BOY SCOUT GOES ON LONG VOYAGE AS MERIT REWARD
Paul Heiser, Native of Lorraine, Makes Trip on Vicksburg to Hawaii and Alaska
The last week will go down in San Diego Boy Scout history as one of the most momentous in the records of the local council. With the announcement in The Union that the Court of Honor would select the scout to represent San Diego at the International Jamboree, at London, England, Monday noon, every scout was wild with anticipation. The members of the court frankly acknowledged that it was a difficult task to make a first and second choice from the names and credentials presented, but a secret ballot disclosed that the court had made a unanimous choice for Wayne Hageman, 15, first, and Paul Heiser, 18, second. Boy boys had remarkable records.
The many friends of these two scouts were more than pleased when in the afternoon it was announced that Paul Heiser would leave the following morning on the Vicksburg, a training ship for the merchant marine, on a trip of several months, which would take him to Hawaii, Alaska, and many other opints (sic) of interest. This arrangement was made possible by the quick action of Scoutmaster Tom Russell of Troop 15, who by this splendid “good turn” gave Paul Heiser a trip that will be a milestone in his life.
Heiser’s record as presented to the Court of Honor gives this data: Born Dec. 22, 1902, in Metz, Lorraine. Came to America, 1913. Speaks English, French, Spanish and German. He was a member of the year’s graduating class at the high school. Started scout life as tenderfoot in Troop 76, New York City, April, 1915; became second-class in March, 1916, and first-class August, 1917. Later his family moved to Los Angeles and Paul became a member of Troop 44 by transfer, and also belonged to the Boy Scout Fife and Drum corps, as well as one of the first aid patrols. He came to San Diego in June, 1918, and joined Troop 18, and has been continuously in this troop. Although he has been working steadily after school and on Saturdays he has passed 28 merit badge tests, was the first Star Scout in San Diego and is now an Eagle Scout. Took active part in war work, and while a member in New York he took part in the parade for the first troops to go over seas (sic), and at this time his troop cared for 15 fainting cases and two soldiers who had been accidentally hurt.
Heiser was also a first lieutenant in the local R.O.T.C.
Author
The San Diego Union was a daily newspaper that ran from 1868 to 1992. It merged to form the modern San Diego Union-Tribune.