Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-03-05
AMERICANS SHOW
FIGHTING ABILITY
IN TRENCH RAIDS
Officer Shows Bravery When
He DoffS Gas Mask to Give
Orders to His Men in Poison
Attack

WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY IN
FANCE. March 2.-(By the Associated
Press. The three recent raids, one in
the Toul sector and two along the
Chemin-des-Dames, have demonstrated
that the American soldier. notwith-
standing his previous ineXperience, now
is perfectly at home in gas mask and
able to fight just as we'll with as with
out it. In so quickly reaching this
stage the Americans have shown their
usual adaptability. Gas was used in
all three attacks in just sufficient guam
titles to make masks necessary, as the
Germans, in their later attacks, did not
desire to encounter quantities of their
own gas
When the engagement at Toul began,
virtually all the Americans were mask
ed. Some few OF the men, however,
are reported to have taken a chance,
when the German infantry attacked,
pulling off their masks for freer action.
One officer risked his life to give COM
mands to mis- men during the roar Of
explosions. He was unable through his
mask to make his men hear, so he pull
ed it off and yelled his orders. As it
happened, there was no gas in this
particular section, but he did not know
it
The officer was willing to sacrifice
his own life to get his men to a place
of safety where they could also strike
effectively at the enemy.
There were many other instances Of
personal bravery. lieutenant, SER
geant and two privates were in a dug
out, when some Germans looked in.
One cried in good English: Come out,
Americans"
The four Americans blazed way with
their automatics, then rushed the en-
the men, whom they had apparently
killed by. their quick resistance.
During the bombardment, which
hardly could have been more terrific,
two men who were concealed in a shell
hole were buried by dirt thrown by an.
other exploding projectile. They shout
cd for help and it came quickly. Their
comrades left the shelters. from which
they were ready to leap into action, the
moment the attacking infantry arrived,
and exhumed the buried soldiers while
stones. mud, earth. pieces of trees ana
shell splinters spattered about them.
Notwithstanding the fierceness OF the
night at close quarters, not more than
a German The Americans, using their
automatic pistols, sent bullets into the
German attackers with good aim IN
spite of the excitement. Rife bullets ac-
counted for many more.
Although the army has been cursing
the weather and the mud for days
there is one man in the line today who
is glad ii was muddy, for he owes his
life TO the slippery duck boards or
the flooring in the trenches. With d
pistol in hand, he rounded a trench cor
ner looking for the Germans. A bur
ly Prussian saw him first and fred, but
at the same moment the American slip
ped and fell on his face.
The Prussian thought him dead and
turned away. He was quickly dropped
in his tracks by the prone American
who fred accurately from the trench
bottom. There were men in the fight
/ from virtually all the states, from New
York to Texas. With one or two ex'
! ceptions all the wounded are expected
7 to recover.
Some of the American dead were
buried in a cemetery back OF the lines
during the night while friendly and
hostile shells roared overhead.
thick wet snow which now is fall
ing is melting as soon as it touches
the mud
Tho bodies Of the Americans slain in
the fighting north of Chemin-des-dameS
have been buried near where they fell
their French and American comrades
participating in impressive ceremonies