Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-06-07
TEXAS GETS
9Th INFANTRY.
War Department Decides to
Make This Home State of
Organization;

Camp Travis. Tex, June THE
Ninth United States infantry, now
stationed here. has been allotted Tex
as as its native state by the war de-
partment, and under the present
plans Of the department is expected
20 recruit its personnel entirely from
the Lone Star state. The fact that
the. Ninth infantry was stationed in
Texas at various places on the .Mexi-
can border prior to the world war
is regarded as one reason why Texas
was allotted to the regiment as its
"Eatfve heath"
The Ninth infantry's record in the
world war is a fine one. AS part
OF the Second division, the regiment
first went under fire in March, 1918,
when 1T took over from the French
a quite sector" which soon became
a very active sector. The Germans
knowing American troops had come
into the front line, welcomed them
with heavy artillery fire. and soon at
tempted a surprise attack. More than
five hundred Germans attacked at
night. and at first succeeded in break.
ing through the, American lines. The
Ninth infantry. however, came back
strong, and drove the Germans out
with losses more than twice as great
- ~ AoAOAN6 party ndO lnIllCL0Q.
The regiments first heavy fighting
came when it was ordered to Chateau
.Thierry district early in June, 1915.
At that time, OF course. the Germans
,drlvc toward Paris. was in full swing.
many believed it would succeed.
American troops however. stopped
h German advance in the Chateau
Ihlerry district, and the Ninth ihfan-
try took an active part in this resis-
lance After about five weeks OF.
lighting, a series Of engagements, Of
varying size and Importance, the regi-
ment was relieved July 10. 1t had lost
If0 men killed. wounded or missing,
and expected to be sent to a rest area
for some weeks.
A week later, however, the Ninth
was again ordered to the front, and,
ny a forced, night march through
rain and mud. reached the vicinity OF
scissors in time to go into action at
dawn. In two days Of extremely
heavy fighting. the Ninth infantry
was entirely successful in driving
back the Germans and taking the OBJ
%lectives assigned NO it. It paid dear,
however, for its losses totaled 1858,
or more than one man out Of every
three. For its work at Scissors the
reSinent was awarded the Croix de
Glerr" with gold star, which now
'ootHS ~" EeElI1enLdl cOlOrS.
After 4 few weeks in "a rest area.
spent drilling recruits sent to replace
its losses. the Ninth infantry took
part in the st. Mihiel drive. where it
captured 1,6o0 prisoners and a large
number of canon, locomotives, motor
vehicles, and machine guns.
From st. Mihiel. with little time
to rest. the regiment was sent to
Blanc Mont in the Champagne dis
tr1ct of France, where it was again
victorious, with heavy losses. Thence
it went into the Argonne fighting.
At one time the regiment advanced
So Tar and so fast that there were
Germans not only in front of it, but
on both sides and behind.
When fighting ended with the
signing Of the armistice. the regiment
lost since March more than its
complete Quota both of ymen and Off
GERS i'm killed. w~oundedtand, missing:
$50 killed: s.7ss wounded and l91
missing; Hardly -manorsahacer-o of.
the original membership of the regi-
ment had escaped unscathed.