The Dayton forum. [volume] (Dayton, Ohio) 1913-1949, 1919-01-31
by Ralph w. Tyler
Accredited Representative of the
Committee ON Public Information
ARTICLE x.

Ahl1ILE ~.
with the American Army in France.
lie Mans, December 20.Oae of the
units ef the American Army to arrive
here en- route fogs embarkation 70
America that has made good, without
having the glamour and spectacular
settings OF combat, is the 325th Field
Signal Battalion of the 92d Army Dis
vision, the only colored signal unit IN
the American Army. While this bat
TALON has not had to occupy front
line trenches, make raids for prison
ers, or march IN battle formation into
big engagements, ii must not be sup.
posed that it did not have danger
Gus, and a very dangerous, duty to
perform. The boys Of this battalion
had to string the wires for telegraphic
and telephone connections at times
when the enemy guns were trained
upon them; so, in many respects, their
duty took them into situations fully
as dangerous as combatant units.
This battalion is composed OF all
young coioredi men, save the lieuten-
ant colonel, major, and two or three
white line officers. They are all, with
few exceptions, college or high-school
boys, not few of them experts III
radio and electric engineering, and
those who were not experts in the
work when the battalion was formed,
are now most proficient men. Major
Spencer now lieutenant ~cnlonel, who
was responsible for the formation OF
this unit. was firm in the belief that
coiored boys could make good, and he
has remained with it long enough to
experience his belief becoming a real
ization. After arriving at Brest, June
10, the battalion proceeded to Vitrey,
and from that town began four-day
hike TO Bourbonne-les Rains, a dis
tance Of more than twenty miles.
From this point it proceeded, after q
few days, to Voisey, and ut Voisey the
boys got their first taste of what was
to be, later, their daily duties. Here
the radio company received its quota
OF the latest type Of French instru-
ments, battery plant was estab
lished, and full supply of telephones
and wire was issued to companies b
and G. Here, too, the infantry signal
platoons of the battalion joined the
outfit and shared in the training.
The first test Of real courage given
the men, and their first introduction
into real fighting, in addition to
stringing wires, and sending and re-
ceiving radio messages, came on the
afternoon of September 27, when
party OF laiason men, including the
colonel and lieutenant Herbert, lat
ter being colored, advanced beyond
the battalion r. c., and at the sugges-
tion of French soldier turned to the
left. They soon found themselves be-
yond their lines, and directly in front
of a German machine-gun nest. The
colonel divided his men into small
groups and advanced on the enemy's
position. This sortie resulted in the
signal boys capturing eight German
prisoners and two machine guns, but
the attack caused the loss Of Corporal
Charles b. Roykin, who did not re-
turn. I've days later, during general
advance, Sergeant Henry E. Moody, Of
the Battalion, was mortally wounded
while at his post. Boykin was killed
outright, while Sergeant Moody died
III the hospital from wounds received,
these being the first two OF the signal
battalion TO make the supreme sacri-
flee.
On the 10th of October, the 92d
Division took over the Marbache Sec
tor, relieving the l67th French Divi-
sion, and here, also, the 325th Field
Signal Battalion took over all existing
lines of Communications, and in the
days following installed new lines, and
maintained connections between the
various units of the 92d Division. This
was no small duty, when it is renaein-
bered that an army asector" extends
over wide area Of many square
miles, including IN il from fifty TO
one hundred cities and tcwns. The
Mafboehe sector was an aetlss Front,
ard tine and ZINE asain did thee
boys go ahead repairing Lines. egtah-
fishing new communications under
shell fire, with no thought of per-
.3onal danger, Inspired onis BY that