Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-03
u. U.S.F|GHTERSPROVE
|. COURAGE IN BATTLE
Swift Use Of Automatics Dazes
Huns-American Officers
Demonstrate MettIe.
BULLETS ANSWER ORDER

BY the Associated Press. =
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY IN
FRANCE, March The three recent
raids, one in the Toul secter and two
slang The Ghamin de -pames, have dem
|sastsated ~ 4 81 me- sssl;rf,
l0tWiitflssisndfng lis previous iaexperi-
enee, nov Il perfectly n thome ii ! gas
mask and able to. fight just as well With
rs without il. q
In 50 quickly reaching this stage the
Americans have shown their usual
adaptability. Gas was used in all three
attacks in just sufficient quantities 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 TouI began
virtually all the Americans were
masked. Some few Of the men. how
chance, when the German infantry at
tackled. pulling Off their masks for freer
action. One officer risked his life to
give commands to his men during the
roar of explosions. He was unable
through his mask to make his men
hear. SO he pulled 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 place
Of safety. where they could also strike
effectively at the enemy.
Bullets Answer Huns.
There were many other instances Of
personal bravery. A lieutenant. a
dugout' when some Germans looked in.
One cried In good English: l. ~. XII.
Come out, Americansw
The four Americans blazed away with
trance to stumble over the bodies Of
the men whom they had apparently
killed by their quick resistance.
During the bomba rdment. which
hardly could have been more terrific
two men who were concealed in a shell
hole were buried by dirt thrown by
another exploding projectile They
m shouted for help and it came quickly.
which they were ready to leap into
action the moment the attacking in
fantry appeared. and exhumed the
buried soldiers. with stones mud,
earth, pieces of trees and shell splin'
ters spattered about them
Used Automatic Pistols.
Notwithstanding the ferceness of the
fight at close quarters, not more than
one oayonet was used, and this one on
German. The Americans. using their
automatic pistols, sent bullets into the
German attackers with good aim in
spite of the excitement. Rifle bullets
accounted for many more. i
Although the Army has been cursfng
the weather and the mud for days.
there is one man in the line today who
IS glad 1t was muddy, for he owes his
lie to the slippery duck boards" or
the nooring in the trenches. With pis-
tol IN hand. he rounded a trench corner
Prussian saw him first and fred. but
at the same moment the American
slipped and fell on his face. The Prus-
sian thought him dead and turned away
ne was quickly dropped in his tracks
by the prone American, who fired ac-
curately from the trench bottom There
were men in the fight from virtually
az the states from New York to Texas
WIN one or, two exceptions. all the
wounded are expected to recover.
some OF the American dead were
during the night. while friendly and
hostile smells roared overhead.
thick. wet snow which now is fall
the mud. ee
the fighting north Of Chemin des Danes
the hghting moth of Chemin des Danes
have been buried near where they fell, |
their french and American 'comradesj
participating in impressive ceremonies. |
Raid Thursday Night Repulsed.
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY IN
FRANCE, Friday. March Another |
German raid on the American line was
made at $50 o'clock last night in the |
Chemin-des-Dames sector After sharp |
fighting the enem retired leaving four |
prisoners, two OF whom were wounded. |
The Americans lost some killed and !
number. slightly wounded or missing.
All are New EnEIanders. !
Three companies of shock troops, one |
of which had been brought from Laon
by motor cars tor the attack, came up
0ehind heavy barrago which had