and the policing of the station and its vicinity. Regiment can well be proud of a record of a quarter of a century in Tientsin which brings such commendation and such striking “evidences of friendship from all nationals upon its departure.”
It is the Department’s understanding that two companies of United States Marines, taken from the Marine Guard at Peiping, have proceeded to Tientsin and are now on duty there, carrying on with the mission of protection which was that of the Fifteenth Infantry.
The Fifteenth Infantry comprises 808 officers and men. The two companies of United States Marines now at Tientsin number approximately 250 officers and men.
- Reprinted from Department of State, Press Releases, March 5, 1938 (vol. xviii, No.440), p. 285.↩