From the S&S archives: Eisenhower lauds 1st Division in visit to headquarters

DARMSTADT, Jan. 22 — Gen Dwight D. Eisenhower visited the 1st Inf Div Hq today and termed it "a great and proud division."

The Supreme Allied Commander in Europe stopped here with his official party on his way from Heidelberg to Frankfurt. He is scheduled to attend a reception this evening at the Bad Homburg home of U.S. High Commissioner John J. McCloy. Eisenhower was the luncheon guest of Maj Gen John E. Dahlquist, 1st Div CG, and the entire party was served pheasant shot by Dahlquist on a recent hunting trip in Bavaria.

The SHAPE commander was met by the 18th Inf Regt honor guard commanded by Lt John W. Lauterbach, Jr., and the 18th Inf drum and bugle corps.

After inspecting the guard, Eisenhower's attention was drawn to a large orange, red and green billboard in front of the division headquarters which shows the route of the 1st Div through Africa, Sicily and across Europe during the war. "I'd like to look at this," Eisenhower said.

Gen Thomas T. Handy, EUCOM commander-in-chief, and Dahlquist stood with Eisenhower as he studied the map. "This is all right," he remarked. "It's a nice sign. The 1st was a great division and today it's still a great and proud division."

With Eisenhower at the 1st Div luncheon were Dahlquist, Handy, Lt Gen Manton S. Eddy, 7th Army CG; Lt Gen Alfred M. Gruenther, SHAPE chief of staff; Maj Gen I. D. White, deputy CG, 7th Army; Brig Gen George W. Smythe, assistant CG, 1st Div; Col John B. Horton, 1st Div chief of staff; Col Ralph R. Mace, CO, 1st Div Arty; Col Charles H. Royce, CO, 16th Inf Regt; Col Ralph W. Zwicker, CO, 18th Inf Regt; and Col William H, Seitz, Jr., CO, 26th Inf Regt.

A briefing was held at EUCOM Hq in Heidelberg this morning for Eisenhower and his staff.