Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-12-08
Combat Operations.

Combat Operations.
During our periods Of training in
engaged the enemy In local combats,
Seicheprey by the 26th on April
20, in the Toul sector, but none had
participated In action as unit The
1st Division, which had passed
through the preliminary stages of
training. had gone to the trenches
the end of October. and by March Fl,
when the German offensive in Picardy
began, we had four divisions with
experience in the trenches, all of
which were equal to any demands of
offensive developed was such that
our occupation of an American Sec
tor must be postponed.
ION March % ] placed at tho dis
posal of Marshal Foch. who had been
Of the allied armies, all Of our forces
to be used as he might decide. At
his request the LIST Division was
transferred from the Toul sector to
a position in reserve at Chaumont en-
vexin. AS German superiority in
agreement was reached at the Abbe-
vile conference Of the allied pre-
miers and commanders and myself
on May 2 by which British shipping
was to transport ten American divis-
ions to the British army area, where
they were to be trained and equipped,
and additional British shipping was
to be provided for as many divisions
as possible for US elsewhere.
ION April 26 the LIST Division had
gone into the line in the Montdidier
salient on the Picardy battle front.
Tactics had been suddenly revolu-
tionized to those Of open warfare, and
our men, confident of the results Of
their training, were eager for the
test. On the morning of May 20 this
division attacked the commanding
German position in its front. taking
with splendid dash the town of Cam
tigny and all other objectives. which
were organized andi held steadfastly
against vicious counter attacks and
CALLING artillery fire. Although local,
this brilliant action had an electrical
qualities under extreme battle con-
ditions, and also that the enemy's
troops were not altogether invincible
THE Germans Aisne offensive,
which began on May ~. had advanced
Paris. and the allies faced a crisis
equally as grave as that Of tho Pic
ardy offensive in March. Again every
available man was placed at Mar
shall Foch's disposal, and the Sd Di-
vision. which had just come from its
was hurried to the Marne It's motor
lied machine-gun battalion preceded
the other units and successfully held
the bridgehead at the Marine, OPP
posite Chateau-Thierry. The I'd Di-
vision. in reserve near Montdidier,
was sent by motor trucks and other
available transport to check the prog
ress of the enemy toward Paris. The
division attacked and retook the town
and railroad station at Bouresches
and sturdily held dts ground against
the battle of Belleau wood. which
followed, our men proved their su-
periority and gained a strong tactical
position with far greater loss to the
enemy than to ourselves. On July Il
before the I'd was relieved, it cap
tured the village OF Vaux with most
splendid precision.
Meanwhile our I'd Corps. under
Maj. Gen. George W. Read, had been
organized for the command of our di-
visions with the British, which were
held back in training areas or assign
ed to second-line defenses. Five Of the
ten divisions were withdrawn from the
British area in June, three to relieve
divisions in Lorraine and the vosges
and two to the Paris area to join the
group Of American divisions which
stood between the city and any farther
advance of the enemy In that direction.
THE great June-July troop move
ment from the States was well under
way. and. although these troops were
to be given some preliminary training
before being put into action, their very
presence warranted the use Of all the
+, older divisions in the confidence that
we did not lack reserves. Elements of
the 42d Division were In the line east
of Rheims against the German often
sive Of July Is, and held their ground
unflinchingly. On the right flank of
this offensive four companies OF the
28th Division were in position in face
infantry. The Sd Division was holding
the bank of the Marine from the bend
east of the mouth Of the Surmelin to
the west of Mezy, opposite Chateau
Thierry. where q large force Of Ger
man infantry sought to force pas
sage under support Of powerful ar
tillery concentrations and under cover
of smoke screens. A single regiment
of the I'd wrote one of the most bril-
liant pages In our military annals on
this occasion. It prevented the cross
4ng at certain points on its front while.
| ON either flank, the Germans, who had
gained a footing. pressed forward.
Our men, firing in three directions,
met the German attacks with counter
attacks at critical points and succeed
ed in throwing two German divisions
Into complete confusion. capturing 600
prisoners.
'The great force Of the German
Chateau-Thterry offensive established