Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1918-09-19
Operated Yesterday First Time on Large Scale and
 Met With Success.
PLAYED DRAMATIC
 PART IN FIGHTING
Arrive in Many Captured Towns in Big Drive Ahead
 of the Infantrymen.

With the American Army on the Lorraine Front, Sejt. 18.-SQuadrOns of American manned tanks operating for the first time on large scale, in an attack on the St: Mihiel salient, played an important and dramatic part in the defeat of the Germans.
 Divided into brigades-light, inter- mediate and Jheavy- the tanks swung out onto the field of battle immediate ly after the barrage. Before the day ended they had entered the villages of Nonsard, Pannes, Lamarche and Bin ney, considerably ahead of the infan-. Itry.
 Early in the action difficulties were experienced in getting to the front suf- ficient gasoline. altho great fleet of gasoline tanks had been prepared to carry supplies.
 Came to Rescue.
 The gas tanks were attacked by the enemy or were mired and it was here that American ingenuity came to the rescue.
 Barrels of gasoline were trundled and rolled over the roadless fields by daring volunteers to III. ct the press ing 2eeds.
 Sleds W rc tI,e Rssi Bobsleds were found mere efficient than wagons in carrying supplies since they could be dragged over the mud without heinz mired and ci. them hun- dreds of gallons of gasoline were con- veyed to the fighting tanks.
 The advance of the tanks brought out many examples of daring on the part of their crews.
 One major whose machine was equipped with 37 milimeter gun in- stead of machine gun, violated his orders and went far ahead until he was within range of Nonsard.
 With one we'll placed shot he knock ed two Germans out of church stee- pie from which they were firing a ma chine gun.
 Wounded Would Fight.
 A lieutenant shot through the palm of the left hand by an explosive bullet was sent to hospital but escaped and walked six miles back to the field.
 He appeared at his tank with the statement that he could carry 0n'' i, with his/right hand.
 remained on duty.
  though German six inch she'll ploughed through small tank, de- stroying it but injuring only one q the crew. s
 Another tank captured battery of "seventy-sevens," but wns SO far ahead of the infantry 1t cOdld not turn over the guns to them. guns and many men.
 The story is told of another tank which went into town with ser geant armed with rife perched on the turret.
 This machine captured two batter- les of seventy-sevens," five machine guns and many men.
 Two Miles Ahead.
 Tanks were occasionally as much as two miles ahead of the infantry. throwing consternation into the Ger mans. <
 Part of the success which attended their share in the battle undoubtedly was due to the intensive training giv- en drivers who are taught to operate the machines blindfolder, guided only by signals from the gunners.
 This sometimes is necessary when the drivers are blinded temporarily by splashes of mud
 For several days before the ofIensivo the tanks which were to take pert were maneuvred into an interior town while the civilians watched them with amazement wit hno knowledge Of what 1t portended. S
 Some time before the battle tho tank crews were given thefr final iuslrtao- tions on hypothetical bsttle 1eld Tmathematically divided uB Into & < barkation points and supDly depotS 4*i,,sssaa