From the S&S archives: Monty Visits EUCOM headquarters
HEIDELBERG, Oct.. 1 (Special) — Field Marshal Viscount Bernard L. Montgomery, deputy SHAPE commander, visited EUCOM Hq here today. He was welcomed by a 17-gun salute and was given a joint Army-Navy-Air Force honor guard review.
Montgomery arrived here from Baden-Baden, headquarters of French forces in Germany, accompanied by Lt Col Costa de Beauregard of the French army. He was met by Gen Thomas T. Handy, EUCOM commander-in-chief, and top EUCOM commanders of the Army, Navy and AF, who accompanied the field marshal to the parade ground for the review.
With Montgomery and Handy in the reviewing stand were Lt Gen Manton S. Eddy, CG. 7th Army; Rear Adm Carl F. Holden, commander, U.S. Naval Forces, Germany; Col Clyde K. Rich, chief of staff, 12th AF, representing Maj Gen Dean C. Strother, CG, 12th AF; Maj Gen Daniel Noce, EUCOM chief of staff; Brig Gen Edward T. Williams, EUCOM deputy chief of staff for operations; and Col Edward J. O'Neill, EUCOM deputy chief of staff for administration.
The Union Jack and the Stars and Stripes alternated on flag staffs around the parade ground, and the 33d and 427th Army Bands played the British and the American national anthems. Then Montgomery and Handy inspected the troops. Before the platoons passed in review, the EUCOM Honor Guard put on a silent precision drill.
Units Participating
Participating units, under the command of Maj Henry J. Pierce, 12th Inf Regt, were the Army 557th Inf Plat (Sep.), EUCOM Honor Guard; a Navy platoon from the Rhine River Patrol, and an AF platoon from the 517th Air Police Squadron.
Following the review, Montgomery and Handy proceeded to the command building of EUCOM Hq, where the visiting field marshal attended an operational briefing by high-ranking EUCOM officers. He returned to Baden-Baden in the afternoon.
