The Elk Mountain pilot., 1918-12-12
STORY Of vlR
TOLD By PERsAlN6
Detailed Report Of How U 5. Men
Wen eattes-
CRISIS CAME g. MARCH q
Gays American opsraiisss essv'sus =
That psts vvsss 0NH . Pase q
THEIR Trasalno = eeys. ~ =
prssws Tr,bsts = Amy.


p-s,ws Tr,bNts - Amy.
washington. Dee. N-0en- Johe Z.
Pershinss accculdt q his stsward
NJ commander Of ~ Amsrican
ditionary forces was elvea 70 tlls,
lie Wednesday By Sscretary baen
It IL In the form Of prsliininas
port to the secretary, covering =
tions up to Novenbsr 70. afte4 the
German collapse. Il closes with these
words from the Isaaes Of the great
army in France. sxptsssing bis feeling
for those who served under him:
II pay the suprsme tribute to our
officers and soldiers Of the line. When
think Of their heroisIn. their patience
under harsdships, their unflinching spir-
1t of offensive action. l am nlled with
emotion which am unable to express.
Their deeds are immortal and they
have earned the eternal gratitude OF
our country"
The report begins with General
PershIng's departure for France to
pave the way for the army that was to
smash German resistance ON the
Meuse and give vital aid to the allies
In forcing Germany TO its knees ~
months later.
cr,sls ~ sesreA q.
General Persking Views the encoun-
ters before March n Of this year. in
which Aperican troops participated a.
a part of'tNeir trsining. and dismlsses
them b1enyA On that date. however,
the Eyeat German Offensive was
launched and I crucial situation quick
ly defeloped IN tht allied lines which
called for prompt use Of the four
American divisions that Wsfe At the
time equal to any demands Of battle
action"
"rhe crisis which this Offensive de-
veloped was such." General Pershing
says, .'that on March % placed at
the disposal Of Marshal Foch. who had
been agreed upon as commander in
chief Of ths.. Allssd n lies, all Of our
forces. At his request the First divi-
sion was transferrgk from the Toul
sector to position reVrve at Chau-
mont en- vexin.
"As German sui tority in numbers
required prompt al p. m agreement
was reached at ~ hevills confer
ence of the allie y n snd COM
manders and uyssaf Nay ty
which Briti1l shlp1ehg to trans-
port ten Epssican II y to the
British amy ara, VI - were to
be trained and equips md addition.
al British shipping VI 70 b. provided
for a. many divilIQA As possible fer
use elsewhere.
Men Gs1 , ter Test.
ION April ID Eirst division had
gone into the I'd In the Montdidier
salient, on the Ardy battle front.
Tactics had bses ddenly revolution
lied to those Of 3 B warfare, and oar
men, confident o( - results OF their
training. vere 81 fnr the test. On
the lDoFnfAk Of - this division
attacked tkl hdlnS German po-
sItion in its fro SAin9 With spiendld
dash the town unsti6Ay md MI
other ob3ectivse eh weEe erxanissd
and held steadf fnsniaNt Vicious
counter-attacks al,las artillery
fire.
although local. - brilliant action
had al electrical ecf, ~ Il demon
strsted our nghtinB qualities under
extreme battle cond ions and also that
the enemy's troops ere not altogether
tnvincible"
Hold Foe q ct1atsau rhisrry.
There followed ID )medlately ths Ger.
mao thrust across he Aisne river to-
ward Paris. He o1tinues
The Third divistb bn, which had Just
come from its preI> minary trimming IN
the trenches, wa1 hnfsssd to the
Marne. Its motoI ked usachlne-snn
bsttalion preceded be ether units aad
successfully held ~ btldgehead at
tlae Marne, opPosi C1atsau Thlcrry.
'-TAe 1bcehd sizfsa u reserve
aele 4ns1y yaIes. - ssut By motor
tracs3 - EaA1 snvhss transport
to cAee - w. sf the saemy
't6~1l1 ris1 4lvtsion attacked
and rsee q - md railroad sta
ton at p Ind sturdily held
itS,<0 We euemy's best
I. IN l nu wood, which
faD1oNa Aved their SUI
psssti !! ~ sssatsr Ioss to the
esse1 thS8 On July l.
befose the NJ ltsved. It cap
tured> re v 2 ~ with spleen
stand 7fat ~.
.'Meanw ilnrtDa under
Maj. Gen. rhad been
organized <sof ouf
divisions v ~ HStusl
held back 3G& -
signed to y 4t8. ~
the ten div Geess
the British
lieve diylsi i9