Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-09-29

The chief of staff General Peyton
c. March, expressed the official
opinion of the War Department as
to the merits of the Twenty eighth
Division when, at the time of the
parade in Philadelphia on May Is,
he wrote as follows:
The parade OF the Twenty eighth
Division in Philadelphia calls to
mind the unusual service of this
splendid body of men. The Iron
Division was eminently a fight
ing division, having. spent eighty
days ir line, and forty nine of
these, or considerably more than
| half, in active sectors. It suffered
heavier casualties than any other di-
vision of the Army drawn from the
original National Guard, and among
the divisions that served in France
its casualties were fourth in num-
ber, being only surpassed by the
First, Second and Third Divisions of
Regulars. Fifty-eight of it's mem
bers were awarded the Distinguished
| Service Cross for exceptional gall
! lantry. 1t was one of the four Ma
tional Guard divisions selected for
the first Army of Occupation, and
the divisions chosen for this pur-
pose were from the most effective.
A Proud Record
THE Twenty-eighth Division re-
turns to its native State with a rec
ord which has caused its numerical
designation, Twerty-eight, to be re-
tanned as one of the numerical des-
! ignations of the permanent divisions
which it is hoped to establish for
the Regular Army. Its record is
not only matter of pride to Perm
sylvanians-all Americans are proud
of it,
AS a memory refresher, the dates
that follow are milestones in the
path of progress in the history of
the Twenty eighth Division:
1917 ......
July 15-National Guard of Penn
sylvana called into Federal service.
Aug. 5-Designated the Twenty
eighth division and made part of
the Army.
Nov. Is. - Reorganization at
Camp Hancock, Augusta, Ca. along
war-strength specifications.
1918
May 3-Division sails for France.
May 1S-Divisior headquarters
arrive at Calais.
July 1.-Two platoons of the One
Hundred and Eleventh Infantry at
tack Hill 204, west of Chateau
July 7-Division designated as re-
serve for Thirty eighth French
Army Corps.
July 16-One Hundred and Elev-
enth Infantry enters the line on the
Marne.
July 27-Fifty- fifth Brigade takes
over Ourcq sector from Fresnes to
Roncheres.
Aug. 6-Twenty- eighth Division
| ,;,f,y
along the Vesle river.
Sept. S-Twenty- eighth relieved
by French SiXty-third Division,
Sept. 2O-Prepares for great Arr
gonne drive -
Sept. 26-Battle in Argonne be-
gir3 and Twenty eighth advances
beyond Chatel- l-Chehery. ...
Oct. 9-Relieved by Eighty-scc-
ond Division. ..s
Oct. 16-Twenty-e eighth Division.
takes over Thiaucourt sector.
Nov. 11-Armistice signed.
Nov. 1S-Division wins right to
wear gold chevron for six months7
service overseas.
March 10-Review and inspectioW
by General Pershing.
March 24-First unit of the divis
sion. the One Hundred and Third
Trench Mortar Battery, arrives in
Hoboken.
May 12-Last urits reach thkS
country.
May 15-Division paraded m
Philadelphia.
Colonel Leonard P. Ayres, chieH
of the statistics division of the gen.
eral staff which recently issued n
book on the American effort in the
war with Germany, has some inter-
esting facts about the Twenty
/ eighth.
In one place, the number. of SOL
diers furnished by all States of the
Union shows that Pennsylvania was
second with 297,S91, or 1893 per
cent. of the total. New York alone
leads us.
The Twenty eighth Division spent
thirty-one days in quiet sectors and
forty-nine in active fighting during
their entire time on the front.
I, They advanced ten kilometers
against the enemy, but this informa-
tion is very deceiving, as the ten
kilos taken by the Iron Division
! were ten of the most difficult to
be taken during the entire attack.
They took 921 prisoners. which Il
very significant to the careful OBJ
server.
The casualties suffered by the
Twenty eighth Division were the,
fourth greatest in the entire A.
e. F., battle deaths numbering
| oss1 and the wounded 13746