Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-01-30
LEGION OF HONOR
TOD. c. OFFICERS
Col. Holcomb and Maj. Shuler
Share in Awards of
Second Division.
252 GIVEN DECORATIONS
BY JINItS n. NOOD.
CabIcEram to The Evening Star and
Chicago Daily News. Copyright i9i"

COBLENZ- Germany. January - tde-
Iayed).-The valiant work of the Ameri-
can I'd Division in the Champagne bat
tie of October 2-1h. whom driving the
wedge attack 10y which Cen. Petain
forced the Germans to retreat twenty
kilometers G2 miies) northeast OF
Rheims. was recognized today.
On the heights of VaIIender overlook
ing the Rhine on tine anniversary Of the
kaiser's birthday four Legion of Honor
decorations. PAS French war crosses, the
largest single presentation in the his
tory of the war. were pinned TO the
breasts of heroes of that fight.
These who were decorated with Legion
OF Honor for the Champagne fight were
Col. James e. Rhea. chief Of staff. OF
Texas: Lieut. Col. Thomas w. Holcomh
of the eth Marines. Washington. D. C;
Lieut. Col Alfred C Arnold, 9Th In
fantry. St Johnsbury. Vermont, and
Maj George c. Shuler. 6th Marines.
Washington, d. {.
Makes Remarkable Advance.
In the Champagne engagement the
cd Division. which was attached to
the French in the first hours of the
fighting. advanced six kilometers tS-6
miies) ahead of the French right and
three and one-haif kilometers (210
miles1- ahead of the French left. cap
tured Blanchmont and held the ex-
posed division. The battlH halted until
Marshal Foeh telephoned, giving un-
limited objectives After the fighting
the I'd Division was relieved by the
36th American Division.
Maj. Gen John A. Lejeune of the
United States Marines made the pres
entations. Four officers received the
red ribbon and rosette of chevalier of
the Legion OF Honor, nineteen the red
and green ribbon with palm of the
croix de guerre and seventy-five with
the star. Twenty-seven non-commis-
stoned officers and enlisted men re-
ceived the cross with palm or star.
The I'd Division stands with the 1st
Division in the unqueStioned first
place in the American Army so far
as concerns the number of fights in
which ii was engaged without failing
TO gain it's objectives, and also in its
indomitable spirit. despite all punish
ment and loss of life. Its ranks were
depleted many times, but the division
spirit never died. When the ranks
were refiIIed with green requirements
the new men were imbued with the
same confidence which made the name
. cf the division terrifying -byword
among the Germans.
Tells of Some of Their Feats.
am now able to give hitherto un-
published facts in the history of the
division from the time that it took
up its position on March Is until the
armistice was signed Based OH the
oretical strength of division of
2s.180 officers and men, it's losses were
so per cent To make comparisou,
the 9th Divisions losses were - per
cent.
The losses fell heaviest on the in
fantry regiments The Sd Brigade,
consisting of the 9th and 23d regi-
ments, lost 121 per cent: the 4th Bri-
gade. consisting of the 5th and 9Th
marine regiments, lost 136 per cent.
the regiments had to be brought up
TO full strength. The I'd Artillery
Brigade which was a part of the I'd
Division. lost IL per cent and the I'd
Engineer Regiment S4 per cent. 9th
er organizations. comprising nearly
half the divisional strength, lost only
4 per cent.
The heaviest losses of the division
in any single engagement were at
Chateau Thierry. when the German
advance toward Paris was stopped
and the turning point in the war
came This was on June , The
losses of the division on that and on
subsequent days were 81 officers and
$3.50 men killed, wounded missing
and gassed. The Sd Brigade lost SO
per cent ard the 4th Brigade 81 per
cent The latter occurred in the Bois
de Beileau fighting.