Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1919-01-07
"THE TERRIBLE BRIGADE,

| The 32nd Division now holding part
| of the Watch on the Rhine" for
America, has borne so gallant a part
IN the great war as to attract special
attention in the midst of a world of
herOTc deeds. The division won from
the French the name of the Terrible
Brigade splendid tribute from a
nation that for four years had been
accustomed to heroic fighting.
Wisconsin has an especial right to
be proud of this division since more
than one-half of the men came from
this state. 1t was typically Wiscon-
sin division in every respect One
THIRD OF its members were of German
blood descent. There was a large
slavic representation, and one battery
the 121st, recruited in Milwaukee,
contained more than twenty nation
alities. There were not lacking
those who more than limited that
division so composed would be lack
ing morale. The slur was wiped
out in blood in France.
The division reached France in Feb
ruary and March and was reported
fit for the fighting line in May. On
May 10th it moved to the front and
remained there, with scarcely a rest
interval until November Sth.
During all that time it was in
volved in the bloodiest fighting of
the war. 1t received the great honor
of being especially cited for it's 'splen-
did work by the French staff. It's ar
tillery brigade, two-thirds of which
was recruited in Wisconsin pariici-
pated in the capture of more terri
tory than any other artillery bri-
gade in the American Expeditionary
Force.
The "Stars and Stripes" the Of
ficial publication of that Force, said,
in its issue of November 22nd, 1918:
The 32nd is made up largely
of men from Wisconsin and
Michigan. On the Ourcq and
Vesle it won from the French
the name of "The Terrible Bri-
gade," and the 32nd, before get
ting its role in the Argonne was
used by General Mangin as the
spearhead of one of his mighty
thrusts below the st. Gobain
Forest.
Because of the very great interest
of Wisconsin people in this division,
and because of is heavy losses the
Wisconsin loyalty Legion has made
arrangements to secure full informa-
tion concerning the casualties most
OF which has not been published, and
to answer all questions concerning
the men who made the last great
sacrifice. The Legion is the more
anxious to perform this fitting duty
because a very large percentage of
the men who enlisted in this division
from Wisconsin were secured through
the recruiting campaign of the Legion
and its predecessor the Wisconsin De-
tense League.
The 32nd is composed entirely of
volunteers who answered the very first
call for troops. At that time the fed
for recruiting and called upon the Wis
consin Defense League for aid. The
League put its entire machinery at the
service of the nation, and for many
weeks, was the main recruiting agency
in Wisconsin.
State Headquarters of the Wisconsin
Loyalty Legion at Milwaukee has an
nounced that the chapters of that or
ganizatiol, one of which is located in
this city, will be enlisted in the work
of disseminating the information rela-
tive to the boys of this famous division.
A circular letter of instruction regard
ing the method of procedure in this
work which will be of deepest interest
to the thousands of relatives of the
boys of the 32nd division in this state,
will be sent to the chapters in the near
| future.
The Legion is also trying to make
arrangements to procure information
relative to Wisconsin boys in other
divisions over seas and if successful,
will proceed to put it into the hands
of the relatives and friends at home
Relatives in this city of boys at the
front can make doubly certain receiv-
ing this information by dropping line
to the Wisconsin Loyalty Legion, 226
First National Bank, Milwaukee, Wis
consin.