Omaha daily bee., 1918-09-09
IOWA REGIMENT !
IS NEARLY WIPED
OUT IN FIGHTING
IN Ten Days Major Worthing'
tons Forces Are Reduced
From 1900 Men to
Only 200 Men.

Des MONIES, la, Sept. 9.-tSpeciaL)
Mai. c. Z. Worthington of Des
MONIES. in letter just received here,
reports that during the final stages OF
the last German offensive an Iowa
battalion, commanded by Major
Worthington, was almost wiped out
In 10 days time its fighting ranks
were reduced from 1000 to 20O men,
he reports. The battalion comprised
Company A. Winterset; Company b.
Des Moines: Company {, Creston;
Company d, Centerville, and the Des
MONIES machine gun company, all OF
the loSth regiment In referring to
the losses Major Warrington
writes:
when | rejoined my organization,
after having been detained for some
time as an instructor in an officers
school, had 1900 men. All losses
had been replaced from regiments
in the United States. These men par
tieipated in the big drive.
Only 200 Survivors.
yesterday morning when the bat
talon was relieved from the line for
rest and Reorganization, ] had a
few less than 200 men left. Most OF
the losses occurred during the last
10 days of the big drive,
Company A of Winterset came
out OF the line with no officers, and
under the command of first ser.
seant. A book could be written OF
the heroic acts OF the men ow my
battalion. After the last night IN
which my unit participated, one pla-
toon. originally 50 men, appeared with
only one man and one oihcer lett.
The letter, written August 4, enum-
crates as follows the losses in Des
Moines companies, during few days
of fighting: Company B, 10 killed,
81 wounded, and II missing; machine
gun company, 4 killed, 50 wounded
and missing. .....
Newquist May Lose Arm.
Capt. Daniel Newquist. who sue
ceeded the late Captain Fleur as
commander OF Des Moines machine
gun company, may lose one arm as
4 result of shrapnel wounds, accord
inc to Major Worthington, Newquist
was wounded in both arms,
Major Worthington gives some
nart;c,fars regarding the Des Moines
companies. ,,,
In Company B, Captain McHenry
has been killed; Lieutenant. wicker
sham has been injured, and is now
in the hospital. but is expected back
in the company soon; Sergeants
Grahl. Alsridge and Slovenian have
been commissioned lieutenants, and
probably will be sent to other regi-
inents for duty; Sergeants William
McMurray and Mcnamara are at
tending officers training school,
and Sergeant E. T. McMurray Is in
the hospital wounded, but getting
Sergeant David McLachlan, the
,rapkinC sergeant OF Company b, IS
still on duty with the company and
has gone through the fighting with
out a scratch. Sergeant Ehrp IS
wounded and in the hospital and Ser
Qeant Bushby is seriously wounded,
but expected to live. The latter is the
soldier who killed the Italian, who
attacked his bridge guard near TT.
Des MONIES at the beginning OF the
war. Sergeant Worster is gradually
recovering from his wounds.
Win Promotions.
Sergeants Walker and Mcnamara
have been commissioned lieutenants,
and Sergeants Slaves and Hedges
are attending officers school where
they probably will receive commits
sions. Sergeant Hume Wright, act
ing hrst sergeant; Sergeants Ctr
now. Depoy, Finch and Doyle are
with the company and in good
health, Sergeant Collins has been
killed, and Sergeant Anthony slightly
wounded.
Plea for Airplanes.
In his letter Major Worthington
makes a pea for speeded production
of airplanes. h
More airplanes and still more
airplanes should be the watchword,'
he writes. My battalion has beer
bombed and fred upon by machine
guns from airplanes, and artillery
placed on troops time after time, a:
a result of aerial reconnaissance.
..If we had anywhere near tht
equality of the boche in airplanes
thousands of American lives coult
have been saved" he asserts,