, 1923-07-08

between Chateau Ihlerry and
their final drive for tine Paris prize.
The French Sixth army oppo<ng the
German advance. reinforced with
what few units of pioneer American
troops brigaded with them, were
feverishly concentrating between the
Marine river and Paris, facing hope
less odds with tired out troops, dis
heartened but lot beaten. doggediy
determined to stop the rush to Paris,
and If this was not possible to make
the German pay heavily for its cap
ture. The hopes of the Allies were in
American troops, and while frankly
skeptical as TO the value of the pitt
fully small numerical strength of the
Americans. were inspired by the few
combats between new arrivals from
h United States and the German
veterans. and determined to hold on
until additional Americans could be
trained and thrown into the breach.
1T Became a rae between armies
the German preparing for Its final
dash on Paris and the American
fresh troops training that they could
be OF additional value in European
warfare TO be of assistance.
~ was at inns NTlA4Edl point IN maxi
ting of world history that the first
troops from Wyoming entered the
fight line-five years ago tonight.
The 14sth Field Artillery representing
the Wyoming National Guard troops.
and the Colorado National Guard
Artillery Batteries. on July 7th. 1918,
at night, moved up the Chateau
Thieery.Paris o into the line pre-
pared TO take their share of the
fighting that was anticipated day by
day as the German army waited for
Its signal of general offensive.
The 14sth Field Artillery became
one of the famous fighting regiments
of the A. e. F.. and from the day
that 1t entered the line under its own
officers. until the armistice, this
regiment went through every day OF
every offensive OF the American
fighting in France along the French
line, earning five battle clasps. n
record of performance not equalled by
my other regiment, and the additional
honor of being with its sister regiment
the first heavy artillery troops in
France, and the two regiments honor
ed by occupation duties in Germany
after the armistice-an honor only
accorded those units that had taken
the brunt of the fighting and served
brilliantly.
The Wyoming portion of the regi-
ment, formerly the Third wyoming
infantry. under command of Colonel
Joseph W. Lavender, Joined with the
Colorado troops, and some Oregon
troops into the newly organized
heavy artillery regiment at Camp
Greene, North Carolina in September.
1917. 1t was apparent when these
troops left the west for tic Atlantic
coast that they had been rejected by
the war department for early move
ment to France. All Of these troops
had been hardened by the Mexican
border service where they gained
honors as Icing typical American
sold cfs, and this combined with the
light type Ct men composing the
unit. caused tho war department IL
entrust It its first heavy artillery re
sponsibilit!es- n responsibility that
was accepted and carried successfully.
The Wyoming troops were assigned
at Batteries d 'E' and f. Of the
1sSth regiment. and the Colorado bat.
teries MS "a b and C.. The head.
quarters company was composed OF
Oregon cavalry. As the Colorado ar.
tillery units had been trained to light
horse artillery. the change to the new
type Of gun later assigned placed all
troops, infantry. cavalry and artil-
lery on the same standard of train
tng-that of learning anew the duties
of n soldier rs applied TO a technical
gun Of the new type developed as a
result Of the a
The Wyoming troops afta. Joining
their new regiment at Camp Green
We're soon moved to n denarkation
camp, at Camp Mills. Long Island.
where until December 18th. amid the
heaviest blizzard hat had character.
lied New York in years. the troops
marched out OF camp to a new shell.
ter Mt Camp Merit. New Jersey,
where they stayed until January
22nd, when they received the coveted
overseas orders, and on this date
sailed on tho British Clyde liner,
Tho Baltic.
Arriving in England, after Witness.
ing the sinking by submarine of the
Tuscania, n part OF the convoy, the
regiment was within q few days
moved TO France, and established in
a training center near Bordeaux.
where the regiment was formerly as
signed as corp artillery. and equir.
ped with the new development OF The
war, the French G. p. T.. cannon, n
fifteen ton gun, mounted on rubber
tired carriages. a six inch rifle with
n nineteen foot barrel, as mobile
horse drawn artillery, and capable of
firing at high speeds a shell weight.
ing 100 pounds. and in unerringly
placing this shell at distances up TO
10 miles into enemy lines. The reEi.
ment was motorized complete tho
first motorized regiment of the A.
u. f., and tho transition from IN.
fantry and cavalry and from horse
artillery Of the light type to this
technical high powered motor driven
i was one Of the brilliant exploits
Of American participation In tho
World war. and exempIified the fact
that h western troops. and Wyo-
ming boys could adapt themselves in.
e%ividually and quickly to meet n
problem.
So II was this regiment found Il.
pelf on July 18th, the day orders were
deceived that Il had reached a degrees
AZ ucrfactiop In the ~ th...l