The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-10-10
EHAT kEOkuk
MEN ACHIEVED.
:, oder. Of the Rainbow Divis-
=, summarize the Fighting
Of Three Score keo-
kuk Soldiers.
copy SENT TO MAYOR
..t,no Document a Part Of the
u,..orv Of keokuk in War Times
Reaches Here This
Week.

.oo score and more Keokuk men
s. sa mere with the old Company L, OF
n iowa national guards OF ions
- and later were transferred 10
H. H. tsSth regiment, which became
. ~ one in the annals OF the fight
n Of 1918. -. No.,
..aand division of the American ex-
. sse; forces. What 1t accom-
.,shed during the first year OF its
. p,,Sc in Europe is summarized in
,,a order issued by Major Cen
III Charles T. Menoher. command
~ tho division better known as the
Rainbow division.
This This order has made it's way back
4 Keokuk by copy being sent to
Nayor Ed. S. Lotion by William J..
Iohnson. one of the Keokuk men now
Il the fighting 168th infantry. 1t
reads as follows:
Major General commends Them.
| - the Officers and Men OF the And
Division:
wear has elapsed since the for
nation Of your organization. 1t Is,
therefore. fitting to consider what
son have accomplished as combat
division and what you should prepare
ID accomplish in the future.
Your first elements entered the
trenches in Lorraine on February 81.
You served on that front for Ito
DAYS. You were the first American
division to hold a divisional sector,
and when you left the sector, June
q. you had served continuously as
\ division in the trenches for a
longer time than any other American
Division. Although you entered the
sector without experience in actual
warfare, you so conducted yourselves
IS to win the respect and affection
Of the French veterans with whom
you fought Under gas and lombard
ment, in raids, in patrols, in the heat
Of hand-to-hand combat and in the
long, dull hours of trench routine SO
trying to a soldiers spirit, you bore
ourselves In manner worthy Of
lhe traditions of our country.
You were withdrawn from Lor-
raine and moved Immediately to the
Champagne front, where, during the
critical days from July IA to July IS,
you had the honor of being the only
American division to fight in Gen
eral Gouraud's army, which SO glo-
riously obeyed his order, I'VE will
stand or die" and by its iron defense
crushed the German assault and
made possible the offensive of July
IL to the west OF Reims.
From Champagne you were called
to take part in exploiting the success
north Of the Marne Fresh from the
battle front before Chalons, you were
thrown against the picked troops of
Germany. For eight consecutive
Gays, you attacked skillfully prepared
positions. You captured great stores
Of arms and munitions. You forced
me me crossings Of the Ourcq. You took
mn 2l2, sergy, Meurcy Ferme and
Seringes by assault. You drove the
enemy, including an imperial guard
oivlslon, before you for a depth of
nl1een kilometers. When your in
lantry was relieved, 1t was in full
pursuit of the retreating Germans.
ana your artillery continued to pro-
siess and support another American
diylsion in the advance to the vesle.
for your services in Lorraine, your
uislsion was formally commended in
senerai orders by the French army
orps under which you served. For
sour services in Champagne. your
assembled officers received the per-
sonal thanks and commentator of
General Gouraud himself. For your
services on the Ourcq, your division
was officially complimented in let.