Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-06-05
317TH INFANTRY KNOWN
AS 'SHOCK" REGIMENT
Stood the Brunt of Two Unsuccessful Attacks in the
Argonne-NIeuse Region and Then Took
Position on Third Assault
ny CAPTAIN l.. II. TREDERICKS.

ny CAPTAIN l.. II. rREDEnlcKs.
-. Richmond today sees ono OF The
expcditiouagy forces. when the Three
Hundred and Seventeenth Infantry. OF
3S ts6 If,n n'bS;@'i p"r" crs rhis
regiment has been classified as shock"
troops since Hciooer -, when. after
dcs- Osous. in the Argonue- Mouse. Il
took tho position in "A third assault,
earning for thr entire division eta
tion BY the corps commander and For
its commander; Colonel Charles Keller.
q distinguished service medal.
The Three hundred and Scventeeth
Infantry WAS thrown into The line near
the little town of Nantillois. north o:
american assault against The hinge %
the German battle line. Il Was neces-
which curved down toward the MeuSe
River AT this point be broken in order
German artillery was throwing shells
into tho hacks or the at:acNins forces
attack came suddenly while ;Ae DIV: sion
Was oidinS a support 20s':3or follow
ing is attack on September - There
was no time - s<rU; oGt tn.. ground
The Th:ss HU@dred and Ssventeeuih
and the Three aand.ed and E.sa;esnia
Regiments We're thrown !D:o .he line
Force. Way Through Woods.
Before the Three lIGnd-e: ana
Seventeenth Infantry was the ESois-deS-
Qgons. .>lthoush d:sovsAn:7e6 from
lack wjthQU; prone. recon iSsance lie
: :n4ans6 r., ss'' @5Sa. fg5ESa s
rre from the Hanks and a s:-onc
oultnler-aitaek had forced the line -
made ana again the s:Ubboruiy fEh:-
ING units We're thrown back The =
~ N =. c9 M HHae: vas eyacaai"d 70
teDant-coloncl cook command % til.
regiment. He Immediately attempted
OF success un,!! orders k-cng 'btrhsr
authority demanded another frontal
The new rec!mental commander or
aere4 All company And platoon com
He asked that the men make the sac
T!hce nHces:sary 10 iake me position on
entire First Army rested
Gas Clouds Confronted Men
a cold october sun was sinking in
the west and gas clouds were creeping I.
down the damp ravines when tho word
to attack Went out. a few supporting
rushed into position without !
a chance 20 register, attempted TO sup /.
port the movement. Well-trained Ger |.
the woods with high explosive and |
shrapncl. and the highly trained and !
disciplined machine gunncrs or one OF !
the crack divisions OF the Prussian |
Guard threw bands OF machine-gun Are
across the entrance 10 the wood The
thin khaki line crept forward from
shell hole TO she'll hole, they dis
appeared in The woods. From the Ger
man artillery came salvo after salvo
of shell fire. and the woods cracked |
with thermite and reeked with gas.
Watch for Signal In Sky.
Before a shattered dugout whose roof ,
shell, in fun view of the artillery OBJ /
servers on the heights, who threw great |
mortar shells about the little group !
Colonel Keller and his staff watched F.
the progress of the fight. The last ray
OF light had faded from tho west and !
the lurid lights OF the German flares |
We're writing into tho sky along the !
battle line from Brieulles. when over
the shc!l-torn trees of the coveted !
woods the manifold lights OF cater
pillar rockets spelled 10 the watchers !
the long hopcd-for word: collective !
reached"
That night the exhausted regiment
was relieved. and other units OF the |
Blue Ridge Division heat back the de-
icrm!ncd and inevIiab bic counter-attacks
OF the Soche shock divisions. But,
though their casualties We're many and .
be given several weeks rest behind the /.
line after such an effort. within three [
weeks tn: reg incnt once more WAS lined /
up Tor INC taking OF the great BuZancy +!
massive after another regiment had
been discEgani2ed by the determined I
resistance OF the Boche before their /
last stronghold south OF Sedan. Four
days later the division was relieved
thirty kiloTnetcrs further north after
having chased Won Ciollowitzs fleeing /.
divisions from imecourt through Beau .
mont. IisgE9a
I-.e1,enan;-Gene-al Billiard. a. That /
,im- commander OF the Third Corps 4
cited n.s entire division for the cap
tu-e of ne i;o.s ces Osons. The cita-
t.c:. ,1.!Owa
'J-9er ;n= PRESSURE q great events.
! at tas Time commanding the Third
Corps. - "H. \ ne E:gntieth Division
men ot.oHsef failed 70 cite the gal
ant conduct q the division In making
,h-es successive. assaults with grea:
bravery, and finally taxing and driv-
~. tn sr.'r" from he Bots tes Ogoas
u the 1rcaL battle OF the Meuse-Ar-
Eonue. ! cite 3. now. II wAs truly ad-
rn!-a5-n "c sce :; now more plainly
~ ina light u the results that fol-
owed"
The citation with which General
fersAs PINNED INC DISTINGUISHED Ser
F!tc media. on the breast o. the regi-
mental commander Al :, review Of the
iie ,ooH command o. a regiment a,
= 3d. 2 = Er