The Cordova daily times. [volume] (Cordova, Alaska) 1914-1947, 1919-03-05

had hard fighting there, too. We we're
also quite busy for the first week
and were going night and day. There
are lots of men sent back gassed, but
the greater part of them are soon back
to duty.
The next place the division went in
was at the ST. Mihiel salient, and they
run the Hun from the tip of the
horseshoe to their objective, which
was a point even with the rest of the
line. We were on this front about
three weeks, and then moved over to
the Argonne Woods. This was very
difficult front; the Boches had it we'll
wired and held many strong points
from where they could command the
valley and woods. There was great
deal of artillery action, also aerial
action.
| The Americans had great number
of bombers, but it did not seem that
they were well equipped with combat
planes, but apparently they had good
protection for the bombers, for they
would go over the German lines in
waves of eight or ten planes, and it
was a common sight to see over hun
dred planes in the air at one time.
The night of October 31st the Amer
leans put on their big attack, which
broke down the Hun defenses and
made it possible to cut their main
lines Of communication with which
they supplied their armies, and with
out which they were forced to make
general retreat. We were in a small
village named Anthe, when the armis-
tice was signed November 18th, one
brigade of infantry from the division
had advanced as far as Sedan, when
they were relieved.
All during these different engage
ments we were kept very busy. Some
times we would be quite close to the
front and other times about five or six
miles back. 1t depended altogether
upon the front, whether an advance
was likely, or whether it would be a
standstill, and lots of fighting, where
our position was. At Champagne we
were about twelve kilometers behind
the line, and the morning of the ST.
Mihiel drive we moved up about two
kilometers ahead of our own artil-
lery.
Considering the active service our
unit has had, and the number of times
we have been under shellfre, it is
somewhat remarkable that we are all
we'll, and not full of holes today. l am
sure that every man in the outfit ap-
preciates the fact, now that the hard
days are, no doubt, over, that he did
go through the American part OF this
war from start to finish. We also ap-
preciate the fact that we are part of
the Rainbow division, representing
Oregon in the Rainbow, and we have
realized the responsibility to such an
extent that every man wanted to
make good, and he cid, and the unit
did
Another thing this little organiza-
ton has to be proud of, and that is
that we are the only original and all
Oregon unit in Germany with the
American army of occupation. All of
the other Oregon national guard out
fits had rather unfortunate luck, pos
sibly with the exception of the railway
engineers, which was organized at
Portland. The Third Oregon were sent
over here with the 41st division, which
was used as a replacement division,
so they lost their identity as a regi-
ment. and We're badly split up. The
Third Oregon was the best drilled
regiment of men have seen in the
army. and it was shame that they
did not go through intact
The soldering here in Germany is
pretty fine. and it surely makes one
realize that to the victor belongs the
spoils. All the soldiers have beds and
are quartered in houses, hotels and
public buildings, and l presume that
the German government, that is as
soon as they locate good one, pays
the bill The German people treat US
very courteously, and the shop keep
ers are making special arrangements
to keep the boys supplied with fancy
souvenirs, at fancy prices.
From all appearances we shall be
here for three or four months yet
am figuring on being home by July
LIST myself.