SCVHistory.com AL1801 | William S. Hart | Program Book: Hart Hosts Military Ball for Officers of 159th Infantry, Coronado, 5-11-1918.

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Considered the godfather of the 159th Infantry Regiment, whose troops called themselves the "Bill Hart Two Gun Men," actor William S. Hart hosted a military ball for the officers of the 159th at the Hotel Del Coronado on Saturday evening, May 11, 1918.

Program book, 12 pages octavo, 3⅜x6¼ inches, bound with red-white-blue rope and tassel.

The 159th Infantry Regiment was a component of the Calfornia National Guard (as the 5th California Infantry) that traces its roots to 1879. It was drafted into federal service August 5, 1917, four months after the U.S. entered World War I, and assigned to the 40th Infantry division, which consolidated National Guard units from California, Nevada and Utah. The 40th was sent overseas August 3, 1918 (three months after this ball was held) and became a depot division, providing supplies and replacements to other Army units. The war ended three months later.

Hart was a big promoter of the Liberty Loan program (war bonds). Sales of the 3rd Liberty Loan series (enacted April 5, 1918) would have been underway when the ball was held.

Hart's latest motion picture with on- and off-screen love interest Jane Novak, "Selfish Yates," premiered the following day.

Invited Guests.

OFFICERS 159TH INFANTRY

LEONARD M. FARRELL, Colonel Commanding
KARL E. LINDERFELT, Lieut. Col.
WM. K. CARSWELL, Capt. and Adjt.

SUPPLY COMPANY
WILLIAM H. BATES, Captain
GEORGE C. HOMER, First Lieut.
WILLIAM J. HUBBARD, First Lieut.
EDWARD B. STRONG, Second Lieut.

HEADQUARTERS COMPANY
JOSEPH O. HARAN, Captain
JOHN W. ROLLINS, First Lieut.
JESSE B. HAMILTON, First Lieut.
LEWIS H. BRITTON, First Lieut.
DEWITT A. BOYER, Second Lieut.
LEWIS F. LEVER, Second Lieut.

MACHINE GUN COMPANY
HILLIARD COMSTOCK, Captain
GEORGE G. BRADISON, First Lieut.
HALE DAY, First Lieut.
WOOD, E. WHITE, Second Lieut.
HAROLD S. BAXTER, Second Lieut.
ARTHUR C.W. IRETON, Second Lieut.

FIRST BATTALION
LAURENCE S. O'TOOLE, Major
CHAS. D. WOEHR, First Lt. and Bn. Adjt.

COMPANY A
HENRY A. MEHRMANN, Captain
CHESTER YOUNG, First Lieut.
FRANCIS T. BREWSTER, First Lieut.
GEORGE S. BROOME, First Lieut.
J. FRANK CHURCHILL, Second Lieut.
OLIVER S. WOLCOTT, Second Lieut.

COMPANY B
LAUREN L. LAHUE, Captain.
JOHN E. PRICE, First Lieut.
LOUIS J. VAN DALSEM, First Lieut.
H. MILLER AINSWORTH, First Lieut.
GEORGE C. SMITH, Second Lieut.
STANLEY G. HAFLEY, Second Lieut.

COMPANY C
DENNIS A. DALY, Captain
JOSHUA B. DICKSON, JR., First Lieut.
ROBERT A. SPAIN, First Lieut.
BYRON W. GRAY, First Lieut.
RICHARD L. WILSON, Second Lieut.
WAYNE R. ALLEN, Second Lieut.

COMPANY D
HAROLD H. HEARFIELD, Captain
PHILLIP H. BENJAMIN, First Lieut.
ARTHUR A. MCCLAUGHRY, First Lieut.
WARREN A. DESOSA, First Lieut.
BURTON C. COCHRANE, Second Lieut.

SECOND BATTALION
JOSHUA B. DICKSON, Major
JOHN S. HASEN, First Lt. and Bn. Adjt.

COMPANY E
LOUIS J. NISSEN, Captain
ERNEST W. RISLING, First Lieut.
DONALD GEARY, First Lieut.
RICHARD W. SHERMAN, First Lieut.
MORRISON A. KNIGHT, Second Lieut.
WILLIAM I. FREEMAN, Second Lieut.

COMPANY F
EDWIN E. HINCHMAN, Captain
EDGAR S. HUTSON, First Lieut.
JOHN R. FIGH, First Lieut.
JESSE L. DELANOY, First Lieut.
HERBERT E. BROWNING, Second Lieut.

COMPANY G
CLARENCE L. MITCHELL, Captain
EDWARD A. VON SCHMIDT, First Lieut.
JOHN B. KING, First Lieut.
JOSEPH C. NOWLIN, First Lieut.
ALEXIS VON SCHMIDT, Second Lieut.
HARTLEY FURLONG, Second Lieut.

COMPANY H
ARNOLD H. MORRIS Captain
THEODORE BROWNING, First Lieut.
EVERETT P. SHELBY, First Lieut.
JOSEPH L. TUPPER, First Lieut.
EDWARD A. CARROLL, Second Lieut.

THIRD BATTALION
WILL KELLY, Major
LEROY L. SMITH, First Lt. and Bn. Adjt.

COMPANY I
CHARLES R. HOPPIN, Captain
FENTON W. JAMISON, First Lieut.
ESQUE V. McATEE, First Lieut.
HERVEY HUMLONG, Second Lieut.
CERYLE B. GODFREY, Second Lieut.

COMPANY K
ERNEST G. GRIFFIN, Captain
WILLIAM A. VICKERY, First Lieut.
EDGAR E. ROBERTS, First Lieut.
ERWIN D. NEWCOMB, First Lieut.
PERCY A. MILLS, Second Lieut.
JOSEPH L. PAVIA, Second Lieut.

COMPANY L
CLAUDE L. FOWLER, Captain
BEACH E. TABER, First Lieut.
EDWARD C. NEAL, First Lieut.
WILLIAM H. HAMMOND, First Lieut.
LEIGH J. MONSON, Second Lieut.

COMPANY M
EARL L. TURNER, Captain
LESTER H. GADSBY, First Lieut.
LEANDER E. PONDER, First Lieut.
CLARENCE L. BRADLEY, First Lieut.
JOHN W. H. SUTHERLAND, Second Lt.

MEDICAL OFFICERS
WILFORD E. CHAMBERS, Major.
WILLIAM C. LYNCH, First Lieut.
OVID S. TUTLE, First Lieut.
HAROLD S. ANDERSON, First Lieut.
ALFRED E. BERNSTEIN, First Lieut.
GREGG HOSKINS, First Lieut.
MORTON W. FRASER, First Lieut.
EDGAR G. CAMPBELL, First Lieut.
MILO R. KENNEDY, First Lieut.
FRED B. TAPLEY, First Lieut.

CHAPLAIN
ARTHUR W.T. HICKS, Captain.

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Hart Will Give Ball.

Los Angeles Times | Sunday, May 5, 1918.

In honor of his godsons, the officers of the One Hundred and Fifty-ninth California Infantry, alias the "Bill Hart Two Gun Men," and as a relaxation from his recent Liberty Bond campaign, William S. Hart, famous bad man of the films, plans to give a grand military ball at the Coronado Hotel, next Saturday evening, May 11. The officers in turn will invite whom they please as guests.

Mr. Hart and his party will leave the city on Saturday morning, reaching San Diego in time for Mr. Hart to say howdy to his soldierly godsons. In the party accompanying Mr. Hart will be his sister, Miss Mamie Hart, Sam Rork, Miss Grace Mossman, and others.

The affair promises to be one of the most brilliant military balls which has so far been given at the Coronado Hotel.

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[Society Brief.]

Los Angeles Times | Sunday, May 19, 1918.

Mrs. D.D. Barnes has returned from a short visit with her son Sanford, stationed at Camp Kearny. The young soldier and his mother were among the guests at the ball given at Hotel Coronado by William S. Hart, godfather of the One Hundred and Fifty-ninth Regiment, for the officers and men of that command.

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Military Ball at Coronado Big Event.

William S. Hart, Actor, Entertains in Honor of Officers.

The Oregon Daily Journal | Tuesday, May 28, 1918.

The military ball given by William S. Hart, who is playing at the Liberty theatre this week in "Selfish Yates," in honor of the officers of the 159th California Infantry at the Hotel Coronado, May 11, surpassed in brilliance anything of the kind ever seen in Southern California. Attended by the stalwart manhood of the army and the lovely womanhood of society and of the films, it was an affair unique and never to be forgotten.

Stirring military music, played as only an army band can play it; graceful, dainty femininity whirled about in the khaki-clad arms of army officers; all contributed to an atmosphere of martial gaiety which pervaded the mammoth hall room of the Coronado. Generals Strong, Tuthill and Hall and their wives; General Strong's staff; and the members of the British and French missions at Camp Kearny were also present, in addition to the officers of the 159th Infantry.

Hart loaded a special car with feminine film stars and struck San Diego well along in the afternoon of Saturday, and from the moment the Hart party stepped from the train until it started back, 24 hours later, things were moving at top speed. The grand march was led by Hart and Mrs. Farrell and Colonel Leonard M. Farrell, commander of the 159th, and Katherine MacDonald, Hart's leading woman.

Among the guests taken along by Mr. Hart were: Bessie Love, Anna Little, Rhea Mitchell, Mary Hart, Olga Grey, Mary MacLaren, Katherine MacDonald, Lambert Hillyer, George Bellman, Mr. and Mrs. E.H. Allen. Mr. and Mrs. Sam Rork, Mr. and Mrs. Guy Price, Mr. and Mrs. J.C. Jessen, Meriam MacDonald, Gretchen Lederer, Edna Earle, Mabel Condon, Grace Kingsley, Bessie Learn, Madeline Fairchild, Eleanor Way, Jessie Way, Charlotte Woods, Maude George, Nell Kemper, Virginia Nightingale, Grace Mossman, Gonda Durand, Helen Rork and Captain and Mrs. Easton.