Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-12-05

POo0As 0uO LAG 1NlT0 OIVl8lO0, Which
training in the trenches, was hurried
to the Narne. It's motorized machine
U battalion preceded the other units
and successfully held the bridgehead
At the Marine, opposite Chateau
Thierry. The Second Division, in re-
serve neal Montdidier. was sent by
motor trucks and other available
transport to check the progress Of the
enemy toward Paris. The Division
attacked and re-took the town and
railroad station at Bouresches and
sturdily held its ground against the
enemy's best guard divisions.
I'm the battle Of Belleau Wood.
which followed, our men proved their
superiority and gained a strong tao
teal position, with far greater loss to
h enemy than to ourselves. On
July I, before the Second was relieved.
1t captured. the village Of Vaux with
most splendid precision.
Meanwhile u Second Corps, I'M
der Maj. Gen. George w. Read, haA
been organized for the command Of
our divisions with the British. which
were held back in training areas or
assigned 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of the ten divisions were withdrawn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 n two to the Paris area
to Join the group Of American d.
visions which stood between the city
and farther advance of the enemy in
that direction"
Turn OF the Tide.
BY that time the great tide of
American troop movements to France
was in full swing and the older di-
visions could be used freely. The
Ayn6 IN Tina Ao~k - Dknf-- >-> 49,
German assault Of July Is and held
their ground unflinchinsly'; on the
right flank four companies of the 18th
division faced advancing waves of
German infantry and the Third Di-
vision held the Marne line opposite
Chateau Thierry against powerful ar
tillery and infantry attack. "A single
regiment of the Third wrote one of
the most brilliant pages IN our mill
tary annals on this OCCASION" General
Pershing says. "It prevented the
while. on either flank, the Germans
who had gained a footing, pressed for
ward. Our men, firing in three direc-
tons. met the German attacks with
counter-attacks at critical points and
succeeded in throwing two German
divisions into complete confusion,
capturing 600 prisoners"
Thus was the stage set for the coun-
ter offensive which beginning with the
ST eshing of the enemy's Marine sa-
lient brought overwhelming victory
the eventful months that have follow
ed. The intimation is strong that
General Pershing's advice helped
Marshal Foch to reach his decision to
strike. General Pershing continues:
"The great force of the German
Chateau Thierry offensive established
the deep Marine salient, but the enemy
was taking chances. and the vulner-
ability Of this pocket to attack might
be turned to his disadvantage. Seiz-
ing this opportunity to support my
conviction, 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 18 was given to ou1
First and Second Divisions in com.
pany with chosen French divisions.
without the usual brief warning OF
a preliminary bombardment, the
massed French and American artill.
cry, firing by the map, laid down its
rolling barraye at dawn while the in.
fantry began its charge. The tactica'
trying conditions was excellent
throughout the action. The enemy
brought up large numbers of reserves
Inc made a stubborn defense bott
with machine guns and artillery, bu,
through five days fighting the First
Division continued to advance until i
had gained the heights above Scissor:
and captured the village of Berzy-le.
sec. The. Second Division took Bea,
Repaire farm and Very in a yer,
rapid advance and reached a position
In front Of Tigny at the end Of it's sec
ond day. These two divisions cap
tured 1000 prisoners and owe 100
pieces of artillery"
St. Mihicl Reduced.
The report describes in some deta:
the work of completing the reductio
of the salient, mentioning the oper
atoms of the 26th, 3rd, 4th, 42ne
32nd and 28th Divisions. With tn
situation on the Marine front thus re
lieved. General Pershing writes. h
could turn to the organization Of tn
First American Army and the reduc
ton Of the ST.. Miil;el salient, lon
planned as the initial purely Amer
lean enterprise. A troop concentra
ton, aided by generous contribution
Of artillery and air units by tn
French, began, involving the nov
nent, mostly at night, Of COO, 900 mer
A sector reaching from Port sur Seillt
east of the Moselle, westward throug'
st. Mihiel to Verdun and later EN-
larged to carry it to the edge OF tn
forest of Argonne. was taken over, tn
Second Colonial French. holding tn
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