Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-09-11
The 103d Infantry
Deserves Recognition
In Memorial Fund

|
Augusta, Me-, Sept. 8
Editor Kennebec Journal:
The memorial fund to place mar
| kers on the battlefields Of France,
| concentrating the part taken by the
103d Infantry, the major portion OF
| which was composed Of Maine men,
| is meeting with general approval
throughout the State and people have
/ responded very literally in many in.
! stances. However, there seems to be
| lack Of interest or a spirit OF in
| difference manifested in some sec
| tions, which may be on account Of
| the matter not having been brought
! to the attention Of the public. The
amount needed for this work is about
| $500 and of this sum something over
$500 has already been subscribed. 1t
| is not the intention to make this bur-
| densome and even small subscriptions
are just as welcome. They may be
sent to the Treasurer. 103d Memorial
| Fund, Care Of the Press Herald,
Portland, Maine.
During it's service overseas the
| 103d Infantry received very little
publicity or notice from the Press.
This was perhaps due to modesty on
! the part of it's members and in part
| to the fact that the regiment was so
| busily engaged in fighting that no one
had time for lengthy newspaper art
| icles and as no press representatives
were present from this section the
| folks back home had very little idea
of the service performed by the Or
ganization.
This regiment was one of the first
| complete units to go overseas, sail
| ing from New York on the 25th OF
| September, 1917, and it was in the
| front lines facing the Germans on
February 8, 1918. After two months
servicein the sector north of Sois-
sons it was withdrawn with the re-
mainder of the Division and relieved
| elements Of the 1st Division and
| French troops in the so called Bocque
Section north of Toul, entering the
lines early in April and remaining I'M
til the latter days Of June. During its
stay on this front it was engaged
with the enemy at the Bots Brule and
| Xivrey- Marvosin and sustained the
| first heavy gas attack ever encoun-
! tered by American troops. For its
action at Xivrey- Marvoisin it was
cited in general orders from General
Pershins's headquarters. From this
sector it moved. early in July to the
| Marine, where il relieved elements OF
the Marine Brigade at Belleau Woods
and the woods northwest Of Lucy. On
| the 18th of July the Sd Bn, 103d In
fantry. took Torcy by assault. being
the first American troops to-reach its
| objective in the great counter often
sive which started that morning. On
the Goth of July it captured the key
to the German position northwest OF
Chateau Thierry, thereby enabling
other elements of the 9Th French
Army to advance for which action it
was cited by the Commanding Gener-
al, General Degoutte, commanding
the 9th French, Army. Again at st.
Mihiel it had a post of honor in the
Goth Division and is credited with
capturing over 900 prisoners in the
first days advance. Again the 26th
OF September the regiment was heav-
lily engaged in the attack on Ria
willie. suffering heavy casualties and
by its stubborn fighting held German
Divisions inactive throughout the
day, thereby relieving the pressure TO
! the main American attack which was
| being made to the west in the Ar
gonne. After remaining in the st.
Mihiel sector for about n month it
was, in the middle of October. again
transferred to the west and took part
! III very severe f1ghti0g in the closing
Gays of the war and was in the front
| lines when fighting ceased on No
| Vember 18th. The regiment is official
| ~ credited by the War Department
with taking part in eight major en-
Eagements, and of being one of the
/ regiments longest in line except the
four regiments composing the LIST
Division:
Champagne Marine, July 1918. 1918.
Aisne- Marine, July 1881, 1918.
| st. Mihiel. September 1916, 1918.
Meuse-Argonne, October 14-Nov-
ember II. 1918.
lie de France, February 6-March
10. 1918.
Lorraine, April 12-June IS. 1918.
lie de France. July Ala, 1918.
Lorraine, September 6-October Z,
1918
During it's service it had II officers
and 462 enlisted men killed; 30 off,
GERS and 2,472 enlisted men wounded,
and 20 died Of other causes. There
passed through the regiment while in
France 312 officers and 5000 enlisted
men. Surely this is a record of which
the people OF the State Of Maine may
we'll feel proud, and it would seem
only fitting. that the heroic deeds
performed by this unit during the
last war should be COMMUNICATED by
placing suitable markers where the
regiment fought. and where some OF
it's members still lie buried. This I'M
dertaking does not require a large
sum for the citizens of this great
State to contribute to a worthy cause
and the few hundred dollars still
lacking to make it success it is
hoped will be forthcoming very short
ly.