The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1919-03-06
Lowell Carter
Tells of Marines

l
cupational forces in Germany, has
written to Homer L. Strickland Of this
city. in which he recounts some oi
the achievements OF the second div
ision in the nshtine in France. Mr.
Carter 10 member Of the second bat
TALON. 9Th regiment, U. 8. Marine
corps. and was participant in some
of the heaviest fighting on the western
battle front. His letter, which Ii
dated at Rhembrohl, Germany, Janu.
AIRY 21. follows:
How is everybody and everything
in dear old Canon City. yourself and
family included? am o. X. but II is
sure lonesome around here with abso
lutely nothing to do. suppose my
mother has told You something about
me and where have been since com.
ing over here?
After the armistice was signed we
started out on a hike to the Rhine. II
took us about rs days to make the trip
and It took me about the same length
of time after we got there to get over
the weariness OF the experience. We
hiked something like 20 miles a day
with our packs and rifles. weighing al
together about so pounds. About night
they seemed to weigh fully 900 pounds.
You should consider yourself lucky
that you did not have to come over in
this outfit. II was not so bad while
we were in the States, but this Euro
peau business is no good. War certainly
is hell. ! will endeavor to give you
some idea OF what our division did ON
the firing line. 1t was the best div
ision in France, or was In that country
while the fighting was in progress.
Il landed In France the first of
June. just in time to get intp the scrap
at Chateau Thierry. suppose you
heard about that affair at the time
OF its occurrence. In July we went over
and got the enemy at scissors. II
was tough Job. but we tackled 1t
good and strong. We had 225 men in
our company when we went in We
had IS when we came out. The rest
were either killed or wounded
Then we were ordered to st. Mihiel
for the FIRST sllAmerican drive. Our
division led the army of attack and
on the left and right took detectives
that were scheduled for two days. in
one After that we were supposed to
go back for rest and we had a few
days Of idleness and recreation back
Of the lines The French troops were
at that time. trying TO make a drive
ION the Germans on the Champagne
sector. but had become stuck by the
resistance Of the enemy and they
called for the second division to help
them out. We went to their assistance
and found that the task there was far
from an easy one. but we undertook II.
The Boches had their best men on that
front and we were engaged there three
days. We advanced nine miles and lost
half Of our company We took Mont
Blanc, one Of their strongest positions
and they had to retreat for 3s miles
TO entrenchments back OF the river.
The 30th division followed them and
we promised months rest. We got
our command replaced with the needed
men and they then called on us to take
part in the final drive at Argonne for
est. There we advanced 30 miles in
four days and had ssiy one man killed
and about ten wounded. The Germans
had quit.
During all Of this time ] did not
have bed to sleep ON and only one
or two changes of clothes. don't
think any OF us had an opportunity to
take bath. II was a strenuous per-
iod and about all a soldier could do
was to meet the requirements OF the
situation. The third division is com
posedof the NTH and sixth regiments
of marines. 9th and 23rd regiments of
infantry. the 18th, 18th and 18th regi.
ments OF field artillery and the 2nd
engineers. Its casualties In the tight
ing. 732 officers and 23.653 elisted
men. 1t captured from the Germans
12.026 prisoners. one fourth of the en-
tire number taken by the American
army in France. II captured 343
canons, or one quarter Of all the artil-
llery taken by the A. E. F. What do
you think OF that for fighting record
There are sure lot Of scraperps in
the second division, but many OF them
are now sleeping somewhere in
France
well. Homer, ] can talk French,