Evening journal., 1918-09-21
OFFICER SURVIVES
MARNE, TORPEDO
Lieutenant Merle P. Lyon,
Home, Was With Gallant
Thirty-Eighlh Infantry
RELATES FIGHT
ON THE VESLE

Surviving the terrific lighting near
Chateau Thierry in July. the later bat
tie at the Vesle. and torpedoed with the
transport Mount Vernon on his FIRST
start for home, Lieutenant Merle p.
Lyon is back In America with thrilling
stories OF Hun warfare on land and sea.
Lieutenant Lyon Is the son OF the
Rev. Milford II. Lyon, evangelist. who
conducted reviyals at Wilmington and
at Camden.
Lieutenant Lyon went overseas with
the Thirty-eighth Infantry, which help
ed hold the tip OF the salient at the
/ Marne when the Germans began their
| last drive on Paris. Out OF his battalion
he is one Of four officers who escaped
death or injury.
The French have christened the
fhirty-eighth Infantry The Rock Of
the Marne,' he says. and are proposing
a monument In its honor az Mezy. near
where 1t made its gallant stand
The regiment was In line OF the pro-
posed Hun advance when the Prussian
Guards started for Paris" Papers tax
en- from prisoners revealed the plans
OF the guards for the first day OF the
drive, the second and so on until they
were in Paris.
Even the French, after they. had ex-
perienced the intensity OF the Hun bonn
bardment, despaired Of stopping the
drive and were shuGdering about "the
end Of Paris"
But the Americans never budged.
hn % m . a..r-
intrenched a short distance from the
south bank Of the Marne. Between their
trenches and the river was an open
space which the Prussian Guards had
10 cross.
Again and again the Prussians crossed
the river and tried 10 drive the Yankees
from their position. For three days the
Americans held until the French could
reform their scattered units and estob-
lish counter artillery barrage.
"The Rock of the Marne" had won lis
name, and the French. with their cap
ital safe, rejoined the Americans In a
counter attack. The Thlriy-eighth
charged across the same open space
which the Germans could not take. The
Americans crossed the Marine on pom
toons, drove the Huns from the height
on the north bank. and then rested.
While other divisions took up On,
counter attack here and pressed on 10
the Ourcq, the Thlrty-elghth was sent
back for rest and replaccments. A
few days later the regiment was or
dered forward again.
1T took us three days, marching day
and nlght, 10 catch up with the fleeing
Germans this time" says Lieutenant
Lyon. "The enemy had attempted
stand at the Ourcq and were driven on.
They had reached the Nesle when we
caught up with them"
Straightway the Thirty-eighth Joined
in the attack which eventually broke
the German grip on the Vesle river
Finally. the regiment was Withdrawn
and sent 60 another sector.
In killed or wounded. 10 had lost 90
per cent. Of rs original men. 10 had
captured COO German prisoners and
enormous quantities Of war material
The regimental commander was award
Cd the French war cross. and The entire
third division, 10 which 10 belonged.
was cited for glllantry.
shortly after the attack on The Vesle
Lieutenant Lyon was ordered home 10
Join one Of the new divisions in a
training camp. lie left France on the
transport Mt. Vernon.
1--WE were nearly all in the dining
room az breakfast" he rel5tcs. when
we heard one Of our guns fired. Before
we could count i've the submarines
torpedo struck the transport amidshlps.
THE crash hurled the dishes from
the table 10 the floor We al hurried
70 the deck with life-prcscrvers, but
there was no cofusion. Prompt action
by the ships officers closed the bulk
heads about the torpedoed section a
the ship, and we were able 10 return
tc port under our own steam
The submarine was sighted midway
between our transport and another Of
the convoy, and the first shot we heard
was from one OF our OWN guns But
the U-boats torpedo was already on
the way, and the Hun submerged i'm
mediately. There were TOO many de- /
stroyers about for it to risk another
shot
Returning on another transport Lieu /
tenant Lyon is now awaiting assign |
ment TO an army camp. lie has been I
advanced from second 10 first licuten- !
ant since his arrival, and is now at /
Camp Dix.