New-York tribune., 1918-12-09
Seer etary's Report Mar
rates Details of Fierce
Battle at Belleau Wood
Victors at Rheims
And in Champagne
Half of Total Force of
5000 in Casualties; 81
We're Taken Prisoner

WASHINGTON, Dee s.-The story of
.hs United States Marines and their
deeds in the war, as told by Secretary
Of the Navy Daniels in his annual re-
port, forms the supreme epic OF the
fighting, landing and building force of
the United States navy, relating. as it
does. the achievements at the Bois de
Belleau in the battle of Chateau Thi-
erry, when they saved Paris; at the
battle for the liberation Of Rheims, the
Champagne struggle, in which the crack
troops of Germany were hurled back in
the vicinity of Cambrai and st. Quen-
tin, and in the fight for the clearing of
the St. Mihiel salient.
There were only 5000 of the ma
rines. More than half of them are in
cluded in the casualty lists, and yet
only ifty-seven of them are on the list
OF those who were taken prisoner,
Secretary Daniels points out. Those
who submitted to captivity did so be
cause they were deprived Of their very
last chance of resistance and some of
them wounded far in advance of their
lines.
BelIeau Wood Battle
1t is the story Of the battle of the
Bois de Bellea,s. now called by order
Of the French staff the Bois de la Bri-
gade de Marne-however, that forms
the chief part of the epic written with
their blood by the marines. Of this
battle Secretary Daniels says:
'In all the history of the Marine
Corps there is no such battle as that
one in Belleau Wood. Fighting day and
night without relief, without sleep,
often without water, and for days with
out hot rations, the marines met and
defeated the best divisions that Ger
many could throw into line. The hero
ism and doegedness of that battle are
unparalleled"
Second only in Importance and glory
to the battle of the Bois de Belleau,
according to the Secretary's report,
was the battle of Blanc Mont Ridge.
Here the marines saved Rheims and,
drawing against themselves some of
the crack troops Of the German army,
captured Blanc Mont Ridge from the
enemy, relieved the pressure upon the
Allied lines elsewhere, and thus made
the general retreat of the enemy posi-
Bile, retreat which did not stop until
Germany raised the white flag of sur
render The report follows:
Marine Corps Wins Glory
This efficient lighting, building and
landing force of the navy has won i'm
perlshable glory in the fulfllment Of
It's latest duties upon the battlehelds
OF France where the marines, fighting
Tor the time under General Pershing
as part of the victorious American
army have written a story of valor
ana So1ritice that viii live in the
orlgntest annals of the war. With hero
Ism that nothing could daunt, the
marine corps played a vital role in
S'emmlng the German rush on Paris,
ahd IN later days aided in the begin
nlhE OF the great offensive, the freeing
OIL hneims, and participated in the hard
nghtlng IN Champagne, which had as
us object the throwing back of the
RUSSIAN armies in the vicinity of Cam
oral and st. Quentin.
With only 5000 men engaged in the
nefcest battles, the marine corps casual
'les numbered 60 officers and 1851 en-
''S.ed men dead and IS officers and 2,435
e"nsted men wounded seriously enough
W De ofhclally reported by cablegram,
" which number should be added not
Jew whose wounds did not incapaci-
'a'e them for further fighting How
N'e'' with casualty list that numbers
nearly halt the original 5000 men who
e"tefed battle, the official reports ac
sV"n' Tor only 81 United States ma
''es VINO have been captured by the
>"e"'y. This includes those who were
"0unded far in advance of their lines
s"o who fell into the hands of Ger
""ns while unable to resist.
memorial Day shall henceforth have
greater deeper significance for Amer
,s,o ior 1t was on that day, May 80,
-. '' 'nat our country really received
~, n'st call to battle-the battle in
."'eh American troops had the honor
=, stopping the German drive on Paris,
..i .,0w'ng back the Prussian hordes in
.aeh sstae after attack, and beginning the
Cesseat which lasted until imperial
~~lhany was beaten to its knees and
Continued on page seuem