Evening star., 1919-09-17
STORY OF THE FIRST TO FIGHT
THE FOE. LAST TO LEAVE FIELD
Personnel of Division Parading Today
i Given, With Chronological History
ofEvents of Career.

Sd Ambulance Company and Sd Field
18th Ambulance Company and 18th
Field Hospital
18th Ambulance Company and 18th
Field Hospital.
"First" in Many Things.
The 1st Division was first in France.
first in line. first to open fire. first to
suffer casualties. first to capture pris-
oners. first to raid. first to be raided
first in length of time spent in the front
line, first in Germany. but - last to
leave" Thus the work Of the division
is summed up: A chronological history
of the 1st Division follows:
June, 1917-Organized.
June 13-First units sailed from Ho-
boken.
October 21-1st Division went into the
line in the Luneville sector southeast
of Nancy.
October 23-Battery C, 6th Field Ar
shot that signaled Americas active
participation in the war. Shot fired
at sos a m.
November s-Division suffered first
Enright: Private Hay of Company F,
18th Infantry. killed when their pla-
toon was isolated by box barrage
and raided.
Winter. 1s17-First Division reltev-
ed and received additional training.
January 19. I91s-First division
took over from the French a portion
OF the lime twenty kilometers north
west of Tou1. and known as the 1oul
sector: First time Americans occu-
War Department.: First Division is
considered At for any seryce"
April 4--Relieved from Toul sector
and sent by rail into Picardy.
April .25-Took over a sector 'front.'
Ing Cantigny. a position Of honor.
May 28-Twenty-eighth Infantry Of
the list Division took Cantigny.
July 8 and 9-Withdrew from Cam
tigny for rest to the area Of Dam
July 1s-First Division begin attack
on scissors at dawn. During hext
three days the division reached the
ns-Chateau-Thierry road and
took Berzy-le-Sec. suffering 1000 cas-
July 27-In rest billets near Dam
martin.
August 1-on way back to roul
sector taking over quiet Saizerais
sector on the west bank of the Mo-
selle.
August 30-In training in the area
ABOUT vaucouleurs preparatory to the
st. Mihiel operation.
Begins St. Mihiel Drive.
September 12-First American Army
began drive on St Mihiel salient The
1st Division, a part of the 4th Corps.
was placed at the extreme left Of
the line of the 1st and 4th Corps.
pivoting on the Moselle, to swing
northward. Being at the end of the
line. the 1st Division had the greatest
number OF kilometers to advance.
September 13-St. Mihiel salient
wiped out.
September 14-1st Division with
wood.
September 2s-Moved to the woods
east OF Neuiliy. preparatory for the
Meuse-Argonne offensive.
October 4-11-Advanced seven kilo-
meters. took all objectives and was
relieved only because of exhaustion
and depletion of the troops.
October 12-Relieved and proceeded
to the area north of Barbecue,
where It was RENTED, received re-
placements and resumed training.
October 31-On the march again
November 6-Reached the Meuse at
Mouzon-
November 7Occupied the heights
south Of and overlooking Sedan. The
French. for sentimental reasons, re-
served to themselves the capture Of
Sedan, and the LIST Division was glad
to yield. k
november 8-lSC- D4VlSlOn assem- OleQ
near LIE Besace.
Armistice Comes.
November 1.-THE armistice found
the 1st Division near Buzancy. Opera
tions Of the 1st in the Argonne, from
October to November II, cost 1887
officers and men killed, wounded and
missing, the greatest loss suffered by
any division in that offensive.
November 17-First Division starts
on the march for the Rhine.
November ,20-Erontier of Luxem-
burg crossed.
December 1-Twenty-sixth Infantry
of the 1st Division crossed the Mo-
selle at wormeldingen. the first
American troops to set foot on Ger
December 1S-covered the bridge
: September 10, 1s1s-First Division
paraded in New York, led by Gen.
John J. Pershing, commander of the
American expeditionary forces. -
September 17-First Division parade
in Washington. led by Gen. Pershtng.
Out of the thousands who passed
through the ranks of the list Division.
209 officers and 1880 enlisted men are
sleeping in France.
- - - 49, u