Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1920-06-07
REG|.
MENT
Ninth Infantry Allotted to
Lone Star State to Re-
cruit Entire Per-
sonnet.
RECORD
In Famous Drives of war as
Part of Second Divi-
sion.
RECORD
(By the Associated Press.)

Camp Travis, Tex, June 1.-THE 9tl
United States Infantry, now stationed
here, has been allotted Texas as it.
native state by the war department
and under the present plans of the de
partment is expected to recruit its per
lsonal entirely from the Lone Star State
The fact that the 9th Infantry was
stationed in Texas at various places OF
1.-THE Mexican border prior to the world
war is regarded as one easOn VIII!
Texas was allotted the regiment as it,
native heath"
The 9th Infantry's record in ths
world war is a fine one. AS part OF
the End division, the regiment first
went under fire in March, 1918, When
it took over from the French a 'quie,
sector" which soon became a very ac
tive sector. The Germans knowing
American troops had come into the
front line, welcomed them with heavy
artillery fire, and soon attempted a sur
prise attack. More than five hundred
Germans attacked at night, and at first
succeeded in breaking through the
American lines. The 9th Infantry, how.
ever, came back strong, and drove the
Germans out with losses more than
twice as great as the raiding party had
inflicted.
At Chateau mierry.
The regiments first heavy fighting
came when it was ordered to Chateau
Thierry district early in June, 1918. AT
that time, of course, the German drive
toward Paris was in full swing, and
many believed it would succeed. Amer.
lean troops, however, stopped the Ger
man advance in the Chateau Thierry
district, and the 9th infantry took an
active part in this resistance. After
about five weeks of fighting, a series Of
engagements of varying size and i'm.
p%ortance, the regiment was relieved
July 10. 1t had lost 74O men killed
wounded or missing, and expected to be
sent to a rest area for some weeks
A week later, however, the 9th al
again ordered to the front, and, by a
forced night march through rain and
mud, reached the vicinity of Scissors
in time to go into action at dawn. III
two days of extremely heavy fighting,
the 9th infantry was entirely success
full in driving back the Germans and
taking the detectives assigned to it. 1t
paid dear, however, for its losses to.
tailed 1853, or more than one man out
of every three. or its work at Sois.
sons the regiment was awarded the
Croix de Guerer with gold star, which
now adorns its regimental cOlors.
In st. Mihiel Drive.
After a few weeks in a rest area,
spent drilling recruits sent to replace
Its losses the 9th Infantry took part
in the st. Mihiel drive, where it cap
tuerd 1900 prisoners and a large mum
Der of cannon, locomotives, motor We
hicles, and machine guns.
From st. Mihiel, with little time to
rest, the regiment was sent to Blanc.
Mont in the Champagne district of
France, where it was again victorious,
with heavy losses. Thence it went into
the ArgOnne fighting.
At one time the regiment advanced
SO far and so fast that there we're Ger
mans not only in front Of it, but Oh
both sides and behind.
When fighting ended with the sign
ing Of the armistice, the regiment had
lost since March more than its com
pletc quota of men and officers in kill
ed, wounded, and missing; 5S4 killed,
1896 wounded and 191 missing. Hard
ly a man or officer of the original men,
bership of the regiment had escaped
unscathed.