The L'Anse sentinel., 1919-02-07

lowing account OI Ineir dcIiNitleS,
written by E. A. Bachelor, staff cor
respondent of the Detroit News, will
be of interest to the people here.
In the beginning it must be clearly
understood that this is not complete
nor even an adequate history of the
32d Division. The whole story of the
32d Division never can be told because
some of its essential parts could be
furnished only by those brave men
among its former members who are
sleeping beneath the soil Of France.
There are some2 500 32d men lying
under the rude wooden crosses, or un-
der no cross at all.
Just how many have died in action
or of wounds probably never will be
known, because the casualty lists give
only an estimate of the number listed
as missing in action" who died or
were laid to rest in unmarked graves
or were buried without ceremony by
shell explosions.
There are many about the 32d avail
able, it is true, but the bare, cold state
ments of the official records have no
conception of the bravery, the self
sacrifice, the suffering of the heroes
living and dead, who brought to this
unit imperishable fame.
1t can not be stated as fact that the
32d Division, the Wolverines and the
Badgers Own-the unit whose red ar
row pierced the German lines in three
places where it was supposed to be
impregnable-was the best division
in the American Expeditionary Force
For no man, no group of men, is quail.
flied to pick the best division in the
American army. But if one can moi
say that the 32d was the best, certain
ly he can say "There was no better
And this is statement of fact borne
out by the records, and not merely ar
opinion, inspired by pride and state
patriotism.
The 32d, from the day it first went
into the lines in Alsace on May 1S-
the first division to plant the Ameri-
can flag on German soil-until it re.
ceived news of the signing of the arm
istice just as it was about to "jumI
off" in one Of its invincible attacks or
the morning of Nov. II, did every
thing that it was asked to do-and
did it superbly.
The division was 100 days in the
first line.
Of this time, Ga days were spent or
the Alsace front, officially designated
as "quiet" sector, but nevertheless
one that gave its tenants no chance tc
forget that there was war on.
The remaining SO days were devot.
ed to fighting, as fierce as any Of the
entire war, fighting that tested the
32d right down to the core and fount
it sound fPsMSAI!
The 32d was in four major actions
it faced no fewer than 20 divisions o.
German troops, including several di
visions of the famed Prussian guard
1t advanced total of SO kilometers
an average Of a kilometer day fol
the active sectors, every inch Of the
way bitterly contested.
And always its Red Arrow pointet
straight toward Berlin.
1t never has given foot of ground
and while there was a man left aliv,
it never would have.
The Wolverine Badger unit got it.
first tast te Of real fighting in thu
Marne sector. 1t was thrown in dur
ing the Allied counter-attack tha
started after the Boche was hurlet
back on the morning Of July 18th ant
that ended at IL m, Nov. IL. II
five days Of savage fighting the divis
ion chased the enemy opposite its sec
tor from the Ourcq to the Vesle. Ther
it held on for three days more. i
paid frightful price for the advances
Of II kilometers made in this action
and the graves Of its officers and mer
are numerous in the strip Of country
between the two rivers.
From the Vesle the division wa,
sent to the Scissors front, where Il
had five days in the front line. There
it was under command Of the famou1
Gen. Mangin, sandwiched for a time
between two Of the best divisions II
the French army, the Moroccans ant
the Foreign Legion.
The units next appearance in tn,
front line was in the Argonne- Meus,
sector from Sept. 80 to Oct. 20.
When the 32d was finally relieved
the men had reached the limit Of hu
man endurance.
For the fourth and last time the di
vision hurled itself against the Boch
on the east bank Of theMeuse, nea
Dun-sur- -Meuse. in the second week o
. November. It went into the line ol
the eighth, gave the enemy memor