The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-02-08

wiped out with the exception of him
self and the major, going into Exer-
mont. Lieutenant Stark. who is from
Kansas City. also tells of the difficult
ties the 35th surmounted without ar
ti1lery or air support.
Our casualties must have been very
heavy in the Argonne," said Lieuten-
ant Stark. After / was wounded ON
the 2Sth and was in the hospital, I
met an officer of the First division,
which relieved ours. He told me that
his outfit spent all of the first day
after they relieved US in burying our
dead.'
The story of how W. Ray Wilson of
Missouri, top sergeant of a company
of the 10th engineers, won a citation
for heroic conduct and a recon-
mendation for a commission is told
here
Wilson, when the 18Th went over.
was regimental sergeant major of the
110th, but once at the front asked to
be reduced in rank so that he could
do his bit in the actual fighting. His
capability in the line came to atten-
ton and he was sent back to train
for a commission
When the big drive was impending,
Wilson asked to be sent back to his
company, giving up his almost won
commission in order to be with his
| fellows in the fighting. In the Ar
gonne, his immediate superiors being
numbered among the casualties, Will
son took command of the company,
assumed the responsibility of a COM
missioned officer and. held a valuable
section of trench against a terrific
batterins from machine guns and
artillery. He was cited and recon-
mended for an infantry commission.
EiShty-Ninth Got Mustard Gas.
The baptism of the S9th division in
mustard gas when it first went into
action at Toul is told here by Lieut..
c. II. Voorhees,, who was himself gassed
at the end of the same drive He was
with the 341st machine gun battalion.
The worst place when the area was
soaked in the deadly gas was encoun-
tered by the S54th infantry. Con-
/ fronting it was long rise which was
receiving an intensive Smelling from
the Germans At the foot of this,
! however, was a draw, a low spot with
sharply sloping sides which afforded
excellent shelter. When the section
was gassed, the heavy mustard vapor
rolled into this, Transforming it into
trap into which the men went PIa-
toon after platoon entered it, with big
casualties. After the gas had gone.
it is said, the very trees were burned
! to scared lrown, the height of the
/ burns showing the depth of the gas.
The seth was gassed again later in
the drive.
Lieutenant NOrheeS, VINO is from
Leavenworth, Kan, received the Croix
de Guerre for his exploit in leading
party which cleared a wood of ma
chine guns that were endangering his
men The wood. insufficiently. mop
ped up in the hurry of the quick in
fantry advance, contained a couple of
big machine gun nests which opened
fire on the 341st machine gun bat
talon as it followed the infantry Vor-
hees, receiving permission to try to
dlslodge them. took four men, and
hopping from hole to hole. lodging
| heavy but wild German fire. finally
gained the woods. Here two of his
men became separated. but with the
other two. and armed with two hand
grenades in addition to their revolt
verS, the Huns were successful routed,
all being killed or captured.
Casing of Company L.
Julius Tomasi of Company L of
the 356th infantry. seth division, tells
of the casing of Company I of the
same regiment on the Toul drive He
was in a patrol near Mont Sec, where
the S9th first went into the line in
actual fighting. which crossed four
entire lines of German trenches with
out encountering an enemy.
The S56th suffered comparatively
few casualties" states Tomasi, with
. the exception of the company which