The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1920-04-23

MAJOR NJ l. G. and Motor Transport Officer Of the Rainbow
Division.
Somewhere motor transport corras of the army in
france there parked group of of abuances
that have GMC their radiators What their future will
who can say!
But their past is glorious record of service They are
the amuances that followed the fortunes of the Rainbow D
vision through five in France ended their
tive service at Singh on the Rhine
In addition to their battle records their mileage total of
active service $4,000 miles of practically unbroken
driving with an average OF ten miles to the gallon of gasoline
Moreover in their there accurate account of
$4,000 wounded and sick back hospitals Them
to nothing of the thousands whose
tanned
And to tell just briefly what these GMC trucks did in
France is to tell their value
After preliminary training in France we were trans
ferred to the Luneve sector where were brgaded
the fourth French army wide front During stay
this vicinity evacuated 600 casualties with the GMC As
the practically new had only minor troubles
From there went into Baccaratt the first
over entirely by American troops Up to the time of
this questionable line had been practically dominated by
the Germans and their artillery especially active eff
cent This made necessary evacuate all the wounded
night and the nexperence of drivers in handling
sheorn roads, without lights increased the number
casualties among the trucks In this sector took back 653
wounded.
The division then thrown the Champagne 'front.'
and took part in the battle in that sector.
The majority Of the casualties from artillery fire
Due to the highly cultivated state of the ground this portion
Of the line the ground rich in making wounded
particularly susceptible gangrene) immediate evacuation
necessary, few hours delay made slight scratch
fatal.
The wounded were sent back more than fifty kometers
There 1870 carried by GMC's during this
action and part Of the time the ambuances under
AS the Hun advance had been stopped here
division rushed TO Chateau Therry by train In this
tie we evacuated, not only from division, but
from the adjoining French and American forces the
long distance had be travelled had been the Champagne
defensive We evacuated $50 officers and 5469 listed casual
ties
GMC trucks also took part in the St Mihic offensive
der severe road conditions
Because of the cold weather the time of the Argonne
Meue offensive there large amount of Sickness dyenery
and fever addition to the battle casualties. 1t
evacuate the wounded kometers the
shebroken roads already congested with troops going to the
front in the offensive While records show that the trucks
division, they carried thousands of other sick and
wounded soldiers
After the signing Of the armstice through
Belgium and Luxembourg the Rhine The GMC trucks
into this hike without overhaung following the last bat
tie service Some of them badly rdded with shrapne
and machine bullets truck having eighty five holes in
its body, When reached Germany and checked up
records found that $4,000 had passed through the
Rainbow Division that get fairly clear idea Of
the number of wounded that taken of by GMC
balances
In that entire year of fighting only GMC ambulances
of commission for than thirty hours and two
of these met with accidents The weekly repair per-
centage per which is per less than allowed
under the estimate trucks of this class in peace
-Four GMCs lost entirely being destroyed by direct
tillery hits
Our GMC's entitled to three service stripes and from
parts 100 per cent vehicle could be- They
certainly entitled in my opinion medal for having
saved boys who otherwise would never come back