The sun., 1918-12-05
PERSHING CALLS HIS
MEMS AID GLORIOUS
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Continued from First Paoe.
captured the village Of Vaux with
most splendid precision.
Meanwhile our Second Corps, under
Major-Gen. George w. Read, had been
organized for the command of our d.
visions with the British, which were
held back in training areas or assigned
to second line defences. 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ten divisions were withdrawn from the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 further
advance OF the enemy in that direc-
| ton"
BY that time the great tide of Amer
lean troop movements 10 France was
In full swing and the older divisions
could be used freely. The Forty-sec-
ond, In line east OF Rheims, faced the
German assault of July 10 and held
their ground unfiinchingly'; on the
right flank four companies OF the
Twenty eighth Division fuced lad
vancing waves of German infantry"
and the Third Division held the Marne
line opposite Chateau Thierry against
powerful artillery and infantry at
| tack.
"a single regiment OF the Third
wrote one of the most brilliant pages
In our military annals on this occa-
sion," Gen. Pershing says. "It pre-
vented the crossing 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 at
tacks with counter attacks at critical
points and succeeded in throwing two
German divisions into complete con-
fusion, capturing 900 prisoners
stage Set for Counter Blow.
Thus was the stage set for the
counter offensive which, beginning
with the smashing OF the enemy's
Marine salient brought overwhelming
victory to the Allies and the United
States in the eventful months that
have followed. The intimation is
strong that Gen. Pershing's advice
helped Marshal Foch to reach his de-
cision to strike. Gen. Pershing con-
| tipues:
1.-THE great force Of the German
Chateau Thierry offensive established
the deep Marine salient. but the enemy
was taking chances. and the vulnera-
bility OF this pocket to attack might
be turned to his disadvantage. SEEKING
this opportunity to support my con-
vGction every division with any sort of
training was made available for use in
a counter offensive. The place of
honor in the thrust toward Scissors
on July IS was given to our First and
Second divisions, in company with
chosen French divisions.
Without the usual brief warning
Of a preliminary bombardment the
massed French and American artillery.
| firing by the map. laid down ite roll
ing barrage at dawn, while the in
fantry began its charge. The tactical
henoling of our troops under these try
ing conditions was excellent through
out the action. The enemy brought up
large numbers OF reserves and made
a stubborn defence both with machine
guns and artillery, but through five
days fighting the First Division con-
tinued to advance until 1t had gained
the heights above scissors and cap
, tured the village Of Berzy-le-Sec.
The Second Division took Beau
Bepaire farm and Very in a very
! rapid advance and reached a position
in front Of Tigny at the end of its
second day. These two divisions cap
| tured 1000 prisoners and over 100
pieces Of artillery"
Organizes First Army.
With the situation on the Marine
front thus relieved. Gen. Pershing
writes, he could turn to the organiza-
| ton of the First American Army and
the reduction of the St. Mihiel salient,
| long planned as the initial purely
American enterprise. 4 troop concen-
| tration, aided by generous contribu-
| tons OF artillery and air units by the
French, began, involving the move
ment, mostly at night, OF 5000 men.
A sector reaching from Port sur Seille.
east % the Moselle, westward through
st. Mihiel 10 Verdun and later en-
| larged to carry it TO the edge of the
forest OF Argonne, was taken over, tine
| Second Colonial French. holding the
! tip of the salient opposite st. Mihiel,
and the French Seventeenth Corps, on
the heights above Nerdun, being trans
ferred to Gen. Pershing's command.
OF the reduction OF the St Mihiel
salient Gen. Pershing says:
After four hours artillery prepare
! ton the seven American divisions in
+ the front line advanced at A. NJ. on
September IL, assisted by a limited
number of tanks manned partly by
Americans and partly by the French.
These divisions, accompanied by groups
of wire cutters and others armed with
bangalore torpedoes, went through the
successive bands of barbed wire that
protected the enemy's front line and
support trenches in Irresistible waves
on schedule time, breaking down all
defence Of an enemy demoralized by
the great volume of our artillery fire
and our sudden approach out OF the
fog.
| AT the cost OF only 1000 casualties,
mostly light, we had taken 10000 pris-
oners and 443 guns, a great quantity OF
material, released the inhabitants Of
many villages from enemy domination
and established our lines in a position
to threaten Metz.
Success Was Important.