Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1920-04-09
History Of Corps, lust issued
Shows That $500 Officers
and Men Were Lost.
1858 DECORATIONS GIVEN
Twelve Thousand Prisoners Were TAX.
en- by Marines During War-Cred.
tied With Many Important
Achievements-3o,0 900 Sent
Overseas.

New Yorkshire united StateS ma
rlne corps was increased from 13,725
TO 75.101 officers and men, including re.
serves, lost $500 officers and men, and
cost the government $39,9iS,74S IN pay
and allowances from April g. 1917, the
day the United States entered the war,
to November II, 1918, the day hos
tllties ceased, according to n prelim-
mary History Of the United States
Marine Corps in the World War" just
issued. The history is the work of
Major Edwin n. Mcclellan, officer in
charge Of the historical division of the
marine corps.
Major Mcclellan indicates the ire
mendous growth of the corps In the
statement that its approximate
strength at the end Of the Civil war
was only 300, and only 1880 at the
conclusion of the Spanish var. He
emphasizes also the rapidly with
which the marines were modified for
active overseas service In para
graph to the effect that, although there
were 1877 officers and 4,546 enlisted
men on duty beyond the continental
limits of the United States when this
nation entered the war and 40 officers
and 2.1S7 enlisted men were serving
on board the cruising vessels of the
navy. Il took only five weeks to organ.
tie and make ready for active serv.
ice the Fifth regiment of marines, con
sisting of 70 officers and 1850 men,
approximately onesixth Of the strength
Of the corps.
Sail for France.
The Fifth regiment sailed for
France on the Henderson, De Kalb and
Hancock on June II, 1917, forming
one-ffth of the first expedition Of
American troops for service in France.
The Fifth was Joined soon afterward
by the sixth regiment and the Sixth
machine gun battalion Of marines and
the Fourth brigade of marines was or
ganized. The Fourth brigade, as one
of the two infantry brigades of the
Second division of regulars, engaged
in actual battle, Major Mcclellan says
in no less than eight distinct opera
tons in France, of which -four were
major operations.
OF the recognition accorded the
achievements Of marines, Major Nc.
Clellan says
THE French army recognized the
splendid work of the Fifth and Sixth
regiments of marines by citing them
no less than three times in army or.
ders for achievements In the Chateau
Th!erry sector. Since two French
army citations are sufficient to make
an organization eligible for the award
Of the French Fourragere, the high
standard of the marine units Is evi
dent Information was received In
January 1920, that the war depart
ment had accepted the award of the
French fourragere In the colors Of the
ribbon of the Croix de Guerre for sew
cral army organizations and three
units of the Fourth brigade"
10000 Sent Abroad.
The steady progress of the work Of
sending marines abroad Is indicated by
Major Mcclellan in the statement that
within year after the outbreak OF
the war the marine corps had placed
about as many enlisted men In France
ms there were in the marine corps
when the war was declared. During
the period of the war approximately
10000 marines were sent overseas t.
Join the American expeditionary forces
and 1900 for naval duty ashore.
During the month of June, 1873
says Major Mcclellan, when the bat
tie deaths around Hill 142, Yourselves
Beleau Wood and Vaux of Americans
attached to the Second division