Cover: U.S. Army artillerymen open fire during the initial assault 

on the Saint-Mihiel salient on 12 September 1918.

National Archives
Colonel Walter G. Ford, USMC (Ret)

History Division

United States Marine Corps

Quantico, VA 22134

Reducing the

Saint-Mihiel Salient

September 1918

U.S. Marines in World War I Centennial Commemorative Series

2018

No. 3 in the U.S. Marines in World War I Centennial Commemorative Series

This pamphlet history, one in a series devoted to U.S. Marines in the First World War, is published for the education and 

training of Marines by the History Division, Marine Corps University, Quantico, Virginia, as part of the Marine Corps’ 

observance of the centennial anniversary of that war. Editorial costs have been defrayed in part by contributions from members 

of the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation.

Director of Marine Corps History

[forthcoming]

WWI Commemorative Series Historian

Annette D. Amerman

WWI Commemorative Series Editor

Angela J. Anderson

Visual Information Specialist

Young-hee Krouse
Field Army

Army Group

Army Corps

Division

Brigade X

Regiment

Battalion

Company

Platoon

Deployed 

Company

Deployed 

Battalion

Post of 

Command

(PC)

Type

Indicated

Assembly Area

Army Group

& Field Army

Infantry

Cavalry

Machine Gun MG

Engineers E

Tanks

Artillery

BE Belgium GE German (Germany)

BR British (Britain)

FR French (France)

US United States (American)

AH Austria-Hungary

LUX Luxembourg

AEF American Expeditionary Forces

BEF British Expeditionary Force

Ldw Landwehr

Jag Jaeger (Jager)

OP Observation post

Inf Infantry

Gr Grenadier(s)

Gd Guard(s)

Fus Fusilier(s)

Hq Headquarters

Plt Platoon

Mar U.S. Marines

PC Post of command

Pnr Pioneers

R Reserve

USMC U.S. Marine Corps

Regt Regiment Res Reserve

Cdr Unit commander

Stz Shutzen(Rifles)

Bde Brigade

Btry Battery

Arty Artillery

Cav Cavalry

Co Company

Det Detachment

Div Division

Bn Battalion Egr Engineers

ABBREVIATIONS

EXAMPLES OF COMBINING SYMBOLS AND ABBREVIATIONS

BASIC SYMBOLS 

84/3/6 97/3/6

83/3/6 82/3/6

6 

Mar 3 US 

3d Bn, 6th Regt USMC

with companies deployed

84/3/6 84th Co, 3d Bn,

6th Regt 4 ( ) US Mar

X

4th Marine 

Brigade PC

5th Regiment

U.S. Marine Corps

5 US Mar 9 US 

U.S. 9th Infantry

Regiment

US 2

US 2d Division 

FR 26

French 

26th Infantry Division

15th Colonial 

French 

Division

FR 15

Colonial

13th Landwehr

German 

Division

419

Regiment 419th Infantry

German 

35th Infantry 

Austria-Hungary 

Division

AH 35

77th Reserve

German 

Division

77R 13

Ldw

French 

2d Cavalry

Division

Dismounted

FR 2

Dismounted

American

Expeditionary Forces

(Cdr Name)

AEF

US

(Pershing)

U.S. First Army 

(Cdr Name)

FIRST

US

(Pershing)

U.S . I Army Corps

(Cdr Name)

(Liggett)

US I

(Maistre)

CENTER

FR

(Cdr Name)

French

Army Group Center

(Gallwitz)

German

Army Group

Gallwitz

DET C

(Fuchs)

German

Army Detachment C

(Cdr Name)

FR

Colonial

(Blondat)

Colonial

Army Corps

(Cdr Name)

French I

2 89

2 5

Sector

2d Div

Sector

5th Div Sector

89th Div

Unit Boundaries and Sectors

In the attack, "sectors" may be called

 "zones of action"

Boundary

Corps 

Boundary

Division

OP

Observation

Post

Type

Indicated

BASIC MAP SYMBOLS
1

INTRODUCTION

W hen Marines of the 5th Regiment, commanded by Colonel Charles A. Doyen, arrived 

in France in June 1917 as leading elements of what would become the 4th Brigade, 

they found the western front in somewhat of a stalemate, with the French and British 

faced off against the German Army in a gory line of trenches stretching from Nieuport, Belgium, 

in Flanders on the North Sea, all the way to the Swiss border. After two and a half years of furious 

back and forth between the Allies and the Germans along a 468-mile strongly fortified line, the 

German armies still retained the initiative and Allied morale was low. 

Along this battle line, just east of Verdun, sat a longstanding German-held “hernia” on the 

French side that French forces had repeatedly attempted to reduce between 1914 and 1916—the 

Saint-Mihiel salient. Here, in September 1918, the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF), led by 

General John J. Pershing, commander in chief, with its one Marine brigade, the 4th Brigade, 

would win the first large-scale American-led victory of World War I.
2 Reducing the Saint-Mihiel Salient

BGen Charles A. Doyen brought the U.S. Marine Corps’ 5th Regiment to France in July 1917 

and commanded 2d Division for a short time in the fall.

Courtesy of Susan Strange
Reducing the Saint-Mihiel Salient 3

The Saint-Mihiel salient was the unanticipated result 

of a failed German operation to isolate and capture 

Verdun in the World War I opening campaigns of 

August and September 1914, long before the United 

States entered the war. The German Crown Prince 

Wilhelm had attacked south from the Ardennes 

to cut off Verdun from the west, while the Bavarian Crown Prince Rupprecht had pushed his army 

from Metz down the Rupt de Mad river valley toward Saint-Mihiel to reach the Meuse River. These 

two armies were to join below the key French fortress 

of Verdun, enveloping it and sealing its capture. The 

German Crown Prince was halted quickly by the 

French, but the attack from Metz reached the town 

of Saint-Mihiel on the Meuse before it was stopped, 

thus driving into the French lines a wide wedgeshaped bulge, or salient, approximately defined by 

Verdun, Saint-Mihiel, and Pont-á-Mousson. During 

the four years since originally occupying the salient, 

the Germans had continually improved their defenses, adding elaborate trench systems, well-placed 

concrete bunkers and machine gun emplacements, 

and successive wide belts of barbed wire entanglements. French attempts to recapture the lost ground 

had made no gains. Pershing described the German 

salient as “practically a great field fortress.”

Metz

Strasburg

BRUSSELS

LUXEMBOURG

Le Havre

Saint-Malo

Bayonne

Marseille

Nice

Toulon

Montpellier

Lyon

Plymouth

Calais

Boulogne

Nieuport

Caen

Angers

Toulouse

Tours

Poitiers

Cherbourg

Saint-Nazaire

La Rochelle

Miramas

Rochefort

Belfort

Rennes

Chartres

Blois

Montlucon

Nimes Avignon

Valence

Cahors

Issoire

Mende

Grenoble

Moulins

Moulins

Basel

Bourges

Nevers

C H A N N E L

M E D I T E R R A N E A N

S E A

O C E A N A T L A C N T I

E N G L I S H

SPA I N

E NGL AN D

SW IT ZER

I TALY

5

Compiegne

Blanc

Mont

Neufchateau

Reims

Lille

Montdidier

Soissons

3 6

A R G O N N E

A R D E N N E S

250

50 150

0 50

0

100 200

100

150 Km

Miles

Mulhouse

B

Pont-a-Mousson

Dijon

Agen

Bordeaux

F R ANCE

A

A

Nantes

Orleans

Le Mans

Brest

PARIS 2

Château

-Thierry

7

GE R M ANY

BE LG I U M

N

Coblenz

Rhone

Seine

Seine

Marne

Somme

Rhine

Saone

Rhine

Meuse

Meuse

Loire

Garonne

Dordogine

M A S S I F

C E N T R A L

J U R A M T S

V O E S E G S

A L P

S

E N E E

Y R P

S

A L S A C E

Epinal

The World War in France 1918 

American Expeditionary Forces (AEF)

4th Brigade, 2d Division 

A U.S. 1st Division and 5th Regiment arrived at 

Saint-Nazaire in June 1917. The 6th Regiment 

and 6th Machine Gun Battalion arrived in 

increments between October-December 1917 

and February 1918 at Saint-Nazaire and Brest. 

Marines were initially employed as line of 

communication troops and military police.

B U.S. 2d Division headquarters opened at 

Bourmont (Haute Marne) on 26 October 1917. 

The division included the 3d Infantry Brigade 

and 2d Field Artillery Brigade. The 5th and 6th 

Regiments and 6th Machine Gun Battalion 

formed the 4th Brigade, completing the 

division’s organization.

Headquarters, AEF, at Chaumont, 

General John J. Pershing commanding

Headquarters, AEF, Services of Supply 

(SOS), at Tours

AEF main lines of communication/supply

MAP LEGEND

Principal seaports used by the AEF

7

Aisne defensive, 31 May–5 June 1918 

Toulon defense sector (between Saint-Mihiel 

and Verdun), 15 March–13 May 1918 

2

4

1

Château-Thierry sector (Battle of Belleau 

Wood), 6 June–9 July 1918

Marbache defense sector (Pont-a-Mousson), 

9–16 August 1918 

5 Saint-Mihiel offensive, 12–16 September 1918 

6 Meuse-Argonne offensive (Battle of Blanc 

Mont, Champagne Sector), 1–10 October 

1918

Meuse-Argonne offensive, 1–11 November 

1918

3 Aisne-Marne offensive (Battle of Soissons), 

18–19 July 1918 

Chaumont

Bourmont

Amiens

Verdun

Chablis

Saint-Mihiel

1

4

Belleau

Wood

THE WESTERN FRONT

The front lines illustrate the general ebb and flow 

of combat operations during 1918 through the 

signing of the Armistice on 11 November.

Farthest advance of the German spring 

offensive of March–July 1918

Line reached by the Allied offensive when the 

Armistice was signed on 11 November 1918

Allied counteroffensives July-September 

1918 pushed the German Army back to the 

fortified positions of the Michel position, 

called the Hindenburg Line by the Allies 

(double red line) 

LOCATION OF MAJOR COMBAT OPERATIONS

OF THE 4TH BRIGADE

The bloody western front changed little between 1914 and early 1918. The AEF would break that stalemate. 

Map by LtCol R. L. Cody, USMC (Ret)

 GERMANS FORM THE SAINT-MIHIEL SALIENT: 

SEPTEMBER 1914
4 Reducing the Saint-Mihiel Salient

The west face of the salient dropped sharply 

south approximately 10 miles southeast of Verdun and down to Saint-Mihiel where the German front ran due east across the marshy plain of 

Woëvre, which was dominated by Montsec, and 

then up to Pont-á-Mousson on the Moselle River. 

The German line around the salient stretched 40 

miles, and the base of the wedge, between the two 

points on the German line, was 20 miles wide. Directly above Pont-á-Mousson, with excellent rail 

lines to deliver soldiers and equipment as needed, stood the German stronghold of Metz, just 32 

miles from Saint-Mihiel. 

Pinching off the Saint-Mihiel salient, a constant 

thorn in the French side, was a natural objective 

for the initial operation of the AEF. Straightening 

the French lines would free approximately 150,000 

square miles of France, open the main rail line from 

Paris to the east, and position the Allies to threaten the German stronghold of Metz, the extremely 

important Briey iron mines, and the Metz-SedanMezieres Railroad, which was a key German line 

of communication frequently used to rapidly shift 

divisions across the western front. Pershing, who 

arrived in France on 13 June 1917, accompanied 

by a staff that included two Marine Corps officers, 

reached an agreement with General Henri-Philippe 

Pétain, recently designated commander in chief of 

the French Army, in their June 1917 meeting on 

employing United States troops to reduce this salient at some point in 1918.

From June, when Colonel Doyen arrived with 

his Marines, until the following October, the leathernecks were assigned to the U.S. Army’s 1st Division and employed everywhere but on the line. Some 

Marine units were assigned guard duties, while others served as stevedores or attended training. Marines of the 6th Regiment began arriving in October, 

and shortly after arrival of the regiment’s commander, Colonel Albertus W. Catlin, the all-Marine 4th 

Brigade, with two infantry regiments, formed in the 

Bourmont Training Area under the command of 

recently promoted Brigadier General Doyen. That 

same month, the 2d Division was organized, and the 

4th Brigade was moved to this division with Doyen 

placed temporarily in division command until Army 

Major General Omar Bundy took the division’s 

helm on 8 November 1917. 

The division, including the Marine brigade, 

trained hard in the Bourmont area. “It was this 

period that made us tough. . . . We got tough, we 

stayed tough,” said Sergeant Gerald C. Thomas 

from 75th Company, 1st Battalion, 6th Regiment.1

In mid-March 1918, the 2d Division was assigned 

to the French X Corps and finally entered the lines 

for the first time near Sommedieue in the Lorraine 

region, southeast of Verdun, on the west face of the 

Saint-Mihiel salient. The intense training was sorely needed, for when the division entered the lines, 

74.3 percent of the Marines in the brigade had less 

than a year of service, but the Army units were in 

worse shape—87.2 percent of the soldiers did not 

have a year in service.

At the end of May, as a result of a highly successful German offensive launched that March, the 

Marine brigade, now commanded by Army Brigadier General James G. Harbord, who replaced 

Doyen due to physical reasons, was in the thick of 

the fighting. The leathernecks played a key role in 

the 2d Division’s efforts to blunt the German thrust 

toward Paris in the first week of June, and when 

the division turned to the offense on 6 June, the 

Marines’ ferocious attacks etched such names as 

Lucy-le-Bocage, Hill 142, Bouresches, and Bois de 

Belleau (Belleau Wood) into the annals of American and Marine Corps military history.

1 Sgt Thomas joined the Corps in May 1917, was commissioned second lieutenant in September 1918 after the Battle of Saint-Mihiel, 

and eventually retired as a general.

Headquarters, 2d Division Marines, stop for chow at 

Sommedieue near the western shoulder of the Saint-Mihiel 

salient on 29 April 1918. 

Sgt A. C. Duff, Signal Corps. National Archives
Reducing the Saint-Mihiel Salient 5

When July brought an end to the bloody fighting around Belleau Wood, the Marine brigade was 

in dire need of rest and refit, with casualties of approximately 55 percent of original strength. Initially, the 2d Division moved to a reserve position, but 

when the Germans launched another offensive on 

15 July, the Marines played a significant role in a 

surprise French counterpunch as the German advance stalled. The Marines moved by truck and then 

on foot along mud-filled roads and in dark forests 

as they hurried to get into position near Soissons 

for an attack in the early morning hours of 18 July. 

Marine First Lieutenant John W. Thomason Jr. 

from 49th Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Regiment, 

who began his Marine career as a member of the 

Texas Naval Militia, Marine Branch, in 1917, remembered, “No battle ever tried them as hard as 

the night road to Soissons.” The intense, sanguinary two-day battle during 18–19 July added new 

laurels and the names of Beaurepaire Farm, Vierzy, 

and Soissons to the Marine lexicon. Again, it was 

not an easy victory. The Marine brigade suffered 

more than 2,000 killed and wounded, including 

casualties from gas attacks with mustard, chlorine, 

and phosgene. 

Capitalizing on the American successes in the 

French offensive at Soissons, Pershing formally announced the organization of the American First 

Army on 24 July 1918, which would be functional 

beginning 10 August, with Pershing commanding 

both the AEF and First Army, but with separate 

staffs for each headquarters. His intent was to pull 

as many American divisions as possible from the 

French and British armies into the First Army for 

a planned attack on the Saint-Mihiel salient. Rapid 

command changes for both 2d Division and its Marine brigade followed the announcement. Promoted 

to major general on 15 July, Harbord commanded 

the division during the Soissons action, and Colonel Wendell C. Neville commanded the brigade, 

replacing Harbord. However, the much-respected 

Brigadier General John A. Lejeune arrived at the 

brigade on 25 July, assuming command the next 

day. As a result, Lejeune had little time to get to 

know his Marines. Later in his memoir, he noted, “It was on that day [25 July] that I joined the 

Fourth Brigade, and it was three days later that I 

relieved General Harbord in command of the Division.” An Army War College graduate and well 

known in U.S. Army circles, Lejeune commanded 

the division through the remainder of the war and 

demobilization, leaving a lasting mark on the Marine Corps as its 13th Commandant. Neville, another future Commandant of the Marine Corps, 

returned to command of the Marine brigade where 

he would remain for the rest of the war.

At the end of July, the Marine brigade moved to 

the Nancy area for a short rest, where they learned 

that Lejeune had been promoted to major general and Neville to brigadier general, effective 1 July. 

From there, the division moved back into the lines 

in the Marbache area south of the Saint-Mihiel salient. Although the area had been relatively inactive, the moves were made at night beginning on 

John W. Thomason, 49th Company, 1st Battalion, 5th 

Regiment, was awarded the Navy Cross at Soissons, 

continued his Marine Corps career, and gained prominence in historical scholarship, literature, and art. 

National Archives

MajGen John A. Lejeune, commanding general, 2d Division,

confers with Gen John J. Pershing, commander, AEF. 

National Archives
6 Reducing the Saint-Mihiel Salient

the evening of 6 August. By the evening of 8 August, the Marine brigade was back in the lines, but 

not for long. The 2d Division moved once again on 

15 August. This time it was for more training south 

of Nancy in the Colombey-les-Belles and Boisl’Évêque area. Significantly, on departing the lines, 

the division became part of the American First 

Army. That same day, 15 August, the First Army 

submitted its initial plan to General Headquarters 

(GHQ), AEF, for reduction of the Saint-Mihiel 

salient. The next day, the AEF GHQ directed the 

First Army to be ready to attack before 11 September, specifying the freeing of the Paris-Nancy train 

line, now in the enemy’s hands, to be the minimum 

expected result. That initial plan was expanded after 

a meeting between Pershing and Allied Supreme 

Commander Marshal Ferdinand Foch, which allocated a total of 25 French and American divisions 

for the attack and increased the objectives to include eliminating the salient, piercing the German 

Michel position (a.k.a. the Hindenburg Line by the 

Allies), and threatening Metz and the Briey iron 

mines. More changes were to come.

Senior German Commanders

The senior German unit opposing the American 

First Army in the Battle of Saint-Mihiel, Army 

Group Gallwitz, was commanded by General Max 

von Gallwitz. A seasoned commander at age 64, 

Gallwitz was one of the most capable generals in 

a German Army predominantly led by Prussian 

aristocrats. Formerly enlisted and commissioned 

during the Franco-Prussian War (1870 –71), he 

rose in the ranks to become chief of artillery in the 

German War Ministry as a colonel and was promoted to major general in 1902. His Guards Reserve 

Corps captured the French fortress at Namur in 

1914; Gallwitz then commanded the Twelfth Army 

on the eastern front, followed by command of the 

Second and Fifth Armies on the western front. He 

was elevated to command Army Group Gallwitz in 

1916 and charged with controlling the Metz region, 

including the Saint-Mihiel salient.

In spite of the German successes against French 

attempts to reduce the Saint-Mihiel salient, the 

German Supreme Command was no longer confident of its defensibility and had determined not to 

accept decisive combat in the salient. Gallwitz was 

well aware a German plan for withdrawal from the 

Saint-Mihiel salient, called the “Loki” or “Michel” 

plan, was prepared as early as October 1917. He 

was not confident that his forces could withstand a 

full-scale attack, particularly against the south face 

of the salient, unless additional divisions, artillery, 

and machine gun units were deployed in defense 

of the salient. An expected attack on the salient 

by the Allies was sufficient to trigger Loki, the 

movement of the German forces rearward to the 

Michel position, thus straightening their lines. As 

early as 3 September, Gallwitz had advised German Supreme Headquarters that he planned to 

order his forces inside the Saint-Mihiel salient to 

begin withdrawing if a significant U.S. attack was 

expected. He did not want to allow the Americans 

another morale-boosting combat victory.

German Lieutenant General Georg Fuchs 

commanded the German forces, Army Detachment 

C, under Army Group Gallwitz inside the salient. 

At 61 years of age, Fuchs was an experienced campaigner who had fought in the Champagne region 

around Verdun and also on the eastern front, and was 

known as “a specially clever and capable general.” Fuchs 

had eight divisions on the lines and another five in 

reserve. However, the German soldiers of Army Detachment C generally were older and not combat ready.

Thus, the scene was set for the Battle of SaintMihiel; however, much was to be achieved prior to 

the AEF and its Marines initiating the attack. Preparation began in earnest in August 1918.

German Gen Max von Gallwitz, commander of 

Army Group Gallwitz, faced off against the AEF in the 

Battle of Saint-Mihiel. 

National Archives
Reducing the Saint-Mihiel Salient 7

PREPARING FOR THE BATTLE 

TO REDUCE THE 

SAINT-MIHIEL SALIENT

The Marines, particularly 4th Brigade commander, now Brigadier General Wendell Neville, and his 

regimental commanders—Colonels Logan Feland, 

5th Regiment, and Harry Lee, 6th Regiment—noted opportunities for improvements in preparations 

for operations as the Marines moved from French 

control for the first time to a consolidated American command under First Army, AEF, for the Battle of Saint-Mihiel. For this September 1918 effort, 

the accomplished regimental commanders were 

allocated time to “walk their formations through 

division terrain and maneuver exercises,” and for 

map reconnaissance of the objective and briefings 

to junior leaders, which was unprecedented in earlier operations.

Following the huge casualties in the devastating 

but highly successful Belleau Wood and Soissons 

operations, these tactical considerations instilled 

confidence and signaled a new approach to achieving success in this American-led effort. However, 

the first of the brigade’s priorities for the next battle, Saint-Mihiel, was manpower: reconstituting the 

force, placing leaders in battalions, and finding replacements. Training would follow before the attack.

Replacements

The 2d Division, with two infantry brigades—3d

and 4th—each consisting of three infantry regiments and supporting units, had been hard hit in the 

battles of Belleau Wood in June and early July followed by the Germans’ Aisne-Marne Offensive and 

the Allies’ counteroffensive, especially at Soissons on 

18–19 July. The division, and certainly its Marine 

brigade, was in dire need of rest, recuperation, reinforcements, and training. Major General Lejeune, 

commanding the division for the attack, notes in his 

memoir, The Reminiscences of a Marine (1930), that 

the division was approximately 8,000 men below 

authorized strength after these earlier battles, with 

the infantry regiments of 3d and 4th Brigades at 

roughly 50 percent of their authorized numbers. 

German LtGen Georg Fuchs, commanding Army Detachment C, faced off against the AEF in the SaintMihiel salient, September 1918. Here, he is accompanying 

Wilhelm II, King of Württemberg, in April 1917. 

National Archives, 17390384

Hurry up and wait. Marines, many of whom would go to France, gather in a loose formation in front of Marine Barracks 

Philadelphia in 1917.

Bain News Service Collection, Library of Congress
8 Reducing the Saint-Mihiel Salient

A Marine replacement battalion of approximately 1,000 leathernecks waited to join the 4th 

Brigade at Nancy on 1 August, but Neville’s 4th

Brigade still remained about 2,500 short of its 

authorized strength. The news that Army replacements would fill Marine units if necessary only 

made manpower matters worse. Lejeune wrote in 

his memoir about the potential for Army replacements “that the intermingling of the personnel . . . 

would be disastrous to the esprit de corps of the 

4th Brigade.” He immediately ferreted out the locations of Marines assigned elsewhere in France, 

particularly the AEF’s Services of Supply (SOS), 

now commanded by his friend and predecessor at 

2d Division, Army Major General James Harbord. 

Harbord, who shared Lejeune’s concerns about degraded Marine morale and the subsequent impact 

on fighting fitness if soldiers were assigned to the 

Marine brigade, honored Lejeune’s request for reassignment of all able-bodied Marines from the SOS in 

France to the Marine brigade. Marines began to arrive 

immediately at the brigade from all over France.

The Marine Corps also continued to ship replacements from the United States as the Corps’ 

replacement battalion system picked up steam.2 In 

August 1918, 32 officers and 4,362 enlisted Marines arrived in France in the 3d, 4th, 5th, and 6th 

2 In this period, the term replacement battalion system meant that individuals (or groups of servicemen) were organized into battalions for 

training purposes, then sent to France, where the men were assigned 

as individual replacements to units needing to replace lost personnel.

Separate Battalions and the 1st Separate Machine 

Gun Battalion—all were replacement units of Marines bound for the AEF. 

Although some of these replacements joined 

their units close to the beginning of the Battle of 

Saint-Mihiel, their contributions were significant. 

For example, Private Grover M. Chatman, who arrived in Brest, France, with Company A, 3d Separate Battalion, on 26 August already had two years 

as a leatherneck under his belt but was still a private 

and trouble seemed to follow him. On 29 August, 

he brashly granted himself a couple hours of liberty, and for his absence without permission, he was 

court-martialed. Carrying that boldness into battle 

on 15 September, barely more than two weeks after his conviction, Chatman was assigned to 75th 

Company, 1st Battalion, 6th Regiment, and earned 

a Navy Cross for rushing across a fire-swept area to 

kill three German snipers firing on his platoon.

Commanders for the 4th Brigade’s infantry 

battalions were another challenge. Only two of 

the six commanders—Major Maurice E. Shearer, 

3d Battalion, 5th Regiment, who assumed command of the battalion on 6 June 1918, and Lieutenant Colonel Berton W. Sibley, 3d Battalion, 6th 

Regiment, who took over the battalion on 8 April 

1918—were experienced combat veterans at the 

battalion level, having held battalion command 

during the ferocious battles in June and July. One 

of the four new battalion commanders, Robert E. 

Messersmith, was promoted to major and assumed 

command of 2d Battalion, 5th Regiment, on the afternoon of 11 September, the very eve of the Battle 

of Saint-Mihiel. His men were fortunate. Messersmith was no neophyte when it came to combat. 

He had fought in Nicaragua in 1912, participating 

in the taking of rebel strongholds at Coyotepe and 

Barranca. As a captain, he led 78th Company, 2d 

Battalion, 6th Regiment, in the fierce June fighting 

around Lucy-le-Bocage until he was subsequently 

gassed and evacuated, then returned to command 

the company in the July Soissons fighting until 

wounded on 19 July. However, compounding his 

challenge in leading the unknown Marines of his 

battalion because of the last-minute assumption 

of command, 350 replacements—about one-third 

of his authorized battalion strength—arrived at 

his post of command just prior to midnight on 11 

Headed to France and war, the departure of the 5th 

Regiment, accompanied by still and motion picture 

cameramen in June 1917, is recorded for history. 

Bain News Service Collection, Library of Congress
Reducing the Saint-Mihiel Salient 9

September, too late to be assigned to the companies 

prior to the opening of the preattack artillery barrages set for 0100 on 12 September.

The last-minute arrival of replacements was 

not just a challenge for Messersmith’s 2d Battalion. 

Shearer’s 3d Battalion, 5th Regiment, also took on 

board 204 Marines on 11 September just prior to 

moving to its attack support position near Limey. 

Unit continuity would not be a positive factor in the 

Battle of Saint-Mihiel.

The untested Marine replacements in the brigade were joined by numerous experienced veterans 

returning from medical care. These combat veterans, 

who had blunted and then pushed back the German offensive at Belleau Wood in June and played 

a key role in the successful French counteroffensive 

at Soissons in July, were ready to help break in the 

fresh recruits joining their units. The new replacements, recovered wounded, and Marines from other assignments in Europe combined to bring the 

Marine brigade very near its authorized strength 

with a good mix of young, but inexperienced, 

Marines and experienced, but not necessarily old, 

battle-hardened veterans. 

In addition to finding Marine and Army replacements to ready his 2d Division for the Battle 

of Saint-Mihiel, Lejeune found himself jockeying 

for proficient Army officers to fill senior leadership 

billets. Army Brigadier General Hanson E. Ely, who 

led the 3d Brigade, had taken over on 15 July just prior to the Allies’ Aisne-Marne counteroffensive and 

thus was a proven combat leader. The commander 

of the 3d Brigade’s 9th Infantry, Army Lieutenant 

Colonel Edward R. Stone, was in place when Lejeune assumed command of the division. Stone led 

the regiment through training in August, but Colonel George W. Stuart replaced him on 31 August. 

The commander of 3d Brigade’s other infantry regiment, 23d Infantry, longtime leader Colonel Paul B. 

Malone, headed to another command and left a key 

regiment without a commander. 

Malone assumed command of 10th Infantry 

Brigade, 5th Division, on 25 August and went on 

to lead that brigade in the Battle of Saint-Mihiel. 

Anticipating the loss, Lejeune had his eyes set on 

a hard-charging, extremely intelligent, and seasoned 

planner to replace Malone at the helm of 23d 

Regiment—Army Lieutenant Colonel George C. 

Marshall. Marshall already had proven himself as a 

valued leader in 1st Division. He arrived in France 

as a junior captain in 1917, was now a lieutenant 

colonel, and would end the war as a colonel, before 

going on to earn much greater glory in World War 

II. Marshall notes in his memoirs that Lejeune and 

his division chief of staff, Army Colonel Preston 

Brown, visited him at AEF Headquarters while he 

Three of the Marine brigade’s more experienced leaders proved their worth during the Battle of Saint-Mihiel. From left: 

Maj Maurice E. Shearer, LtCol Berton W. Sibley, and Maj Robert E. Messersmith. 

Marine Corps History Division
10 Reducing the Saint-Mihiel Salient

was working on AEF plans for a “fake show” in the 

Belfort gap near the Swiss border. Marshall, at a low 

point in morale, saw himself out of the real action. 

Lejeune offered him command of 23d Regiment 

for the Battle of Saint-Mihiel, saying he could assume command four days prior to the attack and 

be released from command at the end of the battle. 

Marshall readily agreed and requested they make 

a strong appeal to his superior, Army Brigadier 

General Fox Conner. Within minutes of meeting, 

Lejeune and Brown returned with Conner, who directed Marshall to immediately prepare to depart—

Marshall’s excitement at possible command was 

short-lived. Conner sent him to another staff job 

at First Army headquarters with the task to review 

and adjust, as needed, all the plans for the upcoming 

Battle of Saint-Mihiel. 

As a result, command of the 23d Regiment 

went to another proven Army officer, Colonel Edward Stone. Stone had commanded 9th Infantry for 

a short time, so he was a known entity to Ely and 

Lejeune. Recently promoted to colonel, Stone assumed command of 23d Regiment on 11 September, just one day prior to the opening of the Battle 

of Saint-Mihiel. Significantly, both 3d Brigade regimental commanders were leading their regiments 

into battle for the first time at Saint-Mihiel.

Overall, the manpower picture in the Army 

units of 2d Division also improved. Many of the replacements transferred in from the 36th Division, a 

National Guard division raised with men from Texas and Oklahoma, arriving in France at the close of 

July. The 2d Division’s strength as of 1 August 1918 

was 990 officers and 20,852 enlisted men; increases remained steady until the Battle of Saint-Mihiel 

was launched on 12 September with the division 

slightly higher than authorized strength at 1,170 officers and 29,353 enlisted men. Moreover, shortages 

in clothing and equipment were all addressed prior 

to the upcoming battle. The Marines’ new uniforms 

were all Army regulation items. During the months 

in France, the beloved campaign hat was replaced 

with the overseas cap; Army overcoats, which were 

shorter and less likely to collect mud, were received; 

and Army wrapped puttees replaced leggings.3 

3 Hindu for bandage, a puttee was a strip of cloth wrapped around the 

lower leg as protection in snow or dense undergrowth.

Training

Assimilation of the replacements into infantry 

companies aided the intensive training of the raw 

replacements significantly, particularly in the Marine brigade where knowledgeable veterans provided hard-earned insights. For the Marines, lessons 

learned in the earlier battles, those aimed at improving the battle skills of the experienced Marines as well as the replacements, were added to the 

training program run by Lieutenant Colonel Julius 

S. Turrill. Turrill, formerly commander of 1st Battalion, 5th Regiment, and now assigned to Colonel 

Feland’s headquarters at 5th Regiment, ensured a 

demanding schedule. 

Each infantry battalion rotated through three 

to five days of training at Camp Bois-l’Évêque, a 

large French training camp located between Nancy and Toul with established ranges and barracks 

and room for maneuver. Captain David Bellamy, 

adjutant for 3d Battalion, 6th Regiment, wrote in 

his war diary that the camp included a “famous 

French drill ground, which I saw once in moving 

pictures in New York.” The Marines trained with 

all the weapons available to the infantry battalion, 

sharpening their rifle marksmanship skills, tossing 

grenades, and firing rifle grenades, as well as the 

M1916 37mm cannon (a.k.a. the “one-pounder” 

due to the weight of the round), Stokes mortar, the 

French Chauchat automatic rifle, and Hotchkiss 

machine gun. The Chauchat (a.k.a. “Sho-Sho” by 

troops) Model 1915 was new to the replacements 

and generally held in disdain by experienced veterans. Each Marine infantry squad included one 

Chauchat, which had been rechambered from the 

French 8mm round to accept the American .30-06 

round, with a 16- or 20-round magazine. The leathernecks learned to fire the weapon from the hip 

when advancing against the enemy.

In his memoir published 50 years after the war, 

Sergeant Don V. Paradis, 80th Company, 6th Regiment, wrote of the training, describing in some detail the rifle grenade because of its relative newness 

to Marines:

We spent several days at Camp Bois de 

l’Eveque going through rifle range, hand 

grenade throwing and rifle grenade practice. . . . [The rifle grenade] was a cylinder 
Reducing the Saint-Mihiel Salient 11

about eight inches long and it fastened to 

the barrel of your rifle. When the bullet 

was fired it passed through the center of the 

grenade which had been dropped into the 

cylinder. The butt of the rifle was resting on 

the ground and aim was taken by angling 

the barrel of the rifle. . . . The gasses from 

the fired shell propelled the grenade. I think 

the range was from fifty to seventy-five yards.

When the Marine battalions were not at Camp 

Bois-l’Évêque, the training never slackened in their 

base camp, where drills focused on close and extended order movement, assault formations, defense against gas attacks through use of the gas 

mask, and signals. While the infantry units honed 

their talents, the regimental pioneer platoons of 

the headquarters companies were attached to the 

division’s 2d Engineer Regiment to sharpen their 

occupational-specific skills, and the signal platoons 

of the regimental headquarters companies were attached to the division’s signal platoon for training. 

While the training was intense, Navy corpsmen 

had time to delouse the leathernecks, removing the 

infamous cooties for the first time since March—a 

giant boon for morale. Paradis, obviously impressed, 

commented on the delousing and “cootie delouse 

machines”:

The machines were a big long cylinder 

about five feet in diameter and perhaps 

twelve or fourteen feet long. We stripped 

naked in a building. All our clothes were 

made into a bundle. . . . Our dog tags were 

taken from around our neck and tied securely to the bundle. The large door closed 

and sealed, then live, dry steam under pressure was turned on the cylinder for a period 

of ten or fifteen minutes. This was supposed 

to kill all lice or bedbugs, also their eggs. We 

did not receive this treatment again until in 

Germany. No wonder we were as lousy as 

pet coons when we reached the Rhine.

For the upcoming battle, the brigade’s machine 

gun battalion, commanded by Major Littleton W. 

T. Waller Jr., son of famous Marine Major General Littleton W. T. Waller Sr., then commanding 

the Advanced Base Force in Philadelphia, also experienced unique, consolidated training. The four 

companies of the 6th Machine Gun Battalion and 

the machine gun company from each of the Marine 

regiments assembled at Camp Bois-l’Évêque along 

with all the other machine gun units of the 2d Division for intensive instruction under the command 

of the division machine gun officer, Army Major 

Ziba L. Drollinger. 

The replacements were introduced to the 

French Hotchkiss machine gun, the weapon issued 

to the machine gun companies on their arrival in 

France. The machine gun companies originally arrived in France armed with their familiar Lewis 

light machine guns, but the AEF had insisted the 

Lewis machine guns be replaced with the Hotchkiss, the standard machine gun in the AEF. At first, 

The French-made Chauchat automatic rifle was not 

favored by the Marines but it got the job done. 

U.S. Signal Corps, Library of Congress, LC-USZ62-3783

Camp Bois-l’Évêque.

National Archives
12 Reducing the Saint-Mihiel Salient

the Marines were not impressed with the heavy aircooled Hotchkiss that, with its fixed-height tripod, 

weighed in at 109 pounds. The issue was not just the 

weapon’s weight or difficulty concealing the high 

silhouette. As Waller noted, “Its big fault was the 

fact that it’s being air cooled, which on prolonged 

barrage fire cut down its rate of speed to approximately 25 rounds a minute.” However, the Marines 

did come to appreciate its much greater range and 

dependability.

For both the replacements and the veterans, a 

different employment technique for the machine 

guns was stressed at Camp Bois-l’Évêque. Trench 

warfare had been a previous focus of training, but 

Waller wrote in a 1920 Marine Corps Gazette article, “During our stay at Camp Bois de l’Eveque we 

had field manoeuvres [sic] in the American style of 

fighting in the open.”

The Marines understood that this focused 

training, led by Americans, signaled that a main effort by the AEF was coming soon. Rumors abounded, 

and Waller noted, “Men returning from hospitals 

told us of the talk in the S.O.S. [Services of Supply] 

of the big drive on the St. Mihiel salient and in 

other places.”

The terrain exercises for the infantry units of the 

brigade afforded the Marines the necessary space 

for small unit and individual maneuver across open 

ground to take on and overcome German machine 

gun nests and bunkers that had proven so deadly a 

task in past battles. The use of cover and concealment, 

infiltration, and flanking tactics were emphasized. 

During the training period, numerous decorations for heroism in the June and July battles caught 

up to 2d Division, and Lejeune was intent on presenting those medals in an appropriate division-level 

parade. Camp Bois-l’Évêque had the available space 

so an awards parade was set for Sunday, 25 August. 

Each unit of the division provided a representative 

number of men, and more than 5,000 men stood on 

parade as those to be honored were marched to the 

front. Major General Hunter Liggett, commander 

of I Corps, and Major General Joseph T. Dickman, 

commander of IV Corps, were among those distinguished guests accompanying Lejeune in presenting 

the awards. Such a large formation did attract German attention, but the sole German aircraft venturing into the area was promptly shot down and the 

morale-lifting parade concluded without incident.

The intensive training was capped by a divisionwide attack rehearsal on 30 –31 August over terrain 

replicating that anticipated in the Saint-Mihiel 

salient. The division’s artillery, 2d Field Artillery 

Brigade, which had been refitting and training 

in a separate area, provided individual soldiers 

carrying flags to represent firing batteries, battalion, 

regiment, and brigade staffs, plus infantry liaison 

teams for the two-day maneuver. For the Marine 

brigade, each regiment had one battalion absent 

from the rehearsal exercise, but all liaison and 

intelligence personnel participated, as did the 6th 

Machine Gun Battalion.

In what would become a hallmark of Lejeune’s 

leadership style, he gathered his officers for a review 

Under the tutelage of French poilus, or infantry, Marines 

train in tossing hand grenades from inside trenches 

during WWI. 

National Archives

Marines with 80th Company, 6th Regiment, hunted 

“cooties” (lice) when time permitted. 

Pvt Arthur Furst, U.S. Signal Corps, 

National Archives
Reducing the Saint-Mihiel Salient 13

at the end of the exercise. Errors and opportunities 

for improvement were noted, but his central message encouraged all to lead their men “in such manner as to achieve victory with a minimum of loss.” 

He clearly believed a great benefit of the exercise 

was the melding of a team, “the kindling and fostering of a division spirit,” so important to the success 

of a mixed Army and Marine Corps division. 

At this juncture, an entry in the official Record 

of Events of the Fourth Brigade, Marine Corps, From 

August 1, 1918 to September 15, 1918, Inclusive 4, is 

worthy of emphasis. This particular events listing is 

included in volume 6 of the U.S. Army, Records of 

the 2d Division (Regular) in the World War and addresses manning and the division-wide exercise and 

maneuvers at the close of training: 

The above exercises and maneuvers were 

carried out fairly well considering that all 

organizations from the Brigade were composed of from 30 to 35 percent replacement 

troops. At this time, the Regiments were 

short about 800 officers and men each.

So, in spite of aggressive efforts, the Marine 

regiments were far short of personnel. The infantrymen yet to arrive would not benefit from this individual training and the follow-on division rehearsal 

maneuvers meant to develop a cohesive team well 

versed in unit standing operating procedures. Additionally, the 2d Field Artillery Brigade, which was 

so critically important to success in the coming battle, was comprised of a majority of gunners with less 

than a year’s service. 

As the division continued its preparations for 

the coming attack, the situation along the western 

front continued to crystallize. Allied forces arrayed 

along the front were building in capability as the 

location and strength of the enemy forces were 

gauged. For the AEF, the Saint-Mihiel salient was 

the center of attention.

Maj Littleton W. T. Waller Jr. (right) stands in a 

2d Division staff formation alongside Army Maj John W.

Llufrio, Quartermaster Corps. 

Sgt John P. Musler, U.S. Signal Corps, 

National Archives

Marines with 3d Battalion, 6th Regiment, pass in review during a 2d Division awards parade at Camp Bois-l’Évêque 

on 25 August 1918. 

Cpl D. J. Sheehan, U.S. Signal Corps, National Archives
14 Reducing the Saint-Mihiel Salient

Medical Preparations for Attacking 

the Saint-Mihiel Salient

For the Saint-Mihiel operation, AEF medical preparations advanced a pessimistic approach as medical 

planners and doctors prepared for an overwhelming 

number of casualties. One casualty estimate ran as 

high as 75,000. Addressing this anticipated need, 

21,000 hospital beds and 65 evacuation trains were 

staged and available.

In the Marine brigade, the medical department 

capitalized on a brigade effort to centralize administrative record keeping, greatly reducing transportation and coordination requirements. The brigade 

gathered regimental personnel officers and company clerks, with their typewriters, in a brigade administrative facility in Manonville. The regimental 

and battalion medical record-keeping staffs were 

added to this effort, significantly easing the administrative burden and, being collocated with the Marines, ensuring ready access to reports brought in by 

runners from the front lines.

Using lessons learned in the battles preceding 

Saint-Mihiel, U.S. Navy medical officers planned 

several improvements for brigade medical support. First, Marine bandsmen, pressed into service 

as litter bearers in earlier operations, had suffered 

significant losses; so as early as July 1918, training 

infantrymen as litter bearers began. Each infantry 

company detailed 12 men as litter bearers under the 

direct supervision of the senior corpsman. At SaintMihiel, this system reached maturity as litter bearers, in addition to their combat training, learned 

basic first aid, including how to help prevent shock 

and handle chemical agent cases, avoiding contamination, and studied varying methods to move 

and transport wounded. Most important, Marines 

training as litter bearers did not want to let their 

fellow Marines down or to be seen as shirkers, so 

the training stressed the significance of their duties 

and their contributions to the ultimate success on 

the battlefield. 

The efforts of Private Albert Meyer, 79th Company, 2d Battalion, 6th Regiment, on the morning 

of 15 September reflect the effectiveness of this 

training. Assigned as a litter bearer, Meyer was nominated for the Medal of Honor for rushing “into the 

open with great risk to his own life to save Corporal 

Elbert E. Brooks who was threatened with capture, 

killing two Germans with a pistol and pulling Corporal Brooks back to safety. This in the face of a large 

approaching force of Germans.” He was awarded a 

Navy Cross for this action. 

Addressing mobility for litter-borne wounded 

and medical supplies, a continuing challenge for 

medical teams going into battle, was also a priority 

for Navy planners with the Marine brigade. Previously, the small two-wheeled, mule-drawn cart allotted for each battalion medical unit in a regiment 

proved woefully inadequate to address the number 

of casualties experienced. Only the most essential 

medical supplies could be packed on these carts 

when allowances were made to include 12–20 litters.

For Saint-Mihiel, numerous French two-wheeled, 

hand-pulled stretcher carts were issued to each regiment. The carts easily facilitated the transport of 

additional medical supplies to the front and expedited casualties to the rear. On the afternoon of 11 

September, heavily loaded with litters and medical 

supplies, including extra wound-dressing materials 

and blankets, these carts stood ready for the night 

march to assigned jumping-off positions. Unfortunately, even the best preparations could not take into 

account the weather and terrain. A steady downpour 

turned already muddy roads into quagmires, and regardless of the determined efforts of the medical staff 

and Marines, the carts eventually were abandoned.

The loss of the carts and the onboard medical 

supplies frustrated the Marine brigade’s medical 

officers and corpsmen, but what the weather took 

Driver and stretcher-bearer training helped to prepare for 

the action to come. 

National Archives, 45494414
Reducing the Saint-Mihiel Salient 15

away was thankfully offset by the absence of anticipated casualties.

Deception: The “Belfort Ruse”

Deception in battle, particularly when forces are 

closely aligned geographically and spies are active, 

becomes extremely difficult but of significant importance to the outcome of a planned attack. For the 

Battle of Saint-Mihiel, the deception effort came 

in the guise of the “Belfort Ruse” and, although it 

did not involve Marines, the former commander of 

2d Division, Major General Omar Bundy, played a 

significant role. Although not viewed as an effective leader, Bundy commanded the division from 8 

November 1917 to 15 July 1918, leading the Marine brigade through the bloody but very successful battles at Belleau Wood in June and July 1918. 

While training with the division in May 1918, a 

status report on the division by one evaluator that 

was ignored by General Pershing, commander of 

the AEF, noted that Bundy “appears to be trying to 

learn his duties as a division commander, but gives 

no evidence of unusual ability for this position.” 

Weeks later, in a 9 June diary entry, Pershing wrote, 

“General Bundy disappoints me. He lacks the grasp. 

I shall relieve him at the first opportunity.” However, Pershing did not technically relieve Bundy; in 

this case, he elevated him to command the not-yetformed VI Corps on 26 August, with plans to use 

him and his paper Army corps as a cat’s-paw in his 

deception effort.

The French, and certainly the Americans at 

home, eagerly awaited news of a major offensive 

Dieppe

Pontois

PARIS

AMIENS

Dury

Cantigny

Beauvais

Evreux

ORLEANS

Rouen

Dreux

Chartres Etamps

Pithiviers

Chateaudun

Seine R

Seine R

Oise R

Oise R

Somme R

Dover

Colon

Boulogne

St Omer

Montreal

Chalons-surMarne

NANCY

Marieulles

Luneville

St. Die

STRASBOURG

Colman

Freiburg

Mulhouse

Vesoul

Belfort

Epinal

Charmes

Longres

Saint-Dizier

REIMS

Dunkirk

Chantilly

Montididier

Barcy

Meaux

Beaumont

COLOGNE

Mayen

Bitburg

Prum

Trier

Etain Briey

LUXEMBOURG

Yirion

COBLENZ

SOISSONS

Chatillon

CHAUMONT

Bar Le Duc

Revigny

Troyes

Auxerre

Sens

Nogent

Melun Provins

TOUL

Bar Sur Aube

Arcis Sur Aube

Saarburg

Sarrebruchen

Bitche Wissembourg

Saverne

St. Avold

Merzig

Saarlouis

R H I N E

R H I N E

R H I N E

Hillesheim

MAINZ

Oppenheim

Worms

Manheim

Speyer

Gemersheim

Karlsrugh

Kreuzmach

Kaiserlautern

Epernay

Mountmirail

Roermond Dusseldorf

LIEGE

Wiltz

Bastogne

Marche

Huy NAMUR

Neufchateau

Neufchateau

La Roche

Fuskirchen

Aix La Chapelle

Siegen

Giessen

Diekirch

Fumay

Bouillon

Arion

Abbeville

Roye

Peronne

Albert

Chalnes

Cambrai Queant

Baupame

Arras

Vimy

Souchez

Loos

Neuve Chapelle

Lille

Hasbrouck

Douai

Drocourt

OSTEND ANTWERP

Fontainbleau

Montargis

Seine R

Seine R

Seine R

Petit Marin Grand Marin

Aube R

Oise R

Somme R

Oise R

Marne R

Marne R

Marne R

Marne R

Aisne R

Ailette R

Avre R

Vesle R

Aisne R

Ourcq R

Aire R Meuse R

Moselle R

Moselle R

Saone R

Moselle R

Meurthe R

Saar R

Saar R

Moselle R

Meuse R

Sambre R

Dendre R

Schelde R

Lys R

Lys R

Meuse R

Doullens

La Fere

Aulnoye

Vervins

Rethel

Mezieres

SaintMenehould

Vitry

Le Francois

Himson

Avesnes

St.

Quentin

Laon

Barisis

Craonne

Moyon

Neufchateau

Nieuport

Thourout

Staden

Roulers

BRUSSELS

GHENT

MONS

Soignies

Wavre

Gembloux

Florennes

Charleroi

Maubeuge

Givet

Louvain

Hasselt

Tongres

MAASTRICHT

BLANC

MONT

Verviers

A R D E N N E S

F O R E S T

 J U R A

M T S

V O S G E S

M T S

Compiegne

(Albert)

XXXXX

Belgium

(Albrecht)

Troyon

Commercy

SAINT-MIHIEL

VERDUN

0 10 20 30 40 50

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

Miles

 Km

SEDAN

Passchendaele

Ham

English

Channel

N

Bourmont

Belleau

F R ANCE

GE R M ANY LU X.

BE LG I U M

(Gallwitz)

(Rupprecht)

XXXXX

(Boehn)

XXXXX

(Crown Prince)

XXXXX

XXXXX

XXXXX

Boise

A R G O N N E

F O R E S T

WESTERN FRONT

Situation mid-September 1918

Under General Pershing’s command, the AEF conducted the 

first American-led major offensive during the reduction of the 

Saint-Mihiel salient, 12–16 September. 

Front line 12 September 1918

German Hindenburg Line

E NGL AN D

Colombeyles-Belles

l’Eveque

Camp Bois

Pont a- Mousson

(Castelnau)

XXXXX

EAST

FR

(Pershing)

XXXXX

AEF

US

(Maistre)

XXXXX FR CENTER

(Payolle)

XXXXX

RESERVE FR

(Haig)

XXXXX BR

BEF

Festubert La Sasse

Lens

Saint-Mihiel Operation

U.S. First Army, AEF

Aisne R

METZ

CHATEAU

THIERRY

2d Division camp area prior to the Saint-Mihiel 

operation. Division headquarters was at 

Colombey-les-Belles. Units trained at the 

French Army Camp Bois de l’Eveque.

As the AEF and its Marines prepared to take on the Saint-Mihiel salient, the strategy for collapsing the entire western front 

was revisited after the victories at Soissons.

Map by LtCol R. L. Cody, USMC (Ret)
16 Reducing the Saint-Mihiel Salient

While many Marines stepped forward 

to push the Germans back during 

the Battle of Saint-Mihiel, at their 

side and often out front were the doctors and 

hospital corpsmen of the U.S. Navy’s Medical 

Corps. One corpsman standing out in a crowd 

of heroes was Hospital Apprentice First Class 

David E. Hayden. Hayden rushed across an 

open area, laced by enemy machine-gun fire, to 

assist Corporal Carlos D. Creed, a rifleman in 2d 

Battalion’s 96th Company. Creed was so severely wounded that Hayden remained by his side, 

under fire, trying to stabilize him before hoisting 

him over his shoulder and racing back to battalion lines. Creed died, but for his actions, Hayden 

was awarded the Medal of Honor. 

The regimental surgeons for both 5th and 

6th Regiments cultivated an existing sense of 

commitment and service among the hospital 

corpsmen of the brigade and their leadership 

examples particularly shone through on 15 September. U.S. Naval Reserve Lieutenant Robert 

J. Lawler, the acting regimental surgeon for the 

5th Regiment, had made a rapid positive contribution to the regiment since joining on 6 September 1918. He arrived in France in late June 

as a member of the National Naval Volunteers, 

commanding the Medical Detachment, 2d Replacement Battalion. During required training 

prior to being assigned to an operational unit, 

he was officially integrated into the U.S. Naval 

Reserve Force. 

Lawler was thrown into the medical leadership position in 5th Regiment with very litINDIVIDUAL ACTS OF HEROISM 

BY NAVY MEDICAL PERSONNEL 

Lt Joel T. Boone, Medical Corps, USN, was appointed 

a lieutenant (junior grade) in the U.S. Navy Reserve 

in 1914, transitioning to the regular Navy in 1915. 

His service with 6th Regiment signaled the measure 

of a man destined for great leadership achievements.

Bureau of Medicine Library and Archives, U.S. Navy
Reducing the Saint-Mihiel Salient 17

respect and praise of their Marines this day. 

Hospital Apprentice First Class Bernard W. 

Herrman from 76th Company distinguished 

himself when he rushed into the open to recover wounded Marines. Pharmacist’s Mate 

Third Class James E. Manning was treating 1st 

Battalion wounded in a forward dressing station when an artillery shell struck, wounding 

one Marine in two more places. Manning was 

dressing the new wounds when another round 

hit the station, wounding him. He refused evacuation until the Marines were removed. After 

all were evacuated, incoming artillery completely destroyed the station. 

Another hospital corpsman in the battalion, 

Pharmacist’s Mate Third Class John R. Litchfield, with 74th Company, was killed by incoming artillery fire while attempting to evacuate 

wounded from a trenchline. Each of these hospital corpsmen was awarded a Navy Cross.

tle time to get to know the other surgeons, his 

frontline hospital corpsmen, and most important, the Marines he served. He worked tirelessly, 

setting the example, visiting battalion dressing 

stations under fire, supervising the medical 

treatments provided by the hospital corpsmen, 

and helping evacuate wounded to the rear. For 

his actions during 12–16 September and later 

during October, Lawler was awarded the Navy 

Cross and three Silver Stars. 

The 6th Regiment’s surgeon, Navy Commander Joel T. Boone, was much more seasoned. He was awarded the Distinguished 

Service Cross for heroism in action at Belleau 

Wood in June, followed by the award of the 

nation’s highest distinction for valor in combat, 

the Medal of Honor, for actions in July near 

Vierzy. In the Battle of Saint-Mihiel, he added two Silver Stars to his accolades for braving artillery and machine-gun fire to get the 

regiment’s battalion dressing stations in operation near the lines. Boone continued his service after the war, retiring as a vice admiral in 

1950. Along the way, he served as the surgeon 

to three presidents: Warren G. Harding, Calvin 

Coolidge, and Herbert C. Hoover.

The 6th Regiment’s medical staff made a 

real difference reducing Marine losses during 

the attacks on 15 September and the counterattacks that followed. Assistant surgeon Navy 

Reserve Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Gordon A. 

Grimland established a dressing station in a culvert up close to the action while under continuous fire. He and his attending medical personnel 

held their position, providing medical assistance 

even as they were targeted by German artillery. 

Among those helping Grimland was Pharmacist’s Mate First Class Oscar S. Goodwin. Both 

Grimland and Goodwin were awarded the Navy 

Cross for their dedicated support. 

The hospital corpsmen in Major Barker’s 

1st Battalion, 6th Regiment, also earned the 

PHM3C John R. Litchfield, killed in action when 

trying to rescue wounded Marines, was awarded the 

Navy Cross for his actions. 

Courtesy of NavSource.org
18 Reducing the Saint-Mihiel Salient

by the American First Army after its formation 

was made official on 24 July 1918 with the AEF’s 

General Orders No. 120. Rumors abounded that the 

American divisions were to mass as one army and 

attack to reduce the longstanding German penetration capped at Saint-Mihiel—the Saint-Mihiel 

salient. French newsstands featured maps of the 

salient, and customers in wine shops and soldiers 

on leave in Paris talked of the impending attack 

while U.S. officials in Washington, DC, openly 

discussed the first AEF-led operation. General 

Pétain, commander of French forces, cautioned 

Pershing on 19 August that the secrecy of the 

American operation had been compromised and 

an effort was needed to mislead the Germans. 

Pershing took the lead in beginning the deception when, in a press conference on 26 August, he 

announced that a “tentative date” had been established for a major American offensive, but security 

precluded offering more information. The next day, 

the French liaison officer with the press corps suggested the American First Army might attack in 

the Alsace region, more than 100 miles southeast 

of Saint-Mihiel. The deception accelerated.

That same day, VI Corps, with Bundy commanding, was assigned to the administrative control 

of the First Army. AEF planners and VI Corps, at 

least the commander and his staff, were assigned the 

task of planning a First Army attack in the Vosges 

Mountains to seize the Mulhouse-Belfort area, 

south and east of Saint-Mihiel, where a pass known 

as the Belfort Gap provided access to Germany’s 

Rhine Valley. The U.S. Army’s 29th Division was 

already in the Belfort area, and to add credibility to 

the rumors of the planned First Army attack, both 

Pershing and Pétain visited the division and toured 

the area at different times. Bundy and his staff, never aware that they were not planning the real attack, 

moved to Belfort and were joined by three reconnaissance officers from six other divisions. Increased 

message traffic, aircraft reconnaissance missions in 

the area, and French artillery firing registrations 

added to the credibility of a pending attack by First 

After the battle began, German prisoners were often pressed into service as stretcher-bearers. 

National Archives, 45494422

Army MajGen Omar Bundy commanded 2d Division 

with its Marine brigade from early November 1917 

until after the battles in Belleau Wood, never gaining 

the confidence of the AEF commander, Gen Pershing. 

Harris & Ewing Collection, Library of Congress, 

LC-H261-29796
Reducing the Saint-Mihiel Salient 19

Army in the Belfort area. The activity was noticed 

immediately and reported to the Germans, who 

were now forced to consider the possibility that 

the Saint-Mihiel salient might not, in fact, be the 

debut of the American First Army. Three German 

divisions were shifted nearer the Belfort-Mulhouse 

area, villages in the area of the suspected attack were 

evacuated, additional artillery was moved into range 

of the anticipated attack, and some ammunition 

dumps were relocated rearward.

The deception worked to the benefit of the 

AEF. The Germans could not totally discount an 

American attack through the Belfort Gap. Forces 

that might have made it more difficult for the AEF 

in reducing the Saint-Mihiel salient were not available to the enemy. Deemed successful by the Allies, 

the Belfort Ruse set the stage and the curtains were 

about to be drawn for the entrance of the American 

First Army.

THE PLAN, THE POSITIONING, 

AND THE BATTLE BEGINS

The Plan

The 2d Division, commanded by Marine Major 

General Lejeune, with its Marine brigade, became 

part of I Corps on 27 August 1918 as the First 

Army, AEF, continued to shape its force for the next 

great battle—the Battle of Saint-Mihiel. While the 

Saint-Mihiel salient, its key terrain, and German 

positions were being closely studied, the 4th Brigade commander, Brigadier General Neville, firmed 

up his leadership team; however, gaps in battalion 

leadership would hound the brigade up to the beginning of the battle.

The refinement of details for the First Army 

attack against the Saint-Mihiel salient went forward as unit preparations continued with General 

Pershing’s First Army assuming control of the fairly 

quiet 40-mile sector along the salient on 30 August. 

However, that same day, trouble erupted when Marshal Ferdinand Foch visited Pershing with a newly 

revised strategic direction that scattered American 

divisions, essentially robbing Pershing of his forces and denying the American First Army a showcase opportunity at Saint-Mihiel. Foch’s dramatic 

change placed the focus of effort west of the salient 

in the Meuse-Argonne area, leaving only a few divisions to make a minimal effort against the southern face of the salient. Pershing’s relationship with 

Foch had never been comfortable, and on this occasion, Pershing adamantly refused to agree to a plan 

breaking up his American First Army, distributing 

divisions to French and British Armies. Unhappy 

with Pershing’s position, Foch departed Pershing’s 

headquarters, leaving his revised plan for First Army 

with Pershing for further consideration.

Upset, Pershing hurriedly met with his immediate superior, French Army Commander General 

Pétain, to garner support for his position. Together, 

they crafted a suggestion for Foch that would have 

the First Army attacking both sides of the salient, 

with somewhat reduced forces and a revised limit 

of advance uncovering strategic railways, pinching 

off the salient, and straightening lines so Allied 

forces could be rapidly positioned to protect the 

eastern flank of Foch’s planned major effort west 

of the salient. Pershing and Pétain met with Foch 

on 2 September, with Foch acquiescing somewhat, 

agreeing that the Saint-Mihiel salient attack would 

go forward with a limited effort, reducing the salient to a lesser depth along a line stretching from 

Les Éparges on the west and through Vigneulles, 

Thiaucourt, and Regniéville to the Moselle River. 

Pershing’s First Army then would move expeditiously approximately 60 miles west, assuming a 

front of approximately 90 miles for Foch’s primary 

Meuse-Argonne operation. The First Army would 

remain intact, Pershing would have his showcase, 

and his First Army retained a major role in the next 

great Allied operation.

The same day Pershing was overcoming objections, forging a distinctive future for the AEF on 

2 September, Neville’s 4th Brigade received orders 

to move during the next three days into the area 

of the salient. Corporal Havelock D. Nelson, who 

joined the Marine Corps in June 1917, arrived in 

France with his unit less than six months later in 

November 1917, now was a guide in 97th Company, 3d Battalion, 6th Regiment. He noted that 

his unit began a series of moves that day, all in 

the dark of night over jammed roads, to get into 

position for the battle. Realizing the next big operation was in the offing, but thankful for a short 

break, the company remained in one position at 
20 Reducing the Saint-Mihiel Salient

the Bois Saint-Gengoult during 5–9 September, 

waiting but conducting some drills to reduce monotony while replacements continued to arrive, including some valuable veterans from the hospitals. 

First Lieutenant John W. Thomason Jr. of 49th 

Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Regiment, addressed 

the impact of veterans in the “hurry up and wait” 

of war: 

So much of war is just lying around waiting 

in more or less discomfort. And herein lies 

the excellence of veterans. They swear and 

growl horribly under discomfort and exposure—far more than green troops; but privations do not sap their spirit or undermine 

that intangible thing called morale.

On 7 September, First Army issued Field Orders No. 9, confirming the forces would be in place 

the night of 11–12 September, and the attacks 

would begin with an artillery preparation at 0100 

on 12 September, followed by infantry attacks on 

the southern face at 0500 and the western face at 

0800. At the AEF level, Pershing had four army 

corps: 

• I Corps: comprising the 82d, 90th, 5th, 

and 2d Divisions (in line from right to 

left), and the 78th in reserve. I Corps 

was commanded by Army Major General Hunter Liggett, an old friend of 

Lejeune’s and one of the reviewing ofSAINT-MIHIEL PONT-A-MOUSSON

Vieville

Lesmenils

Bouxierressous-Froidmont

Villerssous-Preny

Jaulny

Woel

Arry

Sillegny

Cheminot

Morvilleaux-Seille

Port- sur-Seifle

Lorrydevt le-Pont

Corny Fey

Cuvry

Nonsard Pannes

Heudicourt Spada

Hansur-Meuse

Lamorville

Chaillon

Creue

Bannoncourt

Wainville

Apremont

la-Foret

Saint-Agnant sous-les-cotes

Chauvoncourt

les Paroches

Maizey

Liouville Mecrin Sampigny

Montsec

Beney

Euvezin

Esseyet-Maizerais

Noveantsur-Moselle

Ancy- sur-Moselle

Ars- sur-Moselle

Waville

Onville

Arnaville

Xonville

Chanbley Gorze

Puxieux

Augny

Vaux

Jouyaux-Archis

Moulins Rezonville

Gravelotte

Malmaison

Tronville

Verneville

Jarny

Jouaville

ChatelSt Germain

Le Ban

St Martin

Xammes

Hattonchatel

Sponville

Herbeuville

Frianeville

Harville

Pareid

Allamont St. Marcel Bruville

Saint-Remy

la-Calonne

les Eparges

Cambres

Sauix

Rupten-Woevre

Bonzee

Manheulles

Mesnilsous-les-Cotes

Haudiomont

Ronvaux

Braquis Parfondrupt

Villers- sous-Pareid

Villesur-Yron

Mouilly

Saint-Julien -

les-Gorze

Lamarcheen-Woevre

St. Bendoit- en-Woevre

Fresnesen-Woevre

Brainvilleen-Woevre

Marsla-Tour

Doncourtles-Confians

Woippy

Lorryles Metz

Hannonvilleau-Passage

Wadonvilleen-Woevre

Vaux- les-Palameix

Dompierreaux-Bois

Deuxnoudsaux-Bois

Vigneulles

Saint-Maurice -

sous-les-Cotes

Hannonville -

sous-les-Cotes

Lacroixsur-Meuse

Limey

Minorville

Noviant- aux-Pres Martincourt

Mamey Saint-Genevieve

Atton

Dieulouard

Jezainville

Villeau-Val

Remenauville Regnieville

Flirey

Beaumont

Seicheprey

Rambucourt

Bouconville

Loupmont

Xivrey

et-Marvoisin

Mandresaux-4-Tours

Richecourt

Saint-Baussant

Bois d’ 

Heiche

de la Montagne

Bois

Bois la Haie

l’ Eveque Bois de la

Fourasse

Bois de 

Corny

Bois de

Morte Mare

Bois de

la Hazelle

Bois de la 

Vignuellies

Bois de

Loisirs

Bois de 

Dampvitouxs

Foret de 

Puvenelle

Foret 

de la 

Montagne

Foret 

de 

Gobessart

Bois de Beaume

Haie

Bois de 

Bayonville

Bois de Gorze

R

M euse

R

M e u s e

R O r n e

Lac

de Madine

Foret

de

Sommedieue

Mad

R u p t d e

Thiaucourt

METZ

Vandieres

Etang de Lachaussee

Haumontles Lachausse

Pintheville

Riaville

Dampvitoux

R

Mo s e e l l

Saint-Hilaire

Marcheville

Front line 

12 September 

Moselle River 

Rupt de Mad

R u p t

M a d

de

Miles

Km 0 2.5 5

0 1.5 3

N

Lachaussee

Rembercourtsur-Mad

Charey

Michel Position

 (Hindenburg Line)

Jonville

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Bois de 

Villers

Foret 

du Bois 

le Pretre

Pagny- sur-Moselle

Meuse River 

Nineteenth Army

Army Group Albrecht

(von Fuchs)

FR Eighth Army 

Army Group East 

The salient was located in the area between the Meuse and Moselle Rivers. The Heights of the Meuse, a hilly, wooded area on the salient’s western face, provided the Germans with 

excellent observation, particularly from Loupmont and Montsec, which overlooked Allied lines on the salient’s southern face. The Woevre Plain was a flat area covered with woods, 

streams, marshes, and lakes. The Rupt de Mad, the principal stream that cut northeast through the plain, emptied into the Moselle. During the wet season, which begins in September, 

the Woevre Plain becomes flooded and many roads become impassable. The north face of the salient was the sector of the strongly fortified Hindenburg Line known as the Michel 

Position. The German line around the salient stretched 40 miles, and the base of the wedge between two points in the German line was 20 miles wide.

SAINT-MIHIEL SALIENT, SEPTEMBER 1918, KEY TERRAIN

AEF

U.S. First Army (Pershing)

Army Detachment C (Fuchs)

Army Group Gallwitz

The terrain inside the Saint-Mihiel salient, while varied, included the Woëvre plain, woods heavily damaged by previous battles,

numerous small streams, lakes, and boggy areas. The heights of Montsec allowed the Germans to visually dominate most of the salient.

Map by LtCol R. L. Cody, USMC (Ret)
Reducing the Saint-Mihiel Salient 21

ficers for the 2d Division’s 25 August 

awards parade. 

• IV Corps: with its 89th, 42d, and 1st 

Divisions (in line from right to left), 

with the 3d Division in reserve. IV 

Corps was commanded by Army Major General Joseph Dickman, and was 

set to conduct the main attack against 

the south face of the salient. 

• V Corps: with the 26th Division, 

French 15th Colonial Division, and 

part of the 4th Division (in line from 

right to left), with the remainder of the 

4th Division in reserve, under Army 

Major General George H. Cameron, 

SAINT-MIHIEL PONT-AMOUSSON

Vieville

Lesmenils

Jaulny

Woel

Arry

Sillegny

Morvilleaux-Seille

Port- sur-Seifle

Lorrydevt le-Pont

Corny Fey

Cuvry

Nonsard Pannes

Heudicourt

Spada

Hansur-Meuse

Chaillon

Creue

Bannoncourt

Wainville

Apremont

la-Foret

St. Agnant sous-les-cotes

Chauvoncourt

les Paroches

Maizey

Liouville Sampigny

Beney

Euvezin

Esseyet-Maizerais

Pagny- sur-Moselle

Noveantsur-Moselle

Ancy- sur-Moselle

Ars- sur-Moselle

Waville

Onville

Arnaville

Xonville

Chanbley Gorze

Puxieux

Augny

Vaux

Moulins Rezonville

Gravelotte

Malmaison

Tronville

ChatelSt Germain

Le Ban

St Martin

Sponville

Harville

Pareid

Allamont

St. Marcel

Bruville

Saint-Remy

Sauix

Rupten-Woevre

Jonville

Bonzee

Manheulles

Mesnil- sous-les-Cotes

Haudiomont

Villerssous-Pareid

Villesur-Yron

Mouilly

Lamarcheen-Woevre

Fresnesen-Woevre

Brainvilleen-Woevre

Mars- Hannonville- la-Tour

au-Passage

Wadonvilleen-Woevre

Vaux- les-Palameix

Dompierreaux-Bois

Deuxnoudsaux-Bois

Hannonville -

sous-les-Cotes

Lacroixsur-Meuse

Limey

Minorville

Noviant- aux-Pres Martincourt

Mamey

Ste. Genevieve

Atton

Jezainville

Villeau-Val

Remenauville Regnieville

Flirey

Beaumont

Seicheprey

Rambucourt Bouconville Mandresaux-4-Tours

Richecourt

St. Baussant

Bois la Haie

l’ Eveque

Bois de la

Fourasse

Bois de 

Corny

Bois de

Morte Mare

 Bois de

la Hazelle

Bois de la 

Vignuellies

Bois de 

Dampvitouxs

Bois de 

Villers

Foret de 

Puvenelle

Foret 

de la 

Montagne

Bois de 

Bayonville

Bois de Gorze

R

M e u s e

Foret

de

Sommedieue

Rembercourt

Etang de Lachaussee

Haumontles Lachausse

Pintheville

Riaville

Lachaussee

R

Mo s e e l l

Saint-Hilaire

4

192

XX

XX

XX

XX

XX

XX

X

X

X

8 Ldw

88

31

123

Foret 

de 

Gobessart

Bois d’ 

Heiche

de la Montagne

Bois St. Bendoit

Ronvaux

Vigneulles Xammes

(Liggett)

I

I I

(Dickman)

I

I IVI I

I

15

Colonial

VI I

I

(Cameron)

Hattonchatel

2 

Dismounted

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Charey

Miles

Km 0 2.5 5

0 1.5 3

METZ

Thiaucourt

Herbeuville

Cambres

Xivrey

M a d R u p t d e

Montsec

Loupmont

Bois de

Lac Loisirs

de Madine

R u p t

M a d d e

N

(Leuthold)

XXX

MIHIEL

METZ

39

Colonial II

I I

XXX

(Bondlat)

Colonial

1

3

2

5

78 42 89

82

90

77R

10

5 Ldw

255

13 

 Ldw

XX

31Ldw

X

GORZ

(Hartz)

Bois de Beaume

Haie

AEF

U.S. First Army (Pershing)

Foret 

du Bois 

le Pretre

FR Eighth Army 

Army Group East 

XX

FR

26

XX

FR

XX

FR

XX

FR

A 

26

XX

US

XX

US

XX

US

XX

US

XX

US

XX

US

XX

US XX

US XX

US

XX

US

XX

US

XXX

US

XXX

US

XXX

FR US

35

XX

A H

2

1 195

Army Detachment C (Fuchs)

Army Group Gallwitz

COMBRES

(Below)

XXX

XX

XX

XX

XX

XXX

XXX

SAINT-MIHIEL OPERATION, 12–16 SEPTEMBER 1918 

The American First Army (three U.S. and one French corps) jumped off in the attack early on 12 

September. The defending German Army Detachment C conducted a fighting withdrawal to prepared 

positions in the sector of the strongly fortified Michel Position, known to the Allies as the Hindenburg 

Line. By 16 September, the American First Army reached its limit of advance in front of the Michel 

Position. 

Front 13–14 September

Front 12 September (PM)

Front 12 September (AM)

Allied limit of 

advance 16 September

Michel Position

(Hindenburg Line)

In addition to the 4th Brigade, 2d Division, 

individual Marines served in staffs and units 

throughout the AEF.

Noteworthy among them were:

2 Col Bearss commanded the

102d Infantry Regiment, 26th Division

1 Col Wise commanded the

59th Infantry Regiment, 4th Division

American First Army attack at Saint-Mihiel salient on 12 September 1918. The attack of 26th Division from the west and 

1st Division from the south to close the salient at Vigneulles was a change to the original order, exploiting successes of the 

first day of battle. 

Map by LtCol R. L. Cody, USMC (Ret)

Marshal Ferdinand Foch, Supreme Commander Allied Forces (left), and Gen John J. Pershing, commanding both the AEF and the American First Army, had 

a controversial but highly successful relationship. 

Gilles Lagin Collection
22 Reducing the Saint-Mihiel Salient

and would launch a secondary attack 

against the west face of the salient. 

• French II Colonial Corps: with its 

39th and 26th Divisions and 2d Cavalry Division (Dismounted) (in line 

from right to left), under French Major 

General Ernest J. Blondlat, was to hold 

the center of the salient, protecting the 

American flanks. 

• This force, with American and French 

divisions, both on the line and in reserve, numbered 500,000.

In Pershing’s plan of operations, IV Corps’ 1st Division, attacking against the south face of the salient, 

would meet the 26th Division of V Corps attacking southeast from Les Éparges, at Vigneulles, thus 

pinching off the salient by attaining the revised line 

of advance agreed to with Foch and Pétain on 2 

September.4

For the aviation effort in reducing the longstanding German-held Saint-Mihiel salient, Pershing’s First Army took advantage of the greatest 

armada of armed aircraft up to that point in history. 

While American squadrons played a significant role 

in the Saint-Mihiel campaign, only about one-third 

of the aviation force was American; French, British, 

and Italian squadrons made this a truly Allied air 

effort. However, Marine aviation played no role in 

the air action against the salient. Marine aviation in 

France was, in the main, located with the Marine 

Day Wing of the U.S. Navy’s Northern Bombing 

Group, with some pilots in 217 and 218 Squadrons 

in Great Britain’s Royal Air Force and with the 

French Flying Corps.5

The challenge of effectively organizing the 

massive amount of aviation fell to an Army officer with a tremendous future, Colonel William 

Mitchell, chief of Air Service, First Army. He and 

his staff developed a plan to ensure German rear 

areas holding reserve units and ammunition dumps 

were pounded, while also maintaining air superior4 The order provides an opportunity to grow the legend of Marine 

Col Hiram I. Bearss, commanding the 102d Regiment, 26th Division, 

who marched his doughboys fast and hard to beat the 1st Division 

into Vigneulles.

5 Some records indicate that the Royal Flying Corps was reorganized 

and named the Royal Air Force on 1 April 1918 prior to the arrival of 

Marine aviation units.

ity when weather permitted, allocating air support 

to units in the attack, and attacking German troops 

on the line while protecting its aviation forces. The 

air operations at Saint-Mihiel, in a historical sense, 

became a significant milestone in the evolving U.S. 

military aviation.

In addition to attaining and maintaining air 

superiority, the First Army air plan included photographic missions, with provisions for rapidly 

supplying photographs of enemy positions to headquarters, which allowed long-range artillery to get 

into the action. The plan also called for deteriorating enemy morale with propaganda leaflet drops 

and strafing enemy positions, including frontline 

infantry. Most important for the 2d Division and 

its Marines, all the Allied aviation units were designated as “army,” “corps,” or “division” assets and, thus 

2d Division had dedicated aircraft, flown by Army 

Air Service pilots, assigned prior to the battle: 1st 

Aero Squadron and 1st Balloon Company.

Positioning

Preparing for the attack against the south face of the 

salient, the 4th Brigade arrived around Manonville 

on 8 September. Corporal Nelson reported that the 

rest for his unit that began on 5 September ended 

on 9 September, when billeting parties moved out 

again, this time during the day. While the road was 

congested, the demands of the march were somewhat diminished as morale lifted when they sighted American nurses while passing a field hospital 

near Minorville. Nelson learned in previous guide 

roles that leading his company into its final position 

in dark of night was extremely challenging. This 

time, during daylight, prior to his unit’s arriving 

at the spot where he waited as their guide, Nelson 

placed small white pieces of paper at critical turning points in the wooded area that would be their 

final position. Unfortunately, when the unit arrived 

at approximately 2100 on 10 September in a downpour, the woods were so dark Nelson could not see 

a piece of paper he held six inches from his face. 

He did, however, eventually get the men near the 

planned position. 

The 2d Division issued Field Orders No. 27 

on 10 September, calling for the attack in a column by its two infantry brigades. The 3d Brigade, 
Reducing the Saint-Mihiel Salient 23

with 9th Infantry on the right and 23d Infantry 

on the left, would lead, supported by Neville’s 4th 

Brigade, which was to pass through and assume 

the lead when ordered.The division’s 2d Field Artillery Brigade, reinforced with French artillery 

units, directed the 15th Field Artillery Regiment, 

a United States 75mm gun horse-drawn unit, to 

provide liaison teams to 9th Infantry and the 12th 

Field Artillery Regiment, also an American 75mm 

horse-drawn unit, to do the same for 23d Infantry. 

The infantry regiments’ battalions would attack on 

a two-company front, with each battalion’s remaining two companies following, along with a machine 

gun company in support. 

The 2d Division’s main attack by 3d Brigade 

was weighted with the addition of attached gas and 

flame companies, a company of medium tanks, and 

two companies of light tanks. Additionally, a battalion of 75mm artillery from 15th Field Artillery 

was attached to 9th Infantry and one from the 12th 

Field Artillery was attached to 23d Infantry. These 

artillery units were provided extra ammunition, 

engineers, ramps, and bridges to assist in crossing 

trenches and to improve overall mobility in advancing to maintain a range advantage in front of the 

attacking infantry. A company of light tanks was attached to the 4th Brigade. The 4th and 6th Machine 

Gun Battalions were controlled at division level for 

an overhead barrage at H-hour, the hour of the 

ground attack, continuing until the attacking infantry advanced into the machine gun barrage danger 

zone. After this initial salvo, the 4th Machine Gun 

Battalion would revert to division reserve, and Major Littleton W. T. Waller’s 6th Machine Gun Battalion, the Marine machine gun-battalion, would 

return to the 4th Brigade.

On the Trail of the Hun by Capt William James Aylward, one of eight official artists commissioned in the Army and sent to 

France to record the war through paintings, illustrations, and watercolors. 

Official Art of the American Expeditionary Forces, Smithsonian National Museum of American History, 445410
24 Reducing the Saint-Mihiel Salient

Brigadier General Neville’s attack order for 4th 

Brigade, Field Orders No. 9, was distributed on 11 

September, and that same day, 5th Regiment issued 

its implementation order, Field Orders No. 26. Colonel Logan Feland’s 5th Regiment, following and 

supporting 9th Infantry on 2d Division’s right, was 

to move in a column of battalions, with 3d Battalion, 

led by the battalion commander with the most battalion-level command experience in the regiment, 

Major Maurice E. Shearer, in the front. Shearer’s 

battalion was trailed by Lieutenant Colonel Arthur J. O’Leary’s 1st Battalion and Major Robert E. 

Messersmith’s 2d Battalion bringing up the rear. The 

Army and Marine regiments were to be separated 

by 1,000 meters and battalions by 600 meters to 

avoid confusion, intermingling, and casualties from 

friendly fire, but were close enough to provide relief if needed. The 5th Regiment’s plan also directed 

that the battalions attack with two line companies 

abreast and two following. Noteworthy here, the 

Army battalion selected to lead the attack for 9th 

Infantry on the division’s far right was 3d Battalion, 

commanded by Marine Major Robert L. Denig.

Other than Shearer, the 5th Regiment’s battalion commanders had no battalion-level command 

experience. O’Leary joined the regiment on 27 August 1918, transferring in from 1st Depot Division 

and assuming command of 1st Battalion the next 

day when its commander, Lieutenant Colonel Julius Turrill, became the regiment’s second in command. O’Leary had arrived in France more than 

two months earlier with 1st Machine Gun Replacement Battalion on board USS Henderson (AP 

1), debarking at Brest on 8 June. The Saint-Mihiel 

operation was his only shot at battalion command 

in World War I, and that was short-lived as he was 

listed as sick and transferred to a hospital not long 

after the battle.The 2d Battalion was in a bit better leadership situation. Although Messersmith assumed command of the battalion on 11 September 

immediately prior to the attack, he was battle hardened after commanding 78th Company, 2d Battalion, 6th Regiment, at Belleau Wood and Soissons 

in June and July.

Colonel Harry Lee’s 6th Regiment issued its 

implementation order at 1435 on 11 September, directing the regiment to attack with two battalions, 

one following in trace of the other, with two companies leading in each battalion and two following. 

Lieutenant Colonel Berton Sibley’s 3d Battalion, 

the lead battalion for the regiment, was directed 

to send one infantry platoon and a machine gun 

section to maintain liaison with 5th Regiment on 

the right. The 6th Regiment’s advance would depend on 23d Regiment’s progress, which it was to 

follow, maintaining roughly a 1,000-meter separation and ensuring liaison with units on the left and 

right. A combat group of 1st Battalion, commanded by Major Frederick A. Barker, reinforced with 

73d Machine Gun Company, the regimental machine gun company, was attached to 23d Infantry, 

3d Brigade, to ensure cross-boundary liaison with 

IV Corps’ 89th Division on the left. Major Ernest 

C. Williams, commanding 2d Battalion, 6th Regiment, was directed to assign one of his companies 

as a covering force on the left flank of the regiment.

Sibley was the sole commander with battalionlevel combat experience in the 6th Regiment. 

He arrived in France commanding 3d Battalion, 

debarking USS Von Steuben (ID 3017) on 19 

November 1917, and continued to command the 

battalion with distinction at both Belleau Wood 

and Soissons. Williams assumed command of 2d 

Battalion, 6th Regiment, on 10 August after arriving 

in France with the 3d Replacement Battalion in 

June and completing required officer training and 

spending some time in 75th Company, 1st Battalion, 

6th Regiment. His combat credibility was earned in 

November 1916 with the Medal of Honor awarded 

for action during the occupation of Santo Domingo. 

Along with the medal, he gained a hard-drinking, 

hard-charging reputation. Major Barker joined the 

regiment from the provost marshal’s office in Paris, 

assuming command of 1st Battalion on 30 July 

1918. An old hand, Barker participated in numerous 

campaigns against the Caco bandits in Haiti and 

rebels in Santo Domingo during 1916. Assigned as 

assistant provost marshal in Paris when the regiment 

arrived in France in early July 1917, Barker remained 

there until Lejeune’s plea for Marines to fill the ranks 

of the 4th Brigade garnered results.

While the Allied effort of 12–16 September 

1918 to reduce the Saint-Mihiel salient often is 

referred to as the Battle of Saint-Mihiel, the actual 

battle was mostly east and north of the town. 

The assigned front for Lejeune’s 2d Division was 
Reducing the Saint-Mihiel Salient 25

Among the advantages Marines enjoyed 

in the American Expeditionary Forces 

(AEF) upon arrival in France in 1917 

was an abundance of experienced, even battlescarred officers and noncommissioned officers. 

The profusion of accomplished leaders allowed 

the Marine Corps to provide individuals to 

command U.S. Army units of the AEF; a 

rapidly expanding U.S. Army needed mid-level 

leadership. One of the knowledgeable Marine 

officers assigned to command Army units in 

World War I and, in fact, who led two Army 

battalions, one in the Battle of Saint-Mihiel, 

was Major Robert L. Denig Sr. After retiring 

in 1941, he returned to active duty to make 

even greater contributions to the Corps as the 

Marine who originated the Marine Corps’ 

Division of Public Relations.

Denig’s early experiences in his Marine 

career were with the U.S. Army. Commissioned 

a Marine second lieutenant in 1905, while at the 

School of Application, Annapolis, Maryland, 

he was detached for service with the 1st Marine 

Brigade in 1906, where he served with the U.S. 

Army in the Cuban pacification. Stationed at 

Marine Barracks Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 

in June 1917 when the Marine Corps was 

gathering men to fill out the 5th Regiment for 

duty in France, Denig was eager to get into 

the action. Transferred to Quantico, Virginia, 

on 1 July 1917, he assumed command of 17th 

Company, Base Detachment, 5th Regiment, 

and then on 1 August, embarked on the USS 

Henderson (AP 1), bound for France.

Arriving in France, Denig trained in trench 

warfare at the U.S. Army schools at GondreWorld War I Hero and Father of Today’s Marine Corps Public Relations

BRIGADIER GENERAL

 ROBERT L. DENIG

Robert L. Denig, a first lieutenant in 1913, was commissioned in 1905. One of his first assignments was 

with the U.S. Army in Cuba in 1906, which generated some understanding of Army procedures, positioning him for command of Army units in WWI.

Marine Corps History Division
26 Reducing the Saint-Mihiel Salient

court and Langres, and in May 1918, he was 

ordered to the 3d Infantry Division, a regular 

Army division that had arrived in France on 4 

April 1918, for duty as the commanding officer, 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry. The baptism by 

fire for Denig and his battalion was not long 

in coming. A surprise German offensive hit the 

French Army in late May all along the Aisne 

front, rolling back French forces to the Marne 

River and threatening Paris. The 3d Division, 

including Denig’s battalion, rushed to meet the 

Germans along the south bank of the Marne 

not far from Château-Thierry. Units of the 

AEF, including the 2d Division and its Marine 

brigade, gained worldwide recognition by first 

blunting and then pushing back the Germans 

in spite of heavy losses, particularly at Belleau 

Wood. 

Spurred by the Marine losses at Belleau 

Wood and the need for an experienced combat leader to replace a recently promoted Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Holcomb, commanding 

2d Battalion, 6th Regiment, Denig returned to 

the Marine brigade on 8 July and was sent to 

2d Battalion initially to be the second in command. When Holcomb, as the senior battalion 

commander, stepped up to command 6th Regiment in the absence of the regiment’s commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Harry Lee 

(who was filling in as 4th Brigade commanding 

officer), Denig commanded the 2d Battalion. 

This was for only a short time in mid-July, as 

Holcomb knew a French counteroffensive was 

coming and wanted to continue command. 

Denig moved the battalion into position, ensuring the men were fed, armed, and ready for 

battle, then returned command to Holcomb 

and remained as second in command with the 

battalion throughout the intense fighting of 

18–19 July at Soissons.

Denig’s impressive success commanding 

both Army and Marine battalions moved him 

to the fore when the 9th Infantry, 3d Brigade, 

2d Division, needed a battalion commander. He 

was transferred to 9th Regiment on 26 July and 

assumed command of 3d Battalion, 9th Infantry, on 30 July. Denig led the battle-scarred battalion through a rebuilding and training phase 

in August and into the Battle of Saint-Mihiel 

on 12 September, where his battalion led the 

assault for 9th Infantry on the right side of the 

2d Division attack. Advancing quickly in the 

early morning behind a rolling barrage with his 

doughboy battalion, shrapnel from a German 

shell neatly sliced Denig’s cigar in half, leaving 

him with a stub and only a minor wound to his 

hand. Undeterred, Denig took a horse as a war 

prize to carry food, blankets, and other battalion items, as his battalion advanced to capture a 

German artillery battery. 

After Saint-Mihiel, the 2d Division, with 

Denig remaining in command of 3d Battalion, 

9th Infantry, was sent to the French Fourth 

Army for the attack on the German bastion of 

Blanc Mont Ridge. Denig’s men launched their 

Recently retired WWI combat hero Robert L. Denig 

was handpicked to return to active duty in 1941 as a 

brigadier general by old friend and the 17th Commandant, MajGen Thomas Holcomb, to create and lead the 

Division of Public Relations at Headquarters 

Marine Corps. 

Marine Corps History Division
Reducing the Saint-Mihiel Salient 27

assault against the ridge as part of a 3d Brigade 

flanking attack at 0550 on 3 October. Not long 

into the advance, Denig stopped to glance at his 

map and took a round in the elbow. Although 

severely wounded, he refused to yield command 

until satisfied the brigade’s objective, Médéah 

Farm, would be taken. His war was over, as 

Denig was evacuated to the rear and then to 

Paris. He was back with his family in Philadelphia for Christmas. For his heroism and combat leadership near Médéah Farm, Denig was 

awarded both the Distinguished Service Cross 

and Navy Cross.

Denig continued an illustrious 36-year 

active-duty career, but arguably his most significant contribution to the U.S. Marine Corps 

was immediately after retirement from active 

duty following his tour as the commanding 

officer, Marine Barracks Bremerton, Washington, in June 1941. Although a colonel, as was 

the policy of the day, Denig was retired as a 

brigadier general because of his distinguished 

service in time of war. However, the Marine 

Corps was not finished with him. The 17th 

Commandant of the Marine Corps, Major 

General Thomas Holcomb, his World War I 

friend and former commander, ordered Denig 

to report to him in Washington, DC. Denig 

notes in his oral history:

I arrived in Washington. I went around, 

reported to the Commandant—which 

was in the orders—and I went in there 

and he said, “Well Denig . . . what do 

you know about public relations?” I said, 

“I don’t know anything about it. I never 

heard of it before. What is it?” Well he 

said, “You’d better learn because that’s 

what you’re gonna be.” That’s my introduction to public relations.

Denig was given an old gear locker for an 

office in Headquarters Marine Corps and immediately set about creating a public relations 

office, beginning with recruiting talented writers. When war erupted on 7 December 1941, 

Denig’s plan to recruit professionals from the 

newsrooms of America to tell the Marine 

Corps story was approved by the Commandant, and proved so successful in recruiting talent that editors complained their papers were 

suffering. While each volunteer was required 

to complete Marine Corps recruit training, 

promotion to sergeant was guaranteed upon 

graduation. Denig’s famous guidance to focus 

on the enlisted man in telling the human-interest story resulted in thousands of articles being 

read in America’s homes as Marines captured 

one Pacific Ocean island after another during 

World War II. 

By the end of the war, Denig’s team of 

268 officers and enlisted men included news 

reporters, photographers, broadcasters, and 

artists stationed with Marines around the 

world—all actively promoting the Corps and 

its Marines. For his work in establishing and 

leading the Marine Corps Division of Public 

Relations during World War II and cultivating 

the “Denig’s Demons” ethos and professionalism, he was awarded the Legion of Merit 

when he retired the second time on 1 December 1945.1 Brigadier General Denig passed 

away in Los Altos, California, on 25 July 1979, 

and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors.

1 The professional journalists, photographers, illustrators, and 

artists recruited by Denig and his staff were so aggressive and 

prolific in telling America the story of Marines at war in the Pacific that they became known as “Denig’s Demons.”
28 Reducing the Saint-Mihiel Salient

about a mile and a half wide at jump off, quickly 

increasing to more than two miles. It included 

Remenauville on the east and Limey on the west 

and, while basically featureless up to the Rupt de 

Mad River, the terrain was rolling and wooded in 

some areas. German Army Lieutenant General 

Georg Fuchs’ Army Detachment C was charged with 

defending the salient and the 419th Regiment of the 

77th Reserve Division in the Gorz Group opposed 

the 2d Division. The 77th Reserve Division, with 

its 232d, 257th and 419th Regiments, was extremely 

weak and considered unreliable by the Germans. 

The division was hard-hit by desertions and its 

battalions averaged fewer than 500 effectives.

Sergeant Karl McCune, 55th Company, 2d 

Battalion, 5th Regiment, who joined the Marine 

Corps in Akron, Ohio, during October 1916 and 

made corporal just eight months later while with 

his company en route to France on board the USS 

Henderson, documented in some detail his unit’s 

movement to the attack position on 11 September. 

His unit moved into the Bois Ropage to make 

camp at nightfall on 4 September after marching 

all day along muddy, congested roads in the rain. 

Chauchat magazines and other ammunition were 

issued and checked and the Marines survived there 

in continuous rain until the night of 9 September, 

when they made an all-night march to the Bois des 

Hayes, again along muddy roads. 

The inclement weather continued, and the 

assault troops began moving to their frontline trenches 

after dusk on 11 September. Rutted, boggy roads 

created by the heavy rain and German harassing and 

interdiction artillery fires on the crossroads behind 

the lines caused immense confusion, but did not stop 

the doughboys and Marines as they quietly moved 

forward; often each man held on to the man in front 

to ensure direction. One 9th Infantry lieutenant 

noted that, after entering an approach trench near 

Limey, his men trudged through thigh-high water 

for almost a mile to reach their jumping off point. 

The Battle Begins 

The main assault of the American First Army to 

reduce the Saint-Mihiel salient began with massive 

four-hour artillery preparation fires from approximately 3,000 artillery pieces all around the salient 

at 0100 on 12 September. Thousands of rounds hit 

well-known German artillery positions, observation 

A major in this 1917 photograph, Arthur J. O’Leary was 

the post censor officer at Marine Barracks Mare Island, CA, 

prior to transferring to Marine Barracks Quantico, VA, 

for training and further transfer to France commanding the 

1st Machine Gun Replacement Battalion en route to war. 

Marine Corps History Division 

Maj Ernest C. Williams had a reputation as a hard-fighting 

Marine, reinforced by the Medal of Honor he was 

awarded prior to WWI and before he assumed command 

of 2d Battalion, 6th Regiment, in July 1918. 

Marine Corps History Division
Reducing the Saint-Mihiel Salient 29

posts, headquarters elements, and trenches, disrupting communications and destroying artillery and 

ammunition sites. Then, prior to the first infantry 

attacks at 0500, smoke screens were laid to prevent 

German observation of the moving infantry in the 

rainy predawn light. The timing of the American 

offensive hardly could have been better. Earlier in 

an August 1918 German coordination conference, 

General Erich Ludendorff, chief of staff of the German Army, approved a deepening of the south front 

of the Saint-Mihiel outpost zone and a move rearward of the main line of resistance as soon as an 

impending Allied attack was suspected. The surging 

concentration of Allied forces, mainly American, 

strongly signaled a pending attack; therefore, on 8 

September, the Germans ordered the movement of 

heavy artillery to the rear into the Michel position. 

Then, on 10 September, Army Group Gallwitz directed: “The work of removing materiel and equipment will be started with all energy, since a more 

threatening situation might necessitate cutting 

short the time for salvaging the stores and force a 

premature beginning of the Loki movement.” The 

withdrawal of German forces to the new main line 

of resistance began on the night of 11–12 September 1918. First Lieutenant Thomason noted the 

enemy was already in the process of moving back 

when the American First Army initiated its artillery preparation fires.

Impressed by the massive artillery fire raining 

down on the Germans, Sergeant McCune, in the 

5th Regiment, recorded in his diary: “The noise was 

terrific; huge guns emplaced everywhere thundered 

steadily until 5 a.m., raising tremendous havoc on 

the Boche [German] position.” At 0500 on 12 September, U.S. Army infantrymen moved forward in 

the attack as the artillery continued a rolling barrage 

in front of the advancing doughboys. The Germans 

provided little opposition, responding with a weak 

Saint-Mihiel, September 1918.

Schutz Group Photographers’ Collection, Library of Congress

American artillerymen fire a French M1897, 75mm field 

gun during the initial assault on the Saint-Mihiel salient 

on 12 September 1918. 

National Archives
30 Reducing the Saint-Mihiel Salient

counterbarrage. After a light day, McCune noted 

the 55th Company set up near Thiaucourt for the 

night, and then the next day, moved to a hill near 

the Bois de Bonvaux, where it remained until the 

night of 15 September.

Lejeune, in his report to Major General Liggett, commanding I Corps, noted Allied air maintained superiority most of the day, with the enemy 

gaining dominance for short periods when larger 

numbers of squadrons appeared. Corporal Nelson, 

in 97th Company, 6th Regiment, wrote later that, 

despite the Army Air Service’s massed aircraft, 

enemy air constantly threatened, and the men on 

the ground frequently engaged the German aircraft. As his company moved out on 12 September, following 23d Regiment, a German airplane 

swooped down, strafing the Marines. Hard-luck 

Private John Quan, who had just returned to the 

company on 9 September after being wounded at 

Belleau Wood in June, clutched his leg and had to 

be evacuated once again. 

A 12 September entry in the German Army 

Group Gallwitz war diary stated: 

The rapid opening of the hostile attacks 

against the west and south fronts of the 

Army Detachment, and the initial successes 

of the enemy in the vicinity of Thiaucourt, 

which as already mentioned greatly threatened the execution of the Michel Movement, which had been provided for in case 

of an attack, had caused Army Detachment “C” to order the Loki Movement to 

be started, doing this on its own initiative 

and responsibility. This was started by 12.00 

noon by Corps Mihiel. Army Group had 

approved the action taken and reported the 

movement instituted to GHQ [General 

Headquarters]. The movements made by 

Corps Mihiel were carried out according 

to schedule without being disturbed materially by the enemy. They were continued 

throughout the night.

In a report sent to I Corps at 0848 on 12 September, the 2d Division celebrated a large number 

of captured Germans being moved to the rear of 

its lines at the cost of few casualties. The report 

ended with: “We are going strong.” A following 

report at 1035 points to the low morale and poor 

combat effectiveness of the opposing German 

forces. Prisoners from the 77th Division said their 

officers had run away, deserting them during the 

preceding night.

Continuing the attack, the division reached 

its first phase line about an hour ahead of schedule, holding there for another artillery concentration to further soften the German resistance and 

continuing the attack after 1100. By noon, the 23d 

Regiment, on the division’s left, pushed through 

Thiaucourt, receiving only light German artillery 

fire. The planned line of advance for the first day 

of the attack, which in the 9th Infantry’s zone of 

action was the First Army objective, was reached 

around 1300. By 1400, 23d Infantry had reached 

the final Army objective in its zone. While the 3d 

Brigade consolidated its position across the division 

front, the 23d Infantry sent patrols forward to Jaulny and Xammes. Major General Liggett would later note that when 2d Division captured Thiaucourt 

and the high ground north of the city, the Germans 

had no hope of retaining the salient.

Major Barker, commanding the reinforced 1st 

Battalion, 6th Regiment, attached to 23d Infantry 

to maintain liaison with IV Corps’ 89th Division 

during the attack, reported the mission accomplished with limited enemy resistance and few casualties. His Marines captured 13 prisoners this first 

day and, after the Army objective was reached, the 

battalion moved to a reserve position near Thiaucourt.

The Marines did get a little action on the 

division’s right during the night of the first day of 

battle. The commander of the 9th Regiment, Army 

Colonel George Stuart, concerned about a possible 

counterattack, made an urgent request for two 

companies from 5th Regiment to reinforce his left 

flank. Major Shearer, commanding 3d Battalion, 

5th Regiment, sent a couple of battle-tested leaders 

to respond to Colonel Stuart’s call: Captain Robert 

Yowell and his 16th Company and First Lieutenant 

Richard N. Platt with his 20th Company. 

Yowell, an experienced former enlisted Marine, 

joined the Corps in 1904 and rose to first sergeant 

prior to commissioning while in Santo Domingo 

in August 1917. He joined the 16th Company in 

January 1918 and had commanded the company 

continuously since March, leading his men with 
Reducing the Saint-Mihiel Salient 31

Bois de Richard Cote 

 

177th Inf Bde

178th Inf Bde

179th Inf Bde 10th Inf Bde

9th Inf Bde

4th Bde

3d Inf Bde

Euvezin

Limey

Flirey Lironville

Vieville-

 en-Haye

Boullonville

Xammes

Charey

Thiaucourt

 Mangin

Loge 

Tautecourt

Farm

Robert

Mesnil

Farm

Ansoncourt

Farm

 Farm

Saint-Jacques

 Farm

Mon Plaisir

 

Marimbois

Farm

Bois des Saules

Bois du Four

Bois d’ Euvezin

Bois de

la Rappe

Foret des

Vencheres

Bois de 

Beau Vallon

Bois 

d’ Heiche

du 

Rupt

Bois 

Bois 

du Fay

Bois 

de Beney

Bois de Dommartin

Bois de Xammes

Bois de Dampvitoux

Bois de 

 

 Bonvaux

Bois de 

 Blainchamp Bois du 

 Trou 

de la 

 Haie 

Bois de 

 Grande

 Fontaine

 

Bois 

de la

Montagne

Bois 

Gerard

Bois de la Haie

l’ Eveque

Hill

323

Hanido

Wood

Bois de la Sonnard

 la Voisogne

Bois de Bois dit la Lampe

Bois de Bois Montjoie

la Hazelle

M ad

R u p t

M a d

Rupt de

d e

M a d

R u p t de

Mamey

Fey-en-Hay (New Site)

Fey-en-Hay

(Old Site)

Bois de 

 Friers

Souleuvre

Farm

Beney

Remenauville

Regnieville

1

3

5

4

6

2

Michel Position 

(Hindenburg Line)

N

U.S. 2d Division at Saint-Mihiel

Operations of the 2d Division and the impact of adjacent divisions 

during the Saint-Mihiel offensive 12–16 September 1918.

Miles

Km

0 1 2

0 1

3d Inf Bde

357 US 358 US

90

XX

5 US

XX

US

2

XX

US

89

XX

US

42

XX

US

11 US 6 US

60 US

61 US

9 US

US 9

23 US

6

Mar US

5

Mar US

355 US 356 US 354 US 353 US

6

Mar

1 US

Front line 12 Sep

Bois de Mort-Mare

Bois de

Saint-Claude

Rembercourt-

 sur-Mad

ARMY

ARMY

ARMY

1ST 

1ST 

DAY OBJ

DAY OBJ

1ST DAY OBJ

OBJ

OBJ

1ST PHASE

INTERMEDIATE OBJ

4th Bde

6

Mar US

5

Mar US

Jaulney

23 US

Having reached the Army objective line, 

2d Division was relieved by elements of 

the 78th Division during the night of 

15–16 September. 

6

On 15 September, while the Marines 

advanced, 2d Battalion, 6th Regiment, 

ran into stiff opposition in the Bois de la 

Montagne.

5

On 13 September, 2d Division consolidated its positions and tied in with 

adjacent units. During the night of 13–14 

September, 4th Brigade relieved 3d 

Infantry Brigade on the front line and 

continued the attack.

4

A little after noon on 12 September, 3d 

Infantry Brigade reached the first day 

objective line north of Thiaucourt. The 5th 

Division on the right kept pace. The 89th 

Division on the left fell behind. 

Accordingly, 4th Brigade’s 1st Battalion, 

6th Regiment, extended into the 89th 

Division’s sector to cover 2d Division’s 

left flank. 

2

3

The 2d Division, on the left of I Corps, 

jumped off with the 3d Infantry Brigade in 

the lead, the 4th Brigade in support. The 

opposing German 77th Reserve Division

was caught while withdrawing to the 

Hindenburg Line, and its frontline 

positions were quickly overrun.

1

The U.S. I and IV Army Corps attacked the 

southern face of the Saint-Mihiel salient at 

0500 on 12 September.

German 31st and 123d Divisions 

launch counterattacks.

The 2d Division jumped off in the attack at 0500 on 12 September 1918 after a four-hour artillery preparation. 

Map by LtCol R. L. Cody, USMC (Ret)
32 Reducing the Saint-Mihiel Salient

around 2100 on 13 September when they returned 

to the control of Shearer’s 3d Battalion, 5th Regiment. While the attack did not develop in their 

area, the Marines had proved they were ready, willing, and able.

Two Marine colonels commanded Army regiments in the Battle of Saint-Mihiel. The recently 

promoted Colonel Frederic M. Wise, who brought 

2d Battalion, 5th Regiment, to France in 1917, 

played a key role on the side of the salient opposite 

Lejeune’s 2d Division. When his Marine battalion 

left the lines at Pont-à-Mousson in August 1918 

en route to the training area, Wise learned he had 

been a colonel since 1 July and knew he was now 

“promoted out of the Marine Brigade,” as there was 

no available assignment for a colonel. 

Wise received orders to the 4th Division and 

was soon in command of 59th Regiment, which 

was deployed on the extreme left of the salient for 

the coming attack in case of a German counterattack against that AEF flank when the battle began. 

In his memoir, A Marine Tells It to You, Wise notes 

that in preparation for the assault, “mile after mile 

the American guns stretched, wheel to wheel, beneath their camouflage netting. Behind them for 

miles the shells were piled by millions.” The artillery 

preparation fires did their damage as all assigned 

division and regimental objectives were swiftly takThe capture of the key town of Thiaucourt and the high ground to the north on 12 September made the continued hold on the 

Saint-Mihiel salient by German forces impossible. 

Schutz Group Photographers’ Collection, Library of Congress

cool excellence through both Belleau Wood and 

Soissons without being wounded—a remarkable 

feat in the face of devastating combat losses.6

Platt was an equally interesting and proven 

leader, coming into the Marine Corps riding the 

surge of patriotism at the war’s beginning. He was 

appointed a second lieutenant in March 1917, with 

a date of rank in February. He joined 20th Company in July 1917, sailed with the unit to France in 

August 1917, and assumed command of the company in September, never to yield it until October 

1918 when he was assigned to the Army School of 

Instruction in Langres, France. He fought with the 

company with valor at Belleau Wood and Soissons 

before taking it into the fight to reduce the SaintMihiel salient.7

Both companies were ordered to move up, and 

Stuart reported to the commander of 3d Brigade at 

2130 on 12 September: “Now two companies [of ] 

Marines in support and will make every attempt to 

hold out till morning.” The Marines were ready to 

take on and repel the anticipated German counterattack. The two companies remained in place until 

6 He was awarded a Silver Star for his bravery in action in Belleau 

Wood and would earn two more at Blanc Mont in October,commanding the company through the remainder of the war. Yowell eventually 

retired as a major in April 1945 with almost 41 years of active service.

7

 Platt would later be awarded a Silver Star during the Mont Blanc 

battle for gallantry in action.
Reducing the Saint-Mihiel Salient 33

en. The weather, constant rain, limited visibility, and 

the rats in the old French trenches were the greatest 

threat, as by 1000 on the first day of the battle, the 

fighting was over in the 59th Regiment’s area. Another Marine colonel commanding an Army regiment would make more dramatic contributions to 

success in the battle.

By midmorning on 12 September, Fuchs was 

fully aware that his Combres Group in the west of 

the salient and his Gorz Group on the south were 

losing ground far too rapidly to allow his center 

forces, the Saint-Mihiel Group, to escape the AEF’s 

pincer movement. He issued emergency orders to 

get on with the Loki movement while conducting delaying and rear guard actions. The German 

war diary noted that the 77th Reserve Division

was overrun by rapidly moving Allies on the south 

side of the salient, and to protect the withdrawing 

forces, Fuchs ordered a counterattack by the 31st

and 123d Divisions, providing relief for the German units in the continuing Loki movement. The 

31st Division, with its battalions averaging roughly 600 effective fighters, attacked 2d Division all 

around Jaulny close to 2200, but with little effect 

other than allowing the heavily attrited 10th and 

77th Divisions to withdraw through the lines of the 

counterattacking German divisions. 

By the evening of 12 September, the enemy situation was clearing and the timing was ripe for an 

attack to penetrate to Vigneulles from both sides 

of the salient to pinch it off, capturing German 

units inside. Objectives for the second day had been 

reached and General Pershing wanted to capitalize 

on the day’s successes quickly. Orders were issued 

sending 1st Division from the south face of the salient and the U.S. Army’s 26th Infantry “Yankee” 

Division from the west, with the forces meeting at 

Vigneulles.8

The 26th Infantry Division chose Marine Colonel Hiram Bearss and his 102d Infantry to lead 

its charge, and the race was on to garner the honor of reaching Vigneulles, closing off the escape of 

German Group Mihiel and straightening the AEF 

8 The Yankee Division was formed in July 1917 and activated in August the same year. It was based in Boston for most of its history, with 

units from the New England area, hence the “Yankee” nickname hinting at its geographic makeup.

lines. Bearss was determined to reach Vigneulles 

first. Risking a German attack, he lined up his regiment on the Grand Tranchée, a wide road built by 

Louis XVI of France to ease access to his palace 

at Hattonchâtel in Vigneulles. Bearss dismounted 

his horse, moved to the front of the column to lead 

the way, and stepped out smartly just after 2100. 

Unaware of the planned rush to Vigneulles, the 

1st Division continued its attack, entering heavy 

undergrowth in the Nonsard Wood. Although the 

men encountered only limited resistance, the going 

was extremely slow as they got lost in the thickets, 

while others simply stopped to sleep. Bearss pushed 

on in the rain, bearing down on Vigneulles: a fool 

if he encountered heavy German resistance with 

resulting casualties, but a hero for the ages should 

his unit take Vigneulles for First Army. By 0230 

on 13 September, Pershing’s 58th birthday, Bearss’ 

unit was in Vigneulles, capturing the majority of 

a German machine gun battalion and the city as 

a birthday present for Pershing. The 1st Division’s 

lead doughboys entered the town around 0600. The 

Foch-Pershing line of advance had been attained.

Marine Col Frederic C. Wise commanded 59th Regiment, 

4th Division, on the western flank of the 

Saint-Mihiel salient. 

Marine Corps History Division
34 Reducing the Saint-Mihiel Salient

THE MARINE BRIGADE 

TAKES THE LEAD

By late afternoon on 13 September, Major General 

Lejeune, commanding 2d Division, sent 4th Brigade 

forward to relieve 3d Brigade along the First Army 

objective line. Brigadier General Neville, commanding the Marine brigade, issued Field Orders No. 10

directing the commanders of his two infantry regiments—5th and 6th Regiments—to coordinate 

with the commanders of 9th and 23d Infantry to 

effect the relief, moving into position prior to dusk. 

Command of the front passed to Neville at his post 

of command in Thiaucourt at midnight on 13–14 

September. Successes on 12 September had pushed 

the division line near Xammes on the left, across to 

include Jaulny, and to the southwest corner of the 

5th Division on the 2d Division’s right at the Bois de 

Bonvaux. The 2d Division front was just in advance 

of the Army objective line on the division’s right.

Colonel Logan Feland’s 5th Regiment replaced 

9th Infantry on the right of the division, while Colonel 

Harry Lee’s 6th Regiment replaced 23d Infantry 

on the left. Well designed, the relief in place had 

the men moving in small units, holding to defilade 

and woods, limiting German surveillance.9 The 

Marines assumed the lead without a hitch by 0400 

on 14 September.

Even with the established policy directing that 

20 percent of each company, including one officer, be left out of battle and remain in the rear as 

a reserve to rebuild the unit should casualties be so 

extreme as to render a unit ineffective, the brigade 

strength remained good. The policy of leaving 20 

percent in the rear was one of the hard lessons reinforced at Belleau Wood and Soissons, where certain 

units were almost wiped out. In naming those Marines to remain ready in the rear, some unit commanders avoided tagging only experienced veterans 

among that proportion; although altruism and respect for battles endured made that an appealing 

route, experience was needed in the attack. Corporal Nelson from 97th Company, 3d Battalion, 6th 

Regiment, reported that his unit identified a mix 

of experienced noncommissioned officers and new 

replacements among the “20 percenters.” His battalion had received 250 new replacements on 11 

September while waiting in the Bois de la Rappe to 

move into the attack and needed seasoned fighters. 

Still, even with the 20 percent out of action and the 

significant number of new replacements, the battalion’s World War I history notes that “never before 

had the Battalion gone into an attack so well organized and equipped.” 

In 96th Company, 2d Battalion, 6th Regiment, 

the 20 percent was drawn from those veterans who 

had been in the most fighting. A junior officer who 

rapidly became a central figure in the company because of his leadership during the battles of Belleau Wood and Soissons and a future Commandant 

of the Marine Corps, First Lieutenant Clifton B. 

Cates, was among those men left out of the fighting 

at the Battle of Saint-Mihiel. Captain Wethered 

Woodworth, badly wounded at Soissons while 

leading 96th Company, had returned to 2d Battalion, 6th Regiment, to command 78th Company, 

and he too opted to pull the veterans to make up his 

9 The term defilade in this context refers to the use of normal terrain, 

such as a ravine or creek bed and woods, to protect against observation and direct fire.

Col Hiram I. Bearss, commander of the 102d Infantry, 26th 

Division, was a severe but fair leader who was awarded a 

Medal of Honor for bravery in battle in Samar in 1910. 

Marine Corps History Division
Reducing the Saint-Mihiel Salient 35

company’s 20 percent. With the noted high number 

of replacements received by the 4th Brigade, subsequent to the dedicated training period and rehearsal in late August, the absence of seasoned veterans 

created challenges when the battle was joined, particularly on 15 September.

Getting into Position 

Saturday, 14 September 

Brigadier General Neville’s Marine brigade devoted 14 September to feeling out the German lines 

and repositioning. The morning found 5th Regiment establishing an outpost line stretching from 

the north side of the Bois de Hailbat across to the 

northeast corner of the Bois de la Montagne. Initially, Colonel Feland placed Lieutenant Colonel 

O’Leary’s 1st Battalion, 5th Regiment, to the north 

of Jaulny in an outpost position; Major Messersmith’s 2d Battalion, 5th Regiment, in a supporting 

position; and Major Shearer’s 3d Battalion, 5th Regiment, in reserve. On the 2d Division’s left, Colonel 

Lee began the day with Lieutenant Colonel Sibley’s 

3d Battalion, 6th Regiment, in an outpost position 

with Major Williams’s 2d Battalion, 6th Regiment, 

in a support position east of Xammes and Major 

Barker’s 1st Battalion, 6th Regiment, in reserve.

In the early afternoon, the division messaged 

Neville to have his Marines aggressively patrol to 

the front to determine the German main line of resistance. The brigade adjutant, Lieutenant Colonel 

Earl H. Ellis, simply forwarded the division message to the regiments for action, and Neville followed up with verbal guidance to his commanders 

later in the day. At 1740, Lee, in his post of command at Thiaucourt, ordered Sibley to move his 3d 

BGen Wendell C. Neville commanded the 4th Brigade, 

2d Division, in the September 1918 attack to reduce the 

longstanding Saint-Mihiel salient. 

Marine Corps History Division

American doughboys streamed to the frontlines, pressing the German withdrawal from the Saint-Mihiel salient. 

National Archives
36 Reducing the Saint-Mihiel Salient

Battalion up to the Army objective line in the area 

from northwest of Jaulny to just north of Xammes, 

south of the forested Bois de la Montagne. Then, he 

directed Barker to move his 1st Battalion forward 

to reconnoiter the wood out to about two kilometers in front of the 3d Battalion. Williams was ordered to move his 2d Battalion into the former 3d 

Battalion position in support. Later that evening, 

Lee had his 1st and 2d Battalion commanders place 

covering detachments on the left to protect the 2d 

Division flank as IV Corps’ 89th Division had not 

kept pace on that side. The regiment also coordinated an on-call preplanned artillery barrage to help 

seal the flank if needed.

Addressing the 89th Division’s advance on the 

left of 2d Division earlier that morning one of the 

notable deeds of the brigade after it assumed the 

lead was achieved by its hospital corpsmen inside 

the 89th Division’s zone. With the 6th Regiment on 

the 2d Division’s far left, about even with the town 

of Xammes in the adjacent 89th Division’s zone of 

action, Colonel Lee sent a chief pharmacist’s mate 

and four hospital corpsmen, among them Hospital 

Apprentice First Class David E. Hayden, who was 

awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in the 

fighting the next day, from Thiaucourt to establish 

an advance aid station in Xammes. Lee was under 

the impression the 89th Division was in possession 

of the town and the roads in and out of Xammes, 

making it a good site for consolidation, treatment, 

and evacuation of wounded. The Navy men met no 

resistance inside the town and quickly established 

an aid station; however, linkup with the doughboys 

did not happen, as no U.S. soldiers could be found. 

Hours after readying to treat casualties, the 

soldiers of the 89th Division’s assault element entered Xammes to find the major objective of their 

division occupied by the U.S. Navy. Navy hospital 

corpsmen of the 6th Regiment, 4th Brigade, 2d Division, wearing olive drab U.S. Army uniforms, had 

stolen the march and captured the town—perhaps 

a first in U.S. Navy history. 

General Thomas Holcomb, 13th Commandant 

of the Marine Corps and World War I veteran of 

the 6th Regiment, wrote in the preface to the Medical Department of the U.S. Navy’s Navy Medics 

with the Marines, 1917–1919, that “never had there 

been more notable displays of heroism, greater accomplishments of valor, or more courageous acts 

under the most arduous conditions than on the battlefields of France during World War I,” but this 

one was unique. 

Jaulny, not originally included in the American First Army objective line, was added due to heavy machine-gun and 

rifle fire originating from the city. Heavy bombardment by German artillery devastated the town after its capture. 

Originally published in Records of the 2d Division in the World War, vol. 6, “Report of Operations Second Division, 

12–16 September 1918,” Second Division Historical Section, Army War College, Washington, DC, 255. Schutz Group 

Photographers’ Collection, Library of Congress
Reducing the Saint-Mihiel Salient 37

DAVID E. HAYDEN 

Bureau of Medicine Library and Archives, 

U.S. Navy

David Ephraim Hayden was born in 

Florence, Texas, grew up on a ranch 

and joined the U.S. Navy Hospital 

Corps in Houston, Texas, on 21 May 1917, 

not long after war was declared. After training 

in San Diego, California, and Quantico Virginia, he was assigned to the 6th Regiment, 

serving with the 2d Battalion in France. 

During the battle to reduce the SaintMihiel salient, 12–15 September 1918, Hospital Apprentice Third Class Hayden initially 

was assigned to an aid station in the recaptured 

town of Thiaucourt. From there, he went forward with 2d Battalion, 6th Regiment. In the 

early predawn darkness of 15 September, the 

battalion was attacked while in a column of 

companies moving forward on the road. The 

Marines scattered and the fight was on, but 

in isolated pockets, throughout the morning. 

When Corporal Carlos D. Creed, 96th Company, 2d Battalion, 6th Regiment, rushed forward and crossed a field, he was hit hard by 

enemy fire. That is when Hayden swung into 

action, running under fire to Creed, treating 

his wounds as best as possible where he lay, and 

then carrying him to safety. Despite Hayden’s 

efforts, Creed died from his wounds. For his actions in the face of intense enemy fire, Hayden 

was awarded the Medal of Honor.

Hayden left the Navy in July 1920 as a 

pharmacist’s mate third class. He later became 

a U.S. Marshal, serving for 34 years, and died 

on 18 March 1974. He is buried in Arlington 

National Cemetery.
38 Reducing the Saint-Mihiel Salient

A German biplane brought down during the Battle of Saint-Mihiel on 12 September 1918 is destroyed. 

Gilles Lagin Collection 

However, it was the actions by hospitalmen and 

doctors during the next two days that helped earn 

the accolades of future Commandant Holcomb 

and garnered the admiration and respect of all the 

Marines. The value of the Navy’s medical service in 

the Battle of Saint-Mihiel would be dramatically 

demonstrated in the next 48 hours.

Just prior to midnight on 14 September, Sibley 

advised Lee that he had established his new battalion post of command at a grid location just inside 

the southeastern edge of a small wood west of Jaulny. 

He positioned Captain Thomas T. McEvoy’s 97th 

Company on the right of his line and Captain Lewis 

M. Bourne’s 84th Company on the left, with Captain James H. Johnston’s 82d Company and Captain 

Alfred H. Noble’s 83d Company waiting for first 

light to be repositioned. Sibley also reported that 

Barker and his 1st Battalion passed through his lines 

at 2100 on their way north to conduct the earlier 

directed reconnaissance. Indicative of the Germans’ 

ability to see what the Marines were doing and react 

accordingly, Sibley noted that the German artillery 

was heavily shelling his current and previous positions, and around 2300, German aircraft bombed 

the area of his recently vacated headquarters.

A small morale-lifting victory for the Marines 

amid all the jockeying for position on 14 September 

was recorded by Sergeant Karl McCune from 55th 

Company, 2d Battalion, 5th Regiment, whose unit 

was located east of Thiaucourt and southwest of the 

Bois de Bonvaux. He wrote in his diary that excitement in an otherwise quiet day was provided by a 

lone German aviator who flew low over the company, drawing the fire of every man with a rifle or 

a pistol as well as the machine gunners. The aircraft 

was downed nearby, the pilot captured, and the aircraft stripped for souvenirs.

The positioning, patrolling, and outposting 

efforts on 14 September were in preparation for 

turning over the sector. Although the action was far 
Reducing the Saint-Mihiel Salient 39

from over, to facilitate planning and initial efforts 

for future relocation, I Corps issued Field Orders 

No. 30, alerting the 2d Division of its pending relief, less the 2d Field Artillery Brigade, by the 155th 

Brigade, 78th Division. Relief was to begin on the 

night of 15 September and be completed by the 

evening of 16 September. The division was moving back to the Ansauville-Royaumeix area, near 

Domèvre-en-Haye, 15 miles to the rear.

Day of Challenge 

Sunday, 15 September

That Sunday proved the most demanding for the 

Marines, particularly for Major Williams and his 

leathernecks in 2d Battalion, 6th Regiment. Complicating the looming contact, German pilots dominated the air, finding the Marines and calling in 

deadly artillery fire. 

Just after midnight on 14 –15 September, Colonel Lee received a message from Colonel Neville notifying him that Colonel Feland had been 

ordered to establish a line of outposts to his right 

front along a line from the northern edge of the 

Bois de Hailbat across to the Bois de la Montagne. 

Lee’s mission was changed from reconnoitering the 

Bois de la Montagne to outposting the north edge 

of that wood across to the woods between Xammes 

and Charey.10 During the outposting, Lee was to 

ensure he maintained liaison with 5th Regiment on 

his right and IV Corps’ 89th Division moving up 

on his left. Lee immediately launched a runner to 

Major Barker, changing his 1st Battalion’s mission 

from reconnaissance of the wood with two infantry companies to establishing an outpost line with 

all four of his infantry companies on a “general line 

[along the] north edge of Bois de la Montagne and 

the north edge of the woods lying between Xammes 

and Charey and establish[ing] combat liaison with 

the 5th Marines on the right and 89th Division on 

your left.” Lee also informed Barker that Williams’s 

2d Battalion would be sent forward to the southern 

edge of the woods in support of his outpost line. 

10 The term outposting refers to when a smaller group or military unit 

establishes positions some distance in front of the larger, main organization to provide warning of advancing enemy, preventing surprise.

After sending the runner with the changed 

mission to Barker, Lee sent a runner to Williams at 

0212 with a message directing him to “proceed immediately with your Bn. [battalion] and M.G. Co. 

[machine gun company] north and occupy the line 

from Xammes-Charey Road Eastward across the 

Southern edge of the woods lying between Xammes 

and Charey along the unimproved road running 

East and West through the Bois de la Montagne 

and the X line 244.3 from hill 231.5.”11 Just minutes later, Lee demonstrated his lack of knowledge 

on the enemy situation when another of his runners 

carried a message to Lieutenant Colonel Sibley in 

3d Battalion, informing him that “things seem to be 

going well up at the front,” and updating him on the 

locations of the 5th and 89th Divisions, and the 5th 

Marines and the revised missions of both Barker and 

Williams. Lee included no update on the enemy situation and provided no indication of the forthcoming buzz saw that would cut into the 2d Battalion.

Major Williams assembled his battalion immediately after receiving Lee’s order to move forward 

and was quickly on the road, leading his men from 

horseback with First Lieutenant Graves B. Erskine’s Intelligence Section, containing the scouts, 

just ahead. The very long, difficult-to-control column moved in a less-than-tactical procession with 

the battalion headquarters group—80th, 96th, 79th, 

78th, and the attached 81st Machine Gun Company, 6th Machine Gun Battalion—following the 

scouts and Williams. Williams reported to 6th Regiment that his unit turned onto the unimproved 

road through the Bois de la Montagne at 0500. 

A good description of the wood comes from the 

memoir of Private Carl A. Brannen, who joined the 

Marine Corps in a fit of patriotic fervor in February 

1918 after dropping out of Texas A&M University 

in the middle of his sophomore year.12Now in 80th 

Company, very close to the front of the column, he 

11 The map scale: 1/20,000. The X line 244.3 refers to the northing 

grid line 244.3. The digits identify a location within a 1 km grid 

square. The X line and Y line were often used in 4th Brigade message 

traffic to provide location, with the X line referring to the horizontal 

grid line and the Y line referring to the vertical grid line. The Bois de 

la Montagne was approximately located between the 363–366 easting 

and 244 –245 northing grid squares (on p. 40).

12 Founded as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, the 

small school was established in College Station, TX, as an all-male 

military institution where membership in the Corps of Cadets was 

mandatory until 1964.
40 Reducing the Saint-Mihiel Salient

OPERATIONS OF THE 4TH MARINE BRIGADE, 2D DIVISION, AEF

14 SEPTEMBER 1918

DURING THE ST MIHIEL OFFENSIVE

During the night of 13-14 September, the 4th Marine Brigade relieved the 3d Infantry Brigade. The 3d Brigade moved back to reserve positions 

on the edges of the Bois de Heiche and Bois de Vallon. The Marines consolidated their positions, sent out patrols to the front, and made 

preparations to continue the attack. The 89th Division had not caught up and the left flank remained open, requiring assignment of brigade 

resources to protect it. No major contact was made with the enemy, however the Germans continued to shell friendly positions throughout 

the day. 

300

300

300

240

260

300

320

340

200

240

260

Rupt de Mad

Rupt de Mad

Rupt de Rau

Bois d’ Heiche

Bois d’ Gerard

Bois de Riche

Bois du

Fey

Bois du 

Rupt

Charey

Boise de

Dommartin

Beuillonville

Vieville 

-en-Haye

300

300

Bois de Bonvaux

240

FR

OP

1ST DAY OBJ

ARMY OBJ

PHASE ONE

1ST

OBJ DAY

Bois de la 

Perriere

Bois de la 

Montagne

Bois de 

Grande

 Fontaine

Bois d’ 

Hailbat

Bois d’ 

Blainchamp

5 US Mar

20/3/5 16/3/5

5 

Mar 3 US 

6 US 

MG Mar

4 US Mar

X

6 US Mar

5

Mar 2 US 

43/2/5

51/2/5

55/2/5

18/2/5

1

5

2

2

3

3 Rau

Rupt de

4

Mon 

Plaisir 

Farm

Grande Fontaine

Hill 231.5

 2 6 Mar US 96/2/6

80/2/6

79/2/6

78/2/6

95/1/6 75/1/6

ARMY

OBJ

84/3/6 97/3/6

6 

Mar 3 US 

83/3/6

82/3/6

45/3/5

47/3/5

76/1/6 74/1/6

1 US 

6 

Mar

5 

Mar 1 US 

49/1/5

66/1/5

17/1/5

67/1/5

320

0 Kilometers340

1

Contour Interval 10m

N 31

XX

123

XX

355th Infantry Regiment, 89th 

Division finally captured 

Xammes around 6:00 PM.

The Jagow Battalion established combat 

outposts in the Bois de la Montagne along the 

Xammes- Charey road. It was not discovered by 

the Americans until the Marines of the 2d 

Battalion, 6th Regiment ran into it during the 

morning of 15 September. 

When the Germans fell back to the Michel 

Position (Hindenburg Line), many survivors of the 

398th Infantry Regiment were grouped into the 

Jagow Battalion (named after its commander, 

Captain von Jagow). It consisted of three 

provisional company-sized units named after 

their commanders:

A Company Conrad

B Company Speer

C Company Schatze

After relieving the 3d Brigade, the Marines 

consolidated their positions and made preparations 

to continue the attack.

5th Regiment 

The 1st and 2d Battalions advanced ahead of 1 the 3d Battalion, which became regimental 

The 3d Battalion detached two companies for 

patrol duty: the 45th in the Bois de Hailbat and 2 47th in Bois du Rupt.

6th Regiment 

Navy corpsmen of the 6th Regiment set up a 

medical aid station in the abandoned town of 

Xammes hours before the town was captured 

by soldiers of the 89th Division.

5

In the evening, Major Barker, CO 1st Battalion, 

with 74th and 76th Companies advanced and 

established outposts on the northern edge of 

Bois de la Montagne. The rest of the battalion 

remained in position under command of Captain 

Schuler.

3

After dark the 3d Battalion advanced its front 

line to the Army Objective Line by leap-frogging 

its original supports (84th and 97th Companies) 

ahead of the original front line (83d and 82d 

Companies), the latter becoming the new 

support line.

4

240

241

243

242

244

245

246

362 363 364 365 366 367

Operations of the 4th Brigade, 2d Division, AEF

14 September 1918

during the Saint-Mihiel offensive

During the night of 13–14 September, the 4th Brigade relieved the 3d Infantry Brigade. The 3d Infantry Brigade moved back to reserve positions 

on the edges of the Bois de Heiche and Bois de Vallon. The Marines consolidated their positions, sent out patrols to the front, and made 

preparations to continue the attack. The 89th Division had not caught up and the left flank remained open, requiring assignment of brigade 

resources to protect it. No major contact was made with the enemy, however, the Germans continued to shell friendly positions throughout the day. 

300

300

300

240

260

300

320

340

200

240

260

Rupt de Mad

Rupt de Mad

Rupt de Rau

Bois d’ Heiche

Bois d’ Gerard

Bois de Riche

Bois du

Fey

Bois du 

Rupt

Charey

Boise de

Dommartin

Beuillonville

Vieville 

-en-Haye

300

300

Bois de Bonvaux

240

FR

1ST DAY OBJ

ARMY OBJ

PHASE ONE

1ST

OBJ DAY

Bois de la 

Perriere

Bois de la 

Montagne

Bois de 

Grande

 Fontaine

Bois d’ 

Hailbat

Bois d’ 

Blainchamp

5 US Mar

20/3/5 16/3/5

5 

Mar 3 US 

6 US 

MG Mar

4 US Mar

X

6 US Mar

5

Mar 2 US 

43/2/5

51/2/5

55/2/5

18/2/5

1

5

2

2

3

3 Rau

Rupt de

4

Mon 

Plaisir 

Farm

Grande Fontaine

Hill 231.5

 2 6 Mar US 96/2/6

80/2/6

79/2/6

78/2/6

95/1/6 75/1/6

ARMY

OBJ

84/3/6 97/3/6

6 

Mar 3 US 

83/3/6

82/3/6

45/3/5

47/3/5

76/1/6 74/1/6

1 US 

6 

Mar

5 

Mar 1 US 

49/1/5

66/1/5

17/1/5

67/1/5

320

0 Kilometers340

1

Contour interval 10m

N 31

XX

123

XX

355th Infantry Regiment, 89th 

Division finally captured 

Xammes around 1800.

The Jagow Battalion established combat outposts 

in the Bois de la Montagne along the XammesCharey road. These were not discovered by the 

Americans until the Marines of the 2d Battalion, 

6th Regiment, ran into them during the morning of 

15 September. 

When the Germans fell back to the Michel Position 

(Hindenburg Line), many survivors of the 398th 

Infantry Regiment were grouped into the Jagow 

Battalion (named after its commander, Captain 

von Jagow). It consisted of three provisional 

company-size units named after their 

commanders:

A Company Conrad

B Company Speer

C Company Schatze

After relieving the 3d Brigade, the Marines consolidated their positions and made preparations to 

continue the attack.

5th Regiment 

The 1st and 2d Battalions advanced ahead of 

the 3d Battalion, which became regimental 

reserve. 1

The 3d Battalion detached two companies for 

patrol duty: the 45th in the Bois de Hailbat and 

47th in Bois du Rupt. 2

6th Regiment 

Navy corpsmen of the 6th Regiment set up a 

medical aid station in the abandoned town of 

Xammes hours before the town was captured by 

soldiers of the 89th Division.

5

In the evening, Maj Barker, commanding officer 

of 1st Battalion, with 74th and 76th Companies, 

advanced and established outposts on the 

northern edge of Bois de la Montagne. The rest 

of the battalion remained in position under 

command of Capt Schuler.

3

After dark the 3d Battalion advanced its front line 

to the Army objective line by leapfrogging its 

original supports (84th and 97th Companies) 

ahead of the original front line (83d and 82d 

Companies), with the latter becoming the new 

support line.

4

240

241

243

242

244

245

246

362 363 364 365 366 367

OP

The successes in the 2d Division advance on 12 September set the stage for the 4th Brigade as it assumed responsibility 

for the division’s front lines on 14 September.

Map by LtCol R. L. Cody, USMC (Ret)
Reducing the Saint-Mihiel Salient 41

described the wood: “The Bois de la Montagne is a 

wood shaped like a W, roughly two kilometers wide. 

The top of the W is oriented to the northeast.” The 

areas to the north and south of the wood were open 

farmland, however, steep slopes inside the wood rose 

fairly quickly above Le Rupt Rau, a stream flowing 

across the unimproved road and on into the Rupt 

de Mad. The forested, steep terrain provided ample 

opportunity to hide German artillery observers, riflemen, and Maxim machine guns.13

Barker expected Williams to check in as he 

moved up in support; however, Barker later reported that Williams entered the Bois de la Montagne 

to the west of his position without contacting him. 

While Williams stopping to coordinate would have 

reduced later positioning issues, Barker had little 

information on the enemy situation to pass along. 

Williams continued, leading his leathernecks on 

the road toward the bridge traversing the stream in 

13 The Maxim gun was developed by Hiram  Maxim in 1884. Manufacturing was financed by Englishman Albert Vickers, and the weapon 

was sometimes known as the Vickers-Maxim and later, after redesign, 

just Vickers. The Maxim was the first fully automatic machine gun, 

which was recoil operated and water cooled.

a heavy morning ground fog limiting visibility to 

about 50 yards. With little knowledge of what lay 

ahead, Erskine cautioned Williams not to advance 

farther into the southern edge of the woods. With 

his battalion stretching from near Hill 231.5 and 

back up the road across the small bridge, Williams 

halted to confirm his location.

Williams may well have thought this part of the 

woods unoccupied, as he was a bit surprised when he 

saw a detachment of German soldiers moving back 

toward the north.When a leatherneck opened fire 

on the Germans, they scrambled away only to be 

pursued by the battalion’s German-born sergeant 

major, Sergeant Major William Ulrich, shouting at 

them in their own language to halt and surrender. 

Ulrich had been with the battalion headquarters 

since early August, coming from 80th Company on 

temporary duty as acting battalion sergeant major. 

He was joined officially on the 2d Battalion muster 

roll as the battalion sergeant major on 1 September 

and promoted from gunnery sergeant to sergeant 

major by the regiment on a temporary foreign 

warrant effective 6 September.14 Not lacking combat 

experience, he had been awarded a Silver Star for 

the ribbon of his World War I Victory Medal at 

Soissons in July, but acting somewhat impetuously 

now, he ran after the fleeing Germans. It worked 

out well, as he returned to the battalion with 51 

prisoners, which garnered him a Navy Cross. 

Erskine, his scouts, and some Marines from 

other companies also chased to the north after the 

fleeing Germans. Breaking out of a tree line into 

the open, the Americans discovered they were close 

to the Germans’ well-fortified Hindenburg Line. 

Erskine was among those wounded as German 

machine gunners reacted to the encroaching Marines. Later, Corporal Edward J. Wollert, from 79th 

Company, moved to Erskine’s aid as six Germans 

attempted to take him captive. Wollert shot two 

with his pistol, and Erskine killed two more. Wollert forced the remaining two men into service as 

stretcher-bearers, carrying the wounded Erskine to 

14 Marine regimental commanders were authorized to promote senior 

enlisted during the war on temporary foreign warrants based on the 

needs of the unit and individual performance, pending selection by a 

formal promotion board. Ulrich was returned to his permanent rank 

of gunnery sergeant at the end of the war, then promoted to sergeant 

major in January 1919 and appointed a provisional second lieutenant 

in the Marine Corps Reserve in March 1919.

1stLt Graves B. Erskine (shown as a captain), in charge 

of the 2d Battalion, 6th Regiment’s scout section, cautioned his battalion commander, Maj Ernest C. Williams, not to advance into the Bois de la Montagne. 

Marine Corps History Division
42 Reducing the Saint-Mihiel Salient

the rear. Wollert was recommended for the Medal of Honor by his unit and ultimately awarded a 

Navy Cross for saving Erskine.15

The most vicious fighting yet encountered in 

the Battle of Saint-Mihiel ensued; the Marines 

had stumbled into the German outpost line of resistance fronting the Hindenburg Line. German 

General Max von Gallwitz, overall commander 

of the area, was rushing in reserves to defend the 

area against a suspected heavy attack by General 

Pershing’s AEF attempting to penetrate the Hindenburg Line and gain the crucial German bastion 

15 In his oral history interview conducted in October 1969, 51 years 

after the battle, Gen Graves Erskine recalls this action somewhat 

differently. He said he was ordered by Maj Williams to chase the 

withdrawing Germans and he took Ulrich with him, telling Ulrich to 

shout at them in German to halt. Erskine stated that a Marine named 

“Vale” found him wounded at about 1000 that morning and carried 

him to medical assistance. For this, Erskine gave Vale his .45-caliber 

pistol. According to the 96th Company muster roll, Pvt Archie M. 

Vale was in 96th Company, 2d Battalion, 6th Regiment, during the 

Battle of Saint-Mihiel. Vale was awarded a Silver Star to place on 

his WWI Victory Medal for gallantry in action during the Battle 

of Saint-Mihiel; however, the citation mentions no specific act. The 

79th Company muster roll for September 1918 credits Cpl Wollert 

with saving Erskine and includes the text of a Medal of Honor 

recommendation for Wollert.

of Metz. In spite of Gallwitz’s movement of forces, the 6th Regiment was attacking a weakened 

battalion in a delaying action: the Jagow Battalion, named for its commander Captain von Jagow 

of the 398th Infantry Regiment. Jagow had just 

assumed command of the battalion on 13 September and that evening reorganized seven understrength companies into three, each named for the 

lieutenant commanding the merged unit: 5th, 6th, 

and 7th Companies became Company Schatze; 9th

and 10th Companies formed Company Conrad; and 

11th and 12th Companies consolidated into Company Speer. Each company retained its numerical 

designation for later expansion. On 14 September, 

undetected by the Americans, Company Speer was 

on the German right, Company Conrad on the left, 

and Company Schatze in support. At midnight, the 

6th and 7th Companies of Company Schatze were 

inserted in the German line between Company 

Speer and Company Conrad. The Germans had detected the 2d Battalion column at 0600 and reported their field pickets withdrawing and some 

soldiers of Company Conrad ’s 9th and 10th Companies on Hill 231.5 captured.

Col Logan Feland, (left) commanding 5th Regiment, and Col Harry Lee, (right) commanding 6th Regiment, were proven 

leaders who continued in command of their regiments through the end of the war. Lee is wearing his one star as 

a brigadier general in 1919. 

Marine Corps History Division
Reducing the Saint-Mihiel Salient 43

Sergeant Don Paradis from 1st Platoon, 80th 

Company, later wrote in his memoir that when the 

lead elements of his 200-yard-long company column crossed the bridge, “the Germans let loose 

machine gun and rifle fire.” The Marines bolted, 

seeking cover on both sides of the road, as the Germans hit with rifle and machine-gun fire, all the 

while raining down artillery. 

The 80th Company, commanded by First Lieutenant David R. Kilduff since the wounding of its 

commander, Captain Bailey M. Coffenberg, on 13 

September, took the brunt of the initial attack. Paradis, expecting a German infantry assault, quickly 

assembled approximately 25 Marines armed with 

a mix of rifles, Chauchat automatic rifles, and two 

machine guns in a line in a nearby ditch to take 

on the Germans. The 80th Company’s lead platoon 

took fire from two sides, and very quickly about half 

of Paradis’ platoon, including Kilduff, was severely wounded. Kilduff, who was awarded two Silver 

Stars for gallantry and superb leadership during the 

Battle of Saint-Mihiel, died from his wounds.

While the battalion did have a standard operating procedure for reacting to an ambush, 

last-minute replacements arriving hours prior to 

the infantry advance on 12 September prevented 

participation in reaction drills developing the refined teamwork so necessary for effective action. 

Surprise at the ferocity of the German attack, the 

distance between the front and rear of the column, 

poor visibility, and general confusion resulted in 

a completely disorganized Marine response. The 

battalion was divided by the road with 79th Company, commanded by Captain George W. Martin, 

and a significant part of Captain Wethered Woodworth’s 78th Company on the left of the road. The 

remainder of the battalion dug in along the road 

or on the right side. To his credit, Martin took 

charge of the reinforced company-size element on 

the left, getting it into the fight. 

Uncertain of what was occurring at the front, 

Colonel Lee sent a field message at 0710 to Major 

Williams and 78th Company via a runner, directing Williams to halt and reorganize along the south 

edge of the wood at Hill 231.5 and support Major 

Barker, who had been directed to occupy the north 

edge of the wood. Taking the initiative to update 

the regiment on the situation, at 0715, Woodworth 

sent a message to Lee advising him that Williams’s 

80th Company and a platoon of 96th Company 

were isolated by the attacking Germans from the 

rest of the battalion at approximately 363.5 easting 

and 244.6 northing on the map. Captain Martin, 

with his company and part of Woodworth’s 78th 

Company, was encountering heavy resistance as 

they tried to advance.

The 96th Company went after German Company Conrad on Hill 231.5, but its commander, Captain John A. Minnis, soon fell with a chest wound, 

leaving the unit without central direction; however, 

individual Marines and small groups continued to 

fight off the enemy. The Germans obviously were 

targeting leaders, as Woodworth, who only recently 

recovered from his Soissons wounds, was wounded 

again. His second in command, First Lieutenant 

Archie W. French, also was wounded and evacuated, which left Second Lieutenant James P. Adams 

to command the disjointed 78th Company. Of the 

2d Battalion’s four infantry company commanders 

present on 12 September when the Battle of SaintMihiel began, only Martin remained in the fight.

The audacious raw courage of individual Marines now began to shape the battle. Private John 

Joseph Kelly, a 78th Company runner from Chicago, Illinois, who had a reputation as a bad actor, looked around to see who might be the senior 

Marine left in the company. He spotted Sergeant 

Henry S. Bogan, rushed over to him, and together 

they organized a portion of the company to go into 

the attack, avoiding annihilation by the German 

machine-gun and rifle fire. Bogan led a detachment of leathernecks against a German machine 

gun, capturing the weapon and its crew and then 

charging on into enemy trenches, clearing them 

out to 150 yards. For his actions this day, Bogan 

was awarded both the Navy Distinguished Service 

Medal and Army Distinguished Service Cross. A 

proven leader, he earned a second Distinguished 

Service Cross and two Silver Stars during the Battle 

of Blanc Mont the next month.

Private Kelly and 16 others were pinned down 

in some rocks by attacking German infantry. The 

Germans hit them hard, taking down half of Kelly’s 

men before the Marines could halt the attack. Not 

to be deterred, the Germans attacked again. This 

time Kelly was the loader for a Chauchat gunner. 
44 Reducing the Saint-Mihiel Salient

The Marines continued the attack. The 2d Battalion, 6th Regiment, was ordered to occupy a line from the Xammes-Charey Road eastward across the 

southern edge of woods lying between Xammes and Charey, along the unimproved road running through the Bois de la Montagne and the X Line 

244.3 from Hill 231.5. Instead of deploying tactically, the battalion marched in column straight into the outpost line of the German Jagow Battalion. 

Bitter fighting raged the rest of the morning, involving most of the 6th Regiment, plus elements of the 5th Regiment. After driving back the enemy and 

repulsing several counterattacks, the Marines established a hasty defensive line along the north edge of the Bois de la Montagne. On the right, the 

3d Battalion, 5th Regiment, moved more units forward into the Bois du Rupt and Bois de Hailbat. 

morning of 15 September 1918

Operations of the 4th Brigade, 2d Division, AEF

during the Saint-Mihiel offensive

300

300

300

240

260

300

320

340

200

240

260

Rupt de Mad

Rupt de Mad

Rupt de Rau

Bois d’ Heiche

Bois d’ Gerard

Bois de Riche

Bois du

Fey

Bois du 

Rupt

Charey

Boise de

Dommartin

Beuillonville

Vieville 

-en-Haye

300

300

Bois de Bonvaux

240

FR

ARMY OBJ

PHASE ONE

Bois de la 

Perriere

Bois de la 

Montagne

Bois de 

Grande

 Fontaine

Bois d’

Hailbat Bois d’ 

Blainchamp

5 US Mar

6 US 

MG Mar

4 US Mar

X

6 US Mar

5

Mar 2 US 

43/2/5

51/2/5

55/2/5

18/2/5

2

2

Rau

Rupt de

6

Mon 

Plaisir 

Farm

Grande Fontaine

Hill 231.5

49/1/5

66/1/5

17/1/5

67/1/5

5 

Mar 1 US 

OBJ ARMY

6 

Mar 3 US 

84/3/6

83/3/6

97/3/6

82/3/6

20/3/5

16/3/5

45/3/5

5 

Mar 3 US 

75/1/695/1/6 2d Bn,6th Mar

Reforming

76/1/674/1/6

47/3/5

1 US 

6 

Mar

2 US 

6 

Mar

1

4

320

0 Kilometers340

1

Contour interval 10m

N

5

XX

Frontline 89th Division

3

7

The following identify the positions of 

the companies of the German Jagow 

Battalion.

A Company Conrad

B Company Speer

C Company Schatze 83/3/6

Det 

5

31

XX

123

XX

240

241

243

242

244

245

246

6th Regiment 

At 0300, the 2d Battalion marched in column 

northward to support the 1st Battalion. Order of 

march, front to rear, was battalion HQ then 80th, 

96th, 79th, 78th, and 81st (MG) Companies. 

1

At 0430, the 75th and 95th Companies, 1st 

Battalion, moved out to reinforce the outpost line 

established on the north edge of Bois de la 

Montagne earlier by the 74th and 76th 

Companies of their battalion.

2

The 3d Battalion remained in position, sending 

patrols forward to ascertain the situation. Two 

platoons of the 83d Company were sent to 

support the exposed left flank of the 2d Battalion.

5

About 0500, the 2d Battalion ran into the 

German Jagow Battalion. Initially in the surprise 

encounter the battalion was split into two groups; 

the 79th and most of the 78th Companies on the 

left, the rest of the battalion on the right (MG 

platoons of the 81st supporting both). Companies of the 1st Battalion joined the fray. After 

intense, confused fighting, the Marines prevailed, establishing a hasty defensive line along 

the north edge of Bois de la Montagne and 

repulsing several counterattacks.

3

Marines pursuing retreating enemy soldiers 

reached within about 200 yards of the Michel 

Position, but withdrew after encountering heavy 

enemy defensive fires.

4

5th Regiment 

7 At 0800, the 47th Company, 3d Battalion, moved 

to the north edge of Bois de la Montagne and 

reinforced the 1st Battalion, 6th Regiment.

6 At 0400, the 3d Battalion deployed the 20th 

Company into the Bois du Rupt; the 16th joined 

the 45th Company in the Bois de Hailbat.

362 363 364 365 366 367

The 2d Battalion, 6th Regiment, encountered stiff resistance on the left side of the Marine brigade on 15 September 1918. 

The action eventually involved units of both Marine regiments. 

Map by LtCol R. L. Cody, USMC (Ret)
Reducing the Saint-Mihiel Salient 45

When his gunner was wounded, Kelly took over 

the gun, once again breaking up the attack. Kelly 

was awarded three Silver Stars for actions this day, 

and later, at Blanc Mont, earned the nation’s highest 

combat award, the Medal of Honor.

Plenty of opportunities for valor existed, and 

the machine gunners stepped to the fore to claim 

their share. From 0800 to 1000, German artillery 

pounded the leathernecks of Major Williams’s batCommunications were always an issue for military forces in WWI, and it was no easier for the Marines. Runners and field 

phone lines, such as the one being tested here during the Battle of Saint-Mihiel, were the primary means of communication. 

Gilles Lagin Collection

talion. Captain Martin’s Marines, on the left of the 

road, were reinforced by eight Hotchkiss M1914 

machine guns from 81st Company, 6th Machine 

Gun Battalion, now commanded by First Lieutenant Edmund P. Norwood. Earlier in the morning, the 81st Company lost its commanding officer, 

First Lieutenant Jack S. Hart, when he was severely 

wounded while capturing a German Maxim machine gun and its crew, earning him a Navy Cross. 
46 Reducing the Saint-Mihiel Salient

First Lieutenant Norwood, an experienced machine 

gun officer who was awarded a Silver Star during 

the fighting in June and July, stepped up to command the company from his second-in-command 

position. Second Lieutenant George Bower, a former sergeant, commissioned in July 1918, held his 

81st Company machine guns in position during the 

seesaw fighting that morning, covering a withdrawing rifle platoon and halting an enemy counterattack. Wounded, he was evacuated and later awarded 

the Navy Cross for refusing to fall back in the face 

of the assaulting German infantry. Private James R. 

Brummett, a rifleman in the 81st Company machine gun platoon, stopped a German attempt to 

flank his machine guns with his tenacious and accurate rifle fire, which also brought him a Navy Cross.

Another machine gunner who helped prevent 

the Germans from overrunning 2d Battalion was 

Corporal Lyle C. Houchins in 73d Company, the 

6th Regiment’s machine gun company. During one 

of the enemy counterattacks, Houchins repositioned his machine gun from its sheltered location 

out into the open to take the advancing Germans 

under fire from their flank. He is credited with 

breaking up an attack 100 yards short of the Marine lines. Houchins was promoted to sergeant by 

the regimental commander on 22 September in 

recognition of his heroic efforts. In 1919, Sergeant 

Houchins was awarded a Navy Cross and Distinguished Service Cross for the 15 September action, 

but these were posthumous awards. Houchins later died of wounds received in the Meuse-Argonne 

fighting on 1 November 1918. 

Sergeant Paradis reported that German rifle 

and machine-gun fire fell unrelentingly until around 

0900. He speculated that another attacking Marine 

company had forced a German withdrawal. In fact, 

the Jagow Battalion had simply exhausted its machine gun ammunition. When the Marine force was 

spotted earlier that morning, Captain von Jagow 

messaged 398th Regiment requesting an immediate 

resupply of machine gun ammunition. At 0845, he 

followed up, telling his higher headquarters that he 

had no more machine gun ammunition and declaring that now it was up to the German artillery to 

“smoke out the enemy from these ravines and patches of woods.”

Confusion seemed to reign within 6th Regiment’s headquarters and its battalions due to a lack 

of information. Colonel Lee needed to know who 

was where so he could influence the action. At 0930, 

he directed Lieutenant Colonel Sibley to send patrols forward to locate Major Barker and tell him 

to check in with the regiment. Sibley tapped his 

84th and 97th Companies, ordering them to each 

send one patrol forward to find Barker and have 

him contact Lee, but Sibley also directed that the 

patrols locate the two separated elements of Williams’s 2d Battalion. Barker messaged Lee at 1010, 

but only requested reinforcements to respond to a 

German counterattack. He did not update locations 

or provide more intelligence on the enemy situation. 

When communications finally were established, Lee 

reinforced his front lines with elements of both 1st 

and 3d Battalions.

At 1100, the Germans reinforced the Jagow 

Battalion and then, intent on keeping the attackPvt John Kelly from 78th Company, 2d Battalion, 

6th Regiment, jumped into action on the morning of 15 

September, helping to reorganize Marines in total disarray after a deadly attack by the German Jagow 

Battalion near Hill 231.5 in the Bois de la Montagne. 

Kelly was awarded three Silver Stars for actions during the 

Battle of Saint-Mihiel. 

Marine Corps History Division
Reducing the Saint-Mihiel Salient 47

ing Marines away from the Michel position (Hindenburg Line), they launched four counterattacks 

during the day. At 1800, remnants of the 6th Grenadier Regiment, who had been organized into a 

battalion on 14 September under Captain von 

Buddenbrock, and elements of the 398th Regiment, 

initiated another counterattack. This time, the Germans reported recapturing their lost outpost areas.

The Marine units holding the 6th Regiment’s 

front had become a bit jumbled. Prior to the unanticipated arrival of the 2d Battalion along the 

northern edge of the wood, Barker ordered Captain George H. Stowall to move his 75th Company 

to the left of the battalion, outposting the northern edge of the Bois de la Montagne, and First 

Lieutenant John N. Popham Jr. to place his 95th 

Company in position to support Stowall. Popham 

had joined the company from the 1st Machine 

Gun Replacement Battalion on 29 August and 

was thrust into command on 12 September when 

the company commander, First Lieutenant James 

A. Connor, was hospitalized due to illness. Before 

these 1st Battalion units could move to their positions, Major Williams moved his battalion into 

the area and was heavily engaged by the Germans. 

Toward the end of the day, the far left of the 6th 

Regiment’s line was held by the 1st Battalion’s 

75th and 95th Companies, beside them were the 

2d Battalion units, followed by another 1st Battalion company—74th Company—and then the 

45th and 47th Companies of the 3d Battalion, 

5th Regiment, whose Marines were dug in on the 

northern edge of the Bois de la Montagne.Further 

compounding the situation, 89th Division had not 

advanced on the left, so the 2d Division’s flank was 

open. Called on to cover the flank, Major Barker 

Open Attack at St. Mihiel by Lucien Jonas, ca. 1927. Jonas, a WWI artist, produced this drawing of U.S. forces firing 

invaluable Hotchkiss machine guns in the Battle of Saint-Mihiel. 

Library of Congress, LC-DIG-pga-03886
48 Reducing the Saint-Mihiel Salient

dispatched 74th Company, commanded by yet another recent September arrival, Captain Robert H. 

Shiel, to protect the flank.16

The 2d Division’s tanks, both heavy and light, 

had no influence in the battle. With the very heavy 

rains, they simply could not keep up with the infantry. The artillery had its challenges also. In his 

after action report, the commander of 3d Brigade, 

Army Brigadier General Hanson E. Ely excoriated the artillery for their performance, writing 

that he could not find his artillery liaison officer 

when fire was needed to break up German counterattacks and that friendly fire killed several of his 

soldiers. During the battle in and around Bois de 

la Montagne, artillery was available, but there is no 

indication that preplanned targets were prepared to 

support the 6th Regiment, certainly not 2d Battalion’s advance on the morning of 15 September. 

However, Williams may not have requested artil16 Barker’s calm and persistent leadership during the four-day Battle 

of Saint-Mihiel was recognized by the award of two Silver Stars for 

his World War I Victory Medal.

lery fire early on enemy contact that morning due 

to uncertainty as to the location of his men. In addition, artillery fire into forested and hilly terrain 

can be less than effective. While artillery was not 

employed in the close-in fight, artillery interdiction fires helped prevent unimpeded German reinforcements as deep counterbattery fires pummeled 

enemy artillery in the Charey-Saint-Julien area 

and battered the Mon Plaisir Farm and other German strongpoints. 

During the day, German aviators controlled the 

skies whenever they chose to surge and dominate. 

Marine machine gun units presented a valuable 

target and often were forced to defend themselves 

against air attack. In one example, Private Ernest 

W. Porter from 23d Company, 6th Machine Gun 

Battalion, was awarded a Navy Cross for actions near 

Thiaucourt while advancing with 6th Regiment. He 

and his gun crew were under an intense artillery 

barrage when a German aircraft attacked. Porter 

voluntarily rushed to man his machine gun and 

engage the aircraft, but was killed in the bombing.

On the other side of the 2d Division front, the 

5th Regiment had a relatively quiet 15 September. 

They found no enemy in the Bois de Hailbat. As 

early as 1330, Feland was directed to dig in and 

hold where his units were located, preparing for the 

relief scheduled for that evening.

By the afternoon, the 2d Division issued a 

warning order informing the Marine brigade to 

expect relief by elements of the U.S. 78th Division during the evening. The relief would occur in 

spite of the continuing pressure from the enemy. 

Each regiment and the 6th Machine Gun Battalion were directed to accurately define its frontlines 

and designate guides to bring in the replacement 

units. The 155th Brigade, 78th Division, relieved 

the infantry regiments of the 4th Brigade during 

the evening and early morning hours of 15–16 

September. The 4th Brigade reported a relatively 

easy relief operation that was completed by 0645 

on 16 September. The 6th Machine Gun Battalion 

remained in position, retiring to rejoin the brigade 

24 hours later.

The experience at the unit level did not reflect such a smooth transition. Sergeant McCune 

from 55th Company, 2d Battalion, 5th Regiment, 

closed his diary for the Battle of Saint-Mihiel, 

Maj Frederick A. Barker’s calm, experienced leadership 

paid off in the bloody fighting on 15 September in the 

Bois de la Montagne. 

Marine Corps History Division
Reducing the Saint-Mihiel Salient 49

 Operations of the 4th Marine Brigade, 2d Division, AEF

 afternoon 15 September through morning 16 September 1918

during the Saint-Mihiel offensive

During the afternoon of 15 September, the 4th Marine Brigade regrouped after the fight in the Bois de la Montagne. Companies returned to the 

control of their parent battalions and the lines readjusted as shown above. In the 6th Regiment’s sector, the 2d Battalion established an outpost line 

and the 1st Battalion took up support positions. The 3d Battalion remained along the Army objective line (OBL). In the 5th Regiment’s sector, the 

scattered companies of the 3d Battalion were gathered together, and the 3d Battalion established an outpost line north of Jaulny, tying in with 

elements of the 5th Division on the right. That night, the Marines were relieved by the 155th Infantry Brigade, 78th Division. 

300

300

300

240

260

240

300

320

340

200

240

260

Rupt de Mad

Rupt de Mad

Rupt de Rau

Rupt de Rau

Bois d’ Heiche

Bois d’ Gerard

Bois de la 

Perriere

Bois de Riche

Bois du

Fey

Bois de la 

Montagne

Bois du 

Rupt

Charey

Boise de

Dommartin

Hill 231.5

Bois d’ 

Blainchamp

Beuillonville

Vieville 

-en-Haye

300

300

Bois de 

Grande

 Fontaine

Bois de Bonvaux

246

 2 6 Mar US 

78/2/6

79/2/6

74/1/6 

76/1/6

75/1/6 

95/1/6

80/2/6

49/1/5

66/1/5

5 

Mar 3 US 

16/3/5 

45\3\5 

(45\3\5) 

(16/3/5) 

96/2/6

5 US Mar

6 US Mar

FR

6 US 

MG Mar

4 US Mar

X

240

5

Mar 2 US 

43/2/5

51/2/5

55/2/5

18/2/5

ARMY

47/3/5

OBJ

ARMY OBL

97/3/6

84/3/6

83/3/6 82/3/6

3 6 Mar US 

 1 5 Mar US 

17/1/5

1 US 

6 

Mar

20/3/5

67/1/5

Mon 

Plaisir 

Farm

Grande Fontaine

320

0 Kilometers340

1

Contour interval 10m

N

XX

XX

line Front

Division 89th

Line Front

5th Division

31

XX

123

XX

Relief of the 4th Marine Brigade by the 155th 

Infantry Brigade, 78th Division on the night of 

15–16 September 1918 conducted as 

described below:

5th Regiment Marines relieved by 

309th Infantry Regiment as follows:

1st Battalion by 3d Battalion, 

309th Infantry Regiment

3d Battalion by 2d Battalion, 

309th Infantry Regiment

(2d Battalion withdrawn without replacement)

6th Regiment Marines relieved by 

310th Infantry Regiment as follows:

1st Battalion by 1st Battalion, 

310th Infantry Regiment

2d Battalion by 2d Battalion, 

310th Infantry Regiment

3d Battalion by 3d Battalion, 

310th Infantry Regiment

246

245

243

244

242

241

240

362 363 364 365 366 367

The Marines fought hard and, in spite of missteps, gained new glory while reinforcing to the German High Command 

their individual fighting tenacity. In the days leading to the 11 November Armistice, the experiences gained by the numerous new replacements and their leaders would prove to be the greatest benefit of the Battle of Saint-Mihiel.

Map by LtCol R. L. Cody, USMC (Ret)
50 Reducing the Saint-Mihiel Salient

German prisoners of war are marched to the rear through Saint-Mihiel. 

Library of Congress, LC-USZ62-36562

writing that the company was relieved at 0400 on 

16 September but, due to road congestion, could 

not leave its position until noon, when the men 

marched to Minorville in clear weather and, for 

the first time in a long while, “over good roads.”

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED,

SALIENT ELIMINATED

In closing the Saint-Mihiel salient, the American 

First Army succeeded in driving back the German 

forces from an area the French had in their sights 

since the winter of 1914–15.

In his final report to Congress on the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I, General Pershing stated, “We captured nearly 16,000 

prisoners, 443 guns, and large stores of material 

and supplies. The energy and swiftness with which 

the operation was carried out enabled us to smother opposition to such an extent that we suffered 

less than 7,000 casualties during the actual period 

of the advance.” Major General Lejeune’s 2d Division captured 3,300 of those prisoners and 118 

of the guns, mostly by 3d Brigade in the first 24 

hours of battle, as the AEF attempted to catch the 

bulk of the German force in a pocket with the 1st 

Division and 26th Division closing the salient by 

meeting at Vigneulles. The 4th Brigade made no 

claim to large numbers of guns or prisoners, initially reporting it practically impossible to give a 

complete and accurate account. In a 17 September 
Reducing the Saint-Mihiel Salient 51

The World War I Saint-Mihiel American Cemetery and Memorial, final resting place for more than 4,000 Americans, 

in Thiaucourt, France, was dedicated in 1937. It is one of numerous American cemeteries abroad maintained by the American 

Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC). 

ABMC Lithograph

message, Colonel Harry Lee noted that the 6th 

Regiment captured two Austrian 88mm guns with 

ammunition and sights; 11 machine guns, including light machine guns and the heavier Maxims; 

a German ambulance; and two carts (wagonettes) 

with horses.

While the Battle of Saint-Mihiel is most 

often seen as an Army show, the Marines experienced the stiffening German resistance after assuming the lead on the night of 13–14 September, 

and sending large unit patrols forward to probe 

the German defenses. The 2d Division’s 3d Brigade had hit the Germans as they were shuffling 

forces around, deepening their outpost line, and 

withdrawing some forces to a new main line of 

resistance. It experienced limited counterattacks 

as the Germans fought to hold off the attacking 

soldiers to escape encirclement. However, General 

Max von Gallwitz, the senior German commander, was absolutely not going to allow the Hindenburg Line to be penetrated. When the Marines 

moved up, hitting his outposts, Gallwitz pushed 

more units into the area in case Pershing continued to attack. The Germans had yielded all they 

planned, the Michel position would be held at all 

costs, so the Marines were attacking determined 

defenders with their backs against a wall. 

The Battle of Saint-Mihiel was the “full dress 

show” Pershing had sought for the AEF and provided the inspiration for Allied Supreme Commander Marshal Foch’s offensive to end the war in 

1918. It proved that the American military could 
52 Reducing the Saint-Mihiel Salient

plan, equip, and win with an extremely large force of 

more than half a million men, and for many years, 

the effort to reduce the Saint-Mihiel salient was 

taught at U.S. Army schools as the preferred way 

to eliminate a salient—attacking the sides. Closing 

the salient was quite a satisfying birthday gift for 

Pershing, who celebrated his 58th birthday on 13 

September with the news that Vigneulles had fallen 

and “the pincers had snapped shut.” 

As for 2d Division casualties in the Battle of 

Saint-Mihiel, the 3d Brigade reported 5 officers 

and 81 enlisted men killed in action and 9 officers 

and 274 enlisted men wounded. The final Navy 

Medical Department report for 4th Brigade indicated 3 officers and 57 men were killed, with another 86 men dying of their wounds, and 13 officers 

and 745 men wounded in action. The 4th Brigade’s 

losses were heavier than the 3d Brigade’s, and 6th 

Regiment accounted for the majority of the Marine 

brigade’s casualties. In comparison to the 4th Brigade’s devastating losses in the June and July 1918 

battles, Saint-Mihiel was relatively painless.

Captain George Hamilton, commander of 49th 

Company, 5th Regiment, in speaking with First 

Lieutenant John W. Thomason Jr., his second in 

command, described the Battle of Saint-Mihiel as a 

“walkover.” He added further that “it was fine training for them [men], and even our greenest replacements had a chance to get over being gun-shy. . . . 

And the noncoms are fine, too. . . . [I] hope we don’t 

lose too many of them.” 

The press to end the Great War was being 

felt in Germany. Great battles lay ahead, but the 

experience at Saint-Mihiel undoubtedly aided in 

securing victories in the weeks to come. Sadly, 

Captain Hamilton’s wish for future human losses was not realized. Success in the coming battles 

would prove costly.
53

SOURCES

I

n 1924, at Fort Sam Houston, TX, the 2d Division dedicated a section under U.S. Army Capt 

Cylburn O. Mattfeldt to collect and preserve maps, orders, message traffic, and other papers 

pertaining to the division’s operations in the First World War. Between 1924 and 1928, 

Mattfeldt completed an 11-volume effort, Records of the Second Division (Regular), 1918–1919. 

The first nine volumes include official documents and the last two volumes are maps and overlay 

drawings. In 1930, the Second Division, Historical Section, U.S. Army War College, then located 

in Washington, DC, began researching, compiling, and translating the German War Diaries. This 

effort, completed in 1935, resulted in nine volumes titled, Translations: War Diaries of German 

Units Opposed to the Second Division (Regular), 1918. The author’s copies are courtesy of Col W. V. 

H. White, USMC (Ret). These volumes were a boon to the research and writing of this pamphlet.

While the Marine Corps History Division holds all the World War I unit muster rolls, the 

online muster rolls accumulated and made available by Ancestry.com were invaluable. Other 

sources of great value included: American Battle Monuments Commission, 2d Division: Summary 

of Operations in the World War (1944); American Battle Monuments Commission, American 

Armies and Battlefields in Europe: A History, Guide, and Reference Book (1938), reprinted with a new 

introduction by the U.S. Army, Center of Military History in 1992; Col Oliver Lyman Spaulding 

and Col John Womack Wright, with the Second Division Historical Committee, The Second 

Division, American Expeditionary Force in France, 1917–1919 (1937), though a reprint was done 

in 1989; U.S. Army, Center of Military History’s online edition of Order of Battle of the United 

States Land Forces in the World War, vol. 1, American Expeditionary Forces: General Headquarters, 

Armies, Army Corps, Services of Supply, and Separate Forces (1988); BGen A. W. Caitlin, USMC,

“With the Help of God and a Few Marines,” (1919), though a reprint was done by Battery Press 

in 2004; George B. Clark, Decorated Marines of the Fourth Brigade in World War I (2007); George 

B. Clark, Devil Dogs: Fighting Marines of World War I (1999) and his updated edition of Devil 

Dogs: Fighting Marines of World War I, (2013); George B. Clark, History of the Marine Battalions 

in France, 1917–1918 (2011); George B. Clark, His Road to Glory: The Life and Times of “Hiking 

Hiram” Bearss, Hoosier Marine (2000); George B. Clark, ed., His Time in Hell: A Texas Marine in 

France: The World War I Memoir of Warren R. Jackson (2001); George B. Clark, The Second Infantry 

Division in World War I: A History of the American Expeditionary Force Regulars, 1917–1919

(2007); Tom FitzPatrick, Tidewater Warrior: The World War I Years of General Lemuel C. Shepherd 

Jr., USMC (2010); Elton E. Mackin, Suddenly We Didn’t Want to Die: Memoirs of a World War 
54 Reducing the Saint-Mihiel Salient

I Marine (1993); Maj Edwin N. McClellan, The 

United States Marine Corps in the World War (1968, 

reprint of 1920 edition); LtCol Peter F. Owen, 

USMC (Ret), ed., The World War I Memoirs of Don 

V. Paradis, Gunnery Sergeant, USMC (2010); BGen 

Edwin Howard Simmons, USMC (Ret), and Col 

Joseph H. Alexander, Through the Wheat: The U.S. 

Marines in World War I (2008); Anne Cipriano 

Venzon, Leaders of Men: Ten Marines Who Changed 

the Corps (2008); Maj Littleton W. T. Waller Jr., 

Final Report of the 6th Machine Gun Battalion 

(reprint of 1919 report by George B. Clark); Col 

Frederic M. Wise and Meigs O. Frost, A Marine 

Tells It to You (1981 reprint of 1929 edition by 

the Marine Corps Association); James H. Hallas,

Squandered Victory: The American First Army at St. 

Mihiel (1995); U.S. War Office, Final Report of Gen. 

John J. Pershing, Commander-in-Chief American 

Expeditionary Forces (1920); Mitchell Yockelson, 

Forty-Seven Days: How Pershing’s Warriors Came 

of Age to Defeat the German Army in World War I

(2016); Capt John W. Thomason Jr., USMC, Fix 

Bayonets! (1925); Michelin Guides, The Americans 

in the Great War, vol. 2, The Battle of St. Mihiel 

(St. Mihiel, Pont-À-Mousson, Metz) (2012 digital 

edition, originally published in 1919); Frank H. 

Simonds, History of the World War, vol. 5 (1920); 

Col Leonard P. Ayres, U.S. General Staff, The War 

with Germany: A Statistical Summary, 2d ed. (1919); 

MajGen Hunter Liggett, USA (Ret), Commanding 

an American Army: Recollections of the World War

(1925); Mark E. Grotelueschen, Doctrine Under 

Trial: American Artillery Employment in World 

War I (2001); Ronald J. Brown, A Few Good Men: 

The History of the Fighting Fifth Marines (2001); 

Forrest C. Pogue, George C. Marshall: Education of 

a General, 1880 –1939 (1963); LtCol Berton W. 

Sibley, History of Third Battalion, Sixth Regiment, 

U.S. Marines (1919); and Carl Andrew Brannen, 

Over There: A Marine in the Great War (1996).

Of course, the National Archives and Records Administration and the Library of Congress 

proved invaluable to this research, as did the Naval History and Heritage Command. Additionally, 

NavSource Naval History proved responsive on 

U.S. Navy ship information. Details on medical 

officers and corpsmen were frequently confirmed 

with the historian at the U.S. Navy’s Bureau of 

Medicine and Surgery (BUMED).

The personal papers and oral histories reviewed at the Archives and Special Collections 

Branch and the Oral History Section, Marine 

Corps History Division, included: BGen Robert 

L. Denig, Gen Graves B. Erskine, Gen Lemuel C. 

Shepherd Jr., Gen Thomas Holcomb; 1stLt David 

Bellamy; MajGen George Barnett; BGen Charles 

L. McCawley (Quartermaster); MajGen William 

A. Worton; LtGen Merwin H. Silverthorne; and 

Gen Gerald C. Thomas. A fully annotated manuscript of this work is on deposit in the Historical 

Reference Branch, Marine Corps History Division, Quantico, VA.

The list of Marines and Navy personnel for 

appendix C was compiled with the assistance of 

C. Douglas Sterner, curator, Military Times Hall 

of Valor, principally from his currently unpublished work, Marine Corps Heroes, 1861–1942, vol. 1. 

Copies of this work are held by the author and the 

Historical Reference Branch, Marine Corps History Division, Quantico, VA. Entries were crosschecked with Jane Blakeney’s Heroes: U.S. Marine 

Corps, 1861–1955: Armed Forces Awards, Flags 

(1957); and Harry R. Stringer, ed., The Navy Book 

of Distinguished Service: An Official Compendium of 

Names and Citations of the Men of the United States 

Navy, Marine Corps, Army, and Foreign Governments Who Were Decorated by the Navy Department 

for Extraordinary Gallantry and Conspicuous Services above and beyond the Call of Duty in the World 

War (1921). The appendix listing U.S. Navy medical and dental personnel and casualty data was 

compiled from Lt George G. Strott, Navy Medics with the Marines, 1917–1919 (2005). Casualty 

numbers differ somewhat from those listed in the 

American Battle Monuments Commission’s work 

titled 2d Division: Summary of Operations in the 

World War and Clark’s Devil Dogs. Information 

for the order of battle also came from Clark, Devil 

Dogs, 260, 268; and, Clark, History of the Marine 

Battalions in France, 1917–1918, 10–21. 
55

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Colonel Walter Ford wishes to acknowledge and particularly thank gifted World War I historians Colonel William V. H. White, USMC (Ret), and George B. Clark—Marine veteran and prolific author, now deceased—for their numerous contributions and guidance during 

the course of the research and writing. Also of great importance, the author recognizes the early 

guidance, thoughtful comments, and research leads from esteemed Marine Corps historian and 

friend, Colonel Joseph H. Alexander, USMC (Ret). Joe left us too early. 

It is important to also note with gratitude the efforts of the Marine Corps History Division 

staff, highlighting the talents of the World War I centennial project navigator, Ms. Annette 

Amerman, whose forbearance and determination brought this effort together; Ms. Kara Newcomer, the guru behind Marine Corps historical photographs; Ms. Angela Anderson, senior 

editor for the series; and all those who reviewed the manuscript. Dr. Jim Ginther, Marine Corps 

History Division, Archives Branch, Dr. Fred Allison, Marine Corps History Division’s Oral History Branch, and Joan Thomas, curator of art, National Museum of the Marine Corps, proved to 

be invaluable resources for valued content. 

Among the many on the author’s list warranting special salutes: the entire Leatherneck magazine staff, ably led by Colonel Mary Reinwald, USMC (Ret), particularly former deputy editor Nancy Lee White Hoffman, Patty Everett, and Jason Monroe; C. Douglas Sterner, curator, 

Military Times Hall of Fame, for his remarkable efforts in producing and sharing medals and 

decorations information on our military heroes; Colonel William T. Anderson, USMCR (Ret), 

WWI battlefield historian and researcher; Susan Strange, an exceptional sleuth adept at finding 

gold in the National Archives; Chief Warrant Officer 4 James R. Casey, USMC (Ret), former 

deputy executive director of the Marine Corps Aviation Association (MCAA), and Roxanne M. 

Kaufman, director of operations for MCAA, for their tremendous support; Ryan Trainor, archivist, National Guard Educational Foundation; Major General Belisario D. J. Flores, USA (Ret), 

Texas National Guard; Brigadier General Leonid Kondratiuk, director of Historical Services/

Militia Affairs, the Adjutant General’s Office, Massachusetts; Mark C. Mollan, archivist, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, DC; Joanna Philpotts, reference librarian, 

and Christi A. Bayha, Marine Corps University, Alfred M. Gray Marine Corps Research Center; 

and Mrs. Mary Ann Preston, an unequaled commander of the English language and friend.

57

AA Antiaircraft or Army Artillery

AAA Antiaircraft Artillery

AAB Antiaircraft Battery

AAS Antiaircraft Service or Army 

Ambulance Service

AASC Army Air Service Commander

AC Army Corps or Air Corps

ACA American Civil Administration

ACS Army Candidates School or Aero 

Construction Squadron

AC of S Acting (Assistant) Chief of Staff

ADC Aide-de-Camp

Adj Adjutant

Adm Admitted (to hospital, etc.)

AEC American Embarkation Center1

or American Education Center 

(AEF University)

AEF American Expeditionary Forces2

AEFU American Expeditionary Forces 

University

AF in F American Forces in France3

AF in G American Forces in Germany4

AG Adjutant General

AGD Adjutant General’s Department

AGO Adjutant General’s Office

AIS Army Infantry Specialists 

(School)

Amb Ambulance

AMC American Military Cemetery

A of O Army of Occupation (in Germany) 

1

 Established 3 January 1919 at Le Mans; disestablished on 16 July 

1919.

2

 In some instances, AEF was made singular. For our purposes, it 

will be made plural.

3

 Created 22 August 1919 to function beginning 1 September 1919 

in place of general headquarters (GHQ).

4

 On 2 July 1919, Third Army is deactivated and staff and troops 

remaining in Germany on and after 3 July 1919 were designated as 

AF in G.

 

APC Air Production Center5

APM Assistant Provost Marshall

APO American Post Office

APOD American Post Office 

Department

ARC American Red Cross

ARCMH American Red Cross Military 

Hospital 

Arr Arrived

Art Artillery

AS Advanced Section6 or 

Air Service

ASC Army Service Corps7

 or Air 

Service Camp

Asgd Assigned

ASS, Fr. H American Statistical Section, 

French Hospitals

ATM Acting Town Mayor

ATS Antitetanic Serum 

(administered) or Army 

Transportation Service8

AW Articles of War

AWL Absent with (official) Leave

AWOL Absent without Official Leave

BAS Battalion Aid Station or 

Brigade Ambulance Service

BEF British Expeditionary Forces

5

 Opened winter of 1917–18 at Romorantin, France.

6

 Established 4 July 1917 with headquarters (HQ) at Nevers, 

France; on 17 September 1917 in Is-sur-Tille, France; on 1 November 1917 in Neufchâteau, Belgium; on 20 January 1918 in Langres, 

France; on 15 June 1918 in Nogent-en-Bassigny, France; on 23 October 1918 in Neufchâteau; and on 12 June 1919 in Is-sur-Tille.

7 Established 22 August 1918 and furnished detachments for various special services in the AEF.

8

 Established 18 October 1917 and combined with Transportation 

Service on 18 December 1917.

APPENDIX A

Abbreviations and Military Terms Used 

by the American Expeditionary Forces

This appendix can be found on the supplementary microfilm reel for the World War Casualties 

 within the Muster Rolls of the Marine Corps. It is reproduced in its entirety.
58 Appendix A

BH Base Hospital

Bn Battalion

BORU Bordeaux Overseas Replacement 

Unit

BR Bedridden (naval classification of 

patients received on naval 

transports for the United States)

BS Base Section (a geographical 

division of the Services of Supply)

BX Bordeaux

CAC Coast Artillery Corps

Cal Caliber

CAO Chief Aviation Officer

CASC Corps Air Service Commander

CAS Chief, Air Service

CAM Cerebro [Cerebral] Spinal 

Meningitis

Cav Cavalry

CC Casual Camp or Casual

Company or Convalescent 

Center or Convalescent 

Camp or Company

C&C Casualties and Changes 

(a record form of AGO)

C-in-C Commander-in-Chief

CCO Casual Camp, Orleans

CDH Contagious Disease Hospital

CEO Chief Engineer Officer

CFO Casual from Command

C fr C Casual from Command

CG Commanding General

CGS Chief, Gas Service

CH Camp Hospital

Cl. Colonial (French)

Class. Cp. Classification Camp

Clf. Cp. Classification Camp

cm Centimeter

CMT Chief, Motor Transport

COC Casual Officers’ Cam

COD Casual Officers’ Depot9

CO Commanding Officer

CORD Casual Officers’ Replacement 

Depot

9 Opened at Blois, France, on 18 January 1918 as a depot for classification and distribution of casual officers arriving from the United 

States and from organizations in the AEF. Another COD was established at Gondrecourt, France, on 22 February 1919.

Conc. HC Convalescent Hospital Center

C of S Chief of Staff

CPO Central Post Office

CPWE Central Prisoner of War 

Enclosure

CQM Chief Quartermaster

CRO Central Records Office10

CWS Chemical Warfare Service11

D Duty

DAH Disordered Action of Heart

DC Dental Corps

DCD Dismounted Cavalry Division

DCI District Criminal Investigation

DCR Division of Casualty 

Replacement

DD Detached Duty or Depot 

Division

Del. Delivered

DG Director General

DHQ Division Headquarters

DI Infantry Division (French)

Dis. Bks. Disciplinary Barracks

DNB Death, Nonbattle

D of P District of Paris12

D of ST Director of Storage and Traffic

DRC Dental Reserve Corps or Daily 

Report of Changes

D of W Died of Wounds

DWC Duty with Command

E East

EC Engineer Corps or Embarkation 

Camp

ED Extra Duty

EH Evacuation Hospital

EM Enlisted Man

Eng. Engineers

Ent. Entered (hospital or on record)

EO Embarkation Order or Embarkation Office

EPD Extra Police Duty

ER Expert Rifleman

10 Organized on 20–21 May 1918 at Saint-Pierre-des-Corps, France, 

but was moved to Tours, France, on 15 September 1918.

11 Created on 28 June 1918 from the Gas Service.

12 On 6 May 1918, geographical boundaries defined as comprising 

Departments of the Seine and Seine-et-Oise.
Appendix A 59

FA Field Artillery

FAS First Aid Station

FC Fracture, compound

FCC Fracture, compound, 

comminuted

FH Field Hospital

FM Field Message

Fme. Farm (French)

Fne. Fountain or spring (French)

FO Field Orders

Fr French

Fr. From

FS Fracture, simple

FSR Field Service Regulations

FUO Fever of unknown origins

GAC Group of Armées of Center 

(French)

GAE Group of Armées of the East 

(French)

GAF Group of Armées of Flanders 

(French)

GAN Group of Armées of the North 

(French)

GAR Group of Armées of Reserve 

(French)

GC Group de Combat or combat 

group, fighting unit

GCM General Court Martial

Gd. Co. Guard Company

Gd. Div. Grand Division, a railway operating unit of the Transportation 

Service

GH Gas Hospital or General 

Hospital (in United States)

GHQ General Headquarters

GIA Gassed in Action

GISD General Intermediate Storage 

Depot (at Gièvres)

GPA General Purchasing Agent

GPC German Prison Camp

GQG Grand Quartier General 

(French GHQ)

GRS Graves Registration Service

GS General Staff or Gas Service

G-1 Administrative Section, 

General Staff

G-2 Intelligence Section, General Staff

G-3 Operations Section, 

General Staff

G-4 Supply Section, General Staff

G-5 Training Section, General Staff

GSW Gunshot wound

H Hour

HA Hospital Ambulance

HC Hospital Center

HE High Explosive

HES High Explosive Shell

HFA Heavy Field Artillery (in orders)

HOE Evacuation Hospital (French)

HT Hospital Train

H Tr. Hospital Train

IA In action

ICT Infected Connective Tissue 

(British)

IIB Initial Information Blank

ILOD In Line of Duty

Inf. Infantry or Infirmary or 

Information

IS Intermediate Section13 or 

Intelligence Section

ISD Intermediate Salvage 

(or Storage) Depot

IWS Infantry Weapons School

JAG Judge Advocate General

JHG Justice Hospital Group 

(hospitals located in or near Justice Barracks, near Toul)

KIA Killed in action

km Kilometer =1,000 meters

L In line of duty

L Bn Labor Battalion

L of C Line of Communication14

LS Liaison Service

M Meter or Morphine (administered)

MC Medical Corps or Marine Corps

13 Created on 13 August 1917 by territorial organization of the 

Line of Communication with HQ at Nevers.

14 Established on 5 July 1917 (see Services of Rear).
60 Appendix A

Mar. Tr. Bn. Marine Training Battalion

Mar. Tr. Rgt. Marine Training Regiment

Med. Medical

Med. Seg. Cp. Medical Segregation Camp

Ment. Mental (naval classification of 

patients received on naval 

transports for the United States)

MG Machine Gun

MGB Machine Gun Bullet

MG Bn Machine Gun Battalion

MH Mobile Hospital

Mil. Military

Mil. Sp. Co. Military Specialists Company

MIA Missing in Action

MM Motor Mechanics or Marksman

mm Millimeter

MORS Mobile Ordnance Repair Shop

MP Military Police

MPC Military Police Corps

MPES Military Postal Express 

Service15

MR Monthly roster or muster roll

MR Bn Marine Replacement Battalion

MRC Medical Reserve Corps

MR Park Motor Reception Park

MS Co. Military Specialists Company

MSD Motor Supply Depot

MSTU Machine Shop Truck Unit

MTC Motor Transport Corps16

MTS Motor Transport Service17

N North

NA National Army

NASN No Army Serial Number

NBH Navy Base Hospital

NDR No Disability Rating or 

Notifiable Disease Reported

NG National Guard

NSN No Serial Number

NSR No Service Record

NYD Not Yet Diagnosed

15 Created on 9 May 1918 for handling official and personal mail 

for the AEF, eventually operating 169 field and mobile post offices 

and railway mail service.

16 Established on 11 July 1918 as a separate service of Services of 

Supply (see MTS).

17 Established on 8 December 1917 as a separate service under QMC 

and included Service of Utilities on 16 February 1918 and Service of 

Utilities, which dissolved on 11 July 1918.

O Slight

O in C Officer in Charge

OCE Office of Chief Engineer

OLA Over Leave, Absent

OR Operations Report

Ord. Ordnance

O&T Observation and Training or 

Observation and Treatment

PA Personal Adjutant (statistical officers were so designated in GHQ 

GO no. 187, dated 25 October 

1918)

PAL Prisoner at Large

PC Post of Command

PBH Provisional Base Hospital

PBHU Provisional Base Hospital Unit

PH Post Hospital

PLM Paris-Lyon-Méditerranée 

(Railway)

PMG Provost Marshal General

POD Post Office Department

Pont. Bks. Pontanezen Barracks (near Brest)

PORR Paris-Orleans Railroad

POW Prisoner of War

Prov. Provisional

PUO Pyrexis Unknown Origin 

(Trench fever)

PW Penetrating Wound (British) or 

Prisoner of War

PWIB Prisoners of War Information 

Bureau18

QGA Quartier Général d’Armée (Army 

Headquarters)

R Roster

RA Regular Army

RC Reserve Corps

RD Replacement Depot19

Rel. Released

Repl. Replacement

Reptd. Reported

Rheu. Rheumatism or rheumatic

18 Established on 1 July 1918.

19 The 1st RD was organized at Saint-Aignan, France, on 30 December 1918 to take the place of the 1st DD, which was abolished 

on 9 July 1919.
Appendix A 61

RIO Regimental Intelligence Officer

RMS Railway Mail Service

RO Regulating Officer/Office

Ros. Roster

Rptd. Reported

RR&C Renting, Requisition, and Claims 

(Service)20

RRD Regional Replacement Depot21

RR Op. Bn. Railroad Operating Battalion

RSO Regimental Special Order

RTO Railway Transportation Officer/

Office

S Severe or South

SAA Small Arms Ammunition

San. Tr. Sanitary Train

SC Signal Corps

SCD Surgeon’s Certificate of 

Disability

SD Special Duty

Seg. Segregation

SIW Self-inflicted Wound

SO Special Orders

SOP Senior officer present

SOR Services of Rear22

SOS Services of Supply23

Sp. Tr. Bn. Special Training Battalion

Stat. Sect. Statistical Section

“S&S” Stars and Stripes, official AEF 

newspaper24

St. Saint (French)

Ste. Sainte (French)

S of U Service of Utilities25

SW Shell Wound

TB Tuberculosis

TC Transportation Corps or 

Tank Corps

20 Established on 22 April 1918 under Services of Supply.

21 Established on 15 January 1919 at Chelles, Toul, and Revigny, 

France.

22 On 16 February 1918, L of C is reorganized as Service of Rear 

(see SOS).

23 SOR is redesignated Services of Supply on 13 March 1918 and 

abolished on 1 September 1919.

24 Authorized on 8 February 1918.

25 Established on 16 February 1918 to include Transportation Department, Motor Transport Service, and Forestry Service; disbanded 

on 11 July 1918.

TD Transportation Department26

TFW Temporary Foreign Warrant

TM Bty Trench Mortar Battery

Tr., Trs. Transferred

Trans. Transferred

TS Transportation Service27

TSST Training School for Sanitary 

Troops

TTW Through and through wound 

(British)

TW Temporary Warrant

TY Target Year

UD Utilities Detachment

Unasgd. Unassigned

USR United States (Army) Reserve

USTP United States Troops, Paris

VC Veterinary Corps

VDG Venereal disease, gonorrhea

VDH Valvular Disease of the Heart

VDS Venereal disease, syphilis

VLC Venereal Labor Camp

Ven.Lab.Cp. Venereal Labor Camp

VO Verbal Orders

VOCOH Verbal Orders, Commanding 

Officer, Hospital

VRC Veterinary Reserve Corps

WD Walking, Dressing (naval classification for patients received 

on naval transports for United 

States) or War Department

WDB War Damage Board28

WIA Wounded in Action

WND Walking, No Dressing 

(naval classification for patients 

received on naval transports for 

United States)

WRI War Risk Insurance

WRS War Risk Section29

26 Established on 14 September 1917.

27 Created on 14 September 1917 as a separate service and was included in Service of Utilities on 16 February 1918.

28 Established on 19 January 1919 to evaluate damages caused by 

AEF in France. On 1 February 1919, jurisdiction extended to Serbia, Romania, Greece, Italy, Great Britain, and Belgium.

29 Created on 7 January 1918 and charged with War Risk Insurance 

administration in AEF.
62

Unit Status Officers Men Total

5th Marines KIA 0 8 00 8

DOW 0 42 0 42

WIA 0 248 248

Gassed 0 0 0

Missing 0 1 00 1

 

 Total 299

6th Marines KIA 3 44 0 47

DOW 0 43 0 43

WIA 9 463 472

Gassed 0 3 00 3

Missing 0 10 0 10

 

 Total 575

6th Machine Gun KIA 0 5 00 5

Battalion DOW 0 1 00 1

WIA 4 34 0 38

Gassed 0 1 1

Missing 0 0 00 0

 

 Total 0 45

Total KIA 3 57 0 60

DOW 0 86 0 86

WIA 13 745 758

Gassed 0 4 00 4

Missing 0 11 0 11

 

 Total 919

Note: 4th Brigade headquarters experienced no casualties. KIA = killed in action; DOW = died of wounds; 

WIA = wounded in action. Casualty numbers come from the U.S. Navy, Bureau of Medicine’s 1947 reference work written by Lieutenant George C. Strott, titled Navy Medics with the Marines, 1917–1919, and 

differ somewhat from those listed in the American Battle Monuments Commission’s 1944 work titled 

2d Division Summary of Operations in the World War and George B. Clark’s 1999 work titled Devil Dogs: 

Fighting Marines of World War I.

APPENDIX B

Marine Casualties at Saint-Mihiel, 12–16 September 1918
63

NAVY CROSS

Becker, Vernon P. 

Navy Cross

Citation:

The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Navy Cross (Posthumously) to Trumpeter Vernon P. Becker, United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism while 

serving with the 6th Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, A.E.F. in action near Thiaucourt, France, on 

15 September 1918. Trumpeter Becker displayed exceptional devotion to duty and coolness in action 

in carrying messages under trying barrages and machine-gun fire. He was wounded severely while 

doing his duty.

Death: 

Killed in action

Personal Awards: 

Navy Cross (WWI) 

Silver Star Citation (WWI)

Bower, George

Navy Cross

Citation:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Second 

Lieutenant George Bower, United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism while serving with 

the 81st Company, 6th Machine-Gun Battalion, 6th Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, A.E.F. in action near Thiaucourt, France, 15 September 1918. Aiding an infantry platoon, which had been forced 

to withdraw because of heavy machine-gun and artillery fire, Lieutenant Bower, while suffering from 

severe wounds, kept his guns in position, consolidating his location, and preventing the danger of an 

enemy counterattack.

Personal Awards: 

Navy Cross (WWI) 

Distinguished Service Cross (same action as Navy Cross) 

Three Silver Star Citations (WWI)

APPENDIX C

List of U.S. Marines and Navy Medical and Dental Personnel

Awarded the Highest Medals for Heroism for Action

during the Battle of Saint-Mihiel, 12–16 September 1918
64 Appendix C

Brummett, James R.

Navy Cross

Citation:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to 

Private James R. Brummett, United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism while serving 

with the 81st Company, 6th Machine-Gun Battalion, 6th Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, A.E.F. 

in action near Thiaucourt, France, September 12–16, 1918. By effective use of an automatic rifle, 

Private Brummett defended the left flank of his platoon, thereby preventing the enemy from reaching the rear of his lines. On several other occasions, he volunteered and carried messages through 

terrific bombardment.

Personal Awards: 

Navy Cross (WWI)

Distinguished Service Cross (same action as Navy Cross)

Silver Star Citation (WWI)

Chandler, Henry E. 

Navy Cross

Citation:

The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Navy Cross (Posthumously) to First Lieutenant Henry E. Chandler, United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary 

heroism while serving with the 6th Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, A.E.F. in action near Thiaucourt, France, 15 September 1918. Lieutenant Chandler fearlessly exposed himself to severe artillery and machine-gun fire and located machine-gun nests and sniper posts harassing his company 

and hindering its advance. He then led his platoon forward in the face of heavy fire and destroyed 

the nests.

Death: 

Killed in action

Personal Awards: 

Navy Cross (WWI)

Distinguished Service Cross (same action as Navy Cross)

Two Silver Star Citations (WWI)

Chatman, Grover M.

Navy Cross

Citation:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Private Grover M. Chatman, United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism while serving 

with the 75th Company, 6th Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, A.E.F. in action near Thiaucourt, 

France, 15 September 1918. While his platoon was occupying an outpost line in close proximity 

to the enemy, Private Chatman voluntarily crossed an open space swept by machine-gun fire and 

overcame three snipers who had been harassing his platoon.
Appendix C 65

Personal Awards: 

Navy Cross (WWI)

Distinguished Service Cross (same action as Navy Cross)

Silver Star Citation (WWI)

Cook, Howard C. 

Navy Cross

Citation:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in [presenting] the Navy Cross (Posthumously) to Private Howard C. Cook, United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism 

while serving with the 95th Company, 6th Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, A.E.F. in action near 

Thiaucourt, France, 15 September 1918. Private Cook repeatedly volunteered and carried messages 

for his battalion commander through severe machine-gun and artillery fire. He also exposed himself 

in an open field for several hours under fire, in order to locate enemy snipers and machine-gun nests.

Death:

Killed in action

Personal Awards: 

Navy Cross (WWI)

Distinguished Service Cross (same action as Navy Cross)

Three Silver Star Citations (WWI)

Dietrich, Carl R.

Navy Cross

Citation:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to 

First Lieutenant Carl R. Dietrich, United States Marine Corps, for exceptionally meritorious and 

distinguished service while serving with the 4th Brigade (Marines), 2d Division, A.E.F. in action 

at Soissons, St. Mihiel, Champagne and the Argonne, France. Throughout the operations of the 

4th Brigade Marines First Lieutenant Dietrich was indefatigable in his attention to duty. He was 

frequently sent on important missions in the transmission of orders, establishing liaison and location of elements of the command, under extremely difficult and dangerous circumstances. Days and 

nights without sleep, Lieutenant Dietrich has always proved himself reliable, efficient and of great 

value and assistance.

Personal Awards: 

Navy Cross (WWI)

Silver Star Citation (WWI)

Dunlap, Robert Henry 

Navy Cross (First Award)

Citation:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to 

Colonel Robert Henry Dunlap, United States Marine Corps, for exceptionally meritorious and 
66 Appendix C

distinguished service. As Regimental Commander of the 17th Field Artillery, 2d Division, A.E.F., 

during the Argonne-Meuse Campaign, September to November, 1918, Colonel Dunlap displayed 

great ability as a leader and commander of men, and the success of his regiment was in no small 

measure due to his untiring energy and push, and to the offensive spirit which he displayed on many 

occasions.

Death:

Not in battle, though in France (DNB, 1931)

Personal Awards: 

Navy Cross (WWI)

Navy Cross (France, 1931)

Navy Distinguished Service Medal (Nicaragua, 1928–29)

Hart, Jack S.

Navy Cross

Citation:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to First 

Lieutenant Jack S. Hart, United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism while serving with 

the 6th Machine-Gun Battalion, 6th Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, A.E.F. in action near Thiaucourt, France, 15 September 1918. Acting as company commander, Lieutenant Hart advanced 

with the first wave of infantry to locate favorable positions for his guns. He discovered an enemy 

machine-gun which he alone attacked, and although severely wounded, succeeded in capturing the 

gun and taking the crew prisoners.

Personal Awards: 

Navy Cross (WWI)

Distinguished Service Cross (same action as Navy Cross)

Four Silver Star Citations (WWI)

Houchins, Lyle C. 

Navy Cross

Citation:

The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Navy Cross (Posthumously) to Corporal Lyle C. Houchins, United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism 

while serving with the 73d Company, 6th Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, A.E.F. in action near 

Thiaucourt, France, 15 September 1918. During an enemy counter attack, Corporal Houchins voluntarily left a sheltered position and, in entire disregard for his own safety, set up his gun in the 

open on the advancing enemy. He broke up the counter attack within one hundred yards of our line.

Death:

Killed in action

Personal Awards: 

Navy Cross (WWI)

Distinguished Service Cross (same action as Navy Cross)

Three Silver Star Citations (WWI)
Appendix C 67

Keyser, Ralph Stover

Navy Cross

Citation:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to 

Major Ralph Stover Keyser, United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism while attached 

to the Fifth Marines in France. Major Keyser participated in the battles of the Chateau-Thierry 

Sector, June 10th to July 10th, 1918; in the counter-thrust southwest of Soissons, July 18th to 19th; 

and as member of the General Staff of the Second Division. He participated in the occupation of 

the Marbache Sector (just north of Nancy) August 12th to 16th; the St. Mihiel salient September 2 

to 16; the battle of Blanc Mont Ridge, October 1st to 10th, and the battle of the Meuse-Argonne, 

November 1 to 11th; the march to the Rhine; the occupation of the Coblens Bridge Head, and return of the Second Division to the United States and in the workings of his important department 

very efficiently, and with marked success. The services rendered by Major Keyser were conspicuous; 

highly meritorious, and in duty of great responsibility.

Personal Awards: 

Navy Cross (WWI)

Army Distinguished Service Medal

Five Silver Star Citations (WWI)

Loomis, Casey V.

Navy Cross

Citation:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Corporal Casey V. Loomis, United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism while serving with 

the 73d Company, 6th Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, A.E.F. in action near Thiaucourt, France, 

15 September 1918. During an enemy counterattack Corporal Loomis voluntarily left a sheltered 

position, and, in entire disregard of his own safety, set up his gun in the open under heavy enemy 

fire. By securing enfilading fire on the advancing enemy, he broke up the counterattack within one 

hundred yards of our line.

Personal Awards: 

Navy Cross (WWI)

Distinguished Service Cross (same action as Navy Cross)

Two Silver Star Citations (WWI)

Meyer, Albert

Navy Cross30

Citation:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Private Albert Meyer, United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism while serving with the 

79th Company, 6th Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, A.E.F. in action near Thiaucourt, France, 

15 September 1918. While on duty as stretcher bearer for his company, Private Meyer rushed into 

30 Initially recommended for Medal of Honor according to unit muster roll from September 1918.
68 Appendix C

the open to rescue another soldier threatened with capture in the face of a large force of advancing 

Germans. He killed two of the enemy and brought in the soldier to a place of safety. 

Personal Awards: 

Navy Cross (WWI)

Distinguished Service Cross (same action as Navy Cross)

Silver Star Citation (WWI)

Moran, Patrick J.

Navy Cross

Citation:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Private Patrick J. Moran, United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism while serving with 

the 81st Company, 6th Machine-Gun Battalion, 6th Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, A.E.F. in 

action near Thiaucourt, France, 15 September 1918. Passing from one gun to another, at all times 

exposing himself to great danger, carrying ammunition and encouraging his comrades, Private Moran showed great devotion to duty. When his company commander had become seriously wounded, he left his place of shelter and carried him to a first-aid station.

Personal Awards: 

Navy Cross (WWI)

Distinguished Service Cross (same action as Navy Cross)

Silver Star Citation (WWI)

Nelson, Robert L.

Navy Cross

Citation:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to 

Captain Robert L. Nelson, United States Marine Corps, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished service as Aide-de-Camp to the Division Commander, 2d Division, A.E.F., in the operations at St. Mihiel, Blanc Mont Ridge and the Meuse-Argonne. Captain Nelson’s service in that 

capacity greatly contributed to the efficiency, discipline and morale of the 2d Division.

Personal Awards: 

Navy Cross (WWI)

Silver Star Citation (WWI)

Nutting, Lester Herbert

Navy Cross

Citation:

The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Navy Cross (Posthumously) to Private Lester Herbert Nutting, United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism 

while serving with the 96th Company, 6th Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, A.E.F. in action near 

Thiaucourt, France, 15 September 1918. Private Nutting voluntarily advanced two hundred yards 

beyond the front lines to locate enemy machine-gun nests, signaling back their positions to the 
Appendix C 69

other members of his detachment, who immediately destroyed them. Private Nutting was killed in 

returning to our lines.

Death:

Killed in action

Personal Awards: 

Navy Cross (WWI)

Distinguished Service Cross (same action as Navy Cross)

Silver Star Citation (WWI)

Parker, Donald M. 

Navy Cross

Citation:

The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Navy Cross (Posthumously) to Corporal Donald M. Parker, United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism 

while serving with the 80th Company, 6th Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, A.E.F. in action near 

Thiaucourt, France, 15 September 1918. Corporal Parker voluntarily joined an officer and with him 

attacked and silenced a strong machine-gun nest, menacing the left flank of the line. He held the 

position in the face of strong opposition until he was fatally wounded by a sniper.

Death:

Killed in action

Personal Awards: 

Navy Cross (WWI)

Distinguished Service Cross (same action as Navy Cross)

Silver Star Citation (WWI)

Porter, Ernest Washington 

Navy Cross

Citation:

The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Navy Cross (Posthumously) to Private Ernest Washington Porter, United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism while serving with the 23d Company, 6th Machine-Gun Battalion, 6th Regiment (Marines), 

2d Division, A.E.F. in action near Thiaucourt, France, 15 September 1918. While taking cover 

with the remainder of his gun crew from a heavy artillery barrage, Private Porter answered a call 

for volunteers to combat an enemy aeroplane. Upon reaching his gun he was instantly killed by an 

aerial bomb.

Death:

Killed in action

Personal Awards: 

Navy Cross (WWI)

Distinguished Service Cross (same action as Navy Cross)

Silver Star Citation (WWI)
70 Appendix C

Puryear, Bennet, Jr.

Navy Cross

Citation:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Major Bennet Puryear, Jr., United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism while attached to 

the 5th Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, A.E.F. Major Puryear participated in the occupation of 

the Toulon-Troyon Sectors; on the heights of the Meuse—between Verdun and St. Mihiel; in the 

battles in the Chateau-Thierry Sector, June 1st to 10th and in the great counter-thrust, southwest 

of Soissons, July 18 to 19. While a member of the Division Staff, Major Puryear participated in the 

occupation of the Marbache Sector (just north of Nancy, August 7 to 20); the battle of St. Mihiel, 

September 12th to 16th; the battle of Blanc-Mont-Ridge, October 1st to 10th; and the battle of 

Meuse-Argonne, November 1st to 11th; the march on the Rhine, and the occupation of the Coblenz Bridge Head. Major Puryear played an important part in the successful workings of the Department of Administration. The services, as above outlined, were conspicuous, highly meritorious 

and in duty of great responsibility.

Personal Awards: 

Navy Cross (WWI)

Two Silver Star Citations (WWI)

Legion of Merit

Spencer, Ernest

Navy Cross

Citation:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to 

Private Ernest Spencer, United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism while serving 

with the 81st Company, 6th Machine-Gun Battalion, 6th Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, 

A.E.F. in action near Thiaucourt, France, September 12–15, 1918. Private Spencer repeatedly volunteered and carried messages through intense machine-gun and artillery fire, obtaining valuable 

information at critical moments.

Personal Awards: 

Navy Cross (WWI)

Distinguished Service Cross (same action as Navy Cross)

Silver Star Citation (WWI)

Ulrich, William

Navy Cross

Citation:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Sergeant Major William Ulrich, United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism while serving 

with the Second Battalion, 6th Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, A.E.F. in action near Thiaucourt, 

France, 15 September 1918. Accompanied by three other soldiers, Sergeant Major Ulrich fearlessly 
Appendix C 71

charged into the enemy’s lines through intense machine-gun fire in pursuit of a party of Germans, 

and returned with fifty-one prisoners.

Personal Awards: 

Navy Cross (WWI)

Distinguished Service Cross (same action as Navy Cross)

Two Silver Star Citations (WWI)

Wilson, Claggett

Navy Cross

Citation:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to First 

Lieutenant Claggett Wilson, United States Marine Corps, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished service during the campaigns of St. Mihiel, Champagne, and the Argonne, France. First 

Lieutenant Wilson was in charge of the Headquarters Detachment of the 4th Brigade, 2d Division, 

A.E.F., and was responsible for its efficient functioning under extremely difficult, and at times, 

dangerous circumstances. Days and nights without sleep, particularly during the campaigns of the 

Argonne, when the roads were at times impassible, First Lieutenant Wilson displayed unusual foresight and energy in getting rations and transportation through on scheduled time. In the duties of 

Aide-de-Camp to the Brigade Commander he proved himself of great value and assistance.

Personal Awards: 

Navy Cross (WWI)

Silver Star Citation (WWI)

Wollert, Edward J.

Navy Cross

Citation:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to 

Corporal Edward J. Wollert, United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism while serving 

with the 79th Company, 6th Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, A.E.F. in action near Thiaucourt, 

France, 15 September 1918. At the risk of his life, Corporal Wollert went to the aid of a wounded 

officer who was a prisoner in the hands of six Germans. With his pistol he shot two of them, while 

the officer killed two others. He captured the two remaining Germans and forced them to carry the 

wounded officer back to our lines.

Personal Awards: 

Navy Cross (WWI)

Distinguished Service Cross (same action as Navy Cross)

Silver Star Citation (WWI)
72 Appendix C

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS

Bogan, Henry S.

Distinguished Service Cross (First Award)

Citation:

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes 

pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Sergeant Henry S. Bogan, United States 

Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism while serving with the Seventy-Eighth Company, Sixth 

Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, A.E.F., in action near Thiaucourt, France, on 15 September 1918. 

Sergeant Bogan led a small detachment in an attack on a machine-gun which was holding up the 

advance, capturing the gun and five of its crew. Sergeant Bogan then continued the advance, entered 

the hostile trenches and cleared them for a distance of 150 yards, remaining all day in this advanced 

position under continuous artillery and machine-gun fire.

Personal Awards:

Two Distinguished Service Crosses (WWI)

Navy Distinguished Service Medal (WWI) 

Two Silver Star Citations (WWI)

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL

Lejeune, John Archer

Navy Distinguished Service Medal

Citation:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Distinguished 

Service Medal to Major General John Archer Lejeune, United States Marine Corps, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services. Major General Lejeune commanded the Second 

Division in the successful operations of Thiaucourt, Massif Blanc Mont, St. Mihiel, and on the west 

bank of the Meuse. In the Argonne-Meuse offensive his division was directed with such sound 

military judgment and ability that it broke and held, by the vigor and rapidity of execution of its 

attack, enemy lines which had hitherto been considered impregnable.

Personal Awards: 

Navy Distinguished Service Medal

Army Distinguished Service Medal

Neville, Wendell Cushing

Navy Distinguished Service Medal

Citation:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Distinguished 

Service Medal to Brigadier General Wendell Cushing Neville, United States Marine Corps, for 

exceptionally meritorious and distinguished service in a position of great responsibility to the Government of the United States during World War I. When in command of the 5th Regiment, United 

States Marine Corps, and later of the 4th Infantry Brigade, 2d Division, A.E.F., Brigadier General 
Appendix C 73

Neville participated in the battles of Chateau-Thierry, the advances near Soissons and the operations of St. Mihiel, Blanc Mont Ridge and the Argonne-Meuse. In all these he proved himself a 

leader of great skill and ability.

Personal Awards: 

Medal of Honor (Vera Cruz)

Marine Corps Brevet Medal (Spanish-American War)

Navy Distinguished Service Medal

Army Distinguished Service Medal (WWI)

Silver Star Citation (WWI)

Matthews, Hugh L.

Army Distinguished Service Medal

Citation:

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes 

pleasure in presenting the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Lieutenant Colonel Hugh L. 

Matthews, United States Marine Corps, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services to 

the Government of the United States, in a duty of great responsibility during World War I, as Assistant Chief of Staff, G-1, 2d Division, A.E.F., in which he functioned with marked ability during 

the St. Mihiel, Blanc Mont, and Argonne offensives.

Personal Awards: 

Navy Cross (WWI)

Army Distinguished Service Medal (WWI)

Two Silver Star Citations (WWI)

Wise, Frederic M.

Navy Distinguished Service Medal

Citation:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Distinguished 

Service Medal to Lieutenant Colonel Frederic M. Wise, United States Marine Corps, for exceptionally meritorious and conspicuous service. Lieutenant Colonel Wise commanded with skill, 

ability and gallantry, the 59th Infantry, American Expeditionary Forces, from 4 September 1918 

to 23 January 1919. During the St. Mihiel offensive, he personally directed the attack of his regiment against Manheulles and Fresnes-en-Woevre, which resulted in the capture of the enemy’s 

line in this area. On 28 September 1918 he directed the attack of his regiment which resulted in 

the capture of the Bois-de-Brieulles. From 26 September to 21 October 1918, his personal courage 

and aggressive attitude was an important factor in the successful operations of the 8th Infantry 

Brigade against the Bois-de-Brieulles, Bois-de-Fays, Bois-de-Malaumont, Bois-de-Peut, and Boisde-Foret. He has rendered services of signal worth to the American Expeditionary Forces.

Personal Awards: 

Navy Distinguished Service Medal (WWI)

Army Distinguished Service Medal (WWI)

Two Silver Star Citations (WWI)
74 Appendix C

U.S. NAVY MEDICAL AND DENTAL PERSONNEL

MEDAL OF HONOR

Hayden, David E.

Medal of Honor

Citation:

The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting 

the Medal of Honor to Hospital Apprentice First Class David Ephraim Hayden, United States Navy, 

for gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as 

a Corpsman attached to the Second Battalion, Sixth Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, American 

Expeditionary Forces, in action at Thiaucourt, France, 15 September 1918. During the advance, when 

Corporal Creed was mortally wounded while crossing an open field swept by machinegun fire, Hospital Apprentice First Class Hayden unhesitatingly ran to his assistance and, finding him so severely 

wounded as to require immediate attention, disregarded his own personal safety to dress the wound 

under intense machinegun fire, and then carried the wounded man back to a place of safety.

Personal Awards:

Medal of Honor 

Silver Star 

Italian Croce al Merito di Guerra 

Portuguese Cruz de Guerra

NAVY CROSS

Bennett, Morton L.

Navy Cross

Citation:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Hospital Apprentice First Class Morton L. Bennett, United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious 

and heroic conduct displayed while attached to the Third Battalion, Sixth Regiment (Marines), 

American Expeditionary Forces in action against the enemy near Thiaucourt, France, on 15 September 1918. Hospital Apprentice First Class Bennett left his regular station under intense shell 

fire, not caring for his own safety, to attend his severely wounded comrades, thereby saving many 

of their lives.

Personal Awards: 

Navy Cross (WWI)

Two Army Silver Star Citations (WWI)

Brogden, Ronald R.

Navy Cross

Citation:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to 

Pharmacist’s Mate Third Class Ronald R. Brogden, United States Navy, for extraordinary hero-
Appendix C 75

ism in action near Thiaucourt, France, 15 September 1918. While serving as a Corpsman with the 

Second Battalion, Sixth Regiment (Marines), American Expeditionary Forces Pharmacist’s Mate 

Third Class Brogden displayed exceptional courage and devotion to duty by going through the heavy 

artillery and machine gun fire to the aid of a wounded officer belonging to another organization. On 

2 October 1918, he volunteered to accompany a raiding patrol into the enemy’s trenches. On October 3d, from 6.30 a.m. to 11.30 a.m., during the attack at Blanc Mont, after all his fellow Hospital 

Corpsmen were casualties, he continued to dress wounded men right in the front line under heavy 

machine gun and artillery fire.

Personal Awards: 

Navy Cross (WWI)

Army Distinguished Service Cross (Same Action) (WWI)

Three Army Silver Star Citations (WWI)

Goodwin, Oscar S. 

Navy Cross

Citation: 

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to 

Pharmacist’s Mate First Class Oscar S. Goodwin, United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism in 

action at Thiaucourt, September 15, 1918, with the 6th Regiment, U.S. Marines. Pharmacist’s Mate 

First Class Goodwin worked just behind the front line in the open field under heavy fire, administering to the wounded. Also in action at Vierzy, on July 19th, 1918, when a number of seriously 

wounded Marines could not be rescued, it was necessary to mark their location and rescue them 

at night. Goodwin volunteered for the work and was responsible for clearing the battlefield before 

morning. On this and all other engagements of the regiment he displayed heroism and courage.

Personal Awards: 

Navy Cross (WWI)

Four Army Silver Star Citations (WWI)

Grimland, Gordon A.

Navy Cross

Citation:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to 

Lieutenant (MC) Gordon A. Grimland, United States Navy, for distinguished service and heroic 

conduct in the line of his profession while serving with the Sixth Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, 

American Expeditionary Forces, near Thiaucourt, France, on 15 September 1918. Lieutenant Grimland displayed heroism by establishing a dressing station in a culvert, which later was subjected to 

high explosive fire, and remained at his station caring for the wounded and directing their evacuation during a heavy bombardment.

Personal Awards: 

Navy Cross (WWI) 

Army Silver Star Citation (same action as Navy Cross) (WWI)
76 Appendix C

Herrman, Bernard W.

Navy Cross

Citation:

The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Navy Cross to Hospital 

Apprentice Bernard White Herrman, United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism while serving 

with the U.S. Marines in action near Vierzy (France), on July 19th, 1918. Hospital Apprentice First 

Class Herrman showed conspicuous courage and coolness in giving first aid to the wounded in the 

open under heavy enemy fire. Also at Thiaucourt, September 15th, 1918, was conspicuous evacuating wounded men at the risk of his life during heavy bombardments.

Personal Awards: 

Navy Cross (WWI)

Three Army Silver Star Citations (WWI)

Kaga, Raymond L.

Navy Cross

Citation:

The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Navy Cross to Pharmacist’s Mate First Class Raymond Lee Kaga, United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious 

and distinguished service displayed while attached to the 6th Marines, 95th Company: in action 

against the enemy near Thiaucourt, France, on September 15, 1918, disregarding all personal danger, Pharmacist’s Mate First Class Kaga was indefatigable in rendering assistance to the wounded 

under heavy constant shell fire. His calm courage and energetic attention to duty was an inspiration 

to the entire command.

Personal Awards: 

Navy Cross (WWI)

Three Army Silver Star Citations (WWI)

Lawler, Robert J.

Navy Cross

Citation:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to 

Lieutenant (MC) [Medical Corps] Robert J. Lawler, United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism 

while serving as Regimental Surgeon, Fifth Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, American Expeditionary Forces, in France in the attack on St. Mihiel, September 12 to 16, 1918; east of Rheims, 

October 1 to 9, 1918; and in the attack in the Argonne, November 1 to 11, 1918. Upon all of these 

occasions Lieutenant Lawler displayed courage, zeal and devotion to duty of the highest order, and 

manifested a total disregard of personal danger, visiting the battalion aid stations under fire, and 

supervising and assisting in the work of evacuation of the wounded.

Personal Awards: 

Navy Cross (WWI)

Four Army Silver Star Citations (WWI)
Appendix C 77

Litchfield, John R.

Navy Cross

Citation:

The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Navy Cross 

(Posthumously) to Pharmacist’s Mate Third Class John Russell Litchfield, United States Navy, 

for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished service while serving as a Corpsman, attached to 

the Seventy-Fourth Company, Sixth Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, American Expeditionary 

Forces, in action near Thiaucourt, France, 15 September 1918. Pharmacist’s Mate Third Class 

Litchfield displayed exceptional bravery in giving first aid to the wounded under shell fire. He was 

killed taking a wounded soldier out of the trench to the rear.

Death:

Killed in action

Personal Awards: 

Navy Cross (WWI)

Army Distinguished Service Cross (same action as Navy Cross)

Two Silver Star Citations (WWI)

Manning, James E.

Navy Cross

Citation:

The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Navy Cross to Pharmacist’s Mate Third Class James Eugene Manning, United States Navy, for distinguished and heroic 

service while attached to the 1st Battalion, 6th Regiment, U.S. Marines. In action against the enemy 

near Thiaucourt, France, on September 15, 1918, while attending to a wounded man, the dressing 

station was hit with a shell and the patient was wounded in two more places. Pharmacist’s Mate 

Third Class Manning showed great devotion, dressed the new wounds and, while doing so, was 

struck in the back and knocked down by the explosion of another shell striking the aid station. He 

refused to leave his post until he finished dressing the wounded man and had removed him from the 

aid station, which was completely gutted a minute later by another shell. During the entire action, 

Manning was conspicuous for his courage and promptness in the care of the wounded.

Personal Awards: 

Navy Cross (WWI)

Army Distinguished Service Cross (same action as Navy Cross)

Three Silver Star Citations (WWI)

ARMY DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS 

Bateman, Charles W.

Army Distinguished Service Cross

Citation:

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes 

pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Pharmacist’s Mate Third Class Charles 
78 Appendix C

W. Bateman, United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving as a Corpsman 

attached to the Sixth Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Thiaucourt France, September 12–15, 1918. Rendering first aid under heavy artillery and machine-gun 

fire Pharmacist’s Mate Bateman showed utter disregard for his own personal safety, venturing 

through shelled areas to the assistance of the wounded. He obtained most valuable information for 

the guidance of stretcher bearers.

Personal Awards: 

Army Distinguished Service Cross (WWI)

Five Army Silver Star Citations (WWI)

Pilkerton, Alvin W.

Army Distinguished Service Cross

Citation:

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes 

pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Pharmacist’s Mate Third Class Alvin 

Ward Pilkerton, United States Navy, attached to 1st Battalion, 6th Regiment, United States Marine 

Corps, for extraordinary heroism in action near Thiaucourt, France, September 15, 1918. While 

he was dressing the injuries of a wounded soldier under heavy shell fire, he was himself severely 

wounded in two places, but he refused to treat his own wounds until he had taken care of his patient.

Personal Awards: 

Navy Cross (WWI)

Army Distinguished Service Cross (WWI)

Two Army Silver Star Citations (WWI)

Stamps, Bernice B.

Army Distinguished Service Cross

Citation:

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes 

pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Chief Pharmacist’s Mate Bernice B. 

Stamps, United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving as a Corpsman 

attached to the Sixth Machine-Gun Battalion, Sixth Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, American 

Expeditionary Forces, near Jaulny, France, September 13–15, 1918. Working continually without 

rest or food, Pharmacist’s Mate Stamps cared for the wounded under most hazardous conditions. 

When a counterattack by the enemy seemed imminent the medical detachment was ordered to the 

rear, but he willingly stayed with the wounded and assisted greatly in their evacuation.

Personal Awards: 

Army Distinguished Service Cross (WWI)

Army Silver Star Citation (WWI)
79

Appendix D

Marine Order of Battle for 4th Brigade, 2d Division

Battle of Saint-Mihiel, 12–16 September 191831

Unit Commander

4th Brigade BGen Wendell C. Neville

5th Regiment Col Logan Feland

Headquarters

Supply Company

8th Company (Machine Guns)

 1st Battalion LtCol Arthur J. O’Leary

Headquarters

17th Company (A)

49th Company (B)

66th Company (C)

67th Company (D)

2d Battalion Maj Robert E. Messersmith

Headquarters

18th Company (E)

43d Company (F)

51st Company (G)

55th Company (H)

3d Battalion Maj Maurice E. Shearer

Headquarters

16th Company (I)

20th Company (K)

45th Company (L)

47th Company (M)

6th Regiment Col Harry Lee

Headquarters

Supply Company

73d Company (Machine Guns)

1st Battalion Maj Frederick A. Barker

Headquarters

 74th Company (A)

75th Company (B)

76th Company (C)

95th Company (D)

31 Only two of six infantry battalion commanders in the Marine brigade had combat experience at the battalion level: Maj Shearer, 3d Battalion, 5th Regiment; and LtCol Sibley, 3d Battalion, 6th Regiment, commanded from Belleau through Soissons.
80 Appendix D

2d Battalion Maj Ernest C. Williams

 Headquarters

78th Company (E)

79th Company (F)

80th Company (G)

96th Company (H)

3d Battalion LtCol Berton W. Sibley32

 82d Company (I)

83d Company ( J)

84th Company (L)

97th Company (M)

6th Machine Gun Battalion Maj Littleton W. T. Waller Jr.

Headquarters

15th Company (A)

23d Company (B)

77th Company (C)

81st Company (D)

 

32 Sibley accepted promotion to lieutenant colonel on 3 August 1918 with an effective date of rank of 1 August.

Unit Commander
81

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

WALTER G. FORD

Colonel, U.S. Marine Corps (Retired)

Colonel Walt Ford left active duty in 1999 following a 30-year career as an artillery officer. He 

is an honor graduate of Marine Corps Command and Staff College, and a graduate of the 

Department of State’s Senior Leaders Seminar, and he holds a bachelor’s degree in history 

from Stephen F. Austin University in Nacogdoches, Texas, and a master’s degree in national security 

studies from Georgetown University in Washington, DC. For 15 years following active duty, he was 

the editor for Leatherneck magazine, published by the Marine Corps Association, adding duties as 

publisher for both Leatherneck and the Marine Corps Gazette during his last 7 years with the association. He is a life member of the Second and Third Marine Division Associations and the Marine 

Corps Combat Correspondents Association.


History Division • U.S. Marine Corps • Quantico, VA