New-York tribune., 1919-08-19
Veterans of Third Division
of Regulars. Who Fought
at Chateau Thierry and
Saved Paris, Come Home
Ranks Are Badly Trimmed
Took Part in Six Major
Engagements and Suf-
fered Heaviest Losses

Wearing the victory ribbon with six
stars, the first troops Of the Sd Divi.
sion Of regulars. the only American
DIVISION to take part in six ma or Of
fensives, returned yesterday on tho
troop transport Agamemnon. Known
best as "defenders of the Marne,' those
who came yesterday included the 9th
Machine Gun Battalion. 10 officers and
652 men; 18th Field Artillery. Supply
Company. Batteries A. B. c. d and Y,
32 officers and 954 men, and 3Sth In
fantry, Supply and Machine Gun COM
panies. officers and 332 men
The dough boys of the Sd battled val
orously at Chateau-Thierry. stopped
the Hun at the Aisne- Marine defensive,
drove him forward at the point of the
bayonet in the Aisne- Marine offensive,
and fought bravely in the Neslc. st.
Mihiel and the Meuse- Argonne often
sives
Division Fought Continuously
Originally commanded bv Major Gen
eral Joseph T. Dickman, the Sd Division
was one Of the three regular divisions
that suffered the heaviest losses in the
American Expeditionary Forces. Going
into battle at Chateau -Thieyry on May
81, IN the vanguard of all other Aivi-
sons. the troops remained in action an
til October p, withdrawing for rest
only after twenty-seven days OF con
tinuous fighting.
The contingent of the Sd Division
which arrived from Brest yesterday
was in command of Major w. P
Wheeler. OF Macon. Ga. commander of
the 9th Machine Gun Battalion
In Company D Of this organization.
one of the most famous units in the
American army is Sergeant Leroy
Bicknell, Of Westford, Mass. the most
decorated man on board tho Agamem-
non At Lunel Woods on October s a
machine gun squad was captured by
the Germans Sergeant Bickncll went
out alone, rescued the prisoners, killed
many of the enemy. and brought back
nine German captiVes with him lie
wears the Distinguished Service Cross.
the CroiX dc Guerre and the Medal
Militaire
The 9th Machine Gun Battalion suf-
fered $50 killed and wounded.
Checked Drive on Paris
When the Germans made their adj
vance toward the Marine the Third III
vision was in training. The oth
Machine Gun Battalion, motorized. was
the first unit to reach the Marine. 1t
held the bridges at Chateau Thierry
for twenty-four hours without either
artillery or infantry support, checking
the drive Of the Bochc forces until the
Second Division could come up. Off
cially, the battalion has been rccog-
nlzed by the French as the single unit
that at terrible cost, saved Paris.
The 3Sth Infantry, only part of
which arrived here Yesterday, is gen
orally credited with having been the
regiment commended by General Per
shlng IN his first official report, when
he told of its having held its position
IN the face of deadly fire from three
sides. To commemorate It's brilliant
adopted the title Of The Rock Of the
Marne." 1t has been cited bv hoth
French and American generals.
Fighters Ranks Trimmed
In command Of the machine com
pany Of the 18Th was CAPTAIN NJ
Sodeholm, Of Red Wing. MINI. Tho
company. which has three Officers and
ia men. includes bu, sixty Of it's orig
mai members, and most Of these rc-
joined it after the armistIce. HAVING
been wounded in previous battles. One
OF the original members to return
with the company was First Sergeant
l.. A. Murphy. of Cambridge. n. Y.
The exact date of the arrival of the
rest of the division is not yet known.
but it was said that the other units
are either on the sea or awaiting trans
portation at Brest. The units which
arrived yesterday will await the re-
malnder of the division at Camp Mills.
Altogether the Agamomnon carried
2,o52 officers, enlisted mon and vel
1are workers, not more than oHe-half
her normal capacity as troopshIp.