Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1920-01-02

~,nued toward Sedan with incre. snt
-wiftness.
Munitions.
our entry into the war fonH1 is
with few of tile auxiliaries neressaf
for its conduct in the modern sens
The task Of the ordnance deparim
in supplying artillery was especial
iificult In order TO meet our require
ments as rapidly as possible we &c
cepied the offer of the French govern
ment to supply US with the artillery
equipment of 75's. 155 nm. howitzor
and l55 G. R. F. guns from their ow
/ factories for 80 divisions. The wis
dom of this course was fully demon
strated by the fact that although "
soon began the manufacture of thes
classes Of guns at home there were
no guns of American manufacture o
the calibers mentioned on our front al
the date of the armistice.
The only guns of these types pro
duced at home which reached France
before the cessation of hostlities were
100 70 nm. guns.
In addition "a S-inch howitzers from
the United States reached our front
and we're in use when the armistice
was signed. Eight 14-inch La val guns
Of American manufacture were set up
on railroad mounts, and most of these
we're successfully employed on the
Meuse- Argonne front under the ell
cient direction of Admiral Plunkett of
the navy.
Aviation.
In aviation we were entirely de-
pendent upon our allies. and here
again the French government came to
our aid until our own program could
he set under way. Without going into
complete discussion of aviation ma
terial il will be sufficient TO state that
il was with great difficulty chat we OBJ
taiued equipment even for training.
As for up-t0-date combat planes the
development at home was slow and
we had to rely upon the French, who
provided US with q total of 2,GTj pur-
suit. observation and bombing ma
chimes.
The first airplane received from
home arrived in May, and altogether
we received 1879 planes Of the De
Haviland type. The first American
squadron completely equipped by
American production, including air
planes crossed the~German lines on
August Z, 1918. As to our ayiators,
many of whom trained with our allies,
it can be said that they had no supe-
riors in daring and in fighting ability.
During the battles Of st. Mihiel and
Meuse-Argonne our ayiatOrs excelled
all others. They have left a record
Of courageous deeds that will ever re
main a brilliant page in the annals of
our army.
Tanks Made Fine Record.
In the matter Of tanks we were
compelled to rely upon both the
French and the English. Here, how
ever, we were less fortunate for the
reason that our allies barely had suf-
fcient tanks to meet their require
ments. While our tank corps had lin
tied opportunity, its fine personnel re-
sponded calamity on every occasion,
and showed courage of the highest or 4
der.
The chemical warfare service repre-
sented another entirely new departure
In this war. Whether or not gas will
be employed in future wars is 4 mat
Ter of conjecture, but the effect is SO
deadly to the unprepared that we can
never afford to neglect the question. ,
The general health of our armies !
lnder conditions strange and adverse :
n many ways to our American expert I
nee and mode of life was marvellous {
v good OF all deaths in the Ameri- t
an expeditionary forces Ito Septem I
YER 1. 1870, totaling 1.141 there were q
Tiled in action 1886; died Of wounds :
eceived in battle. 1870; other :.
Wounds and injuries. $500; and died n
f diseases 24.7S6. a