817.48 Earthquake of 1931/128: Telegram
The Minister in Nicaragua (Hanna) to the Secretary of State
[Received April 16—2:05 p.m.]
21. I desire to place on record my admiration of the truly wonderful work in the reestablishment and maintenance of order and in the work of administering relief following the earthquake of March 31, performed by the American military organizations in Nicaragua and [Page 801] by the Guardia Nacional officered mainly by officers and noncommissioned officers of the United States Marine Corps.
I specially wish to record the splendid work done by the Commander of the Marine Brigade, Colonel F. L. Bradman; his second in command, Lieutenant Colonel F. B. Garrett, and his Chief of Staff, Lieutenant Colonel William W. [C.?] Wise; the Commander of the Guardia Nacional, General Calvin Matthews (Lieutenant Colonel United States Marine Corps): his Chief of Staff, Colonel Walter Sheard, (Major United States Marine Corps); the engineer in chargé of the Nicaraguan canal survey, Lieutenant Colonel Dan I. Sultan, United States Army, and his principal assistant, First Lieutenant L. R. Groves.
The Medical Corps of all three organizations assumed the task of caring for the injured, in many cases working 48 hours and more without rest. Deserving of special mention are Colonel Gordon Hale, Medical Corps, Guardia Nacional (Commander Medical Corps, United States Navy); Colonel [Major?] Horace Boone, Medical Corps, Guardia Nacional (Lieutenant Commander, Medical Corps, United States Navy); Lieutenant Commander Warwick T. Brown, Medical Corps, United States Navy, and Major Ralph [Paul R.?] Hawley, Medical Corps, United States Army. It was due largely to the efforts of these doctors that greater suffering did not follow the disaster and that preventive measures have been taken against epidemics.
Great credit is due Captain Claude Phillips, United States Marine Corps, for organizing and directing the feeding of refugees.
I cannot speak too highly of the work of these gentlemen and of the officers and men under their command. Their presence here vastly minimized the possible tragic consequences of the disaster and has been and continues to be the greatest assistance to the community. It should be added that the Nicaraguan Government recognizes this fact and has lost no opportunity to demonstrate its gratitude.