Two Guidons, One Company             
 By William H. O'Donovan, Jr.
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          My father, Captain William O'Donovan, Sr., was commander of Company B in the  273rd Infantry Regiment.  He loved the 69th Infantry and had many enjoyable memories with it.  While I was growing up, he often told me of exciting and humorous incidents that took place. 

One that always brought a chuckle was when he showed me his cherished posed photo of Company B taken at Camp Shelby, in which the Company guidon (banner) can be seen twice – once in the front row left and again at the front row right.  He said that when they were lining up for the picture, he asked the photographer which side of the Company the camera would shoot first.  My father placed the guidon bearer on that side and whispered to him that as soon as the shutter clicked, he was to run behind the men to get to the other side and try to stand in the same position on the other end.  The picture came out with the guidon bearer standing almost exactly alike on both sides!

Site Engineers note:  Some cameras that with one shot cannot capture a whole scene  use multiple shots to get a clear picture of a large group.  It was more complicated with film-type cameras, but with today's digital technology and the aid of a tripod, it is possible to get a very wide-angle photo using multiple shots and then "stitching them together."  Many of the company photos on this Web site were multiple shots, stitched together to form one photo.

You can see this unusual Company picture by clicking on the Company Photos Button on the Home Page, then moving to the 273rd Infantry Regiment and clicking on Company B. 
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