New-York tribune., 1919-01-11
9th Division
Called Heroic
By Gen. Organ
Commander Pays Tribute to
New York's Own Which
Broke Hindenburg Line
Death Toll Was Heavy
lO7th Infantry Is Accorded
Special Praise for Its
Desperate Engagements

fy~& &A&~
Official recognition of their sterling
qualities as fighting men is given to
the soldiers of New ork's Own, the
9th Division, by their commanding
officer, Major General John f. -O'Ryan,
III series of field orders recently re-
ceived in this country by United States
Senator William NJ. Calder.
From KENNEL Hill to the Canal de
la Sambre the exploits of the 9th
won them undying fame in history and
evoked the commendation of their
commander, who characterizes the ac-
ton in which they participated and
which broke the Hindenburg line rs
one of the fiercest of the war.
Of this attack on the supposedly i'm
pregnable German defences, General
Organ said:
We have suffered the loss of some
of our best officers and men, but, un-
fortunately, such losses are incidental
TO battles of such magnitude. Only
divisions highly trained and dis
ciplined, possessing the greatest con-
fdence and morale and at the very top
OF their strength, could have accom-
plished what this division and our COM
rades of the 30th Division ACCOMPLISHED
in that great battle"
~ The toll the Germans paid in the
fight is described by Major General
O'Ryan in this manner:
I'm all the fighting the character of
the enemy's resistance and the extent
of his losses were indicated by the
large. number of enemy dead on the
field"
The 9th Division is composed of the
l05th, 106th, l07th, 108th Infantry, the
Machine Gun Battalions. the 1O2d
Signal Battalion and auxiliary troops.
The 1o5th is composed of the old
I'd, with headquarters at Troy; and
the list, with Colonel James M. An
drews, of the old I'd, in command. The
106th is composed of the old 14th and
23d of Brooklyn. The 107th is made
up of the old LIST, with headquarters at
Utica, and the 7th, with Colonel Willard
c. Fisk, originally in command. The
1o8th is made up of the Sd of Rochester
Edgar S. Jennings. The 102d Engineers
formerly were the 22d Engineers of
this city and the 18th of this city, the
10th of Albany and the 47th of Brook
lyn have been utilized to fill up the
quotas of other regiments in the di-
vision
The commanding officers tribute to
the 10Tth was:
Il wish to express my admiration and
respect for the valor of the officers
and men of the 107th Infantry so con-
+ipronS1,- Aar OF tod I1,r; ho los
thirty days.
Since the great battle for the
breaking of the Hindenburg line our
advance has given opportunities to in
spect the defcnces of that system. Our
attack of September 90 was directed
against what was probably the most
highly organized system of field de-
fences ever constructed. In that battle
the 10Th Infantry attacked on the left
half of the divisional sector of 1000
yards and during it's advance had to
defend its left flank against heavy
forces of the enemy operating from
Vandhuille and holding back the di
vision on our left. In the face of verit-
able hurricanes of fire from weapons
of every calibre and class the regi-
ment, by the leadership of it's officers
and the gallantry and determination
Of its men, broke the back of the main
NclCuCe lAHc ESSlSLdUCc, anu dC ttS
same time shattered all counter attacks
directed upon its flank
Almost continuously since that time
the division has been fighting and
marching, and the 107th Infantry has
continued its inspiring record for disci
pine and cheerful endurance in battle.
Lying in shell holes at night, attack
ing at dawn, fighting all day against
the most determined and cunning ma
rAo txs,<
tillery-repeating this the following
day, until the relief which meant lying
IN other she'll holes and pits in a posi-
tion OF close support-to experience
these privations with confidence and
cheerfulness unimpaired requires physi-
cal fitness and spirit in superlative de-
gree, and we'll indeed have you demon
strated their possession.
In the ten days of operations in
which you played so prominent a part
the division forced the crossing of the
lie Selle River, captured Bandival
farm, the town of Arbre Guernon, and,
IN cooperation with hanking divisions,
compelled the enemy to retire to the
Canal de la Sambre. 1t also captured
many hundreds Of prisoners and great
amount OF war material. In the opera
slons OF the last month the regiment
mas written some brilliant pages of
segimental history. All honor to the
memory of those gallant comrades who
died lin the accomplishment of what
vas achieved"
,ospeaking Of the part played by the
{vo'h infantry in the same engagement,
1ensral Organ said:
any impression made by attack upon
such defences would have been worthy
Of remark. That the 106th Infantry,
aiter most of the tanks had been put
out Of action. broke through them and
secured footings in the three strong
points, thus disorganizing the enemy's
feat
The valor of the officers and men of
tfe regiment is we'll indicated by the
location Of the bodies of their gallant
comrades who fell in the battle and by
.ne large number Of enemy dead about
them"