Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-12-10
BY AMERICAN VALOR
General Pershlng Makes Report OF
Campaign
DEEDS OF IKPERISHABLE GLORY
Story In Detail Of What the Overseas
Forces Did and How They Did 1t
Aviators and Tanks Are Especially
Praised

The report oil General John j. Pcrsh-
ing rIving account Of his stewardship
rs commander OF the American cX-
IrdIlIunary forces in France. was made
uulIiC hy Secretary Of War Baker to-
might. It covers operations up TO NOV
cmbcr 20, after the signing OF the arm
ls,icc. In the report hc refers to those
who served under him III these words:
When | think of their heroism. then
parI"nc,. under hardships. their un-
nmchIng spirit oil offensive action. !
am filled with emotion which am un-
able. 10 express. Their deeds are i'm
mortal and they have earned the ctcr-
nal gratitude Of their country
General lcrshng made special men,
tIun of the American aviatOrs ~ haV-
ing few equals in skill and prowess
with a record OF courageous deeds that
will adorn a brilliant page in the an
nails of the war. He also mentioned
the tank corps ~ having responded
gallantly in every occasion with cOur-
age OF the highest order.
me report DSSiHS WIN N''A'A''
Tcrshng's departure for France TO
pave. the way for the American army
and one of its striking features Is the
story Of the fighting. He says: Tho
warmth of our reception in England
and France was only cqualcd by the
readiness of the omnandcr-ln- -chlct
of the veteran armies OF the Allies and
their stafrs to place their experience
at our disposal"
General pcrShing reviews the early
encounters this year in which Am"rl-
can troops participated, as Il part OF
their training and diSmlSscs them
briefly. ON March Il tn" great Ger
man offensive WAS launched and Il cru
cial situation developed IN the Allied
lines calling for the prompt use of -four
American divisions.
combats in Training Period.
During our periods of training In
the trenches some of our divisions had
engaged the enemy in local combats.
the most important OF which was Sell
chcprcy by the Twenty sixth on Aprli
20 in the Toul sector. but non" had
participated in action as unit. The
First Division. which had passed
through the preliminary stages OF
training. had gone to the trenches for
it's first period of instruction at the
end OF October and by March u. when
the German offensive in Picardy be-
gan. we had four divisions with cX-
pcricncc in the trenches, all of which
were equal to any demands OF battle
action. The crisis which this onen-
sivc developed was such that our oc-
cunation of an American sector must
hc postponed.
"On March Is | placed AT the dis
pox,l of Marshal F'och. who had been
agreed upon as commander n-chiet OF
the Allied forces. all OF our forces 10
be used as nc might decide. AT his re-
quest the First Division was transfer
rcd from the Toul sector to position
i'm reserve at Chaumont-cn-NauX. AS
German superiority in numbers re-
uuired prompt action. an agree
mcnt was reached at the Abbevllle
conference of the Allied prcmiers and
commanders and myself on May
hv which British shipping was
10 transport ten American divisions to
the British army area, where they
were TO hC trained and equipped. an
additional British shipping was to bc
provided for as many divisions as pos
sillc for use elsewhere.
"On April 26 the First Division had
gone into the line in the Montdidier
salient on the Picardy battle front
Tactics had been suddenly revolutions
lied to those OF open warfare and our
men, confident of the results of their
training. were engaged for IN" test
ON the morning of May IS this division
attacked the commanding German pos
ition on it's front. taking with splcn-
did dash the town OF Cantigny and al
other objectives. which were organiz-
cd and held stcadfastly against vicious
counter attacks and calling artlllerE
fire. Although local. this brilliant ac-
tion had an electrical effect. as II dem
onStratcd our fighting qualities under
extreme battle conditions. and also
that the encmy's troops were not alto
gcther invinciblc.
The Germans Aisne offensive. which
began on May ~. had advanced rapid
IL toward the River Marne and Paris
and the Allies faced n crisis equally rs
grave as that of the Picardy offensive
in March. Again every available man
was placed at Marshal Foch's dispos-
nj, and the Third Division which mad
lust come from its preliminary train
ing in the trenches was hurried TO the
Marnc. Its motorized machine gun
battalion preceded the other and sue
Ccssfully held the bridgchcad at the
Marnc. opposite Chatcau-Thierry. The
Second Division, in reserve near Mont
didicr, was sent by motortrucks and
other available transport to check the
PROGRESS OF the enemy toward Parls
The division attacked and retook the
town and railroad station at Bourcs-
chcs and sturdily held its ground
against the encmy's best guard divi-
sions. In the battle OF Belleau Wood
which followed. our men proved then
superiority and gained a strong tacti-
cal position. with far greater loss &c
the enemy than 10 ourselves. or
July /, before the Second was relieved
IL captured the village Of VauS witt
most splendid precision.
Meanwhile our Second Corps. under
Major General George W. Read. haf
been organized for the command O
our division with the British. which
were held back in training areas o'
assigned to second line defenses. Fiv'
OF the ten divisions were withdrawn
from the British area in June, three
to relieve divisions in Lorraine ant
the Vosgcs and two 10 the Paris area Il
join the group OF American divisions