American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1918-06-28
PERSHING'S MEN CAPTURE
WOOD AND PRISONERS
Irresistible Rush Made i'm the Belleau
Sector and Crack German Division
Is Compelled TO Retreat POsthaste.

wood Tuesday night now number AOV'
including seven officers. One OF the
officers said the German commanders
have been telling the soldiers that the
Germans nave landed an army IN
America, captured New York and are
now marching toward Philadelphia
The Germans also are told that sub
marines have sunk between forty and
fifty ships in Long Island sound.
The Importance of the American ad-
vance in Belleau wood is not indicated
by the amount of territory captured,
as that only amounts approximately to
500 square yards. The new positions
of the Americans, however, dominate
the ridge beyond so that they now hold
the upper hand. The Americans made
an irresistible rush for the complete
clearing of the wood, in which it was
discovered recently the Germans were
still occupying a small strip of the
underbrush.
The attack was preceded by a 1S-
hour bombardment from the American
artillery.
German prisoners taken pay tribute
to the brilliant dash of the Americans
declaring the men in the assaultng
party tought ike ueInonS'
The Germans were virtually cleared
out of Belleau wood several days ago,
but the discovery was made yesterday
that. under cover of darkness, they
had planted machine guns behind huge
boulders, in sunken roadways, in she'll
holes and in trees in a narrow area on
the edge of the wood. 1t was most
difficult to get at them in these posi-
lions, and some fierce hand-to-hand
fighting occurred during the night
while the clearing process was being
carried out.
The Americans now are in posses
sion of virtually all the valuable tao
tical positions in the Belleau wood
sector. Most of the prisoners taken
belong to the 347th German division.
On Sunday the Germans placed the
crack 201st division opposite a por-
ton of the American line. Despite
this, the Americans went through in
steam-roller fashion.
The Germans also had attempted on
Saturday to fill the wood with gas,
but the determination and heroism of
the Americans could not be checked
by this circumstance.
The American artillery again bril-
liantly carried out its part in throw
ing the entire German line into con-
fusion. Prisoners said hat the posi-
ton from which they had been taken
was like an inferno under the Ameri-
can fire. They were happy to get out
alive.
A German officer, arrogant and sar-
castle, remarked:
I'VE are just starting with the
Americans. We are going to wipe
out whole divisions as if they were
companies" The German privates
we're less arrogant and apparently
we're glad they were captured. One
declared that the Germans were sur
prised at the Americans, who appear.
ed so young, but fought like devils
when they got started. Another de
clared:
THE war will soon be ended. There
are too many Americans coming t
Europe"
This prisoner was a Prussian, WHIT
fought on the Russian front. He con
fessed that the Germans were prepar
ing to attack the Americans in Belleal
wood when the American troops start
ed their attack. 1t was a surprise af
fair. The Americans came one wa
and the German officers tried TO fore
their men forward the other way. Thi
prisoner was shot ir the leg by hi
own officer because he hesitated con
fusedly between the American gun
and bayonets and the pistols in tn
hands of the German officers.
Raymond s.. Howell of Barnesvill'
Ohio, who was in the first line of tn
advance, describing the operation said
1--WE took up a position in the ope
wood: there were no trenches. Tn
shells fell around us like rain. W
charged over the rocky hills, our fe
lows laughing and yelling a wal
whoop. We then came upon a whe;
q field and crossed it in the face of
~~hering shell and machine gun fiji
ana drove back the Germans attf
point of the bayonet.
1T was a wonderful sight. tt
Americans never hesitated and Il
sound of their shouts and whoops wei
almost drowned by the Germans crit
of 'Kamerad.'
The Germans got a few of Il fe
lows. but we made them pay dear
for every one"
Herbert +. BARLEY of Anita, low
told about a wounded American for
ing a big German to lead the wayz
the rear of the American lines. VIII
they reached the lines the Americ;
said. quietly, Here's my prisoner
The German sheepishly nodded a.
said, yah"
Some idea of the thoroughness WI
which the Americans prepared for I
attack may be CLEANED from the ia
that they fired approximately 81
high explosives in one hour. L
American gunners worked so fast I
Germans said they did not have til
to think. The German lines we
torn up and the ground around stre'
with German dead and wounded. T.