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Title: The United States Marine Corps in the World War
Author: Edwin N. McClellan
Release Date: May 16, 2023 [eBook #70782]
Language: English
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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE UNITED STATES MARINE
CORPS IN THE WORLD WAR ***
TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE
Italic text is denoted by _underscores_.
All nine footnotes are associated with tables. The footnote anchors
are denoted by [number], and they remain at the bottom of their
tables as in the original book.
The tables in this book are best viewed using a monospace font.
Some minor changes to the text are noted at the end of the book.
The
United States Marine Corps
in the
World War
By
EDWIN N. McCLELLAN
Major, U. S. Marines
Officer in Charge Historical Division
[Illustration: (USMC icon)]
WASHINGTON
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
1920
EXPLANATORY NOTE.
This brief history has been prepared for the purpose of acquainting
both the personnel of the service and the public with the general
facts concerning the United States Marine Corps in the World War.
It is a partial compliance with the instructions contained in Marine
Corps Orders No. 53 (Series 1919), directing that a history of
the United States Marine Corps for the period of the World War be
prepared, and is preliminary to the final and detailed history of the
United States Marine Corps during the World War, which is in course
of preparation.
The statistics and other information contained herein are as accurate
as it is possible to obtain at the present date. Every effort has
been made to avoid expressions of opinions and criticisms, or the
drawing of conclusions of an important nature.
LETTER OF TRANSMISSION.
NOVEMBER 26, 1919.
From: Officer in Charge Historical Division, Adjutant and
Inspector’s Department, United States Marine Corps.
To: The Major General Commandant.
Via: Officer in Charge, Adjutant and Inspector’s Department.
Subject: The United States Marine Corps in the World War.
1. There is transmitted herewith for your formal approval a concise
history of the United States Marine Corps in the World War, including
certain statistics, with the recommendation that it be published to
the naval service.
EDWIN N. MCCLELLAN.
[First endorsement.]
ADJUTANT AND INSPECTOR’S DEPARTMENT, HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES
MARINE CORPS,
_Washington, D. C., November 26, 1919_.
From: The Acting Adjutant and Inspector. To: The Major General
Commandant.
1. Forwarded, approved.
H. C. HAINES.
Approved:
GEORGE BARNETT,
_Major General Commandant,
United States Marine Corps_.
Approved:
JOSEPHUS DANIELS,
_Secretary of the Navy_.
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
Page.
CHAPTER
I. In general 9
II. Statutory and actual strength of the Marine Corps on
various dates 11
III. Recruiting—Applicants, rejections, enlistments—Enlistments
by States 14
IV. Geographical location and disposition of Marines during the
war 17
V. How officers were obtained and trained 21
VI. Training of enlisted men in the United States and in
Europe 25
VII. Organizations and replacements sent to Europe—Organization
of the Fourth and Fifth Brigades 29
VIII. Operations in general 36
IX. Units composing the Second Division—Commanding generals
of the Second Division—Verdun operations 38
X. Aisne Defensive—Hill 142—Bouresches—Bois de la Brigade
de Marine 40
XI. Aisne-Marne Offensive (Soissons) 45
XII. Marbache sector, near Pont-a-Mousson on the Moselle
River—St. Mihiel Offensive 48
XIII. The Champagne—Battle of Blanc Mont Ridge—Capture of St.
Etienne—March to Leffincourt 49
XIV. Meuse-Argonne Offensive—Crossing the Meuse River 53
XV. March to the Rhine—Army of Occupation—Summary of
operations of the Fourth Brigade 56
XVI. With the Navy on board the battleships and cruisers 59
XVII. The activities of the Fifth Brigade 62
XVIII. Statistics concerning casualties 65
XIX. Citations of Marine units by French—Days in France—Artillery
captured—Prisoners captured—Kilometers advanced
against the enemy—Decorations awarded Marines 67
XX. Rifle practice—Rifle and pistol competitions participated
in by Marines during the war 69
XXI. Aviation statistics 71
XXII. Marine Corps Reserve 76
XXIII. Return of Marines from Europe—Parades in the United
States 78
XXIV. Demobilization 80
XXV. The Office of the Major General Commandant—The Adjutant
and Inspector’s Department 83
XXVI. The Paymaster’s Department 84
XXVII. The Quartermaster’s Department 89
THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS IN THE WORLD WAR.
Chapter I.
IN GENERAL.
When a state of war was declared to exist on April 6, 1917, the
United States Marine Corps was composed of 462 commissioned officers,
49 warrant officers, and 13,214 enlisted men on active duty, a total
of 13,725 and, while the corps was expanded to an actual strength,
including reserves, of 75,101 officers and enlisted men, its high
standard was never lowered. When these figures are compared with the
approximate strength of 3,100 at the end of the Civil War, and of
4,800 at the end of the Spanish War, the growth of the Marine Corps
is illustrated.
Despite the fact that on the outbreak of war, 187 officers and 4,546
enlisted men were on duty beyond the continental limits of the United
States, and 49 officers, and 2,187 enlisted men were serving on board
the cruising vessels of the Navy, only five weeks later, on June 14,
1917, the Fifth Regiment of Marines, consisting of 70 officers and
2,689 enlisted men, approximately one-sixth of the enlisted strength
of the Marine Corps, competently organized and ready for active
service, sailed on the _Henderson_, _De Kalb_, and _Hancock_ from the
United States, forming one-fifth of the first expedition of American
troops for service in France.
This regiment was soon joined by the Sixth Regiment and the Sixth
Machine Gun Battalion of Marines, and the Fourth Brigade of Marines
was organized, and as one of the two Infantry brigades of the Second
Division of Regulars engaged in actual battle in no less than eight
distinct operations in France, of which four were major operations.
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 orders for achievements in the Chateau-Thierry sector, in
the Aisne-Marne (Soissons) offensive, and in the Meuse-Argonne
(Champagne). The Sixth Machine Gun Battalion was similarly cited for
its work in the Chateau-Thierry sector and Aisne-Marne (Soissons)
offensive. The Fourth Brigade received a similar citation for its
work in the Chateau-Thierry sector. Since two French Army citations
are sufficient to make an organization eligible for the award of the
French fourragère, the high standard of the Marine units is evident.
Information was received in January, 1920, that the War Department
had accepted the award of the French fourragère in the colors of the
ribbon of the Croix de Guerre for several Army organizations and the
three units of the Fourth Brigade.
Within one year after the outbreak of war the Marine Corps placed
about as many enlisted men in France as there were in the Marine
Corps when war was declared.
During the month of June, 1918, when the battle deaths around Hill
142, Bouresches, Belleau Wood, and Vaux, of Americans attached to
the Second Division amounted to 1,811 (of which at least 1,062 were
Marines) and the nonfatal casualties to 7,252 more (of which 3,615
were Marines), the legislative strength of the Marine Corps was but
1,323 officers and 30,000 enlisted men; the actual strength on June
30, 1918, including reserves, was 1,424 officers and 57,298 enlisted
men, and of this total about 300 officers and 14,000 enlisted men
were in France. These latter figures include those Marines who
suffered casualties in the battles of June, 1918.
Approximately 30,000 Marines were sent overseas to join the American
Expeditionary Forces, and 1,600 for naval duty ashore.
During the war a great many additional Marine detachments were
detailed to guard the radio stations, naval magazines, ammunition
depots, warehouses, cable stations and for other naval activities,
and the detachments already established were largely augmented. No
call was made for additional Marines for naval purposes that was not
fully met, and this is of especial interest as the Marine Corps is
essentially a part of the Naval Establishment, and its first duty
is to fill all naval needs and requirements. It was believed to be
essential that the Marine Corps should do its full part in this war,
and for that reason it was absolutely necessary that the Marines
should join the Army on the western front, taking care, however, that
this should not at any time interfere in the slightest degree with
the filling of all naval requirements.
The Marine Corps, while maintaining the Fourth Brigade of Marines, a
total of 258 officers and 8,211 enlisted men, that fought in eight
battle operations suffering approximately 12,000 casualties, placed
and maintained the Fifth Brigade of Marines of the same strength
in France; supplied the commanding general of the Second Division,
and many officers on his staff; furnished a considerable number of
officers to command Army units of the Second and other divisions, and
for staff and detached duty throughout the American Expeditionary
Forces; participated in the naval aviation activities in France
and in the Azores; and during the period of the war succeeded in
performing in a highly satisfactory manner the naval duties required
of it, including the maintenance of two brigades of prewar strength
standing by to protect the Mexican oil fields, and as an advanced
base force in Philadelphia; one in Cuba; one in Santo Domingo, and
one in Haiti; administered and officered the Haitian Gendarmerie and
Guardia Nacional Dominicana; as well as providing efficient Marine
detachments for numerous naval vessels, and maintaining garrisons at
the numerous navy yards and naval stations in the United States; and
in the Virgin Islands; Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; Pearl Harbor, Hawaiian
Islands; Guam; Cavite and Olongapo, P. I.; Managua, Nicaragua;
Peking, China; San Juan, P. R.; London, England; Cardiff, Wales;
Paris, France; and the Azores; and supplied many officers and
enlisted men for special and detached duty at home and abroad.
Chapter II.
STATUTORY AND ACTUAL STRENGTH OF THE MARINE CORPS ON VARIOUS DATES.
STATUTORY STRENGTH.
The act of Congress of August 29, 1916, increased the authorized
strength of the Marine Corps from 344 officers and 9,921 enlisted
men to 597 officers and 14,981 enlisted men, and the President was
authorized in an emergency to further increase the corps to 693
officers and 17,400 enlisted men, which he did by Executive order on
March 26, 1917.
On April 6, 1917, Congress declared “that a state of war exists
between the United States and the Imperial German Government” and one
and one-half months later, on May 22, 1917, temporarily increased
the authorized strength to 1,197 commissioned officers, 126 warrant
officers, and 30,000 enlisted men. Finally, the act of July 1,
1918, temporarily increased the Marine Corps to 3,017 commissioned
officers, 324 warrant officers, and 75,500 enlisted men, which is
the maximum strength ever authorized for the Marine Corps. Of this
number 17,400 were permanent and 57,650 temporary. In addition to
the above, the act of August 29, 1916, which established the Marine
Corps Reserve, permits the enrollment of reserves without limit as to
number, and on April 6, 1917, there were enrolled, subject to call
to active duty, three Reserve commissioned officers, 24 National
Naval Volunteer officers, 36 Reserve enlisted men, and 928 enlisted
National Naval Volunteers. There were also available for recall to
active duty 65 regular retired commissioned officers, one regular
retired warrant officer, and 210 regular retired enlisted men.
ACTUAL STRENGTH OF THE MARINE CORPS AT THE BEGINNING AND END OF THE
WAR.
On April 6, 1917, the strength of the Marine Corps on active duty was
as follows:
Regular commissioned officers:
Major General Commandant 1
Brigadier generals 7
Colonels 13
Lieutenant-colonels 27
Majors 59
Captains 119
First lieutenants 87
Second lieutenants 106
------
Total regular officers 419
======
Regular commissioned retired officers:
On active duty 43
======
Regular warrant officers:
Marine gunners 20
Quartermaster clerks 20
Pay clerks 9
------
Total warrant officers 49
======
Total regular officers 511
Total regular enlisted men 13,214
Total strength on active duty 13,725
On November 11, 1918, the strength of the Marine Corps on active duty
was as follows:
Regular commissioned officers:
Major General Commandant 1
Major generals 2
Brigadier generals 13
Colonels 43
Lieutenant-colonels 52
Majors 199
Captains 522
First lieutenants 436
Second lieutenants 413
------
Total Regular officers 1,681
======
Commissioned retired officers:
On active duty 43
======
Reserve officers on active duty:
Majors 7
Captains 33
First lieutenants 63
Second lieutenants 360
------
Total Reserve officers 463
======
Total commissioned officers on
active duty 2,187
======
Regular warrant officers:
Marine gunners 109
Quartermaster clerks 89
Pay clerks 56
------
Total 254
======
Reserve warrant officers:
Marine gunners 27
Quartermaster clerks 2
Pay clerks 4
------
Total 33
======
Total warrant officers on active duty 287
Total officers on active duty 2,474
======
Enlisted personnel:
Regular 63,714
Retired enlisted men on active duty 15
Reserves, on active duty 6,483
Female reservists, on active duty 277
------
Total 70,489
======
Total strength on active duty 72,963
On December 11, 1918, the Marine Corps attained its maximum strength
on active duty, which was distributed as follows:
Regular commissioned officers 1,678
Retired officers on active duty 44
Reserve commissioned officers 452
Regular warrant officers 257
Reserve warrant officers 31
Regular enlisted men 65,666
Reserve enlisted men 6,704
Female reservists 269
------
Total 75,101
The maximum enlisted strength of the regular Marine Corps, not
including reserves, during the period between the outbreak of war and
the date the armistice became operative was 63,714 on November 9,
1918.
Chapter III.
RECRUITING—APPLICANTS, REJECTIONS, ENLISTMENTS—ENLISTMENTS BY STATES.
The recruiting service of the corps was enlarged greatly during the
war and it was so well organized and its method of procedure was so
efficient that it was able to stand the enormous increase of the
corps. The real test of any organization comes when a very great
increase is suddenly made and the recruiting service of the Marine
Corps passed that test in a commendable manner.
On August 8, 1918, by Executive order, volunteer enlistments in
the Marine Corps and enrollments in the reserve were stopped, and
from that time until October 1, 1918, no men were enlisted in the
corps with the exception of those whose cases were pending when the
Executive order above mentioned was issued and some whose enlistments
expired and were reenlisted. On September 16, 1918, the Secretary of
War approved the terms of a tentative plan proposed in an informal
conference by representatives of the Navy Department, the Marine
Corps, the General Staff, and the Provost Marshal General’s Office.
This plan in part provided that the Marine Corps was accorded the
privilege of individual inductions to the amount of 5,000 men, for
the months of October, November, and December, 1918, and January,
1919, and 1,500 thereafter.
As the plan above mentioned operated the men were supplied from
the selective draft, but the choice was given the Marine Corps of
accepting or rejecting men according to the way they measured up to
the Marine Corps standards. The inductees also had a choice in the
matter, so they were really “voluntary inductees.” This plan was
very favorable and permitted the Marine Corps to maintain its high
standard of enlisted personnel.
Owing to the cessation of hostilities there were but few inductions
and none of the inductees ever reached France prior to the armistice
becoming effective. Regular voluntary inductions into the Marine
Corps (through Provost Marshal General) commenced October 1, 1918,
and the last man was voluntarily inducted on December 13, 1918.
Inductions occurred as follows:
October, 1918 2,787
November, 1918 3,880
December, 1918 421
-----
Total 7,088
Owing to the signing of the armistice, no more requests were made to
the Provost Marshal General for the induction of men after November
18, 1918.
On December 2, 1918, the President, by proclamation, directed that
voluntary enlistments of registrants into the Navy and Marine Corps
would be permitted without notice to local boards, and the provisions
of the selective service law became inoperative so far as the Marine
Corps was concerned.
On December 4, 1918, recruiting on a very limited scale was resumed
by order of the Secretary of the Navy. On that date also, enrollments
in the Marine Corps Reserve were stopped.
_Applicants, rejections, enlistments, etc., regular Marine Corps, not
including reserves but including inductees, April, 1917, to November,
1918._
--------+-------+-----------+-----------+-----+-----+--------+--------
Date. | Appli-|Rejected by| Rejected |Elo- |Decl-| Enlist-|Strength
| cants.|commanding |by medical |ped. |ined | ments. | Marine
| |officer.[1]|officer.[2]| |oath.| | Corps.
--------+---------+---------+---------+-------+-----+--------+--------
Apr. 1 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 13,214
Apr. 30 | 14,607 | 41 | 11,673 | 10 | 19 | 2,864 | 15,813
May 31 | 15,498 | 74 | 10,039 | 40 | 50 | 5,295 | 20,932
June 30 | 15,905 | 47 | 11,735 | 16 | 34 | 4,073 | 24,772
July 31 | 11,778 | 21 | 8,183 | 22 | 44 | 3,508 | 27,045
Aug. 31 | 6,275 | 37 | 4,006 | 7 | 4 | 2,221 | 29,861
Sept. 30| 4,846 | 29 | 3,996 | 5 | 5 | 811 | 30,322
Oct. 31 | 4,335 | 33 | 3,661 | 5 | 1 | 635 | 30,576
Nov. 30 | 5,577 | 14 | 4,942 | 2 | 2 | 617 | 30,855
Dec. 31 | 6,788 | 22 | 5,305 | 4 | 5 | 1,452 | 32,016
Jan. 31 | 5,472 | 29 | 3,981 | 5 | 3 | 1,454 | 33,184
Feb. 28 | 5,915 | 31 | 5,772 | 4 | 3 | 105 | 33,045
Mar. 31 | 5,037 | 18 | 4,734 | 2 | 4 | 279 | 33,093
Apr. 30 | 15,958 | 44 | 12,996 | 3 | 5 | 2,910 | 35,690
May 31 | 18,336 | 73 | 12,956 | 7 | 22 | 5,278 | 40,722
June 30 | 23,864 | 70 | 18,609 | 17 | 36 | 5,132 | 45,384
July 31 | 20,162 | 224 | 11,767 | 9 | 10 | 8,152 | 52,712
Aug. 31 | 17,286 | 115 | 11,528 | 5 | 40 | 5,598 | 57,628
Sept. 30| 16,175 | 199 | 13,484 | 5 | 83 | 2,404 | 59,556
Oct. 31 | 12,176 | 2 | 8,923 | .. | 1 | 3,250 | 62,142
Nov. 30 | 13,284 | 2 | 9,129 | .. | 2 | 4,151 | 65,489
+---------+---------+---------+-------+-----+--------+--------
Total| 239,274 | 1,125 | 177,419 | 168 | 373 | 60,189 |
--------+---------+---------+---------+-------+-----+--------+--------
[1] Rejections by commanding officer include minors whose parents
refused consent, married men whose wives refused consent, and men
with criminal records or who were otherwise undesirable.
[2] Rejections by medical officer include all rejections at
recruiting office as well as those rejected by the medical officer at
the recruit depot to which they were transferred.
ENLISTMENTS BY STATES.
The following table shows the number of men enlisted in the Marine
Corps, not including reserves enrolled but including inductees,
between April 1, 1917, and November 11, 1918. These figures do not
include the 13,214 enlisted men already in the Marine Corps on April
6, 1917:
Alabama 313
Arizona 210
Arkansas 290
California 2,527
Colorado 1,262
Connecticut 240
Delaware 72
District of Columbia 451
Florida 110
Georgia 674
Illinois 4,959
Idaho 508
Indiana 1,182
Iowa 607
Kansas 673
Kentucky 592
Louisiana 832
Maine 24
Massachusetts 1,957
Maryland 867
Michigan 2,115
Minnesota 2,581
Missouri 3,721
Mississippi 297
Montana 1,205
Nebraska 461
Nevada 86
New Jersey 1,251
New Hampshire 67
New Mexico 25
New York 6,782
North Carolina 488
North Dakota 225
Ohio 4,968
Oklahoma 384
Oregon 1,006
Pennsylvania 4,365
Rhode Island 64
South Carolina 66
South Dakota 145
Tennessee 1,418
Texas 2,205
Utah 898
Vermont 21
Virginia 617
Washington 1,767
West Virginia 598
Wisconsin 876
Wyoming 92
------
Total 57,144
Statistics that will show the exact number of officers and enlisted
men from each State are being prepared.
Chapter IV.
GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION AND DISPOSITION OF MARINES DURING WAR.
During the period of the war Marines served ashore and afloat all
over the world. The following tables show where they were located at
the outbreak of war and on the date the armistice became operative;
also the naval vessels on which Marines were serving on both of these
dates; and the geographical location of Marines during the war.
_Location of Marines on April 6, 1917, and November 11, 1918._
--------------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------
| Apr. 6, 1917. | Nov. 11, 1918.
Location. +---------+------+------+---------+------+------
|Officers.| Men. |Total.|Officers.|Men. |Total.
--------------------------+---------+------+------+---------+------+------
American Expeditionary | .. | .. | .. | [3]857 |23,698|24,555
Forces | | | | | |
Azores | .. | .. | .. | 11 | 188| 199
China | 8 | 268| 276| 11 | 271| 282
Cuba | 16 | 580| 596| 99 | 2,310| 2,409
England (A. E. F.). _See_ | | | | | |
American Expeditionary | | | | | |
Forces. | | | | | |
England (not A. E. F.) | .. | .. | .. | 2 | 69| 71
France (A. E. F.). _See_ | | | | | |
American Expeditionary | | | | | |
Forces. | | | | | |
France (not A. E. F.) | .. | .. | .. | 146 | 1,030| 1,176
Germany (A. E. F.) _See_ | | | | | |
American Expeditionary | | | | | |
Forces. | | | | | |
Guam | 9 | 383| 392| 14 | 366| 380
Haiti | 62 | 622| 684| 60 | 825| 885
Hawaiian Islands | 3 | 137| 140| 10 | 466| 476
Holland (The Hague) | .. | .. | .. | .. | 3| 3
Nicaragua | 3 | 111| 114| 5 | 118| 123
Philippine Islands | 7 | 272| 279| 12 | 582| 594
Porto Rico (San Juan) | .. | .. | .. | 1 | 77| 78
Samoa | .. | .. | .. | 1 | .. | 1
Santo Domingo | 69 | 1,856| 1,925| 84 | 1,879| 1,963
Sea duty | 49 | 2,187| 2,236| 64 | 2,009| 2,073
Spain (Madrid) | .. | .. | .. | .. | 1| 1
United States | 183 | 6,481| 6,664| 1,029 |36,004|37,043
Virgin Islands | 10 | 317| 327| 25 | 583| 608
+---------+------+------+---------+------+------
Total | 419 |13,214|13,633| 2,431 |70,489|72,920
--------------------------+---------+------+------+---------+------+------
[3] Including enlisted men commissioned in Europe.
MARINES SERVING ON BOARD NAVAL VESSELS.
Marine detachments served on board all the overseas battleships and
on the battleships of Battleship Force Two throughout the war. The
Marines of Battleship Force One of which the _Minnesota_ was flagship
were temporarily withdrawn in April, 1918.
Marines were also on board a great many of the cruisers which acted
as escorts for the vessels transporting Army troops to Europe.
The following table shows in detail those vessels which carried
Marine detachments at the beginning of the war and on Armistice Day:
----------------------------------+---------------+---------------
| Apr. 6, 1917. | Nov. 11, 1918.
Ship. +---------+-----+---------+-----
|Officers.| Men.|Officers.| Men.
----------------------------------+---------+-----+---------+-----
Atlantic Fleet | 1 | .. | 1 | ..
Pacific Fleet | 1 | .. | 1 | ..
Asiatic Fleet | 1 | .. | 1 | ..
Battleship Force 2 | .. | .. | 1 | ..
Battleship Force | 1 | .. | .. | ..
Cruiser Force | .. | .. | 1 | ..
Division 6 | 1 | .. | 1 | ..
Division 7 | 1 | .. | .. | ..
Division 8 | .. | .. | 1 | ..
Division 9 (Sixth Battle Squadron)| .. | .. | 1 | ..
Alabama | 1 | 40 | .. | ..
Arizona | 2 | 83 | 2 | 88
Arkansas | 1 | 76 | 2 | 86
Brooklyn | 2 | 69 | 2 | 98
Castine | .. | 20 | .. | ..
Charleston | .. | .. | 2 | 62
Cincinnati | 1 | 40 | 1 | 41
Columbia | .. | 19 | .. | ..
Connecticut | 3 | 65 | .. | ..
Constellation | .. | 6 | .. | 7
Delaware | 1 | 65 | 2 | 70
Denver | 1 | 40 | .. | ..
Des Moines | .. | 38 | .. | ..
Dolphin | .. | 15 | .. | 20
Florida | 1 | 66 | 2 | 63
Frederick | .. | .. | 2 | 64
Galveston | 1 | 39 | 1 | 40
George Washington | .. | .. | 2 | 97
Helena | 1 | 30 | 1 | 25
Huntington | .. | .. | 2 | 61
Idaho | .. | .. | 2 | 19
Louisiana | 1 | 64 | .. | ..
Machias | .. | 20 | .. | ..
Mayflower | .. | 15 | .. | 5
Michigan | 2 | 62 | .. | ..
Minnesota | 2 | 68 | .. | ..
Mississippi | .. | .. | 2 | 78
Montana | 1 | 62 | 2 | 72
Nebraska | 1 | 68 | .. | ..
Nevada | 1 | 77 | 2 | 79
New Hampshire | 1 | 67 | .. | ..
New Jersey | 1 | 6 | .. | ..
New Mexico | .. | .. | 2 | 68
New York | 1 | 77 | 2 | 20
North Carolina | .. | .. | 2 | 65
North Dakota | 1 | 64 | 2 | 65
Oklahoma | 2 | 77 | 2 | 80
Olympia | 1 | 40 | .. | ..
Pennsylvania | 1 | 94 | 3 | 133
Pittsburgh | 2 | 75 | 2 | 105
Prairie | .. | 19 | .. | ..
Pueblo | 1 | 69 | 2 | 15
Rhode Island | 1 | 64 | .. | ..
Seattle | 1 | 61 | .. | ..
South Carolina | 2 | 65 | .. | ..
South Dakota | .. | .. | 2 | 59
St. Louis | .. | .. | 2 | 62
Texas | 1 | 72 | 2 | 78
Utah | 2 | 62 | 2 | 72
Wilmington | 1 | 30 | 1 | 30
Wyoming | 1 | 78 | 2 | 82
Yorktown | .. | 20 | .. | ..
+---------+-----+---------+-----
Total | 49 |2,187| 64 |2,009
----------------------------------+---------+-----+---------+-----
In addition to the above-named vessels, Marines served on the
_Leviathan_, _Albany_, _New Orleans_, _Georgia_, _Kansas_, _Vermont_,
_San Diego_, and _Virginia_.
GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION OF MARINES DURING THE WAR.
During the period of the war Marines were stationed at the following
posts:
UNITED STATES.
_Navy yards and stations._—Portsmouth, N. H.; Boston; New York;
Philadelphia; Annapolis; Washington, D. C.; Norfolk, Va.; Charleston,
S. C.; Key West, Fla.; Pensacola, Fla.; New Orleans; Mare Island,
Calif.; Puget Sound, Wash.; and North Island, Calif.
_Naval magazines._—Hingham, Mass.; Fort Lafayette; Iona Island, N.
Y.; Lake Denmark, N. J.; Fort Mifflin, Pa.; St. Juliens Creek, Va.;
and Mare Island, Calif.
_Naval ammunition depots._—Dover, N. J., and New London, Conn.
_Torpedo stations._—Puget Sound, Wash., and Newport, R. I.
_Radio stations, etc._—Greenbury, Md.; Point Isabel, Tex.; Radio,
Va.; Key West, Fla.; Chatham, Mass.; Portland, Me.; Rye Beach, Me.;
Otter Cliffs, Me.; naval radio station, Wellfleet, Mass.; French
Cable Co., Orleans, Mass.; Postal Telegraph and Cable Co., Rockport,
Mass.; Commercial Telegraph & Cable Co., Boston; Marconi Wireless
Co., Boston; Western Union Co., Boston; Cape Cod, Mass.; Sayville, N.
Y.; New Brunswick, N. J.; Belmar, N. J.; Tuckerton, N. J.; Beaufort,
S. C.; Charleston, S. C.; Annapolis, Md.; Washington, D. C.; San
Diego, Calif.; Chollas Heights, Calif.; Point Arguello, Calif.;
Inglewood, Calif.; East San Pedro, Calif.; Eureka, Calif.; Bolinas,
Calif.; Marshall, Calif.; Farallones Islands, Calif.; Marshfield,
Oreg.; Astoria, Oreg.; Lents, Oreg.; Tatoosh, Wash.; North Head, Wash.
_Naval prisons._—Portsmouth, N. H.; Parris Island, S. C.; and Mare
Island, Calif.
_Naval hospitals._—Boston; New York; Washington, D. C.; Norfolk, Va.;
Key West, Fla.; and Fort Lyons, Col.
_Coaling stations._—La Playa, Calif., and Tiburon, Calif.
_Receiving ship._—Boston.
_Other places._—Headquarters, Washington, D. C.; Office of the Judge
Advocate General; assistant paymasters’ offices at New York, Atlanta,
Ga., and San Francisco, Calif.; depots of supplies at Philadelphia,
Pa., San Francisco, Calif., and Charleston, S. C.; naval experimental
station, New London, Conn.; naval district base, New London, Conn.;
advanced base force, Philadelphia, Pa.; mobilization bureau, New York
City; third naval district base, New York; New Navy Building guard,
Washington, D. C.; naval mine station, Yorktown, Va.; naval base,
Hampton Roads, Va.; Navy rifle range, Wakefield, Mass.; rifle range,
Winthrop, Md.; naval proving grounds, Indian Head, Md.; Wissahickon
Barracks, N. J.; Navy fuel depot, Curtis, Md.; Navy ordnance plant,
Charleston, W. Va.; camp of instruction, bayonet team, Lansdowne,
Pa.; signal battalion, Paoli, Pa.; staff office, San Francisco,
Calif.; Marine barracks, Quantico, Va.; Fort Crockett, Galveston,
Tex.; Gerstner Field, Lake Charles, La.; naval air station, Cape
May, N. J.; naval air station, San Diego, Calif.; naval school for
mechanics, Great Lakes, Ill.; naval air station, Pensacola, Fla.;
Army training field, Mineola, Long Island, N. Y.; Marine Corps
School of Machine Gun Instruction at Utica, N. Y.; and Massachusetts
Institute of Technology, Boston, Mass.
BEYOND CONTINENTAL LIMITS OF UNITED STATES.
_American Expeditionary Forces._—In France, England, and Germany.
_With naval service in Europe._—Paris, France; Pauillac, France;
London, England; Marine aerodromes between Calais and Dunkirk,
France; Croix d’Hins, Gironde, France; naval base, Ponta Delgada,
Azores Islands; Cardiff, Wales.
_Naval stations._—Cavite, P. I.; Olongapo, P. I.; Pearl Harbor,
Hawaii; Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; Virgin Islands; Guam.
_Occupation forces._—Santo Domingo, Haiti.
_Legation guards._—Peking, China; and Managua, Nicaragua.
_Couriers._—Madrid, Spain; The Hague, Holland; Luxembourg; Jassy,
Roumania; Stockholm, Sweden; Copenhagen, Denmark; Christiania,
Norway; Petrograd, Archangel, Murman Coast, Russia; Paris, France;
London, England; Athens, Greece; and Rome, Italy.
_Constabularies._—Guardia Nacional Dominicana and Haitian gendarmerie.
_Radio stations._-Cavite, P. I.; San Juan, Porto Rico; El Cayay,
Porto Rico; Haiti; Croix d’Hins, Gironde, France.
_Naval ammunition depot._—Olongapo, P. I.
_Naval magazine._—Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
_Depot of supplies._—Cavite, P. I.
_Attachés._—Paris, France; London, England; Yokohama, Japan;
Petrograd, Russia; Stockholm, Sweden; Copenhagen, Denmark; and
Christiania, Norway.
Chapter V.
HOW OFFICERS WERE OBTAINED AND TRAINED.
HOW OFFICERS WERE OBTAINED.
The outbreak of war made it essential that the corps should be filled
as far as practicable with officers who had had prior military
experience and training, and immediate steps were taken to arrange
for the designation and examination of Marine Corps warrant officers,
noncommissioned officers, graduates of military colleges, and other
civilians with military experience and training.
The appointment of officers subsequent to the declaration of war
up to October, 1917, both for the permanent service and for the
temporary increase authorized for the duration of the war, were drawn
from the following sources:
Graduates of the Naval Academy 6
Former officer of the Marine Corps 1
Former graduate of the Naval Academy 1
Warrant officers and paymaster’s clerks of the Marine Corps 89
Meritorious noncommissioned officers of the Marine Corps 122
Reserve officers and National Naval Volunteers 36
Graduates of military colleges 284
Other civilians with prior military or naval experience
or training 136
Other civilians passing the competitive examination held
July 10, 1917 86
In order to expedite the training of the new officers, advantage was
taken of the law providing for a Marine Corps Reserve, and successful
candidates were immediately enrolled as second lieutenants in the
reserve and ordered to Marine Corps posts for instruction pending
the issuance of their commissions in the regular service. Candidates
designated for the examination held July 10, 1917, were authorized
upon designation to enroll as privates in the Marine Corps Reserve,
with the understanding that upon the completion of their examination
they would be ordered to the Recruit Depot at Parris Island, S. C.,
for training pending the receipt of the report of the examining
board. This policy was carried out, and the successful candidates
were commissioned second lieutenants in the Marine Corps, while the
unsuccessful candidates were given the option of continuing in the
service as enlisted men or of being discharged therefrom.
Owing to the unusually large number of young men of excellent
education and fine attainments who had enlisted in the Marine
Corps after the outbreak of war, it was decided that no further
appointments of civilians to the rank of second lieutenant would
be made during the continuance of the war, and that all vacancies
occurring in that grade, not required for graduates of the
Naval Academy, would be filled by the promotion of meritorious
noncommissioned officers. This decision was promulgated to the
service in Marine Corps Orders No. 25 (Series 1917).
HOW OFFICERS WERE TRAINED.
The officers appointed from civil life, as soon as enrolled, were
ordered to the Marine barracks, Mare Island, Calif.; San Diego,
Calif.; Parris Island, S. C.; and the Marine Corps rifle range,
Winthrop, Md., for instruction, pending the completion of the
buildings for their use at the Marine barracks, Quantico, Va. Early
in July, 1917, the buildings being in readiness, the newly appointed
officers, about 345 in number, were assembled at Quantico, where an
officers’ camp of instruction was held, and the course completed in
October, 1917.
In carrying out the policy of obtaining officers from the ranks,
orders were issued to commanding officers of every post and station
of the Marine Corps, both at home and abroad, as well as those on
board ship, to the effect that all commissioned officers would be
taken from the ranks, and that the number of men to be designated
from each post to attend the training camp would be a certain
percentage of the number of men stationed at such post or station.
Each commanding officer was ordered to convene a board of three
officers to examine into the qualifications of the men at his post,
and to report in the order of merit the names of the men considered
qualified for entry to the officers’ training camp at Quantico, Va.
These reports were all forwarded to headquarters, where a board was
convened to examine them and to select, in accordance with their
standing as reported by the various boards, the number of men who
it had been decided could be quartered and properly instructed at
Quantico. It was found that about 600 was the limit that could be
accommodated, and approximately this number was selected for the
first camp, which was established at Quantico, Va., in April, 1918.
The officers’ training camp was commanded by an officer of adequate
rank. The students were divided into companies with a major in
command as chief instructor and captains and lieutenants to assist
him. The candidates were given a very rigid course of instruction
and intensive training. Some of the studies pursued were: Infantry
drill regulations, manual of interior guard duty, bayonet training,
bombing, minor tactics, military engineering, military topography,
administration, military law, lectures on gas and on sea duty, and a
practical course on the rifle range.
The training at these camps was most intensive and thoroughly
competitive, so that a man’s position depended entirely upon himself.
The material to draw from was so excellent that comparatively few of
those who entered the camps failed to receive commissions and many
of the young men so commissioned who were assigned to duty abroad
demonstrated that their selection was fully justified.
Many officers also received special training in the schools of the
Overseas Depot at Quantico, Va.
The majority of the members of the first officers’ training camp were
graduated in July, 1918. Three hundred of this camp were commissioned
on July 15, 1918, and 91 on August 15, 1918.
The same proportionate allowance that was made in the United States
was also designated for the Marines serving in France, and similar
means were instituted there to carry out the policy of selection of
men for the training camp. As a result of the camp established over
there, 164 second lieutenants were appointed from the Fourth Brigade
in France.
The second officers’ training camp was opened at Quantico, Va., on
August 20, 1918, the enlisted men forming its personnel having been
selected in exactly the same manner as those attending the first camp
and this procedure was also followed with regard to the Marines of
the American Expeditionary Forces in France. Of the 570 men enrolled
432 were graduated from the second officers’ training camp, December
16, 1918, and 172 from the Army candidate school in France, who,
immediately upon graduating, were enrolled as second lieutenants
(provisional) in class 4, Marine Corps Reserve, and subsequently
appointed temporary second lieutenants in the Marine Corps. An
extension of three weeks to this course in America was necessitated
by the epidemic of influenza.
There were 235 graduated in July, 1919, from the third officers’
training camp who were enrolled as second lieutenants (provisional)
in class 4, Marine Corps Reserve, and immediately assigned to
inactive duty.
There were also 48 graduates of the Army candidate school in France,
who were enrolled as second lieutenants (provisional) in class 4,
Marine Corps Reserve, and who were discharged or placed on inactive
duty upon their return to the United States, with the exception of
four who were transferred to the temporary service.
Sixty-nine officers were graduated from the Marine Corps school of
machine gun instruction at Utica N. Y.
Information regarding the training of Marine officers for aviation
duties will be found in Chapter XXI.
MARINE SECTIONS, STUDENT ARMY TRAINING CORPS.
In the act approved August 31, 1918, provision was made for a Student
Army Training Corps, and under date of September 12, 1918, the
Secretary of War directed the Provost Marshal General to allot 1,500
of the registrants authorized for induction into the Student Army
Training Corps to the Marine sections under that organization. On
September 23, 1918, with the approval of the Navy Department, Marine
Corps headquarters designated the following institutions for the
organization of Marine sections of the Student Army Training Corps
and allotted quotas to each ranging from 100 to 190:
Leland Stanford Junior University 110
Georgia School of Technology 100
Harvard University 120
University of Minnesota 110
Cornell University 170
University of Washington 160
University of Texas 100
Yale University 100
University of Kansas 140
University of Wisconsin 190
Virginia Military Institute 100
University of North Carolina 100
A Marine officer was ordered to each of the designated institutions
and charged with the duties of administration, instruction,
and discipline of the Marine section, with the assistance of a
noncommissioned officer of the Marine Corps.
It was intended to transfer, from time to time, well-qualified
students who were inducted into Marine sections of the Student
Army Training Corps to aviation duty, or to one of the two recruit
camps, and in both cases men thus recommended, who proved themselves
qualified to become officers, would be ultimately commissioned in
either the Marine Corps Reserve Flying Corps or for general service
in the Marine Corps. In either case after finishing their course
in the Student Army Training Corps they would have been sent to a
recruit camp for the regular course of training, because this would
make it possible to imbue them with the necessary esprit de corps
and indoctrinate them with the Marine Corps methods of procedure and
training, both essential to the making of a Marine officer of the
highest type. Owing to the ending of active hostilities there were
no graduates from the Marine sections of the Student Army Training
Corps at the different universities and colleges as they were ordered
abandoned shortly after the armistice became operative.
Chapter VI.
TRAINING OF ENLISTED MEN IN THE UNITED STATES AND EUROPE.
IN UNITED STATES.
The Marine Corps system of training for the enlisted personnel during
the war was thorough and excellent in every respect, and resulted
in the turning out of men who proved themselves well fitted for the
arduous duties of Marines.
For a short time after the outbreak of the war temporary recruit
depots were opened at the navy yards at Philadelphia, Pa., and
Norfolk, Va., with a capacity of 2,500 at the former and 500 at
the latter. These were used until the regular recruit depots at
Parris Island, S. C., and Mare Island, Calif., could accommodate the
recruits. These two recruit depots were greatly enlarged both in
size and scope, to take care of the temporary increase in strength
authorized for the war, and were soon able to meet all demands made
upon them.
At the beginning of the war the course of recruit instruction at
the recruit depot, Parris Island, was of 8 weeks duration, and with
but very few exceptions every recruit passing through this depot
received 8 weeks instruction. At the Mare Island recruit depot, the
recruits received 12 weeks training from April 6 to 28, 1917, 9 weeks
from April 29, 1917, to June 21, 1918, and 8 weeks from June 22 to
November 11, 1918.
The following table gives a list of the special schools at the Parris
Island recruit depot and the number of graduates from each during the
period between the outbreak of war and the date the armistice became
operative:
Noncommissioned Officers School 2,144
Field Musics School 493
Radio School 143
Signal School 232
Band School 247
Clerical School 236
Pay School 78
Cooks, and Bakers, School 150
-----
Total 3,723
The following table illustrates what was accomplished by the two
recruit depots:
-------------+----------------+--------+-----------+--------+---------
| In training— | | | |
+-------+--------+Maximum | Maximum | Total | Maximum
Depot. |Apr. 6,|Nov. 11,|strength| number of |recruits|capacity.
| 1917. | 1918. |of post.|recruits at|handled.|
| | | | one time. | |
-------------+-------+--------+--------+-----------+--------+---------
Parris Island| 835 | 4,104 | 16,601 | 13,286 | 46,202 | 13,060
Mare Island | 358 | 1,143 | 2,799 | 2,470 | 11,901 | 3,000
+-------+--------+--------+-----------+--------+---------
Total | 1,193 | 5,247 | 19,400 | 15,756 | 58,103 | 16,060
-------------+-------+--------+--------+-----------+--------+---------
After leaving the recruit depots at Parris Island and Mare Island,
advanced training was given the men at Quantico, Va. This training
was most intensive and as a result all the organizations which were
trained there attained a high state of efficiency. It was made to
approximate as nearly as practicable the real service which the
men would have in the American Expeditionary Forces in France.
Officers who were engaged in this training showed great ingenuity and
efficiency in their attempts to make the training approach as nearly
as possible what the men would be subjected to in actual service.
That they succeeded was shown by the work done by the Marines in
France and other places.
The first troops arrived at the Marine barracks, Quantico, Va., on
May 18, 1917. The maximum enlisted strength was 9,849 on September
12, 1918. The maximum number of officers present at one time was
484, on August 16, 1918. The strength on November 11, 1918, was 329
officers and 8,798 enlisted men. From May, 1917, to November 11,
1918, approximately 1,000 officers and 40,000 enlisted men passed
through Quantico, Va.
In addition to giving the enlisted men general training at Quantico
in preparation for overseas and other duty, the Overseas Depot was
established on May 19, 1918, for the double purpose of organizing
and training units of the Marine Corps for service with the American
Expeditionary Forces.
Prior to the organization of this depot the Fifth and Sixth
Regiments, the Sixth Machine Gun Battalion, the Base Battalion of the
Fifth Regiment, and two replacement battalions had left the United
States and had become part of the American Expeditionary Force.
The Overseas Depot consisted of an administrative staff and the
various sections as follows: (_a_) The specialists’ schools for
the technical training of the infantry and machine gun, and the
coordination of these specialists’ arms; (_b_) the tactical
department for the instruction and training of overseas units in new
tactical principles; (_c_) the enlisted staff school for the training
of first sergeants, mess sergeants, cooks, company clerks, armorers,
etc. Two French and four Canadian officers, who had abundant
experience in the fighting in Europe, were assigned as advisors of
the commanding officer.
The basic independent unit of organization was the platoon, and
the platoon therefore became the principal training unit. In the
organization of this unit the scheme followed was to assure to
each a certain nucleus of enlisted instructors trained in the
various specialties, in addition to the platoon commanders, who
were qualified to carry on the instruction along approved lines
within the unit. This nucleus was taken from the graduates of
the specialists’ schools of the depot. When four such platoons
had been formed they were assembled into a company. The company
headquarters, trained in the enlisted staff school, was added to the
four platoons and the company organization was turned over to the
company commander complete in all details. Battalions were likewise
formed by the consolidation of companies. In every instance the
platoon, company, and the battalion, carried out a regular schedule
of drills and instructions under the supervision of the depot, but
all administrative details were left in the hands of the company
and the battalion commanders. These training schedules were made up
in the tactical department, approved by the commanding officer, and
were based on the most approved methods in effect at the time. In
the cases of the formation of regimental organizations, of which
there were two formed during the existence of the Overseas Depot,
the battalions upon being formed were turned over to the regimental
commander, and in this case direct supervision by the depot ceased,
but all facilities on hand, such as material, officers acting in an
advisory capacity, training areas, etc., directly attached to the
depot, were placed at the disposal of the regimental commanders who
were at all times in active liaison with the depot.
About 85 per cent of the troops forming the detachments arriving at
the Overseas Depot for service in France had undergone not less than
8 nor more than 12 weeks’ training at the regular recruit depots of
the Marine Corps. The preliminary training received at these recruit
depots was such as to fit the men for general service throughout
the Marine Corps, and resulted in the men being well disciplined,
considering the short time they had been in the service. This
facilitated the more advanced and specialized training they were
to receive at the Overseas Depot. These detachments were composed
entirely of qualified riflemen, having undergone during the recruit
period a most thorough and comprehensive course in the use of the
rifle. Upon the arrival of these detachments they were organized
as outlined above, and the commissioned personnel was assigned to
the units from the officers’ school. The schedule and drills and
instructions were provided them and were carried out under the
supervision of specially selected officers of the tactical department
of the Overseas Depot, including the foreign officers. This training
continued until the units departed for France. Training in open
warfare was given precedence over that of trench warfare from the
very beginning in the proportion of about four to one.
The following units were organized by the Overseas Depot: Third,
Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Ninth, Tenth, Eleventh Separate Battalions;
Second and Third Machine Gun Battalions; Fifth Brigade Machine Gun
Battalion; Second and Third Separate Machine Gun Battalions; Eleventh
and Thirteenth Regiments; total, approximately, 16,000 officers
and enlisted men. The Seventh and Eighth Separate Battalions were
organized and sent to France from Marine Barracks, Parris Island, S.
C.
The following table shows the schools conducted by the Overseas Depot
and the number of graduates:
-------------------+---------+---------------+---------+------
School. |Officers.|Noncommissioned|Privates.|Total.
| | officers. | |
-------------------+---------+---------------+---------+------
Officers | 294 | .. | .. | 294
Bayonet | .. | 360 | 220 | 580
Bombing | .. | 200 | 150 | 350
Gas | .. | 180 | .. | 180
Automatic Rifle | .. | 150 | 650 | 800
Scout Snipers | .. | 75 | 375 | 450
Machine Gun | 120 | 145 | 295 | 560
Miners and Sappers | .. | 70 | 80 | 150
Enlisted Staff | .. | 105 | 300 | 405
+---------+---------------+---------+------
Total | 414 | 1,285 | 2,070 | 3,769
-------------------+---------+---------------+---------+------
In addition to the training described above, 69 officers and 2,084
enlisted men, a total of 2,153, graduated from the Marine Corps
school of machine gun instruction at Utica, N. Y.
Never before in the history of the corps have better drilled and
trained or more generally efficient men been turned out, ready for
duty, upon completion of their training, and to this factor is
largely due the splendid record made by the Marines during the war.
The work of the officers training the Marines was not spectacular,
and they wear no war chevrons, nor decorations for bravery, perhaps,
but they were, nevertheless, a vital factor in whatever success the
Marine Corps met with in the great struggle.
Information with reference to the training of enlisted men for
aviation will be found in Chapter XXI.
TRAINING IN FRANCE.
On June 27, 1917, the First Battalion of the Fifth Regiment actually
landed in France and on July 3, 1917, the entire Fifth Regiment was
under canvas on French soil. From that date every effort was made to
train the men and officers. Elements of the Fifth Regiment trained
as a part of the First Division of Regulars from July 15, 1917, to
September, 1917, in the Gondrecourt training area. From September,
1917, on, the training of the available units of the Fourth Brigade
as a unit of the Second Division of Regulars was conducted in the
Bourmont training area.
Until February, 1918, the training of the Marines in France was
handicapped by the fact that units of the Brigade were engaged in
duties along the Line of Communications (Services of Supply), one
company and a battalion commander being absent in England until
March, 1918. It was not until the middle of February, 1918, that
the Fourth Brigade of Marines (less the company in England) was
conducting its training as a brigade with any degree of satisfaction.
Owing to the well-trained condition of the individual Marine this
condition did not vitally affect his professional ability as was so
distinctly shown by his later accomplishments.
The Fourth Brigade continued its training in the Bourmont training
area until the middle of March, 1918, when it entered the front line
trenches in the Verdun sector.
The Marine replacements received little or no training in a training
area in France as most of them were hurried into the fighting
immediately upon arrival overseas.
To summarize, the average Marine who arrived in France received at
least six weeks’ training in the United States in a recruit depot
and a very short period at Quantico. This is a contrast to the six
months’ training received by the average enlisted man of the Army.
After arrival in France the Marines, except those of the original
Fourth Brigade, received practically no training in a training
area since they joined the brigade almost immediately. The Marines
comprising the Fifth Brigade of Marines received no training in a
regular training area in France.
Chapter VII.
ORGANIZATIONS AND REPLACEMENTS SENT TO EUROPE—ORGANIZATION OF THE
FOURTH AND FIFTH BRIGADES.
THE FOURTH BRIGADE OF MARINES.
The Fourth Brigade of United States Marines was composed of the Fifth
and Sixth Regiments of Marines, and the Sixth Machine Gun Battalion
of Marines.
The companies forming the battalions were as follows:
FIFTH REGIMENT.
_First Battalion._
17th (A) Company.
49th (B) Company.
66th (C) Company.
67th (D) Company.
_Second Battalion._
18th (E) Company.
43d (F) Company.
51st (G) Company.
55th (H) Company.
_Third Battalion._
16th (I) Company.
20th (K) Company.
45th (L) Company.
47th (M) Company.
8th Machine Gun Company.
Supply Company.
Headquarters Company.
SIXTH REGIMENT.
_First Battalion._
74th (A) Company.
75th (B) Company.
76th (C) Company.
95th (D) Company.
_Second Battalion._
78th (E) Company.
79th (F) Company.
80th (G) Company.
96th (H) Company.
_Third Battalion._
82nd (I) Company.
83rd (K) Company.
84th (L) Company.
97th (M) Company.
73d Machine Gun Company.
Supply Company.
Headquarters Company.
SIXTH MACHINE GUN BATTALION.
15th (A) Company.
23d (B) Company.
77th (C) Company.
81st (D) Company.
From June 27, 1917, to the middle of September, 1917, the Fifth
Regiment was a unit of the First Division of Regulars. Although the
Fifth Regiment was the only organization of Marines in France at the
time, the Fourth Brigade of Marines was formed on October 23, 1917,
when Col. Charles A. Doyen cabled acceptance of his appointment
as Brigadier General. From October 26, 1917, to August 8, 1919,
the Fourth Brigade was a part of the Second Division of Regulars,
except from October 20-23, 1918, when the Brigade was provisionally
at the disposal of the Ninth French Army Corps, in the vicinity of
Leffincourt. On August 8, 1919, the brigade was transferred back to
the naval service.
On May 29, 1917, in accordance with directions issued by the
President, the Secretary of the Navy directed the Major General
Commandant “to organize a force of Marines to be known as the Fifth
Regiment of Marines for service with the Army as a part of the first
expedition to proceed to France in the near future.” The Fifth
Regiment was accordingly organized at the navy yard, Philadelphia,
Pa., on June 7, 1917, with Col. Charles A. Doyen in command, and Maj.
Harry R. Lay, as adjutant.
Gen. Pershing and his staff, accompanied by two Marine officers,
preceded the first expedition to France, sailing late in May, 1917,
from the United States.
The final report of the American commander in chief includes the
following:
The offer by the Navy Department of one regiment of Marines to be
reorganized as Infantry was accepted by the Secretary of War, and
it became temporarily a part of the First Division.
On June 14, 1917, the first expedition of American troops left
the United States for France and the Fifth Regiment of Marines
embarked on the naval transports _Henderson_ and _Hancock_, and
the auxiliary cruiser _De Kalb_ (former _Prinz Eitel Friedrich_),
formed approximately one-fifth of it. The fourth group, including the
_Hancock_, did not sail until June 17, 1917.
The orders received by the convoy commander on the day prior to
sailing read in part: “A military expedition is to be embarked on the
above-named transports, augmented by a regiment of Marines embarked
in naval vessels, for transportation to a destination already
communicated.”
The _De Kalb_ was in group 1, the _Henderson_ in group 2, and the
_Hancock_ in group 4; all were part of the escort and not the convoy.
Rear Admiral Albert Gleaves, the convoy commander, flying his flag on
the _Seattle_, personally commanded the first group, while Maj. Gen.
W. L. Sibert in the _Tenedores_, was the senior Army officer embarked.
The passage of the four groups across the Atlantic was successfully
accomplished without a single disaster, or the loss of a life due to
enemy causes.
At 10.15 p. m., June 22, 1917, the first group, including the _De
Kalb_, was attacked by enemy submarines. The wake of a submarine was
sighted crossing 50 yards ahead of the _Seattle’s_ bow from starboard
to port. A few seconds later the _De Kalb_ and _Havana_ sighted
torpedoes and opened fire. Two torpedoes passed close to the Havana,
and one passed ahead and one astern of the _De Kalb_. The second
group encountered two submarines, the first at 11.50 a. m., June 26,
1918, about 100 miles off the French coast and the second two hours
later.
The _De Kalb_ arrived at St. Nazaire, France, on June 26, 1917, the
_Henderson_ on June 27, 1917, and the _Hancock_ on July 2, 1917. On
June 27, 1917, the commanding officer of the Fifth Regiment reported
to the commanding general, First Division, American Expeditionary
Forces, and from that date the Fifth Regiment was considered as being
detached for service with the Army by direction of the President.
Five hundred negro stevedores had been brought from the United States
by the Army to discharge ships, but they were found inadequate
for the large number of ships concerned. The Marines relieved the
situation somewhat by turning to and discharging their own vessels.
On June 27, 1917, the First Battalion, less the Fifteenth Company
which joined the battalion the following day, disembarked from the
_De Kalb_ and occupied quarters ashore. On this date Lieut. Col.
Logan Feland joined the Fifth Regiment. On June 28, 1917, the Second
and Third Battalions went ashore from the _Henderson_ for a practice
march, and the following day the First Battalion erected tents for
the regiment on a camp site a short distance outside of St. Nazaire.
By 8 p. m., July 3, 1917, the entire Fifth Regiment was ashore under
canvas.
On July 15, 1917, the Fifth Regiment, less the Third Battalion, which
remained behind to perform guard duty, and other detached units
and officers, proceeded to the Gondrecourt training area, and was
stationed in Menaucourt and Naix.
On August 1, 1917, Gen. Pershing inspected the battalions at the two
towns where they were billetted.
On August 15, 1917, the First Division, including the Fifth Regiment
of Marines, was reviewed by its commanding general on a plateau 12
miles distant from the training area.
On August 19, 1917, Gen. Pershing and Gen. Petain, commander in chief
of all the French forces, inspected the Marines, as a unit of the
First Division. Gen. Petain congratulated the colonel of the regiment
on the splendid appearance of its officers and men, as well as the
cleanliness of the towns.
Every opportunity was taken advantage of to perfect the regiment for
combat duty, but this work was handicapped by the fact that many
units of the regiment were scattered along the Line of Communications
performing duty of a necessary but of a nontraining nature. One
company and one battalion commander left the regiment on September
22, 1917, for duty in England, and did not rejoin the regiment until
March 11, 1918. Many other officers and men were placed on detached
duty.
On September 24, 25, 1917, that part of the Fifth Regiment available
for training arrived in the Bourmont training area and was stationed
at Damblain and Breuvannes.
The following letter dated November 10, 1917, addressed by Gen.
Pershing to the Major General Commandant is both complimentary
and explanatory as to why the Marines were used along the Line of
Communications:
Your Marines having been under my command for nearly six months,
I feel that I can give you a discriminating report as to their
excellent standing with their brothers of the Army and their
general good conduct. I take this opportunity, also, of giving you
the reasons for distributing them along our Line of Communications
which, besides being a compliment to their high state of discipline
and excellent soldierly appearance, was the natural thing to do as
the Marine Regiment was an additional one in the Division and not
provided for in the way of transportation and fighting equipment in
case the Division should be pushed to the front. When, therefore,
service of the rear troops and military and provost guards were
needed at our base ports and in Paris it was the Marine Regiment
that had to be scattered, in an endeavor to keep the rest of the
organized division intact.
I have been obliged to detach a number of your officers as
assistant provost marshals in France and in England, all of which
I take it you will agree with me was highly complimentary to both
officers and men, and was so intended. I can assure you that as
soon as our service of the rear troops arrive, including a large
number of officers and men for the specific duties now being
performed by your men, the Marines will be brought back once more
under your brigade commander and assigned to the duties which they
so much desire in the Second Regular Division under General Bundy.
It is a great pleasure to report on your fine representatives here
in France.
Col. Charles A. Doyen was in command of the Fifth Regiment from the
date of its organization on June 7, 1917, to October 29, 1917; and
Lieut. Col. Hiram I. Bearss from October 30, 1917, to December 31,
1917. Col. Wendell C. Neville having arrived on board the _De Kalb_
at St. Nazaire, France, on December 28, 1917, reported to the Fourth
Brigade for duty on January 1, 1918, and on that date assumed command
of the Fifth Regiment, continuing in command until July, 1918.
The Sixth Machine Gun Battalion of Marines was organized at the
Marine barracks, Quantico, Va., by order of the Major General
Commandant on August 17, 1917. The battalion was designated the First
Machine Gun Battalion, but on January 20, 1918, after arrival in
France, was renamed the Sixth Machine Gun Battalion. On December 14,
1917, the battalion sailed from New York on the _De Kalb_, arriving
at St. Nazaire, France, December 28, 1917. On January 3, 1918, the
battalion arrived at Damblain in the Bourmont training area and began
training with headquarters at Germainvilliers.
Maj. Edward B. Cole was in command of the Sixth Machine Gun Battalion
of Marines from the date of its organization until June 10, 1918,
when he received a mortal wound.
On August 4, 1917, in accordance with directions issued by the
President, the Secretary of the Navy directed the Major General
Commandant “to organize a force of Marines, to be known as the Sixth
Regiment of Marines, for service with the Army in France,” and the
regiment was organized as directed.
On September 23, 1917, the First Battalion of the Sixth Regiment
sailed on the _Henderson_ from New York and landed at St. Nazaire,
France, on October 5, 1917. On October 17, 1917, the Seventy-third
Machine Gun Company, Headquarters, and Supply Companies, and Col.
Albertus W. Catlin, commanding officer of the Sixth Regiment, with
his Staff, sailed from Philadelphia, Pa., on the _De Kalb_, and from
New York on October 18, 1917, arriving at St. Nazaire, France, on
November 1, 1917. On October 31 1917, the Third Battalion of the
Sixth Regiment sailed from New York on board the _Von Steuben_ and
anchored at Brest, France, on November 12, 1917. On January 24, 1918,
the Second Battalion of the Sixth Regiment sailed on the _Henderson_
from New York and arrived at St. Nazaire, France, February 6, 1918,
and with the arrival of this last battalion, the entire Sixth
Regiment of Marines was in France.
On October 23, 1917, the Fourth Brigade of Marines was organized,
with Brig. Gen. Charles A. Doyen in command. Brig. Gen. Doyen
continued in command until May 7, 1918, when he published in General
Orders No. 5, that he had relinquished command. Maj. Harry R. Lay was
the first brigade adjutant, and performed the duties of that office
from October 24, 1917, to August 9, 1918, except during the period
February 7 to May 9, 1918, when Maj. Holland M. Smith was brigade
adjutant.
On October 26, 1917, Brig. Gen. Charles A. Doyen, United States
Marine Corps, assumed command of the Second Division as its first
commanding general, and announced his staff in General Orders No. 1,
with station at Bourmont, Haute-Marne, serving as such until relieved
by Maj. Gen. Omar Bundy, United States Army, who announced that he
assumed command in General Orders No. 4, November 8, 1917.
Like the Fifth Regiment, the Sixth Regiment spent several months
performing the necessary but undesired duties along the Line of
Communications. On January 12, 1918, Col. Albertus W. Catlin
established headquarters for the Sixth Regiment at Blevaincourt in
the Bourmont training area. The Third Battalion arrived in this area
on January 12, 1918, the headquarters units the same date, the First
Battalion during January, 1918, and the Second Battalion on February
10, 1918.
Therefore, on February 10, 1918, the Fourth Brigade of Marines was in
the Bourmont training area intact, with the exception of one company
on duty in England, training industriously as an infantry brigade of
the Second Division. While the brigade had been organized on October
23, 1917, and had actually functioned as a brigade with elements of
all three of its units present from January 12, 1918, it was not
until February 10, 1918, that the Brigade organization was perfected.
FIFTH BRIGADE OF MARINES.
On September 5, 1918, the Major General Commandant directed the
post commander, Marine barracks, Quantico, Va., to organize brigade
headquarters of the Fifth Brigade, United States Marine Corps.
This brigade was accordingly organized and was composed of the
Eleventh and Thirteenth Regiments and the Fifth Brigade Machine Gun
Battalion. The companies of the Fifth Brigade were designated by
letters and not by numbers.
Brig. Gen. Eli K. Cole was designated as the brigade commander and
on September 15, 1918, he and the Brigade Staff sailed from Hoboken,
N. J., on board the _Von Steuben_, arriving at Brest, France, on
September 24, 1918.
The Thirteenth Regiment left the Overseas Depot at Quantico, Va., on
Friday, September 13, 1918, and on September 15, 1918, sailed from
Hoboken, N. J., on board the _Henderson_ and _Von Steuben_, arriving
at Brest, France, on September 25, 1918.
On September 29, 1918, Eleventh Regiment Headquarters and the First
Battalion sailed on the _De Kalb_ from Philadelphia, Pa., and arrived
at Brest, France, on October 13, 1918. On October 16, 1918, the
Second and Third Battalions of the Eleventh Regiment sailed from
Brooklyn, N. Y., on board the _Agamemnon_ and _Von Steuben_ and
arrived at Brest, France on October 25, 1918.
On October 28, 1918, the Fifth Brigade Machine Gun Battalion sailed
from South Brooklyn, N. Y., on board the _Henderson_ and arrived at
Brest, France, on November 9, 1918. With the arrival of this unit the
entire Fifth Brigade was in France.
AVIATION UNITS.
On January 21, 1918, the First Marine Aeronautic Company arrived at
naval base No. 13, Ponta Delgada, Azores.
On July 30, 1918, the First Marine Aviation Force (less Squadron D)
disembarked at Brest, France, and formed the Day Wing of the Northern
Bombing Group. Squadron D joined the Day Wing in October, 1918.
MARINE DETACHMENTS FOR NAVAL BASES.
On January 21, 1918, and on July 20, 1918, detachments for the naval
base No. 13, arrived at Ponta Delgada, Azores.
On September 30, 1918, the detachment for naval base No. 29, arrived
at Cardiff, Wales.
On December 29, 1918, the detachment for the naval forces in France,
staff office, Paris, France, landed at St. Nazaire, France.
REPLACEMENTS FOR AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES.
The following table will show the names of the replacement
organizations sent to the American Expeditionary Forces, dates of
sailing and arrival, and names of vessels:
---------------------------------+-------------+-------------+------------
| Date | Date | Name
Name of organization. | embarked | disembarked | of vessel.
| in U. S. | in France. |
---------------------------------+-------------+-------------+------------
Fifth Regiment Base Detachment |July 31, 1917|Aug. 22, 1917|Henderson.
Twelfth and Twenty-sixth |Dec. 8, 1917|Dec. 31, 1917|De Kalb.
Companies (disbanded in France).| | |
First Replacement Battalion |Feb. 5, 1918|Feb. 25, 1918|Von Steuben.
Second Replacement Battalion |Mar. 14, 1918|Mar. 27, 1918|Henderson.
Third Replacement Battalion |Apr. 22, 1918|May --, 1918| Do.
Casual Company | do | do | Do.
First Machine Gun Replacement |May 26, 1918|June 8, 1918| Do.
Battalion | | |
First Casual Replacement | do | do | Do.
Battalion | | |
Second Casual Replacement |June 30, 1918|July 9, 1918| Do.
Battalion | | |
Third Separate Battalion |Aug. 13, 1918|Aug. 26, 1918| Do.
Fourth Separate Battalion | do | do | Do.
Fifth Separate Battalion |Aug. 17, 1918|Aug. 27, 1918|Von Steuben.
Sixth Separate Battalion | do | do | Do.
First Separate Machine Gun |Aug. 21, 1918|Sept. 2, 1918|De Kalb.
Battalion | | |
Seventh Separate Battalion |Oct. 20, 1918|Nov. 3, 1918|Pocohontas.
Eighth Separate Battalion | do | do | Do.
Ninth Separate Battalion |Oct. 27, 1918|Nov. 9, 1918|Henderson.
---------------------------------+-------------+-------------+------------
In addition to the above the Twelfth Replacement Battalion sailed
from the United States on board the _Hancock_ in June, 1919, arrived
in France in June, 1919, and joined the American Expeditionary Forces.
NUMBER OF MARINES SAILING FROM THE UNITED STATES TO EUROPE FOR DUTY
WITH THE AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES AND FOR SHORE DUTY WITH THE
NAVAL SERVICE.
There were 834 officers, not including observers, and 30,481 enlisted
men, or a total of 31,315 Marines, sent overseas for shore duty with
the American Expeditionary Forces and naval service. The following
tables give details:
_For duty with American Expeditionary Forces._
--------------------------------------+---------+--------+-------
Month of departure from United States.|Officers.|Enlisted| Total.
| | men. |
--------------------------------------+---------+--------+-------
May, 1917 | [4]2 | .. | 2
June, 1917 | 70 | 2,689 | 2,759
July, 1917 | 29 | 1,054 | 1,083
September, 1917 | 27 | 1,045 | 1,072
October, 1917 | 45 | 1,536 | 1,581
December, 1917 | 23 | 637 | 660
January, 1918 | 31 | 1,031 | 1,062
February,1918 | 24 | 1,041 | 1,065
March, 1918 | 23 | 1,034 | 1,057
April, 1918 | 22 | 1,284 | 1,306
May, 1918 | 24 | 1,565 | 1,589
June, 1918 | 6 | 751 | 757
August, 1918 | 32 | 4,362 | 4,394
September, 1918 | 172 | 5,275 | 5,447
October, 1918 | 132 | 5,809 | 5,941
+---------+--------+-------
Total | 662 | 29,113 | 29,775
--------------------------------------+---------+--------+-------
[4] Accompanied Gen. Pershing.
Sixty officers of the Medical Corps, twelve officers of the Dental
Corps, five hundred enlisted men of the Medical Corps, and eleven
Chaplains, of the Navy, not included in the above figures, were sent
to France and served with the Marines in the American Expeditionary
Forces.
In addition to the above the Twelfth Replacement Battalion,
consisting of 9 officers and 500 enlisted men, joined the American
Expeditionary Forces in June, 1919.
_For duty with naval service ashore_
--------------------------------------+---------+--------+------
Month of departure from United States.|Officers.|Enlisted|Total.
| | men. |
--------------------------------------+---------+--------+------
December, 1917 | 2 | 59 | 61
January, 1918 | 13 | 172 | 185
June, 1918 | 2 | 75 | 77
July, 1918 | 107 | 654 | 761
August, 1918 | 4 | 120 | 124
September, 1918 | 44 | 288 | 332
+---------+--------+------
Total | 172 | 1,368 | 1,540
--------------------------------------+---------+--------+------
Chapter VIII.
OPERATIONS IN GENERAL.
While the battle operations of the Fourth Brigade as an infantry
brigade of the Second Division of Regulars overshadowed all others
taken part in by Marine Corps personnel, those operations were by no
means the only ones participated in by officers and men of the Marine
Corps.
The commanding general of the Second Division from early in August,
1918, to the date of demobilization, and several officers on his
staff were Marine officers. Officers of the Marine Corps were
at various times attached to the First, Second, Third, Fourth,
Sixth, Twenty-sixth, Thirty-second, Thirty-fifth, Ninetieth, and
Ninety-second Divisions, and in some cases engaged in operations with
them. Brig. Gen. John A. Lejeune assumed command of the Sixty-fourth
Infantry Brigade of the Thirty-second Division, then in the front
line on the Swiss border in the Suarce sector, on July 5, 1918.
He was in command of this brigade on July 22, 1918, when it was
withdrawn from the above-mentioned sector and continued in command
until July 25, 1918, when he left to command the Fourth Brigade of
Marines. Between July 5, 1918, and July 22, 1918, Brig. Gen. Lejeune,
in addition to the Sixty-fourth Brigade, commanded three French
infantry regiments. Col. Robert H. Dunlap was in command of the
Seventeenth Field Artillery Regiment of the Second Field Artillery
Brigade, Second Division, from October 30, 1918, to February, 1919.
Col. Hiram I. Bearss commanded the One hundred and second Regiment
of the Fifty-first Infantry Brigade, Twenty-sixth Division, in the
St. Mihiel offensive. Col. Frederic M. Wise commanded the Fifty-ninth
Regiment of the Eighth Infantry Brigade, Fourth Division, from
September 5, 1918, to January 4, 1919, during which period he
participated in the St. Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne major operations.
From January 1, 1919, to February 9, 1919, Col. Wise commanded the
Eighth Infantry Brigade of the Fourth Division.
A few Marine officers and enlisted men engaged in Army aviation
operations and suffered casualties. About 20 Marine officers were
sent to France as observers and as such participated in operations
with American, French, and British forces. Marine aviation personnel
served in France as the Day Wing of the Northern Bombing Group of the
Navy. Marine flyers served with Squadrons 213 (pursuit squadron),
217, and 218 (bombing squadrons), Royal Flying Corps of England; and
with pursuit, observation, and bombing squadrons of the French Flying
Corps. Quite a few casualties were suffered by the Marine aviation
personnel.
The First Marine Aeronautic Company, naval base No. 13, Ponta
Delgada, Azores, equipped for water flying only, performed patrol
duty from January, 1918, until November 11, 1918.
The Marine Aviation Section, naval air station, Miami, Fla.,
performed arduous patrol duties in the Florida Straits in connection
with the Navy from July, 1918, until the date the armistice went into
effect.
Marine detachments served on board all the American battleships
attached to the British Grand Fleet and also on the American
battleships which based at Castletown Berehaven, Bantry Bay,
Ireland. Marines also served on board many of the cruisers which
escorted the vessels transporting Army troops to Europe. They were
also attached to many other naval vessels such as the _Brooklyn_,
_Helena_, and _Wilmington_, in China and Siberian waters, at one
time landing at Vladivostok in conjunction with other naval forces;
on the _Galveston_ on the Murman Coast; and on the _Pittsburgh_ in
South American waters. Marines were also on the _San Diego_ when that
vessel was sunk, and the _Minnesota_ when that ship was damaged by
German mines. Marines were in intimate contact with the Germans in
Guam and Philadelphia in conjunction with the Navy in the first hours
of the war.
One brigade of Marines was held in readiness in Texas for possible
trouble in Mexico which might endanger the Allies’ oil supply.
Another was scattered throughout the island of Cuba. Large
detachments of Marines were stationed in the Azores and Virgin
Islands in the nature of advanced base forces, while an advanced base
force at Philadelphia was available at all times for naval needs.
Marine forces were also stationed in Guam, Philippine Islands,
Peking, Pearl Harbor, and Nicaragua and they assisted materially,
under the limited conditions, in the war.
Active operations were conducted in Haiti and Santo Domingo against
bandits during the period of the war by Marine forces, the Haitian
Gendarmerie and the Guardia Nacional Dominicana, the two latter
organizations being composed of natives and administered and
officered by the Marine and Navy personnel. Casualties were suffered
by Marines in the operations in Santo Domingo, 4 Marines being
killed, 13 wounded, and 1 officer wounded, between April 6, 1917, and
November 11, 1918.
Chapter IX.
UNITS COMPOSING, AND THE COMMANDING GENERALS OF, THE SECOND
DIVISION—VERDUN OPERATIONS.
THE SECOND DIVISION OF REGULARS.
The first unit which ultimately formed a part of the Second Division
arriving in France was the Fifth Regiment of Marines which landed in
France with the first expedition of American troops in June, 1917.
One Marine lieutenant colonel, who afterwards was the first chief of
staff of the Second Division, and another Marine lieutenant colonel,
who later commanded the Seventeenth Field Artillery of the Second
Division, accompanied Gen. Pershing and his staff when they sailed
from the United States late in May, 1917.
The Second Division was composed of the following units:
Third Infantry Brigade:
Ninth Infantry.
Twenty-third Infantry.
Fifth Machine Gun Battalion.
Fourth Infantry Brigade:
Fifth Marines.
Sixth Marines.
Sixth Machine Gun Battalion of Marines.
Second Field Artillery Brigade:
Twelfth Field Artillery.
Fifteenth Field Artillery.
Seventeenth Field Artillery.
Second Trench Mortar Battery.
Other troops:
Second Engineers.
Fourth Machine Gun Battalion.
First Field Signal Battalion.
Second Headquarters Train and Military Police.
Second Ammunition Train.
Second Engineer Train.
Second Supply Train.
Second Sanitary Train.
On October 26, 1917, Brig. Gen. Charles A. Doyen, United States
Marine Corps, assumed command of the Second Division as its first
commanding general and announced his staff in General Orders, No.
1, with station at Bourmont, Haute-Marne, France. Lieut. Col. Logan
Feland, United States Marine Corps, was the first chief of staff. On
November 8, 1917, Maj. Gen. Omar Bundy, United States Army, assumed
command, published such fact in General Orders, No. 4, November 8,
1917, and was in command of it during the operations in the Verdun
and Chateau-Thierry sectors. Maj. Gen. James G. Harbord, United
States Army, commanded the division in the Aisne-Marne (Soissons)
offensive in July, 1918. Maj. Gen. John A. Lejeune assumed command
of the division on July 28, 1918, and retained command until its
demobilization in August, 1919. Many Marine officers occupied
positions of importance and responsibility on the staff of the
commanding general, Second Division. A Marine officer commanded the
Seventeenth Field Artillery during the Meuse-Argonne offensive, and
other Marine officers commanded battalions of the Ninth Infantry and
Fifteenth Field Artillery for a time.
Neither the Marine Brigade nor any other element of the Second
Division was the first American unit to enter the front lines since
the First Division enjoyed that honor in October, 1917, when it
entered the line in the quiet Toul sector.
The Fourth Brigade remained in the Bourmont training area, with
headquarters at Damblain, until March 14, 1918, when it commenced
movement into subsectors of the Verdun front, the first units of
the brigade entering the front line during the night of March
16-17, 1918, with headquarters at Toulon. On April 1, 1918, brigade
headquarters was changed to Moscou. The brigade remained on the
Verdun front until May 14, 1918, when it proceeded to an area around
Vitry-le-François for open warfare training, with headquarters at
Venault-les-Dames. In the meantime, on May 6, 1918, Brig. Gen. James
G. Harbord assumed command of the brigade, relieving Brig. Gen. Doyen
who had been ordered to the United States on account of his physical
condition. Brig. Gen. Doyen relinquished command of the brigade
most unwillingly, and the reasons for his relief are best set forth
in the words of the citation of a Navy distinguished service medal
posthumously awarded to him, reading as follows:
By reason of his abilities and personal efforts, he brought this
brigade to the very high state of efficiency which enabled it to
successfully resist the German army in the Chateau-Thierry sector
and Belleau Woods. The strong efforts on his part for nearly a year
undermined his health and necessitated his being invalided to the
United States before having the opportunity to command the brigade
in action, but his work was shown by the excellent service rendered
by the brigade, not only at Belleau Woods, but during the entire
campaign when they fought many battles.
Gen. Pershing in a letter to Brig. Gen. Doyen stated in part:
Your service has been satisfactory and your command is considered
as one of the best in France. I have nothing but praise for the
service which you have rendered in this command.
On May 14, 1918, the brigade left the area around Vitry-le-François
as it was unsuitable and proceeded to an area around
Gisors-Chaumont-en-Vixen, with headquarters at Bou-des-Bois. The
brigade was in this area when sudden orders came to move to the
Chateau-Thierry sector.
On May 27, 1918, Brig. Gen. John A. Lejeune and Maj. Earl H. Ellis
sailed from New York on board the _Henderson_ and arrived at Brest,
France, on June 8, 1918.
Chapter X.
AISNE DEFENSIVE, HILL 142, BOURESCHES, AND BOIS DE LA BRIGADE DE
MARINE, IN THE CHATEAU-THIERRY SECTOR.
In order to appreciate understandingly the importance of the early
operations participated in by the Marine Brigade as a unit of the
Second Division it is necessary to remember that in 1918, prior to
the middle of July, the offensive was in the hands of the Imperial
German Staff, and that between March 21, 1918, and July 15, 1918,
the Germans directed no less than five major offensives against the
Allied lines in efforts to bring the war to a successful conclusion
for the Central Powers. American troops assisted in breaking up every
one of these drives, but the Second Division, including the Marines,
opposed only one, that in the Chateau-Thierry sector. It should also
be noted that on March 28, 1918, the American commander in chief
placed all of the American forces at the disposal of Marshal Foch,
who had been agreed upon as commander in chief of the Allied Armies,
to be used as he might decide.
The first offensive (Somme) of the Germans was stopped within a few
miles of Amiens, and the second (Lys) overran Armentieres. In this
second German offensive, which lasted from April 9 to 27, 1918, and
which has been designated by the Americans as a major operation,
there were approximately 500 American troops engaged.
Then late in May, 1918, with startling success, which brought a
corresponding depression to the morale of the Allies, the Germans
launched their third offensive, west of Rheims, crossed the
Chemin-des-Dames, captured Soissons, and the last day of May found
them marching in the direction of Paris down the Marne Valley.
Again the American commander in chief placed every available man at
the disposal of Marshal Foch. It was at this critical time, when
the Allies were facing a grave crisis, that the Second Division,
including the Marine Brigade, together with elements of the Third and
Twenty-eighth Divisions, were thrown into the line and, in blocking
the German advance in the Chateau-Thierry sector, rendered great
assistance in stopping the most dangerous of the German drives.
The first report of the American commander in chief states that “the
Third Division, which had just come from its preliminary training
area, was hurried to the Marne. Its motorized machine gun battalion
preceded the other units and successfully held the bridgehead at the
Marne opposite Chateau-Thierry. The Second Division, in reserve near
Montdidier, was sent by motor trucks and other available transport to
check the progress of the enemy toward Paris.”
The final report of the American commander in chief with reference to
this third German offensive stated in part:
On reaching the Marne that river was used as a defensive flank and
the German advance was directed toward Paris. During the first
days of June something akin to a panic seized the city and it was
estimated that 1,000,000 people left during the spring of 1918. * * *
The Second Division, then in reserve northwest of Paris and
preparing to relieve the First Division, was hastily diverted to
the vicinity of Meaux on May 31, and, early on the morning of
June 1, was deployed across the Chateau-Thierry-Paris road near
Montreuil-aux-Lions in a gap in the French line, where it stopped
the German advance on Paris.
Without minimizing in any way the splendid actions of the
Twenty-sixth Division at Seicheprey and Xivray in April 1918, or
the brilliant exploit of the First Division at Cantigny on May 28,
1918, the fact remains that the Second Division, including the Marine
Brigade, was the first American division to get a chance to play an
important part on the western front, and how well it repelled this
dangerous thrust of the Germans along the Paris-Metz highway is too
well known to be dwelt upon at length in this brief history.
The fighting of the Second Division in the Chateau-Thierry sector
was divided into two parts, one a magnificently stubborn defensive
lasting a week and the other a vicious offensive. The defensive
fighting of the Second Division between May 31 and June 5, 1918,
was part of the major operation called by the Americans the
Aisne defensive. Without discussing at this time the tactical or
strategical significance of the work of the Second Division in the
Aisne defensive, suffice to say that its psychological effect upon
the morale of the Allies was tremendous and has been recognized in
practically every writing worthy of consideration up to the present
date.
The close of the Aisne defensive on June 5, 1918, found the line
of the Second Division well established at that point of the
Marne salient nearest Paris, but not including Hill 142, Bois de
Belleau, Bouresches, or Vaux, and the Germans were in possession of
Chateau-Thierry on the right of the Second Division, and continued to
hold that town until about July 17, 1918.
On June 6, 1918, the Second Division snatched the initiative from the
Germans and started an offensive on its front which did not end until
July 1, 1918. The Marine Brigade captured Hill 142 and Bouresches
on June 6, 1918, and in the words of Gen. Pershing, “sturdily held
its ground against the enemy’s best guard divisions,” and completely
cleared Bois de Belleau of the enemy on June 26, 1918, a major of
Marines sending in his famous message: “Woods now U. S. Marine Corps’
entirely.” The American commander in chief in his first report
calls this fighting “the battle of Belleau Wood” and states, “our
men proved their superiority, and gained a strong tactical position
with far greater loss to the enemy than to ourselves.” In his final
report he states: “The enemy having been halted, the Second Division
commenced a series of vigorous attacks on June 4, which resulted in
the capture of Belleau Woods [on June 26] after very severe fighting.
The village of Bouresches was taken soon after [on June 6] and on
July 1 Vaux was captured. In these operations the Second Division met
with most desperate resistance by Germany’s best troops.” On July
1, 1918, the Third Brigade captured Vaux. The Artillery, Engineers,
and the other elements of the Second Division assisted materially in
these successes, while the Seventh regiment of the Third Division was
in Belleau Wood for a few days about the middle of June.
During these 31 days of constant fighting, the last 26 of which has
been defined by general headquarters of the American Expeditionary
Forces as a “local engagement,” the Second Division suffered
1,811 battle deaths (of which approximately 1,062 were Marines)
and suffered additional casualties amounting to 7,252 (of which
approximately 3,615 were Marines). It was that fighting and those
9,063 casualties that first made the name Chateau-Thierry famous.
The achievements of the Fourth Brigade of Marines in the
Chateau-Thierry sector was twice recognized by the French. The first,
which changed the name of the Bois de Belleau, was a beautiful
tribute spontaneously made to the successes and to the losses of
the Fourth Brigade of Marines, and shows the deep effect that the
retaking of Belleau Wood and other near-by positions from the
Germans had on the feelings of the French and the morale of the
Allies. Official maps were immediately modified to conform with
the provisions of the order, the _plan directeur_ used in later
operations bearing the name “Bois de la Brigade de Marine.” The
French also used this new name in their orders, as illustrated by an
ordre général dated August 9, 1918, signed by the commanding general
of the Sixth French Army, reading in part as follows:
Avant la grande offensive du 18 Juillet, les troupes américaines
faisant partie de la VIe Armée française se sont distinguées en
enlevant à l’ennemi le Bois de la Brigade De Marine et le village
de Vaux, en arretant son offensive sur la Marine et à Fossoy.
The order changing the name of Bois de Belleau reads as follows:
VIº ARMÉE, ETAT-MAJOR,
_au Q. G. A., le 30 Juin, 1918_.
6930/2.]
ORDRE.
En raison de la brillante conduite de la 4éme Brigade de la 2éme D.
U. S. qui a enlevé de haute lutte Bouresches et le point d’appui
important du Bois de Belleau, défendu avec acharnement par un
adversaire nombreux, le général commandant la VIº Armée décide que
dorénavant, dans toutes les piéces officielles, le Bois de Belleau
portera le nom de “Bois de la Brigade de Marine.”
_Le Général de Division Degoutte,
Commandant la VIº Armée._
(Signed) DEGOUTTE
A. M. le GÉNÉRAL CDT. la 4ME BRIGADE de
MARINE. s/c. de M. le Général Cdt. la 2me D. U. S.
The second recognition by the French of the Marines’ work in the
Chateau-Thierry sector were citations of the Fourth Brigade, Fifth
and Sixth Regiments, and the Sixth Machine Gun Battalion of Marines,
in French army orders, that of the brigade, the others being
identical, reading as follows:
Après approbation du général commandant en chef les forces
expéditionnaires américaines en France, le général commandant en
chef les armées françaises du nord et du nord-est, cite à l’Ordre
de l’Armée:
“4º _Brigade Americaine_ sous les ordres du Général de Brigade
James G. Harbord, comprenant: Le 5e Regiment de Marine, sous les
ordres du Colonel Wendell C. Neville, le 6e régiment de Marine,
sous les ordres du Colonel Albertus W. Catlin, le 6e Bataillion de
mitrailleuses, sous les ordres du Commandant Edward B. Cole:
“A été jetée en pleine bataille, sur un front violemment attaqué
par l’ennemi. S’est affirmée aussitôt comme une unité de tout
premier order. Dés son entrée en ligne, a brisé, en liaison avec
les troupes françaises, une violente attaque ennemie sur un point
important de la position et entrepris ensuite à son compte une
série d’opérations offensives. Au cours de ces opérations, grace
au courage brillant, à la vigueur, à l’allant, à la ténacité de
ses hommes qui ne se sont laissés rebuter ni par les fatigues, ni
par les pertes; grace à l’activité et à énergie de ses officiers;
grace enfin à l’action personnelle de son chef, le Général J.
Harbord, la 4e brigade a vu ses efforts couronnés de succés.
En intime liaison l’un avec l’autre, ses deux régiments et son
bataillon de mitrailleuses ont réalisé, après douze jours de lutte
incessante (du 2 au 13 Juin 1918) dans un terrain trés difficile,
une progression variant entre 1,500 à 2,000 métres, sur un front de
4 kilométres, capturant un nombreux matériel, faisant plus de 500
prisonniers, infligeant à l’ennemi des pertes considérables et lui
enlevant deux points d’appui de premiére importance—le village de
Bouresches et le bois organisé de Belleau.”
Au Grand Quartier Général, le 22 octobre, 1918.
_Le Général Commandant en Chef._
Signé: PETAIN
(Ordre No. 10.805 “D.”)
In addition to the above-described instances, French civilian
sentiment expressed itself in the following letter from the mayor of
Meaux and Resolution from the assembled mayors of the Meaux District
(Arrondissement). This letter and the resolutions were published on
July 10, 1918, in General Orders No. 43, of the Second Division “as
indicating the appreciation of the efforts of the Second Division by
the French inhabitants for our share in stemming the recent German
advance in this sector.”
MEAUX, _June 26, 1918_.
GENERAL: On behalf of all the Mayors of the Meaux District
(Arrondissement), assembled yesterday in congress at the city hall,
I have the honor to send you herewith a copy of the resolution they
have taken in order to pay homage to the gallantry displayed by the
troops under your command and to the effectiveness of the help they
rendered us.
The civilian population of this part of the country will never
forget that the beginning of this month of June, when their homes
were threatened by the invader, the Second American Division
victoriously stepped forth and succeeded in saving them from
impending danger.
I am personally happy to be able to convey to you this modest token
of their thankfulness and I am, General,
Yours, respectfully,
(Signed) G. LUGOL,
_Mayor of Meaux, Député de Seine et Marne_.
_Voted in a Congress of the Mayors of Meaux District on the 25th of
June, 1918._
The mayors of the Meaux district, who were eye-witnesses to the
generous and efficacious deeds of the American Army in stopping the
enemy advance, send to this Army the heart-felt expression of their
admiration and gratefulness.
(Signed) G. LUGOL,
_President of the Committee_.
MEAUX, _June 25, 1918_.
During the first attack on Belleau Wood on June 6, 1918, Col.
Albertus W. Catlin was severely wounded and was relieved in command
of the Sixth Regiment by Lieut. Col. Harry Lee, who continued in
command until the regiment was demobilized in August, 1919.
When Maj. Edward B. Cole was mortally wounded on June 10, 1918,
he was relieved in command of the Sixth Machine Gun Battalion of
Marines by Capt. Harlan E. Major. On June 11, 1918, Captain Major was
relieved by Capt. George H. Osterhout, who retained command until
relieved by Maj. Littleton W. T. Waller, jr., on June 21, 1918.
During the fighting in the Chateau-Thierry sector the headquarters of
the Fourth Brigade was successively at Montreuil-aux-Lions, (in an
automobile for one-half hour on the way to the front lines), Issonge
farmhouse, and La Loge farmhouse. After being relieved by elements
of the Twenty-sixth Division during the night of July 5-6, 1918, the
brigade moved to an area in rear of the lines and occupied what was
known as the Line of Defense or Army Line, with headquarters at
Nanteuil-sur-Marne. The brigade remained there until July 16, 1918.
During the time the above-described fighting was going on the
Germans were frustrated in their fourth 1918 drive (Noyon-Montdidier
defensive) between June 9 and 15, 1918, and of course being busy in
the vicinity of Bois de Belleau, the Marines had no opportunity of
engaging in it.
Having been blocked in the Marne salient, the Germans attacked for
the fifth time in 1918 on July 15, and as events turned out it
was the last, for from the time of its failure they were on the
defensive. The Allied troops including many Americans held this
attack, called by the Americans the Champagne-Marne defensive, which
was on a large scale, and the grand initiative passed from the
Germans to the Allies on July 18, 1918, when Marshal Foch launched
his initial major offensive, termed by the Americans the Aisne-Marne.
In this magnificent and gigantic operation the Marine Brigade and
other elements of the Second Division played leading parts in the
vicinity of Soissons.
General headquarters, American Expeditionary Forces, on May 28,
1919, credited the Second Division units with participation in the
major operation of Champagne-Marne defensive, but on June 2, 1919,
rescinded this credit.
Chapter XI.
THE AISNE-MARNE OFFENSIVE (SOISSONS).
On July 11, 1918, Brig. Gen. James G. Harbord, commanding general
of the Marine Brigade, received notification of his appointment as
a major general, and two days later left on a five days’ leave of
absence. As Col. Neville had been evacuated to a base hospital after
leaving the Chateau-Thierry sector, Lieut. Col. Harry Lee assumed
temporary command of the brigade. Maj. Gen. Harbord and Col. Neville
both returned in time to enter the Aisne-Marne offensive, the former
in command of the Second Division and the latter in command of the
Fourth Brigade.
Of the six Allied offensives taking place in 1918 on the Western
Front, designated by the Americans as major operations, the Fourth
Brigade of Marines, with the other units of the Second Division,
participated in three, the first being the vast offensive known as
the Aisne-Marne, in which the Marine Brigade entered the line near
Soissons.
On July 17, 1918, the First Moroccan Division and the First and
Second Divisions of American Regulars were hurriedly and secretly
concentrated, by terribly fatiguing, forced night marches over roads
jammed with troops, artillery, and tanks, through rain and mud, in
the Bois de Retz, near Soissons. Headquarters of the Fourth Brigade
was established at Vivieres.
The getting to the “jump-off” on time for this operation will always
share in Marine Corps history with the glorious victory that followed.
Early on the morning of July 18, 1918, Marshal Foch threw these
three picked divisions at the unsuspecting Germans with overwhelming
success, and again on the following day. The American commander in
chief in his first report stated:
The place of honor in the thrust toward Soissons on July 18 was
given to our First and Second Divisions, in company with chosen
French divisions. Without the usual brief warning of a preliminary
bombardment, the massed French and American artillery, firing by
the map, laid down its rolling barrage at dawn while the Infantry
began its charge. The tactical handling of our troops under these
trying conditions was excellent throughout the action. * * * The
Second Division took Beaurepaire Farm and Vierzy in a very rapid
advance, and reached a position in front of Tigny at the end of its
second day.
In his final report he stated:
Gen. Petain’s initial plan for the counterattack involved the
entire western face of the Marne salient. The First and Second
American Divisions, with the First French Moroccan Division between
them, were employed as the spearhead of the main attack, driving
directly eastward, through the most sensitive portion of the German
lines to the heights south of Soissons. The advance began on July
18, without the usual brief warning of a preliminary bombardment,
and these three divisions at a single bound broke through the
enemy’s infantry defenses and overran his artillery, cutting or
interrupting the German communications leading into the salient.
A general withdrawal from the Marne was immediately begun by the
enemy, who still fought stubbornly to prevent disaster. * * *
The Second Division advanced 8 kilometers in the first 26 hours,
and by the end of the second day was facing Tigny, having captured
3,000 prisoners and 66 field guns. It was relieved the night of the
19th by a French division. The result of this counter-offensive
was of decisive importance. Due to the magnificent dash and
power displayed on the field of Soissons by our First and Second
Divisions the tide of war was definitely turned in favor of the
Allies.
Maj. Gen. James G. Harbord, commanding the Second Division in this
operation, describes the two days’ fighting of his division in these
words:
It is with keen pride that the division commander transmits to the
command the congratulations and affectionate personal greetings of
Gen. Pershing who visited the division headquarters last night. His
praise of the gallant work of the division on the 18th and 19th
is echoed by the French high command, the Third Corps commander,
American Expeditionary Forces, and in a telegram from the former
division commander. In spite of two sleepless nights, long marches
through rain and mud, and the discomforts of hunger and thirst,
the division attacked side by side with the gallant First Moroccan
Division and maintained itself with credit. You advanced over 6
miles, captured over 3,000 prisoners, 11 batteries of artillery,
over 100 machine guns, minnenwerfers, and supplies. The Second
Division has sustained the best traditions of the Regular Army and
the Marine Corps. The story of your achievements will be told in
millions of homes in all Allied lands to-night.
This was one of the greatest strategical successes of Marshal Foch,
and that the part played by the Marines was appreciated by the French
is illustrated by the Fifth and Sixth Regiments and the Sixth Machine
Gun Battalion being cited in French Army orders. The citations of the
Sixth Regiment (that of the Fifth Regiment being similar) and that of
the Sixth Machine Gun Battalion are quoted below:
Après approbation du général commandant en chef les forces
expéditionnaires Américaines en France, le général commandant en
chef les armées Françaises du nord et du nord-est, cite à l’Ordre
de l’Armée:
“Le 6e Regiment de Marine Americaine, sous les ordres du
Lieutenant-Colonel Lee.
“Engagés à l’improviste dans l’offensive du 18 juillet 1918, en
pleine nuit, dans un terrain inconnu et trés difficile, ont déployé
pendant deux jours, sans se laisser arrêter par les fatigues et
les difficultés du ravitaillement en vivres et en eau, une ardeur
et une ténacité remarquables, refoulant l’ennemi sur 11 kilométres
de profondeur, capturant 2,700 prisonniers, 12 canons et plusieurs
centaines de mitrailleuses.”
Au Grand Quartier Général, le 25 Octobre 1918.
(Ordre No. 10.886 “D.”)
_Le Général Commandant en Chef._
Signé: PETAIN
Après approbation du général commandant en chef les forces
expéditionnaires Américaines en France, le maréchal de France,
commandant en chef les Armées Françaises de l’est cite à l’Ordre de
l’Armée:
“Le 6e Bataillon de Mitrailleuses U. S. Marine, sous les ordres du
Commandant L. W. T. Waller.
“Quoique trés fatigué par un long trajet en camion et une marche
de nuit sur des routes difficiles, ce bataillon s’est précipité
à l’attaque le 18 juillet 1918, prés de Vierzy et a puissamment
contribué à consolider et à maintenir la position atteinte ce
jour-là.
“Dans la matinée du 19 juillet, il s’est vaillamment porté en
avant, en terrain découvert, sous un violent feu d’artillerie et
de mitrailleuses, soutenant résolument l’attaque lancée contre les
positions renforcées de l’ennemi.
“Ayant à faire face à une forte résistance ennemie et à des
contre-attaques continelles, a fait preuve du plus beau courage
en consolidant rapidement et en tenant résolument l’importante
position conquises par l’infanterie ce jour-là.”
Au Grand Quartier Général, le 4 Mars 1919.
(Ordre No. 13.978 “D.”)
_Le Maréchal,
Commandant en Chef les Armées Françaises de l’Est._
PETAIN
Following the advance of the first day, brigade headquarters was
moved forward to a cave in Vierzy.
Col. Logan Feland was in command of the Fifth Regiment during the
Aisne-Marne offensive, near Soissons, and continued in command of it
with the exception of two days in July, 1918 (when Brig. Gen. Lejeune
commanded the Fourth Brigade and Col. Neville the Fifth Regiment),
until March 21, 1919, when he was relieved by Col. Harold C. Snyder,
who retained command until the date of demobilization.
The Fourth Brigade was relieved about midnight July 19, 1918, and
after remaining in a reserve position until July 22, 1918, marched to
an area farther in the rear, but still in a reserve position, brigade
headquarters being established at Taillefontaine. Alter final relief
from this active sector the brigade was billeted July 24-25, 1918,
in an area around Nanteuil-le-Haudouin, brigade headquarters being
established at Nanteuil. The brigade remained in this area until July
31, 1918.
On July 25, 1918, Brig. Gen. John A. Lejeune arrived, and assumed
command of the Fourth Brigade on July 26, 1918, General Orders, No.
16, reading as follows:
I have this day assumed command of the Fourth Brigade, U. S.
Marines.
To command this brigade is the highest honor that could come to any
man. Its renown is imperishable and the skill, endurance, and valor
of the officers and men have immortalized its name and that of the
Marine Corps.
Brig. General Lejeune retained command until July 29, 1918, when he
became commanding general of the Second Division, relieving Maj. Gen.
Harbord, who left to assume command of the Services of Supply. Col.
Neville, on this latter date, resumed command of the Fourth Brigade.
Chapter XII.
MARBACHE SECTOR, NEAR PONT-A-MOUSSON—ST. MIHIEL OFFENSIVE.
During the last two days of July, 1918, the units of the brigade
entrained for a 24-hour railroad journey which took them to an area
around Nancy, with headquarters at Villers-les-Nancy, where they
remained resting and refitting until August 9, 1918.
On August 7, 1918, information was received of the promotion of Brig.
Gen. Lejeune to the grade of major general, and of Col. Neville to
the grade of brigadier general, both to date from July 1, 1918.
Col. Albertus W. Catlin arrived in the United States on board the
_America_ on August 3, 1918. Col. Catlin, having been wounded on June
6, 1918, during the first attack on Bois de Belleau, was admitted to
Hospital No. 2, Paris, France, on the next day, was discharged on
July 22, 1918, granted two months’ sick leave, and sailed for New
York from Brest, France, on July 25, 1918.
On August 5, 1918, movement of units of the brigade was started for
the occupation of the Marbache subsector, near Pont-a-Mousson, on
the Moselle River. By August 8, 1918, the movement was completed,
with Headquarters established at Scarponne just across the Moselle
River from Dieulouard. The sector was quiet and occupation uneventful
except for an enemy raid which was successfully repulsed and
prisoners captured.
On August 8, 1918, Lieut. Col. Earl H. Ellis was appointed adjutant
of the Fourth Brigade, relieving Lieut. Col. Harry R. Lay, who had
been detailed as inspector general of the Second Division.
The relief from the Marbache sector was completed on August 18, 1918,
and the brigade moved to an area about 20 kilometers southeast of
Toul, headquarters being established at Favieres. Intensive training
for the impending St. Mihiel offensive was indulged in here.
The brigade started to move from this area on the night of September
2, 1918, and after a series of night marches, during which time
headquarters were established at Pont St. Vincent, Velaine-en-Haye,
and Bouvron, the brigade arrived just outside of Manonville,
headquarters being established in Manonville. From September 12 to
16, 1918 the brigade was engaged in the St. Mihiel offensive in
the vicinity of Remenauville, Thiaucourt, Xammes, and Jaulny as a
unit of the Second Division of the First Corps of the First Army.
Headquarters during these operations were successively at 1 kilometer
north of Lironville, Thiaucourt, and finally at Manonville, on
September 16, 1918.
On September 20, 1918, the brigade moved to an area south of Toul,
with headquarters at Chaudenay. The brigade remained in this area
until September 25, 1918, when it moved by rail to an area south of
Chalons-sur-Marne, with headquarters at Sarry.
Chapter XIII.
THE CHAMPAGNE—BATTLE OF BLANC MONT RIDGE—CAPTURE OF ST. ETIENNE—MARCH
TO LEFFINCOURT.
Marshal Foch, having asked for an American division to assist in
breaking through the powerful German defenses in the Champagne, the
Second Division, including the Marine Brigade, was temporarily placed
at the disposal of the Fourth French Army under Gen. Gouraud from
September 27, 1918, to October 10, 1918. At first it was directly
subject to the orders of Marshal Petain, but before the actual
fighting began it was placed directly under the orders of Gen.
Gouraud.
On September 28, 1918, the Fourth Brigade moved by bus and marching
to the Souain-Suippes area, with brigade headquarters at Suippes.
On October 1, 1918, in an order of the Second Division, the
commanding general of the Second Division encouraged his division
with the following words:
1. The greatest battles in the world’s history are now being
fought. The Allies are attacking successfully on all fronts. The
valiant Belgian Army has surprised and defeated the enemy in
Flanders; the English, who have been attacking the enemy without
ceasing since August 8, have advanced beyond the Hindenburg Line,
between Cambria and St. Quentin, capturing thousands of prisoners
and hundreds of cannon; the heroic Allied Army of the Orient has
decisively defeated the Bulgars; the British have captured over
50,000 prisoners in Palestine and have inflicted a mortal blow on
the Turk; and our own First Army and the Fourth French Army have
already gained much success in the preliminary stages of their
attack between the Meuse and Suippes Rivers.
2. Owing to its world-wide reputation for skill and valor, the
Second Division was selected by the commander in chief of the
Allied Armies as his special reserve, and has been held in
readiness to strike a swift and powerful blow at the vital point of
the enemy’s line. The hour to move forward has now come, and I am
confident that our division will pierce the enemy’s line, and once
more gloriously defeat the Hun.
The Battle of Blanc Mont Ridge was one of the most powerful and
effective blows struck under the direction of Marshal Foch against
the retreating Germans, and its brilliantly successful conclusion was
due in a great degree to the military genius of Maj. Gen. John A.
Lejeune of the Marines.
On September 27, 1918, Maj. Gen. John A. Lejeune called on Gen.
Gouraud at the headquarters of the Fourth French Army, who explained
the situation at the front to him. Facing a large relief map of the
battlefield, Gen. Gouraud placed his hand on the Blanc Mont Ridge and
said: “General, this position is the key of all the German defenses
of this sector including the whole Rheims Massif. If this ridge can
be taken the Germans will be obliged to retreat along the whole front
30 kilometers to the river Aisne. Do you think your division could
effect its capture?” Maj. Gen. Lejeune responded that he felt certain
the Second Division could take the stronghold pointed out, whereupon
he was informed that he would be ordered to make the attack within a
few days and was directed to prepare a plan for the assault.
At this time the Second Division was directly subject to the orders
of Marshal Petain, but later in the day Gen. Gouraud informed Maj.
Gen. Lejeune that after an explanation of the circumstances Marshal
Petain had assigned the division to the Fourth French Army.
The general plan provided for an attack by the whole Fourth French
Army between the Argonne and the Suippes River.
On October 1, 1918, the brigade with the rest of the Second Division
marched to the front line near Somme-Py on the night of October
1-2, 1918, and relieved elements of a French division. The brigade
headquarters was located in the trenches about 2½ kilometers south of
Somme-Py. The relief was effected before daylight without incident.
The Battle of Blanc Mont Ridge was fought and won by the Second
Division, as a unit of the Fourth French Army, between October 3 and
9, 1918, over the desolated white chalky ground of the Champagne,
which was scarred and shell pocked by years of artillery fire, marked
with huge mine craters, gridironed with an intricate maze of deep
trenches and concrete fortifications, and covered with tangled masses
of wire.
The overwhelming success and the far-reaching effect of the Second
Division’s part in these operations, the cleaning up of the Essen
Hook, the capture of Blanc Mont Ridge, and the capture of St.
Etienne, are well described in general terms in the following
excerpts from official publications.
That the plan was as brilliantly executed as it was daringly
conceived is shown by this extract from an order of the Second
Division, dated November 11, 1918, reading in part as follows:
In the Champagne district, October 2 to 10, it fought beside the
Fourth French Army. On October 3 it seized Blanc Mont Ridge, the
keystone of the arch of the main German position, advanced beyond
the ridge and, although both flanks were unsupported, it held all
its gains with the utmost tenacity, inflicting tremendous losses on
the enemy. This victory freed Rheims and forced the entire German
Army between that city and the Argonne Forest to retreat to the
Aisne, a distance of 30 kilometers.
The amazing success of the attack and the vital effect of the capture
of Blanc Mont Ridge and St. Etienne is described in the words of
Gen. Gouraud himself in a letter to Marshal Foch, reading in part as
follows:
Because of the brilliant part played by this “Grand Unit” in the
offensive of the Fourth Army during the autumn of 1918, I propose
the Second American Division for a citation in “The Order of the
Army” upon the following specific grounds:
The Second Infantry Division, United States, brilliantly commanded
by Gen. Lejeune * * * played a glorious part in the operations of
the Fourth Army in the Champagne in October, 1918. On the 3d of
October this division drove forward and seized in a single assault
the strongly entrenched German positions between Blanc Mont and
Medeah Ferme, and again pressing forward to the outskirts of
Saint-Etienne à Arnes it made in the course of the day an advance
of about 6 kilometers.
It captured several thousand prisoners, many cannon and machine
guns, and a large quantity of other military matériel. This attack,
combined with that of the French divisions on its left and right,
resulted in the evacuation by the enemy of his positions on both
sides of the river Suippe and his withdrawal from the Massif de
Notre-Dame-des-Champs.
The further opinion of the French as to the results and effect of
the Second Division’s operations in Champagne is set forth in the
following-quoted extract from Information Bulletin No. 12 of the
Fourth French Army dated October 7, 1918:
Up to October 4, at which date the present bulletin is written,
the Fourth Army has pushed its advance up to objectives of the
very highest importance. A splendid American division, full of
dash and ardor, the Second Division, United States, placed at the
disposition of the Twenty-first Corps on October 3, made itself
master of Massif du Blanc Mont, which dominates the valley of the
Arnes and gives us excellent outlook on the valley of the Suippe in
rear of the region of Monts. This conquest rapidly brought about
the downfall of Notre-Dame-des-Champs and the Grand Bois de Saint
Souplet.
The American commander in chief in his first report describes the
Battle of Blanc Mont in the following words:
The Second Division conquered the complicated defense works on
their front against a persistent defense worthy of the grimmest
period of trench warfare and attacked the strongly held wooded hill
of Blanc Mont, which they captured in a second assault, sweeping
over it with consummate dash and skill. This division then repulsed
strong counterattacks before the village and cemetery of St.
Etienne and took the town, forcing the Germans to fall back from
before Rheims and yield positions they had held since September,
1914.
In his final report the American commander in chief remarked as
follows:
The Second Division completed its advance on this front by the
assault of the wooded heights of Mont Blanc, the key point of the
German position, which was captured with consummate dash and skill.
The division here repulsed violent counterattacks and then carried
our lines into the village of St. Etienne, thus forcing the Germans
to fall back before Rheims and yield positions which they had held
since September, 1914.
The citation of the Fifth Regiment of Marines (the citation of the
Sixth Regiment being identical) reads as follows:
Après approbation du général commandant en chef les forces
expéditionnaires Americaines en France, le maréchal de France,
commandant en chef les armées françaises de l’est, cite à l’Ordre
de l’Armée:
“Le 5ème Regiment de Marine Americain, sous les ordres du Colonel
Logan Feland:
“A pris une part glorieuse aux opérations engagées par la 4ème
Armée en Champagne, en Octobre 1918. Le 3 Octobre 1918, a participé
à l’attaque des positions allemandes fortement retranchées entre le
Blanc Mont et la Ferme Medeah, et, poussant de l’avant jusqu’aux
abords de Saint-Etienne à Arnes, a réalisé une avance de 6
kilométres. A fait plusieurs milliers de prisonniers, capturé des
canons, des mitrailleuses et un important matériel de guerre. Cette
attaque, combinée avec celle des Divisions Françaises, a eu pour
conséquence l’évacuation des deux rives de la Suippe et du Massif
de Notre-Dame-des-Champs.”
Au Grand Quartier Général, le 21 Mars 1919.
Le Maréchal, Commandant en Chef les Armées Françaises de l’Est.
Signé: PETAIN.
(Ordre No. 14.712 “D.”)
On October 10, 1918, having been relieved from the line in the
Blanc Mont sector, the brigade took station in the Suippes-Somme
Suippes-Nantivet area and the adjacent camps with headquarters
at Suippes, being assigned as Fourth French Army reserve. The
brigade remained in this area resting and refitting until October
14, 1918, when, in accordance with orders, it marched to the
Vadenay-Bouy-la-Veuve-Dampierre area, north of Chalons-sur-Marne,
with headquarters at Bouy. While here orders were received placing
the Fourth Brigade provisionally at the disposal of the Ninth French
Army Corps to hold a sector in the region Attigny-Voncq-Aisne River.
Accordingly on October 20, 1918, the brigade was temporarily
detached from the Second Division and marched to the area
Suippes-Nantivet-Somme-Suippes, with headquarters at Suippes. On
October 21, 1918, in obedience to orders, the Marines hiked to the
vicinity of Leffincourt, where brigade headquarters was established.
While about to take over the assigned sector the Fourth Brigade
received orders to rejoin the Second Division, which was preparing to
enter the Meuse-Argonne offensive. After a hard march these orders
were obeyed and brigade headquarters established at Mont Pelier on
October 23, 1918.
On October 24, 1918, Maj. Matthew W. Kingman relieved Maj. Littleton
W. T. Waller, jr., in command of the Sixth Machine Gun Battalion of
Marines, Maj. Waller joining the Second Division staff as division
machine gun officer.
Chapter XIV.
THE MEUSE-ARGONNE OFFENSIVE—CROSSING THE MEUSE RIVER.
On October 25, 1918, the brigade moved to the Les Islettes area with
brigade headquarters at Camp Cabaud. On the evening of October 26,
1918, it arrived in the area south of Exermont and bivouacked in the
woods there that night with brigade headquarters at Exermont. The
brigade remained in bivouac in this area until the night of October
30-31, 1918, when it moved forward into line to participate in the
immense Meuse-Argonne offensive which had started on September 26,
1918, the Second Division being assigned as a unit of the Fifth Corps.
Relieving elements of the Forty-Second Division, just south of
Landres-et-St. Georges, the Marine Brigade early on the morning of
November 1, 1918, jumped-off, following a terrific barrage, for its
final operation of the war, the conclusion of which at 11 o’clock
on the morning of November 11, 1918, found the Marines firmly
established on the heights of the far bank of the Meuse River, after
an advance of 30 kilometers.
The splendid work of the Second Division, including the Marines, is
described in official reports, and excerpts from some are given below.
In recommending that the Second Division be cited in General
Headquarters Orders for its excellent work in the attack of November
1-11, 1918, the commanding general, First Army, wrote on January 16,
1919, in part, as follows:
4. In the First Army attack of November 1, 1918, the Second
Division was selected and so placed in the battle line that its
known ability might be used to overcome the critical part of the
enemy’s defense. The salient feature of the plan of attack was to
drive a wedge through Landres-et-St. Georges to the vicinity of
Fosse. It was realized that if the foregoing could be accomplished
the backbone of the hostile resistance west of the Meuse would
be broken and the enemy would have to retreat to the east of the
Meuse. Success in this plan would immediately loosen the flanks of
the First Army. The Second Division was selected to carry out this
main blow.
5. The Second Division accomplished the results desired in every
particular on the first day of the attack, not only clearing the
hostile defenses of Landres-et-St. Georges and the Bois de Hazios
but continuing its advance to the vicinity of Fosse, i. e., about 9
kilometers. This decisive blow broke the enemy’s defense and opened
the way for the rapid advance of the Army.
With reference to the first day’s attack, the commanding general,
Fifth Army Corps, wrote officially on November 2, 1918, in part as
follows:
The division’s brilliant advance of more than 9 kilometers,
destroying the last stronghold on the Hindenburg Line, capturing
the Freya Stellung, and going more than 9 kilometers against not
only the permanent but the relieving forces in their front, may
justly be regarded as one of the most remarkable achievements made
by any troops in this war. For the first time, perhaps, in our
experience the losses inflicted by your division upon the enemy
in the offensive greatly exceeded the casualties of the division.
The reports indicate moreover that in a single day the division
has captured more artillery and machine guns than usually falls to
the lot of a command during several days of hard fighting. These
results must be attributed to the great dash and speed of the
troops, and to the irresistible force with which they struck and
overcame the enemy.
The following citation in Fifth Army Corps General Orders No. 26,
dated November 20, 1918, gives a further description of these
operations:
The Second Division, in line at the launching of the attack, broke
through the strong enemy resistance, and, leading the advance,
drove forward in a fast and determined pursuit of the enemy, who,
despite new divisions hastily thrown in, was driven back everywhere
on its front. This division drove the enemy across the Meuse, and
under heavy fire and against stubborn resistance, built bridges and
established itself on the heights. The cessation of hostilities
found this division holding strong positions across the Meuse and
ready for a continuation of the advance.
An order of the Second Division, dated November 5, 1918, reading in
part as follows, tells what occurred subsequent to the first day’s
attack:
During the night of November 2-3 the Second Division moved forward
overcoming the resistance of the enemy’s advanced elements, and at
6 a. m., it attacked and seized the enemy’s line of defense on the
ridge southeast of Vaux-en-Dieulet.
Late in the afternoon, the enemy, having reorganized his line on
the border of Belval Forest, was again attacked and defeated.
After nightfall and in a heavy rain, the advanced elements of
the division pressed forward through the forest, and occupied a
position on the heights south of Beaumont, 8 kilometers in advance
of the divisions on our right and left.
During the night of November 4-5, the division again pressed
forward, occupied Beaumont and Letanne and threw the enemy on its
front across the Meuse.
An order of the Second Division, dated November 12, 1918, describing
the historic crossing of the Meuse River on the night before the
armistice became operative, reads as follows:
1. On the night of November 10, heroic deeds were done by heroic
men. In the face of a heavy artillery and withering machine gun
fire, the Second Engineers threw two foot bridges across the Meuse
and the first and second battalions of the Fifth Marines crossed
resolutely and unflinchingly to the east bank and carried out their
mission.
2. In the last battle of the war, as in all others in which this
division has participated, it enforced its will on the enemy.
The commanding general of the Fifth Army Corps has this to say about
the crossing of the Meuse by the Marines, who were assisted by the
Artillery, Engineers, and other troops of the Second Division:
Especially I desire to commend the division for the crowning
feat of its advance in crossing the Meuse River in face of heavy
concentrated enemy machine gun fire, and in driving the enemy’s
troops before it, and in firmly establishing itself upon the
heights covering the desired bridgehead. This feat will stand among
the most memorable of the campaign.
With reference to the crossing of the Meuse River the American
commander in chief reported as follows:
On the night of November 10, the Fifth Corps forced a crossing
of the Meuse against heavy enemy resistance between Mouzon and
Pouilly, and advanced to the Inor-Mouzon road with two battalions
holding the high ground northwest of Inor.
The general success achieved by the Second Division in the
Argonne-Meuse offensive is well described by the words of the order
citing Maj. Gen. John A. Lejeune, of the Marines, for an Army
distinguished service medal, reading in part as follows:
In the Meuse-Argonne offensive his division was directed with such
sound military judgment and ability that it broke and held, by the
vigor and rapidity of execution of its attack, enemy lines which
had hitherto been considered impregnable.
During this fighting the headquarters of the Fourth Brigade
was successively established at Exermont, one-half kilometer
north of Exermont, Sommerance, Bayonville-et-Chennery, Fosse,
Belval-Bois-des-Dames, and Beaumont.
The following self-explanatory memorandum was sent out by the
Commanding General of the Fourth Brigade:
HEADQUARTERS 4TH BRIGADE,
MARINES, AMERICAN E. F.,
_11th November ’18—8.40 a. m._
PEACE MEMORANDUM NO. 1.
The following telephone message received from _Surprise_ 1 at 8.35
a. m. this morning forwarded for compliance.
8.40 a. m. message from 5th Corps; Armistice signed and takes
effect at 11 this morning. Accurate map showing locations of front
line elements, including patrols and detachments, will be sent to
these Headquarters without delay.
On “the eleventh hour, the eleventh day of the eleventh month, of the
year 1918,” Brig. Gen. Wendell C. Neville, commanding general of the
Fourth Brigade of Marines, published the following tribute to the
officers and men of the Fourth Brigade:
Upon this, the most momentous hour in the history of the World
War, the undersigned wishes to express to his command his sincere
appreciation of their unfailing devotion to duty and their heroic
and courageous action during the recent operations.
The time, when the results of our efforts during the past year are
shown, is here. The hour has arrived when the convulsion which
has shaken the foundations of the civilized world has ceased. The
enemy is defeated and the principles of freedom and democracy have
triumphed over barbarism and autocracy. We may all feel justly
proud of the extent of our participation which has forced the
enemy to a cessation of hostilities. It is fitting, at this time,
to think of those of our comrades who have fallen on the field of
honor and rejoice in the fact that they did not give their lives in
vain.
Your display of fortitude, determination, courage, and your ability
to fight has upon more than one occasion been a determining factor
in making history, and your work has had a direct bearing upon
the remarkable chain of events which have this day culminated
in such a satisfactory manner. Along the fronts of Verdun, the
Marne, the Aisne, Lorraine, Champagne, and the Argonne, the units
of the Fourth Brigade Marines have fought valiantly, bravely, and
decisively. They have nobly sustained the sacred traditions and
have added glorious pages to the already illustrious history of the
United States Marine Corps. It is a record of which you may all be
proud.
Chapter XV.
MARCH TO THE RHINE—ARMY OF OCCUPATION—SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS OF THE
FOURTH BRIGADE.
MARCH TO THE RHINE.
On November 17, 1918, the Second Division commenced its march to the
Rhine, passing through Belgium and Luxembourg. The German frontier
was reached November 25, 1918, crossed on December 1, 1918, the
Rhine reached December 10, 1918, and crossed on December 13, 1918.
During this march and up to the time the Fourth Brigade settled
down to its occupation duty in Germany, brigade headquarters were
successively established at Margut, Bellefontaine, Arlon, Usseldange,
Berg, Eppeldorf, Neuerburgh, Waxweiler, Prum, Budesheim, Wiesbaum,
Antweiler, Neuenahr, Burgbrohl, Rheinbrohl, and Hönningen.
WITH THE ARMY OF OCCUPATION.
The duties of the Fourth Brigade with the Army of Occupation
in Germany were uneventful, the outstanding features being the
establishment of a Rhine River patrol, manned and commanded by
Marines; an extended visit, inspection, and review by the Secretary
of the Navy; and the operation of the Second Division, including the
Marines, made about the middle of June, 1919, in which an advanced
position was taken as a part of the concentration of the Third Army
immediately preceding the signing of the treaty of peace by the
Germans.
Headquarters of the Fourth Brigade during the greater part of the
occupation of Germany was at Nieder Bieber, while during the last
operation when the advanced position was taken, just prior to Germany
signing the peace treaty, it was at Herschbach. On the date the
treaty was signed the Fifth Regiment, with headquarters at Hatenfels,
occupied the most advanced position ever occupied by Marines in
Germany.
Just before departing from Germany headquarters was at Nieder
Bieber, and with the exception of Brest, France, this was the last
headquarters the brigade had in Europe.
Maj. Charles D. Barrett relieved Lieut. Col. Earl H. Ellis as brigade
adjutant in April, 1919, and held that position until the brigade
was demobilized. Lieut. Col. Ellis was assigned to duty as second in
command of the Fifth Regiment. On March 12, 1919, Col. Logan Feland
was temporarily appointed brigadier general to rank from March 9,
1919, and accepted appointment and executed oath on March 17, 1919.
On March 21, 1919, Col. Harold C. Snyder assumed command of the Fifth
Regiment, relieving Brig. Gen. Logan Feland, who, after acting as
aide for the Secretary of the Navy, arrived in the United States on
the _Von Steuben_ on May 13, 1919.
Just before the Second Division left Germany the commanding general
of the Army of Occupation expressed his appreciation of the services
of that division in a letter dated July 2, 1919, which is published
in General Orders, Second Division, No. 68, July 5, 1919:
As your magnificent division is about to leave his command, it is
with a sense of gratitude for its splendid achievments while in the
American Expeditionary Forces that the army commander expresses to
you, and to your gallant officers and men his appreciation of your
services.
After occupying a defensive sector between Verdun and St.
Mihiel, you were placed in the line of battle and met, with
stubborn resistance, the onslaughts of the enemy’s hordes near
Chateau-Thierry. Your action at Belleau Woods and your attack upon
and capture of Vaux must ever remain brilliant exploits in our
military history.
At Soissons, side by side with a veteran French division, you
proved to our Allies the fighting value of the Army of the United
States, and at St. Mihiel, in the first great American offensive,
your prowess in attack was irresistible.
When in October, 1918, the Allied High Command desired to reinforce
the French Army by American troops of great offensive worth, by
real “shock troops,” you were loaned to Gen. Gouraud’s Fourth
French Army and delivered your famous assault on Blanc Mont Ridge,
releasing from German menace the historic city of Rheims.
In the closing phase of the Meuse-Argonne operations, certainly
no troops contributed more to the enemy’s destruction
than your division. After taking Landres-et-St. Georges,
Bayonville-et-Chennery, and the Bois-de-la-Folie, you pierced the
Bois-de-Belval, and by skillful night fighting and marching you
cleared the enemy from the left bank of the Meuse and forced a
crossing of the river.
Your brilliant exploits in battle are paralleled by the splendid
example of soldierly bearing and discipline set by your officers
and men while a part of the Army of Occupation. That spirit and
dash which carried your men through the enemy’s defenses still
predominated when the Army was recently concentrated, preparatory
to a further advance into unoccupied Germany.
Officers and soldiers of the Second Division, your achievments and
sacrifices have earned for you and for your fallen comrades the
praise and gratitude of our Nation.
SUMMARY OF THE OPERATIONS OF THE FOURTH BRIGADE.
A summary of the operations of the Fourth Brigade of Marines is set
forth below:
The Fourth Brigade of Marines as a unit of the Second Division
participated in actual battle in France in the following sectors
between the inclusive dates set down (as published in General Orders
No. 37, Second Division, April 25, 1919):
Toulon sector, Verdun: From March 15 to May 13, 1918.
Aisne defensive, in the Chateau-Thierry sector: From May 31 to June
5, 1918.
Chateau-Thierry sector (capture of Hill 142, Bouresches, Belleau
Wood): From June 6 to July 9, 1918.
Aisne-Marne (Soissons) offensive: From July 18 to July 19, 1918.
Marbache sector, near Pont-a-Mousson on the Moselle River: From
August 9 to August 16, 1918.
St. Mihiel offensive, in the vicinity of Thiaucourt, Xammes, and
Jaulny: From September 12 to September 16, 1918.
Meuse-Argonne (Champagne) including the capture of Blanc Mont Ridge
and St. Etienne: From October 1 to October 10, 1918.
Meuse-Argonne (including crossing of the Meuse River): From
November 1 to November 11, 1918.
SILVER BANDS FOR COLORS.
Under the rulings of General Headquarters, American Expeditionary
Forces, the Marine Corps units serving with the Second Division are
entitled to silver bands on the staffs of their colors for battle
participation in the above-mentioned engagements.
MAJOR OPERATIONS.
General Headquarters, American Expeditionary Forces, ruled that
the Second Division, including the Fourth Brigade of Marines,
participated in only four major operations, the Aisne defensive
(May 31 to June 5, 1918); the Aisne-Marne offensive (July 18 and
19, 1918); the St. Mihiel offensive (Sept. 12 to 16, 1918); and
the Meuse-Argonne offensive (Oct. 1 to 10; 1918, and Nov. 1 to 10,
1918). The operations which resulted in the capture of Blanc Mont
and St. Etienne were construed to be included in the Meuse-Argonne
offensive despite the fact that the operations were a part of the
operations of the Fourth French Army, far to the west of the western
limit of the American Meuse-Argonne sector and further that the work
of the Second Division was continued by another American division.
The operation which resulted in the capture of Hill 142, Bouresches,
Bois de la Brigade de Marine, by the Marine brigade, assisted by
Artillery, Engineers, etc., of the Second Division, and the capture
of Vaux by the Third Brigade, Engineers and Artillery of the Second
Division, were held to be local engagements rather than a major
operation. The Second Division suffered about 9,000 casualties in the
Chateau-Thierry sector.
In addition to the above major operations, Marine Corps personnel,
other than that of the Fourth Brigade and Second Division,
participated in the Champagne-Marne defensive, the Oise-Aisne
offensive, and the Ypres-Lys offensive.
Chapter XVI.
WITH THE NAVY ON BOARD THE BATTLESHIPS AND CRUISERS.
WITH THE BRITISH GRAND FLEET.
Division 9 of the Atlantic Fleet, composed of the _New York_
(flagship), _Wyoming_, _Florida_, and _Delaware_, was detailed for
service with the British Grand Fleet, rendezvoused on November
24, 1917, in Lynnhaven Roads, Chesapeake Bay, and sailed for its
destination the following day.
The division took the northern passage and was 13 days en route,
4 days of which were spent in holding its own against a 90-mile
gale off the Newfoundland coast. On December 7, 1917, the American
battleships anchored with the British Grand Fleet in Scapa Flow,
Orkney Islands, after a rousing reception, and on December 26 were
designated the Sixth Battle Squadron of the British Grand Fleet.
From the time of its arrival to November 29, 1918, this squadron,
with the addition of the _Texas_ in February, 1918, and the
substitution of the _Arkansas_ for the _Delaware_ in July, 1918,
operated with the British Grand Fleet, basing most of the time in
Scapa Flow and the remainder of the time in the Firth of Forth
(Rosyth). The squadron took its regular turn at convoy duty, patrol
duty, target practice, and fleet exercises with all the other
squadrons of the British Grand Fleet.
The squadron was at sea on an average of from 8 to 10 days each month
and followed the procedure of the Grand Fleet in all respects, even
going so far as to shift to the British method of signaling.
Maj. Nelson P. Vulte was division Marine officer of this division the
entire time it was a unit of the British Grand Fleet.
With reference to the operations of this division the Secretary of
the Navy in his annual report made the following statements:
Assigned one of the two places of honor and importance in the
battle line, this American division did its full share of the Grand
Fleet’s work, including patrol search for the enemy, protection of
convoys, mining, and other forces, and, most important of all, in
the repeated attempts to engage the German High Seas Fleet, for
which the ships of the Grand Fleet were kept in the highest state
of efficiency and readiness. Our battleships were attacked six
times by submarines. On one occasion, off the Norwegian coast, four
torpedoes were fired at the _Florida_ and two at the _Delaware_,
and at another time three were fired at the _New York_. Not one
of our vessels was hit, and the only damage done was to the _New
York_, which while leading the division into Pentland Firth, was
rammed by a submerged submarine. Two blades of her propeller were
broken off, but officers and crew were convinced that the blows
from the propeller sank the U-boat.
SURRENDER OF THE GERMAN HIGH SEAS FLEET.
The American battleships occupied a prominent position in the north
column of the Grand Fleet on the occasion of the surrender of the
German High Seas Fleet, on November 21, 1918, off the mouth of the
Firth of Forth and assisted in escorting it into that port where the
German vessels were searched and later dispatched under guard to
Scapa Flow, Orkney Islands, for internment.
The American vessels did not accompany the surrendered German war
vessels to Scapa, but were detached from the British Grand Fleet on
December 1, 1918, and sailed from Rosyth for Portland (Weymouth).
The day after the surrender of the German Fleet the _Nevada_, which
had been serving with Division 6 of the Atlantic Fleet in Bantry
Bay, Ireland, joined Division 9, at Rosyth and proceeded with it to
Portland.
AT CASTLETOWN BEREHAVEN, BANTRY BAY, IRELAND.
The Annual Report of the Secretary of the Navy makes the following
remarks concerning Division 6:
Division 6, composed of the _Utah_ (flagship), _Nevada_, and
_Oklahoma_, was based on Berehaven, Bantry Bay, Ireland, its
principal duty being to protect our convoys from possible enemy
raiders. This division made two trips into the Channel, escorting
convoys when enemy submarines were reported in the vicinity.
Maj. Leon W. Hoyt was the division Marine officer of this division
during its entire stay in European waters.
The _Nevada_ joined the American battleships of Division 9 the day
after the surrender of the German Fleet off Rosyth, near Edinburgh.
ESCORTING THE PRESIDENT INTO BREST.
Division 9 joined Division 6 at Portland Bill and both divisions left
that port in time to assist the _Pennsylvania_ in escorting President
Wilson, on board the _George Washington_, into the harbor of Brest.
WELCOMED HOME BY NAVAL REVIEW.
On December 14, 1918, our battleships sailed from Brest for the
United States, arrived off Ambrose Lightship the afternoon of
Christmas Day, and the next morning steamed into New York Harbor
where they were accorded a great demonstration. The naval review was
followed by a land parade of all the returning officers, Bluejackets,
and Marines.
THE ATLANTIC FLEET.
Col. (Brig. Gen.) John T. Myers was the fleet Marine officer of the
Atlantic Fleet from before the outbreak of the war to August 23,
1918, being relieved on that date by Col. Frederic L. Bradman who
continued on that duty until after the armistice.
Col. John F. McGill was force Marine officer of the Battleship
Force and later force Marine officer of Battleship Force Two until
August 14, 1918, when he was relieved by Maj. Harold C. Wirgman, who
continued as such until the force was suspended in September, 1918.
Lieut. Col. James McE. Huey was force Marine officer of Battleship
Force One from September 3, 1917 to December 29, 1917, when he was
relieved by Maj. Edwin N. McClellan who continued as such until
March 28, 1918, when the Marines were temporarily withdrawn from the
force.
Maj. Richard H. Tebbs, jr., was force Marine officer of the Cruiser
Force.
THE PACIFIC FLEET.
Col. Richard M. Cutts was fleet Marine officer of the Pacific Fleet
from November 1, 1916 to October 14, 1918; and Lieut. Col. Charles B.
Taylor from October 15, 1918 until after the armistice.
THE ASIATIC FLEET.
The Marines of the _Brooklyn_, flagship of the Asiatic Fleet,
participated in the activities around Vladivostok, Siberia, in 1918.
In June, 1918, Vladivostok, and practically all of Siberia, was under
the control of the Bolsheviki. The Bolsheviki, assisted by German
and Austrian prisoners of war, were resisting the advance of the
Czecho-Slovaks, who were trying to reach Vladivostok. In that city
on June 29, 1918, there were approximately 12,000 well-organized
Czecho-Slovaks, only about 2,500 of whom were armed or equipped. On
the foregoing date the Czecho-Slovaks in the city took it over from
the Bolsheviki after a three hour battle near its center, and on
the afternoon of that day Rear Admiral Austin M. Knight, commander
in chief of the Asiatic Fleet, ordered a detachment of American
Marines ashore to guard the American consulate and to act as part
of an Allied force composed of British, Japanese, Chinese, and
Czecho-Slovaks, to patrol the city.
In July, 1918, Marines from the _Brooklyn_ acted as guards over
German and Austrian prisoners of war on Russian Island, about 5 miles
from Vladivostok, while Marines from the same vessel constituted
part of an Allied military force of American and British marines,
Japanese and Chinese bluejackets, and Czecho-Slovak soldiers, which
was organized to prevent a threatened strike and disorder among the
workmen in the Russian navy yard at Vladivostok.
The _Albany_ was at Vladivostok from April 2, 1919, until relieved by
the _New Orleans_ on July 25, 1919. Each of these ships, while they
were anchored off Vladivostok, kept a small guard of Marines at the
United States Naval radio station on Russian Island.
Col. Carl Gamborg-Andresen was fleet Marine officer of the Asiatic
Fleet from August 25, 1915 to July 17, 1917; Col. Louis McC. Little
from July 18, 1917 to April 25, 1918; and Col. Eli T. Fryer from that
date until after the armistice.
Chapter XVII.
THE ACTIVITIES OF THE FIFTH BRIGADE.
THE FIFTH BRIGADE.
The units of the Fifth Brigade were never together as a brigade in
France or at any time an element of a division, and for that reason
its commanding general was assigned additional duty in the American
Expeditionary Forces.
Brig. Gen. Eli K. Cole, the first commanding general of the Fifth
Brigade, arrived in France on September 24, 1918, and proceeded
to headquarters, Forty-first Division (First Depot Division), St.
Aignan, France, reporting there October 1 to 4, 1918; on October 6,
1918, he joined the Second Division at Souain, France, as an observer
and remained with the Second Division until October 26, 1918, when he
left to report at St. Aignan. On October 28, 1918, Brig. Gen. Cole
arrived at St. Aignan and assumed command of the Forty-first Division
(First Depot Division). From December 27, 1918, to January 10, 1919,
he commanded the First Replacement Depot. From January 12 to February
3, 1919, he commanded the American Embarkation Center at Le Mans,
France. From February 23, 1919, to March 4, 1919, he commanded the
Forwarding Camp at Le Mans, France. During the period March 5 to 21,
1919, Brig. Gen. Cole was occupied in inspecting the units of the
Fifth Brigade. He left Tours, France, on March 31, arrived at Brest,
France, same day, was detached from the American Expeditionary Forces
on March 31, and sailed for the United States on the _Mauretania_,
arriving at New York April 7, 1919.
Brig. Gen. Smedley D. Butler relieved Brig. Gen. Cole as commanding
general of the brigade on April 9, 1919, and retained command until
it was demobilized in August, 1919.
One of the most prominent and outstanding features of the American
Expeditionary Forces was the administration of Pontanezen Camp at
Brest, France, by Brig. Gen. Smedley D. Butler, United States Marine
Corps, from October 6, 1918, to the latter part of July, 1919. The
words of the citation conferring upon him the Army distinguished
service medal describes in general terms the important work
accomplished by Brig. Gen. Butler:
Smedley D. Butler, brigadier general, United States Marine Corps.
For exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services. He has
commanded with ability and energy Pontanezen Camp at Brest during
the time in which it has developed into the largest embarkation
camp in the world. Confronted with problems of extraordinary
magnitude in supervising the reception, entertainment, and
departure of the large numbers of officers and soldiers passing
through this camp, he has solved all with conspicuous success,
performing services of the highest character for the American
Expeditionary Forces.
Brig. Gen. Butler returned to the United States in command of the
Fifth Brigade, on the _Siboney_, arriving at Hampton Roads, Va., on
August 8, 1919.
Maj. William C. Wise was brigade adjutant from the date the brigade
was organized to September 25, 1918; Maj. Charles D. Barrett relieved
Maj. Wise and acted as adjutant until he went to the Fourth Brigade
to relieve Lieut. Col. Ellis; Maj. Calvin B. Matthews was brigade
adjutant from July 11, 1919, to the date the brigade was demobilized.
THE ELEVENTH REGIMENT.
Col. George Van Orden commanded the Eleventh Regiment during its
entire existence.
The Eleventh Regiment was split up, its several units being spread
all over France. Units of this regiment performed duty at various
times at the following places: Brest, Tours, Montierchaume (Indre),
Havre, Gievres (Loire-et-Cher), Marseilles, Toulon (B-du-Rhone),
Miramas (B-du-Rhone), Issoudun (Indre), La Pallice, La Rochelle
(Charante Inferieur), Mehun (Cher), St. Aignan-Noyers, Romorantin
(Loire-et-Cher), Marans, Nevers, Aigrefeuille, Barmant, Somme,
Chateauroux (Indre), Camp Covington (Camp Carret) near Marseilles,
Paris (Headquarters Detachment, American Peace Commission).
The officers and men performed duties of various kinds, among
such being: Post commanders, post and assistant post adjutants,
personnel adjutants, regulating officers, assistant to the depot
engineer, receiving officers, entertainment officers, assistant
post chaplain, police officers, prison officers, camp guards, dock
guards, commanding officers of troops, police sergeants, inspectors
of the guard, district fire marshals, post welfare officers, district
athletic officers, assistant provost marshals, fire patrol officers,
fire marshals, transportation guard service, guard duty over
prisoners, quartermaster property guard, interpreters, etc.
THE THIRTEENTH REGIMENT.
Col. Smedley D. Butler commanded the Thirteenth Regiment from the
date of its organization until November 19, 1918, on which date
Lieut. Col. Douglas C. McDougal assumed command and remained its
commanding officer until it was demobilized.
Like the Eleventh Regiment, the units of this regiment performed
duty in the various posts in the Services of Supply, among such
places being Brest, Bordeaux, St. Nazaire, La Rochelle, La
Pallice, Rochefort, Montoir, Bassens (Gironde), Sursol (Gironde),
Casino-de-Lilas (Bordeaux), La Teste (Gironde), Beau Desert
(Gironde), Nantes, St. Sulpice (Gironde), Savenay, St. Loubes
(Gironde), Lormont, Carbon Blanc, Grange Neuve, Genicart, Croix
d’Hins, La Baule, Isle of Ste. Anne (Nantes), Pen Houet, Usine Brulee.
The officers and men performed duties of various kinds, among such
being provost guard, hospital center guard, camp guard, railroad
transportation officers, commanding dock guard, dock guard, unloading
ships, erecting tents at Pontanezen Barracks, military police,
warehouse guards, convoying of railroad trains, special guards for
shipments of commissary supplies, assistants to camp commander at
Pontanezen Camp, prison guards, assisting thousands of convalescent
and sick soldiers who disembarked from the _Leviathan_ to get to Camp
Pontanezen, inspector general’s department, base section No. 1,
stockade guard, traffic police, motor transportation convoy guard,
dock guard secret service, segregation camp, and railway patrol.
THE FIFTH BRIGADE MACHINE GUN BATTALION.
Maj. Ernest A. Perkins commanded the Fifth Brigade Machine Gun
Battalion from the date of its organization until November 4, 1918;
Capt. Franklin A. Hart from that date until November 12, 1918; and
from November 12, 1918, to date of demobilization Maj. Allen H.
Turnage was the commanding officer.
This battalion performed duty at Camp Pontanezen during its entire
stay in France.
Chapter XVIII.
CASUALTIES.
During the period of the World War the Marine Corps personnel
suffered casualties in actual battle in France with the American
Expeditionary Forces (Second Division and Aviation); in Aviation
while operating as part of the naval service in France; and in the
West Indies in operations against the bandits of Santo Domingo.
MARINE CORPS CASUALTIES.
Marine Corps deaths in the American Expeditionary Forces, as obtained
from Marine Corps records on January 14, 1920, are divided as follows:
----------------------------------+---------+--------+------
Character. |Officers.|Enlisted|Total.
| | men. |
----------------------------------+---------+--------+------
Killed in action | 45 | 1,420 | 1,465
Died of wounds received in action | 30 | 961 | 991
Died of accident | 3 | 24 | 27
Died of disease | 14 | 255 | 269
Other causes | 1 | 11 | 12
+---------+--------+------
Total | 93 | 2,671 | 2,764
----------------------------------+---------+--------+------
The following is a summary of the casualties sustained by the Fourth
Brigade of Marines from March 15 to November 11, 1918, as published
in General Orders, No. 66, Second Division, American Expeditionary
Forces, dated July 2, 1919:
_Fourth Brigade casualties._
(Part 1 of 2) Off. = Officers.
--------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Killed. | Died of | Missing. | Wounded |
| | wounds. | |severely. |
| | | | |
+----+-----+----+-----+----+-----+----+-----+
|Off.| Men.|Off.| Men.|Off.| Men.|Off.| Men.|
--------------------------+----+-----+----+-----+----+-----+----+-----+
Toulon sector (Verdun), | | | | | | | | |
Mar. 15-May 13 | .. | 12 | 2 | 44 | .. | .. | .. | 16 |
Aisne defensive and | | | | | | | | |
Chateau-Thierry sector, | | | | | | | | |
May 31-July 9, 1918 | 25 | 724 | 9 | 304 | .. | 33 | 3 | 322 |
Aisne-Marne offensive, | | | | | | | | |
July 18-25, 1918 | 10 | 156 | 5 | 104 | .. | 66 | 9 | 250 |
Marbache sector, Aug. | | | | | | | | |
9-22 | .. | 1 | .. | 1 | .. | .. | .. | 2 |
St. Mihiel offensive, | | | | | | | | |
Sept. 12-Sept. 16 | 3 | 57 | .. | 86 | .. | 11 | 3 | 124 |
Meuse-Argonne (Champagne),| | | | | | | | |
Oct. 1-Oct. 10 | 9 | 320 | 8 | 155 | .. | 31 | 23 | 380 |
Meuse-Argonne offensive, | | | | | | | | |
Nov. 1-11 | 8 | 189 | 1 | 59 | .. | 20 | 7 | 222 |
--------------------------+----+-----+----+-----+----+-----+----+-----+
Total | 55 |1,459| 25 | 753 | .. | 161 | 45 |1,316|
--------------------------+----+-----+----+-----+----+-----+----+-----+
(Part 2 of 2) Off. = Officers. undet’d. = undetermined.
--------------------------+----------+----------+----------+------------
| Wounded | Wounded, | |
| slightly.| degree | Gassed. | Total.
| | undet’d. | |
+----+-----+----+-----+----+-----+-----+------
|Off.| Men.|Off.| Men.|Off.| Men.| Off.| Men.
--------------------------+----+-----+----+-----+----+-----+-----+------
Toulon sector (Verdun), | | | | | | | |
Mar. 15-May 13 | 6 | 46 | .. | 89 | 4 | 287 | 12 | 494
Aisne defensive and | | | | | | | |
Chateau-Thierry sector, | | | | | | | |
May 31-July 9, 1918 | 20 | 656 | 46 |2,123| 9 | 436 | 112 | 4,598
Aisne-Marne offensive, | | | | | | | |
July 18-25, 1918 | 20 | 489 | 30 | 911 | 2 | 39 | 76 | 2,015
Marbache sector, Aug. | | | | | | | |
9-22 | .. | 8 | .. | 3 | .. | .. | .. | 15
St. Mihiel offensive, | | | | | | | |
Sept. 12-Sept. 16 | 6 | 334 | 4 | 287 | .. | 4 | 16 | 903
Meuse-Argonne (Champagne),| | | | | | | |
Oct. 1-Oct. 10 | 43 | 862 | 6 | 480 | 6 | 141 | 95 | 2,369
Meuse-Argonne offensive, | | | | | | | |
Nov. 1-11 | 20 | 467 | 6 | 206 | 3 | 55 | 45 | 1,218
--------------------------+----+-----+----+-----+----+-----+-----+------
Total | 115|2,862| 92 |4,099| 24 | 962 | 356 |11,612
--------------------------+----+-----+----+-----+----+-----+-----+------
AVIATION CASUALTIES.
The following table shows the casualties sustained by the Marine
Aviation forces between April 6, 1917, and November 11, 1918:
----------------------------------+---------+--------+-------
Character. |Officers.|Enlisted| Total.
| | men. |
----------------------------------+---------+--------+-------
Killed in action | 2 | .. | 2
Died of wounds received in action | 1 | .. | 1
Died of accident | 6 | 6 | 12
Died of disease | 1 | 25 | 26
Died of other causes | 1 | .. | 1
Wounded in action | 2 | 3 | 5
+---------+--------+-------
Total | 13 | 34 | 47
----------------------------------+---------+--------+-------
TOTAL MARINE CORPS DEATHS.
From April 6, 1917, to September 10, 1919, 131 officers and 3,489
enlisted men died, a total of 3,620 Marine Corps deaths from all
causes.
CASUALTIES IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC.
During the period between April 6, 1917, and November 11, 1918, one
officer was wounded in action, four enlisted men were killed in
action, and thirteen wounded in action, in the Dominican Republic in
operations against bandits.
LOST ON THE CYCLOPS.
Two Marines died when the _Cyclops_ was lost at sea.
CASUALTIES OF NAVAL PERSONNEL.
Of the 60 naval medical officers, 12 naval dental officers, and
500 enlisted men of the Medical Corps of the Navy serving with the
Marines in the American Expeditionary Force, 1 commissioned officer,
and 12 enlisted men were killed; 8 commissioned officers and 101
enlisted men were wounded or gassed.
Chapter XIX.
CITATIONS OF MARINE ORGANIZATIONS—DAYS IN FRANCE—ARTILLERY
CAPTURED—PRISONERS CAPTURED—KILOMETERS ADVANCED—DECORATIONS AWARDED.
CITATIONS IN FRENCH ARMY ORDERS.
The French Army recognized the splendid work of the Fifth and Sixth
Regiments of Marines by citing them three times in Army orders for
achievements in the Chateau-Thierry sector, the Aisne-Marne, and
the Meuse-Argonne (Champagne). The Sixth Machine Gun Battalion
was similarly cited for its work in the Chateau-Thierry sector
and the Aisne-Marne, and the Fourth Brigade for its work in the
Chateau-Thierry sector.
Information was received in January, 1920, that the War Department
had accepted the award of the French fourragère in the colors of the
ribbon of the Croix de Guerre for several Army organizations and the
three units of the Fourth Brigade.
Prior to this date the only American organizations which had received
permission to accept or wear the French fourragère were three
sections of the ambulance service and one aero squadron, all of which
were temporary organizations and have now been demobilized.
DAYS IN FRANCE.
A Marine Corps unit arrived in France with the first expedition of
American troops. From June 26, 1917, to November 11, 1918, Marines
were in Europe with the American Expeditionary Forces a total of 504
days, of which 66 days were in active sectors and 71 in quiet sectors.
ARTILLERY CAPTURED BY SECOND DIVISION.
The commanding general, Second Division, under date of December
30, 1918, reported to General Headquarters, American Expeditionary
Forces, the following data with reference to artillery and machine
guns captured:
----------------+----------+----------+--------+-------+--------
Sector. | Heavy | Light | Trench |Machine|Antitank
|artillery.|artillery.|mortars.| guns. | guns.
----------------+----------+----------+--------+-------+--------
Verdun | .. | .. | .. | .. | ..
Chateau-Thierry | .. | [5] | 12 | 119 | ..
Soissons | 9 | 66 | 2 | 200 | ..
Marbache sector | .. | .. | .. | .. | ..
St. Mihiel | 60 | 61 | .. | 122 | ..
Blanc Mont | 5 | 37 | 27 | 409 | 8
Meuse-Argonne | .. | [6]105 | 17 | 500 | ..
+----------+----------+--------+-------+--------
Total | 74 | 269 | 58 | 1,350 | 8
----------------+----------+----------+--------+-------+--------
[5] A small number of light artillery was captured, but no count made.
[6] On account of the rapid advance, for a total of about 29
kilometers, during which time these guns, in position and along
the roads, were overrun and left behind, it was impossible to make
an accurate check of them, and therefore the figures report guns
both heavy and light. They were taken from reports of subordinate
commanders made at the time. Rifles were not counted.
PRISONERS CAPTURED.
The Second Division captured 12,026 prisoners, which is 19.07
per cent of the total prisoners captured by the entire American
Expeditionary Forces.
KILOMETERS ADVANCED.
The Second Division advanced 60 kilometers against the enemy.
DECORATIONS AWARDED MARINES.
The following number of decorations were awarded Marines during the
war:
Medals of honor (Army) 5
Distinguished-service medals (Army) 8
Distinguished-service crosses (Army) 363
Distinguished-service order (British) 1
Croix de guerre (French) 1,237
Legion of honor (French) 19
Medaille militaire (French) 10
Belgian decorations 10
Chinese decorations 1
Italian decorations 9
Montenegrin decorations 4
Portuguese decorations 1
-----
Total 1,668
The above number of Distinguished-service crosses (Army) awarded
includes 42 awarded to Navy Medical Corps personnel, 2 to Y. M. C. A.
personnel, and 2 to French officers serving with Marines.
The above number of Croix de guerre (French) awarded includes 82
awarded to Navy Medical Corps and Navy Dental Corps personnel, and 3
to Navy Chaplains serving with Marines.
One Navy Chaplain was awarded a Legion of Honor (French), but this is
not included in the above.
Chapter XX.
RIFLE PRACTICE—RIFLE AND PISTOL COMPETITIONS.
RIFLE PRACTICE.
In recent years the Marine Corps has devoted a great deal of time
and energy to rifle practice, believing that one of the first
requirements of a soldier is to know how to shoot. During the period
of the war target practice was given special attention, and in 1918
it was announced that no enlisted men would be sent overseas who had
not qualified as marksman or better. This announcement created even
greater interest than before in target practice among the enlisted
personnel and gratifying results were obtained on all rifle ranges.
The Marines that arrived in France were educated riflemen, but
despite that fact rifle ranges of some character were established and
used in every spot of France and Germany where the Marines remained
long enough to make it feasible and practicable to do so.
The percentage of marksmanship qualifications of the enlisted
personnel of the Marine Corps on various dates, in the American
Expeditionary Forces and in the United States was as follows:
--------------------------------------------------------+-----------
Date and place. |Percentage.
--------------------------------------------------------+-----------
Entire Marine Corps, Apr. 6, 1917 | 48.0
Marines of American Expeditionary Forces, Nov. 11, 1918 | 68.1
Entire Marine Corps, Nov. 30, 1918 | 67.1
Entire Marine Corps, Mar. 1, 1919 | 66.0
Marines of American Expeditionary Forces, July 1, 1919 | 81.6
--------------------------------------------------------+-----------
The number of marksmanship qualifications of the last six years in
the Marine Corps was as follows:
--------------------+------+------+------+-------+-------+-------
Classification. | 1914 | 1915 | 1916 | 1917 | 1918 | 1919
--------------------+------+------+------+-------+-------+-------
Expert rifleman | 596| 883| 1,287| 1,709| 6,019| 7,851
Sharpshooter | 2,749| 2,536| 1,984| 2,373| 8,932| 10,642
Marksmen | 757| 1,471| 2,594| 6,011| 14,826| 21,918
+------+------+------+-------+-------+-------
Total qualified | 4,102| 4,890| 5,865| 10,093| 29,778| 40,411
Percentage | 0.415| 0.493| 0.591| 0.379| 0.670| 0.828
--------------------+------+------+------+-------+-------+-------
RIFLE AND PISTOL COMPETITIONS.
During the period of the war the Marine Corps rifle teams, teams
representing Marine Corps units, and teams partly composed of
Marines, engaged in seven important competitions.
(_a_) The National Rifle Association and the national matches held
at Camp Perry, Ohio, in 1918. Marines won the following National
Rifle Association matches: Members’ match, 300-yard rapid-fire match,
Wimbleton cup match, Marine Corps match, President’s match, and the
grand aggregate; and took second place in the Leech cup match and
the 200-yard rapid-fire match. Of the national matches, Marines won
the national team match and United States Service match; took sixth,
ninth, eleventh, twelfth, twenty-sixth, thirtieth, sixty-seventh,
sixty-eighth, sixty-ninth, and seventy-first places in the national
individual match; took second place in the national individual
pistol match; and three Marines were among the first hundred of the
individual pistol match in which there were 942 shooters entered.
(_b_) The National Rifle Association and the national matches held at
Caldwell, N. J., in 1919. The members of the 1919 Marine Corps rifle
team squad made a splendid showing in the rifle matches, outclassing
their military and civilian competitors in almost every match held.
The Marines won 13 matches out of the 16 in which they were entered;
civilian riflemen took 2 events; and the Cavalry 1. Marines won the
following matches: Company team, enlisted men’s team, member’s,
Marine Corps cup, rapid fire, regimental team, veteran team, two-man
team, President’s, grand aggregate, national individual, United
Service, and the national team. Four Marines were on the American
Expeditionary Forces team, which took second place.
(_c_) The twenty-sixth annual Sea Girt interstate tournament held at
Sea Girt, N. J., in 1919. The Marines won 14 of the 18 matches in
which they were entered, winning the following matches: Hayes, Meany,
Spencer, two-man team (New Jersey), Wingate, Libbey, all-comers
expert, Cruikshank trophy, Rogers trophy, Sadler trophy, Dryden
trophy, McAlpin trophy, Roe all-comers long range, and Sea Girt
championship.
(_d_) The American Expeditionary Forces rifle, pistol, and musketry
competition, held on the d’Avours range at Le Mans, France, in May,
1919. The first three places in the individual rifle competition were
won by Marines; a Marine won the individual pistol match; the Fifth
Regiment of Marines stood first in the regimental standing, followed
by the Thirteenth, Sixth, and Eleventh Regiments in seventh, eighth,
and eleventh places in the order mentioned; a Marine won first place
in the individual automatic rifle competition. The Second Division
led all other divisions.
(_e_) The Inter-Allied championships held on the d’Avours range at
Le Mans, France, in July, 1919. The American Expeditionary Forces
team, on which were four Marines, defeated all nations. A Marine took
second place in the individual rifle match.
(_f_) Third Army championship (Amaroc shoot) held on the rifle range
at Wehr, Germany, under the auspices of the Third Division in June,
1919. The Marines and the Second Division won most of the honors in
this competition.
(_g_) A special Inter-Allied rifle competition for five-men teams
on a 300-meter range near Paris, France. France won and America was
second. Two Marines were on the American team.
Chapter XXI.
AVIATION.
STRENGTH AND DISTRIBUTION.
On April 6, 1917, the Marine section of naval aviation consisting of
five officers and 30 enlisted men, was stationed at the naval air
station, Pensacola, Fla., as part of the complement of that station.
During April, May, and June, 1917, the Marine aviation section was
transferred to a combination land and water station for Marine fliers
at the navy yard, Philadelphia, Pa., and the training of personnel
for land flying began. The official designation of this organization
was the Marine Aeronautic Company. Training in observation balloons
was done in addition to the heavier-than-air work.
On October 12, 1917, this Marine Aeronautic Company, then consisting
of 34 officers and 330 enlisted men, was divided into the First
Aviation Squadron, consisting of 24 officers and 237 enlisted men,
and the First Marine Aeronautic Company, consisting of 10 officers
and 93 enlisted men.
On October 14, 1917, the First Marine Aeronautic Company was
transferred to Cape May, N. J., and took over the naval air station
at that place.
On December 7, 1917, the First Marine Aeronautic Company, then
consisting of 12 officers and 133 enlisted men, was ordered to Naval
Base 13, Ponta Delgada, Azores, arriving there on January 21, 1918.
This company was the first completely equipped American aviation unit
to leave the United States for service in the war. This organization
operated an antisubmarine patrol station of 10 _R-6_ seaplanes, 2
_N-9_ seaplanes, and later 6 _HS-2-L_ flying boats until the station
was ordered abandoned on January 24, 1919, when it was ordered to
return to the United States, arriving at the Marine flying field,
Miami, Fla., March 15, 1919. Maj. Francis T. Evans was in command
from January 9 to July 18, 1918, and Maj. David L. S. Brewster from
July 19, 1918, to January 20, 1919.
On October 17, 1917, the First Aviation Squadron was transferred
from the Marine flying field, navy yard, Philadelphia, Pa., to the
Army training field at Mineola, Long Island, where instruction and
training were carried on in land flying. On December 31, 1917, this
organization was transferred to Gerstner Field, Lake Charles, La.,
for advanced training.
In March, 1918, the Marine flying field, Miami, Fla., was established
and on March 31, 1918, the First Aviation Squadron was transferred to
that field from Lake Charles, La.
Four Marine squadrons of land-fighting planes and a headquarters
company were organized to operate under the Navy as the Day Wing of
the Northern Bombing Group, in northern France, which operated in the
Dunkirk area against German submarines and their bases at Ostend,
Zeebrugge, and Bruges.
On July 13, 1918, the first Marine aviation force, consisting of
Squadrons A, B, C, and Headquarters Company, left Miami, Fla., and
embarked on board the _De Kalb_ at New York City for France, July 18,
1918. This organization consisted of 107 officers and 654 enlisted
men, and when Squadron D joined in October, 1918, it consisted of
149 officers and 842 enlisted men. On July 30, 1918, the Day Wing
disembarked at Brest, France, and proceeded to its aerodromes between
Calais and Dunkirk, where they established camp and prepared the
aerodromes for use. The personnel of the Day Wing was completely
organized and ready for service two weeks after their arrival in
France. Part of the planes and equipment of this organization arrived
at Pauillac, France, before the organization reached France on July
30, 1918. On September 28, 1918, one plane was delivered to the
Marine Day Wing. On October 5, 1918, Squadron D of the Day Wing,
consisting of 42 officers and 188 enlisted men, arrived at Le Franc
aerodrome, completing the four squadrons of the Day Wing. During the
month of October additional planes were delivered to the Day Wing.
In order to prevent the personnel, who were completely trained
and ready for action when they reached the front, August 2, 1918,
from getting badly out of practice, the commanding officer, Day
Wing, requested permission from the British aviation forces in the
vicinity to be allowed to assign certain Marine pilots to operate
with their squadrons until the Marine planes were delivered. As many
Marine pilots as could be accommodated were operating with British
squadrons until the end of the war, and were highly complimented by
the British officers. The Day Wing, carried out 14 independent raids
far behind the enemy lines, did considerable damage, and brought
back valuable information. The organization participated actively
and creditably in both offensives on the Flanders front. It was
learned after the armistice that one raid resulted in the death of
60 enemy officers and 300 enlisted men. A feat worthy of mention was
performed by Marine Corps pilots. A French regiment was cut off by
the enemy near Stadenburg. It was decided to attempt to feed them
by aeroplane. Marine Corps pilots loaded up with food and flew low
over this isolated regiment and successfully dropped 2,600 pounds
of food to them in the face of heavy fire from artillery, machine
guns, and rifles. This process was continued for two days until the
regiment was extricated. The number of enemy planes brought down by
Marine pilots, bombs dropped, food dropped, and other facts of a
statistical nature are given elsewhere. Three pilots were killed or
died of wounds received in action, two of them being shot down over
the enemy’s lines.
Maj. Alfred A. Cunningham commanded the Day Wing from the date of its
organization to December 7, 1918, except the period August 1 to 7,
1918, during which time Maj. Roy D. Geiger was in command.
While in Europe the Marine fliers served with Squadrons 213 (pursuit
squadron), 217, and 218 (bombing squadrons), Royal Flying Corps of
England; and with pursuit, observation, and bombing squadrons of the
French Flying Corps.
In February, 1918, the Marine aviation section of 8 officers and 40
enlisted men was organized and stationed at the naval air station,
Miami, Fla. The personnel of this section was later increased and
served at that station throughout the war, taking over the deep-sea
scouting of that station. Capt. Thomas R. Shearer was in command
during the entire time.
STRENGTH AT BEGINNING AND END OF WAR.
The strength of Marine aviation on April 6, 1917, and on November 11,
1918, was as follows:
APRIL 6, 1917.
Commissioned officers 4
Warrant officer 1
Enlisted men 30
-----
Total 35
NOVEMBER 11, 1918.
Commissioned officers 250
Warrant officers 32
Enlisted men 2,180
-----
Total 2,462
STATIONS.
The following are the stations at which Marine aviators operated,
showing whether they operated independently, with the Navy, or with
the Army:
--------------------------+------------------------+---------------------
Independently. | Navy. | Army.
--------------------------+------------------------+---------------------
Marine flying field, |Marine section naval air|Roosevelt Field, Min-
Miami, Fla. | station, Miami, Fla. | eola, Long Island.
Balloon Company, Marine |Day Wing, Northern |Gerstner Field, Lake
Barracks, Quantico, Va. | Bombing Group, France.| Charles, La.
Naval Base No. 13, Azores.|Naval air station, |Army balloon schools
Marine flying field, | Pensacola, Fla. | at St. Louis, Mo.,
Philadelphia, Pa. | | and Omaha, Nebr.
Naval air station, Cape | |
May, N. J. | |
--------------------------+------------------------+---------------------
PLANES OPERATED BY MARINES.
The number of planes operated by Marine aviators at Pensacola, Fla.,
on April 6, 1917, was four, and the type, AH Curtiss.
On November 11, 1918, the following planes were operated by the
personnel of Marine Aviation:
Marine flying field, Miami, Fla.:
De Haviland 4’s, Curtiss JN’s, Thomas-Morse scouts, and
M-1 defense planes 118
Naval air station, Miami, Fla.:
HS-1-L, and HS-2-L flying boats, and R-6 Curtiss seaplanes 24
Balloon Company, Quantico, Va.:
N-9 and R-6 seaplanes 3
Caquot and kite balloons 4
Naval base No. 13, Azores:
R-6 and N-9 seaplanes and HS-2-L, and HS-1-L flying boats 18
Northern Bombing Group, France:
De Haviland 4’s and 9’s 177
At other times the following planes were operated by Marine pilots:
At Philadelphia, Pa.:
Curtiss JN’s 6
Curtiss R-6’s 2
Curtiss N-9’s 2
At Roosevelt field, Mineola, Long Island:
Army land planes 12
At Gerstner field, Lake Charles, La.:
Army land planes 12
At Cape May naval air station:
R-6 and N-9 seaplanes 8
Total planes operated by Marine pilots 386
TRAINING OF OFFICERS AND ENLISTED MEN.
During the war the Marine Corps selected and trained its own flyers
and mechanics, and had its own aviation field and equipment. At
the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, Mass., enlisted
Marines selected as promising flying material and given the rank of
gunnery sergeant, took a 10 weeks’ course in groundwork, and about 80
men a month were graduated. After ground graduation they did their
actual flying at the Marine flying field, Miami, Fla. This course
embraced preliminary, acrobatic, and formation flying, bombing,
gunnery, and reconnaissance work, including photographing. Upon
qualifying they were commissioned as second lieutenants in the Marine
Corp Reserve Flying Corps. Marine flying candidates were all enlisted
Marines, of superior physique, weighing from 135 to 165 pounds, and
with at least two years’ college or university study to their credit.
The age limits were 19 to 39 years. Marine Corps mechanics, riggers,
and armorers were trained at the Marine Corps section of the naval
school for mechanics, Great Lakes Training Station, Chicago, Ill.,
the course covering eight weeks, and at a similar school in aviation
mechanics at San Diego, Calif.
In December, 1917, 2 Marine officers and 10 enlisted men were sent to
the Army balloon school at St. Louis, Mo., and later to Omaha, Nebr.,
for training.
AVIATION STATISTICS.
Marine squadrons overseas in France 5
Total officers in France 165
Total enlisted men in France 895
Marine officers serving with Army Air Service, American
Expeditionary Forces 6
Overseas, outside of France: 1 squadron, 12 officers,
135 enlisted men, Naval Base No. 13, Ponta Delgada, Azores.
Officers completely trained ready for overseas aviation
duty in the United States on Nov. 11, 1918 100
Enlisted men completely trained ready for overseas aviation
duty in the United States on Nov. 11, 1918 1,150
Number of squadrons and companies in United States
(Nov. 11, 1918) 3
Total officers in United States on Nov. 11, 1918 100
Total enlisted men in United States Nov. 11, 1918 1,150
Total number of cadets under training (at all times) 225
Cadets completely trained (in all three branches) as
bombers, chasse pilots, and seaplane fliers, total
commissioned from Oct. 1, 1918, to date 175
Raids participated in by Marine fliers serving with the
British and French 43
Total number of bombing raids completely Marine 14
Total pounds of bombs dropped 52,000
Number of food raids 5
Pounds of food dropped 2,600
Number of enemy aircraft accounted for officially 12
RETURN OF MARINE AVIATORS FROM EUROPE.
Early in December, 1918, the Day Wing received orders to return to
the United States, and embarked on December 6, 1918, on board the
_Mercury_ at St. Nazaire, France, arriving at Newport News, Va.,
December 21, 1918.
The First Marine Aeronautic Company returned from the Azores in
March, 1919, arriving at the Marine flying field, Miami, Fla., on
March 15, 1919.
Chapter XXII.
MARINE CORPS RESERVE.
On April 6, 1917, the strength of the Marine Corps Reserve, all
classes, was 36; the enlisted strength of the Naval Militia, Marine
Corps Branch, of the various States, was 928.
On April 1, 1917, the Naval Militia, Marine Corps Branch, attained
its highest strength, 1,046. There was no recruiting for the
Naval Militia, Marine Corps Branch, after April 1, 1917, and in
consequence, the enlisted personnel of that branch showed a steady
decrease subsequent to that date, owing to discharges and rejections.
On July 1, 1918, the Naval Militia, Marine Corps Branch, then the
National Naval Volunteers, Marine Corps Branch, consolidated with the
Marine Corps Reserve in pursuance with the provisions of an act of
Congress, approved July 1, 1918, and in consequence thereof became
members of class 2, Marine Corps Reserve.
On November 16, 1918, the Marine Corps Reserve attained its highest
strength, 6,773.
STRENGTH ON NOVEMBER 11, 1918.
The following table shows strength of Marine Corps Reserve on active
duty on November 11, 1918:
Majors 7
Captains 33
First lieutenants 63
Second lieutenants 360
-----
Total commissioned officers 463
=====
Marine gunners 27
Quartermaster clerks 2
Pay clerks 4
-----
Total warrant officers 33
=====
Enlisted men 6,483
Female reservists 277
-----
Total enlisted personnel 6,760
_Strength of the Marine Corps Reserve._
------------------+--------+---------+-------+---------+-------
| Total | Total | Women,| Women, | Total.
|men, all| men, |active.|inactive.|
|active. |inactive.| | |
------------------+--------+---------+-------+---------+-------
1917. | | | | |
Apr. 1 | 35 | .. | .. | .. | 35
May 1 | 424 | .. | .. | .. | 424
June 1 | 885 | .. | .. | .. | 885
July 1 | 1,096 | .. | .. | .. | 1,096
Aug. 1 | 1,167 | .. | .. | .. | 1,167
Sept. 1 | 1,186 | .. | .. | .. | 1,186
Oct. 1 | 1,210 | .. | .. | .. | 1,210
Nov. 1 | 1,202 | .. | .. | .. | 1,202
Dec. 1 | 1,341 | .. | .. | .. | 1,341
| | | | |
1918. | | | | |
Jan. 1 | 1,531 | .. | .. | .. | 1,531
Feb. 1 | 2,514 | .. | .. | .. | 2,514
Mar. 1 | 4,106 | .. | .. | .. | 4,106
Apr. 1 | 4,745 | .. | .. | .. | 4,745
May 1 | 4,780 | .. | .. | .. | 4,780
June 1 | 4,950 | .. | .. | .. | 4,950
July 1 | 5,211 | .. | .. | .. | 5,211
Aug. 1 | 6,378 | .. | .. | .. | 6,378
Sept. 1 | 6,453 | .. | 31 | .. | 6,484
Oct. 1 | 6,402 | .. | 145 | .. | 6,547
Nov. 1 | 6,467 | .. | 240 | .. | 6,707
Dec. 1 | 6,440 | 42 | 269 | .. | 6,751
| | | | |
1919. | | | | |
Jan. 1 | 5,820 | 588 | 260 | .. | 6,668
Feb. 1 | 5,022 | 1,301 | 255 | .. | 6,578
Mar. 1 | 4,392 | 1,910 | 246 | .. | 6,548
Apr. 1 | 3,555 | 2,684 | 234 | .. | 6,473
May 1 | 3,064 | 3,041 | 229 | .. | 6,334
June 1 | 2,871 | 3,179 | 238 | .. | 6,288
July 1 | 2,410 | 3,502 | 226 | .. | 6,138
Aug. 1 | 2,186 | 3,694 | .. | 201 | 6,081
------------------+--------+---------+-------+---------+-------
Chapter XXIII.
RETURN OF MARINES FROM EUROPE—PARADES IN THE UNITED STATES.
RETURN OF SECOND DIVISION AND FOURTH BRIGADE.
A great many Marines were returned from Europe gradually and in small
detachments from the date the armistice became operative.
The commanding general of the Second Division and his staff,
headquarters of the Fourth Brigade, the Fifth Regiment, and the
Second Battalion of the Sixth Regiment arrived in the United States
on board the _George Washington_ on August 3, 1919; the remainder
of the Sixth Regiment arrived in the United States early in August,
1919, on board the _Rinjdam_ and the _Wilhelmina_; the Sixth Machine
Gun Battalion arrived in the United States on board the _Santa Paula_
on August 5, 1919.
RETURN OF THE FIFTH BRIGADE.
The Fifth Brigade Headquarters, the Thirteenth Regiment (less Company
B), and the Fifth Brigade Machine Gun Battalion arrived in the United
States on board the _Siboney_ on August 8, 1919. Company B of the
Thirteenth Regiment arrived on the _Mercury_ on August 12, 1919. The
Eleventh Regiment arrived in the United States on board the _Orizaba_
on August 9, 1919.
All the above Marine organizations and individuals were returned to
the naval service soon after arrival in the United States.
COMPOSITE REGIMENT, THIRD ARMY.
The company of Marines and battalion commander (major) and staff,
forming a part of the Composite Regiment, Third Army, returned to the
United States on board the _Leviathan_ on September 8, 1919, and were
returned to the naval service in September, 1919.
The colonel commanding the Composite Regiment in a letter dated
September 21, 1919, commended the battalion commander and staff, the
commanding officer of the company, and “the lieutenants for their
loyalty and attention to details, and noncommissioned officers and
men for their soldierly appearance, high standard of morale, and
discipline,” concluding with these words:
The Composite Regiment paraded as escort to the general of the
Army, in London, Paris, New York, and Washington, D. C. The
regiment has been favorably commended. This is entirely due to
the loyalty, energy, and attention to duty of the officers and
individual soldiers in the regiment; and in this the Marine Corps
representatives deserve a large share.
SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN BATTALION.
With the return of the above Marine organizations, all Marines
of the American Expeditionary Forces were out of Europe with the
exception of a few individuals, and the Fifteenth Separate Battalion,
consisting of 26 officers and about 700 enlisted men, which was
retained for duty in France for possible operations in connection
with the Schleswig-Holstein plebiscite.
This battalion, under command of Maj. Charles F. B. Price, was
organized at Pontanezen Camp, Brest, in July, 1919, from personnel
of the Fourth and Fifth Brigades and the Twelfth Separate Battalion.
The battalion designation was changed on August 15 from “Provisional
Battalion, U. S. Marines,” to the “Fifteenth Separate Battalion.”
The Battalion rendered honors to Gen. Pershing on September 1,
1919, upon his departure from France at Brest and on the same day
was inspected by Marshal Foch, who commended the Battalion on its
splendid appearance.
Leaving Brest on the _Mercury_, September 3, 1919, the Battalion
six days later arrived at Bordeaux to take part in the ceremony of
laying a foundation for a monument commemorating the entrance of the
United States into the World War, at Pointe de Grave, near Bordeaux,
France. It then returned to Brest and in December went on board the
_Henderson_, then at that port. The _Henderson_, with the Battalion
on board, sailed from Brest, arriving at Philadelphia on December
23, 1919, after a 16-day trip. On December 30, 1919, the battalion
arrived at Quantico, Va.
RETURN OF AVIATION UNITS.
Information regarding the return of Marine Corps aviation units from
Europe will be found in chapter XXI.
PARADES IN THE UNITED STATES.
On August 8, 1919, the Fourth Brigade, as a part of the Second
Division, paraded in New York City. Maj. Gen. John A. Lejeune, with
many Marine officers on his staff, was in command.
On August 8, 1919, the Fourth Brigade of Marines was transferred to
the naval service upon its arrival at Quantico, Va.
On August 12, 1919, the Fourth Brigade of Marines, then a part of the
naval service, was reviewed by the President of the United States in
a parade at Washington, D. C. Brig. Gen. Wendell C. Neville was in
command.
A company of Marines and a battalion commander, as a part of the
Third Army Composite Regiment, paraded in New York and in Washington,
D. C., as escort to Gen. Pershing. The First Division also formed a
part of these parades.
Chapter XXIV.
DEMOBILIZATION.
Immediately upon the armistice becoming operative on November
11, 1918, the question of demobilization became one of paramount
importance. It was necessary that plans be at once put into effect
providing for the release from service at the earliest possible date
of duration-of-war men and reservists. While authority existed to
hold such men for several months after the ratification of the peace
treaty, the popular demand for the return and discharge of all who
could be spared was only natural. Parents, relatives, and friends
could see no necessity for the keeping of their loved ones in the
service after actual fighting ceased.
The problem before the Marine Corps was serious, as a wholesale
reduction at that time would have seriously crippled its efficiency.
Therefore, on November 20, 1918, in Marine Corps Orders No. 56,
orders were issued to the service stating that it was the desire of
headquarters to release those members of the Marine Corps Reserve and
those men of the Regular Service, who enlisted for the duration of
the war, who wished to complete their education, or who had urgent
family and business interests demanding immediate and personal
attention. Thus demobilization to a limited extent was begun nine
days after the signing of the armistice.
On May 1, 1919, it became necessary, owing to the demands of the
service and the reduction of the enlisted personnel, temporarily to
limit the privilege of discharge to men whose release was necessary
for urgent financial dependency reasons.
Following the approval of the act of July 11, 1919, which act
provided sufficient funds to sustain the corps only at an average
enlisted strength of 27,400 men, with corresponding officers, Marine
Corps Orders No. 42, July 12, 1919, were published, establishing
demobilization centers and promulgating detailed instructions for the
complete demobilization. Under this plan duration-of-war men were
discharged as rapidly as the exigencies of the service permitted.
Those men who were serving in the Tropics who were eligible for
discharge and desired their release were returned to the United
States as rapidly as practicable, and orders were issued for their
discharge and awaited them at the time of joining a Marine barracks,
thus minimizing delay in allowing them to go home. By the latter part
of December, 1919, practically all of the duration-of-war personnel
had been discharged.
In August, 1919, the Fourth and Filth Brigades of Marines, which had
been serving with the Army in France, were returned to the Marine
barracks, Quantico, Va., and the naval operating base, Hampton Roads,
Va., respectively, at which places the demobilization of these two
organizations was effected. This undertaking was by far the largest
and most important of its kind that had ever confronted the Marine
Corps, but due to the coordination of the various departments
interested, and the far-reaching and clearly defined instructions
issued in advance the demobilization of these units was effected in a
remarkably short time, being completed on August 13, 1919, and in a
manner bringing satisfaction to the men discharged, and reflecting to
the credit of the corps. The success of these efforts is evidenced by
the following statement of demobilization:
Discharged or transferred to inactive status:
Fourth Brigade, 6,677 enlisted men.
Fifth Brigade, 6,671 enlisted men.
In addition to the enlisted men released there were also about two
hundred officers of the two brigades who were either discharged or
transferred to an inactive status. Due to the diligent cooperation of
those concerned the demobilization was carried out with a degree of
success far beyond expectations.
MARINES ARE WELCOMED HOME BY THE NAVY.
Acting Secretary Roosevelt August 11, 1919, sent to all ships and
stations of the United States Navy the following special order:
The Fourth Brigade of the Marine Corps, consisting of the Fifth
Regiment, Sixth Regiment, and the Sixth Machine Gun Battalion, and
the Fifth Brigade of the Marine Corps, consisting of the Eleventh
Regiment, Thirteenth Regiment, and Fifth Brigade Machine Gun
Battalion, have returned from service in Europe and have reverted
from the Army to their status in the United States Navy. At this
time I wish, on behalf of the naval service, to welcome them back
and express to the officers and men of these organizations the very
deep appreciation of the Navy for their splendid services while
with the Army during the war.
Beginning with the first expeditionary forces which left the United
States in June, 1917, over 30,000 officers and men of the Marine
Corps have been sent to France. The Fourth Brigade, as a part
of the immortal Second Division, has been engaged in all of the
principal operations of the war. Their record speaks for itself.
The Fifth Brigade, going to France later, furnished many splendidly
trained replacements for the Fourth Brigade and performed arduous
tasks according to tradition.
The entire Navy welcomes them home.
FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT,
_Acting Secretary of the Navy_.
THE SECRETARY OF WAR PRAISES THE FOURTH BRIGADE.
WAR DEPARTMENT, _August 12, 1919_.
Hon. JOSEPHUS DANIELS,
_Secretary of the Navy_.
MY DEAR MR. SECRETARY: In the process of demobilization,
the Marine Brigade, which by the President’s order became a part of
the American Expeditionary Forces and was thus a part of the forces
under the control of the War Department and under the command of
Gen. Pershing, has now been returned to this country, detached from
the Army, and restored to the control of the Navy Department.
I can not permit this heroic force to terminate its association
with the Army without expressing to you, and through you to the
officers and men of the Marine Corps, the deep sentiment of the
War Department and of the Army toward it. The whole history of
the Brigade in France is one of conspicuous service; when it was
finally incorporated into the Second Division of the American Army
it had early an opportunity to give a heroic demonstration of the
unconquerable tenacity and dauntless courage of American soldiers.
From then on in successive, almost continuous, battles the Marine
Brigade and the division of which it was a part fought sternly and
successfully until victory was obtained for the Allied Armies.
Throughout this long contest the Marines, both by their valor and
their tragic losses, heroically sustained, added an imperishable
chapter to the history of America’s participation in the World War.
On behalf of the Army I congratulate the Navy Department, the Major
General commanding the Marines, those who have been instrumental in
the formation and training of this splendid organization, and the
officers and men of the organization itself.
Cordially, yours,
NEWTON D. BAKER.
In reply Acting Secretary Roosevelt said:
NAVY DEPARTMENT, _August 13, 1919_.
Hon. NEWTON D. BAKER,
_Secretary of War, Washington, D. C._
DEAR MR. SECRETARY: Your very cordial letter and the
tribute it bore to the Fourth Brigade of Marines was received with
pleasure and deepest appreciation. The heroism of the Marines and
the Regulars in the famous Second Division, and their sacrifices,
have endeared them to all Americans, and it is with very pardonable
pride that we welcome them back to the Navy.
The spirit of cordial cooperation between the Army and the Navy was
never better manifested than in the participation of these Marines
in the great battles in France under the command of Gen. Pershing
as a part of the United States Army, and shoulder to shoulder with
units of the Regular Army. It is with extreme gratification that
we can look back upon this unbroken cooperation between our two
departments that started at the time the first Navy ship carried
troops to France and continued uninterruptedly through to the end.
On behalf of Secretary Daniels, the Commandant of the Marine Corps,
the officers and men of that organization, I wish to thank you
for the sentiments expressed in your letter and convey to you our
appreciation of the heroism of the officers and men of the Army
who with the Marines made the Second Division one of the greatest
fighting organizations the world has ever known.
It is very gratifying in our pride over the achievements of the
Marines, to know that that pride is shared by the War Department
and your warm approbation of their conduct as a part of the Army
will be treasured by the Corps as well as by the individuals.
Sincerely, yours,
FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT,
_Acting Secretary of the Navy_.
Chapter XXV.
OFFICE OF THE MAJOR GENERAL COMMANDANT—ADJUTANT AND INSPECTOR’S
DEPARTMENT.
Maj. Gen. Commandant George Barnett was the Major General Commandant
of the United States Marine Corps during the entire period of
the World War. Originally appointed on February 25, 1914, he was
reappointed on February 25, 1918, for a second term of four years.
On September 29, 1918, Maj. Gen. Commandant George Barnett,
accompanied by Brig. Gen. Charles L. McCawley, sailed from New York
on board the _Leviathan_, arriving at Brest, France, October 7,
1918. The object of the visit of the Major General Commandant to
France was an inspection of all the Marines serving with the American
Expeditionary Forces, but he fell a victim to the influenza epidemic
which prevented him from carrying out his plans. He departed from
Paris, December 7, 1918, sailed from Brest, December 9, 1918, on
board the _Leviathan_, and arrived in the United States, December 16,
1918.
Brig. Gen. John A. Lejeune was the Assistant to the Major General
Commandant from December 14, 1914 to September 26, 1917, when he
was transferred to Quantico, Va., to command the Marine barracks.
Brig. Gen. Charles G. Long relieved Brig. Gen. Lejeune and has acted
as Assistant to the Major General Commandant from that date to the
present.
Activities directly under the office of the Major General Commandant
such as personnel, target practice, and aviation, were carried on
efficiently during the war. The Planning Section was established on
December 24, 1918.
Brig. Gen. Charles H. Lauchheimer was the Adjutant and Inspector of
the United States Marine Corps, with station at Headquarters, during
the World War. He became seriously ill, was admitted to the hospital
on July 10, 1919, where he died on January 14, 1920. Col. Henry C.
Haines assumed the duties of Acting Adjutant and Inspector on August
3, 1919, and upon the death of Brigadier General Lauchheimer was
appointed the Adjutant and Inspector.
A great amount of additional work was caused by the large increases
and by the war, but the personnel of the Adjutant and Inspector’s
Department performed their duties with efficient satisfaction.
Chapter XXVI.
PAYMASTER’S DEPARTMENT.
Brig. Gen. George Richards was the Paymaster of the United States
Marine Corps, stationed at Headquarters, during the entire period of
the war.
STRENGTH AND DISTRIBUTION.
The commissioned, warranted, appointed, and enlisted personnel of the
paymaster’s department, at the beginning of the war, consisted of:
Permanent commissioned paymasters 6
Officers of the grade of captain detailed for four years 3
Officers appointed as special disbursing agents under Revised
Statutes 3614 4
Permanent pay clerks 9
Civil force 3
Enlisted men 51
--
Total force 76
The above force was distributed as shown in the following table:
Key for column headings:
PC = Pay clerks.
QS = Quartermaster sergeants.
S = Sergeants.
C = Corporals.
P = Privates.
T = Total.
and lieut. = lieutenant.
---------------------+---------------------------------------------------
| Personnel attached.
Pay stations. +--------------------+------+----+----+----+----+---
| Number and rank | PC | QS | S | C | P | T
| commissioned | | | | | |
| officers. | | | | | |
---------------------+--------------------+------+----+----+----+----+---
_Established offices in United States._ | | | | | |
| | | | | | |
Headquarters, |1 brigadier general;|} 4 |} 4 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 28
Washington, D. C. | 1 lieut. colonel; |}[7]3 |} | | | |
| 1 major; |} | | | | |
| 1 first lieut. |} | | | | |
San Francisco, Calif.|1 major | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7
New York, N. Y. |1 captain | 1 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 14
| | | | | | |
_Outside of United States._ | | | | | |
| | | | | | |
Peking, China |1 captain[8] | .. | 1 | .. | .. | .. | 2
Virgin Islands | do.(2) | .. | 1 | .. | .. | .. | 2
Port au Prince, Haiti|1 first lieut. | .. | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5
Cape Haitien, Haiti |1 captain(2) | .. | 1 | .. | 1 | .. | 3
Santo Domingo, |1 captain | 1 | 1 | .. | 1 | .. | 4
Dominican Republic.| | | | | | |
Santiago, Dominican | do. | 1 | 2 | 1 | .. | 3 | 8
Republic. | | | | | | |
Managua, Nicaragua |1 second lieut.(2) | .. | 1 | .. | .. | .. | 2
Unassigned | | 1 | .. | .. | .. | .. | 1
+--------------------+------+----+----+----+----+---
Total | 13 | 12 | 16 | 12 | 8 | 15 | 76
---------------------+--------------------+------+----+----+----+----+---
[7] Civil.
[8] Special disbursing agent.
The commissioned force of the paymasters department reached a maximum
strength of 47 officers, including special disbursing agents, when
the latest detail to the department from the line was made, and as
then constituted, consisted of:
Permanently commissioned paymasters 5
Officers detailed from the prewar line 9
Temporary officers (eight former pay clerks and four
temporary line officers) 12
Officers of the reserve force 16
Officers appointed as special disbursing agents 5
Permanent pay clerk 1
Temporary pay clerks 58
Pay clerks of the reserve force 6
Enlisted men 501
---
Total authorized force 613
The above force which was the maximum authorized complement of the
paymaster’s department, was distributed as follows:
Key for column headings:
PC = Pay clerks.
QS = Quartermaster sergeants.
S = Sergeants.
C = Corporals.
P1C = Privates, first class.
P = Privates.
T = Total.
and brig. gen.= brigadier general.
and lieut. col. = lieutenant colonel.
----------------------+---------------------------------------------------
| Number and rank| PC | QS | S | C | P1C| P | T
Pay stations. | commissioned | | | | | | |
| officers. | | | | | | |
----------------------+----------------+----+----+----+----+----+----+----
_Established offices in United States._| | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
Headquarters,[9] |1 brig. gen., | 22 | 27 | 37 | 55 | 22 | 67 | 240
Washington, D. C. | 4 majors, | | | | | | |
| 5 captains. | | | | | | |
New York, N. Y. |2 majors, | 2 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 8 | 30
(established | 1 captain | | | | | | |
May, 1908). | | | | | | | |
Philadelphia, Pa. |1 colonel, | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 14
(established, | 1 captain | | | | | | |
May, 1917). | | | | | | | |
Quantico, Va. |1 lieut. col. | 4 | 5 | 8 | 8 | 3 | 13 | 45
(established | 1 major, | | | | | | |
June, 1917). | 2 captains. | | | | | | |
Atlanta, Ga. |1 captain | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 22
(established | | | | | | | |
June, 1917). | | | | | | | |
San Francisco, Calif. | do. | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | .. | 3 | 14
(established | | | | | | | |
March, 1901). | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
_Outside United States._ | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
Expeditionary Forces |4 majors, | 20 | 34 | 34 | 31 | 9 | 39 | 183
in France. | 12 captains | | | | | | |
Seventh Regiment, Cuba|1 captain | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | .. | 1 | 7
First Regiment, Cuba | do. | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | .. | 1 | 7
San Domingo, Dominican| do. | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | .. | 1 | 8
Republic. | | | | | | | |
Santiago, Dominican | do. | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | .. | 1 | 7
Republic. | | | | | | | |
Port au Prince, Haiti |1 special | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | .. | .. | 5
| disbursing | | | | | | |
| agent. | | | | | | |
Cape Haitien, Haiti | do. | .. | 1 | .. | 1 | .. | 1 | 4
St. Thomas, Virgin | do. | 1 | 1 | .. | .. | .. | .. | 3
Islands. | | | | | | | |
Managua, Nicaragua | do. | .. | 1 | .. | .. | .. | .. | 2
Peking, China | do. | .. | 1 | .. | .. | .. | .. | 2
Attached to posts in |1 captain | 4 | 15 | .. | .. | .. | .. | 20
United States and | | | | | | | |
elsewhere. | | | | | | | |
+----------------+----+----+----+----+----+----+----
Total | 47 | 65 | 102| 98 | 118| 39 | 144| 613
----------------------+----------------+----+----+----+----+----+----+----
[9] Authorized complement but never filled. Maximum number employed
in paymaster’s office at any time subsequent to Apr. 6, 1917, was
approximately 208 of all grades and ranks.
HOW WAR INCREASES WERE MET.
The enlargement of the paymaster’s department to meet war conditions
at the beginning of the war, and until the enlisted strength was
raised to 75,500, was effected in the following manner:
1. By the temporary appointment and advancement to the grade of
captain, pursuant to act of May 22, 1919, of eight of the permanent
pay clerks of the department.
2. By the temporary advancement of enlisted men of experience and
long service under this department to the grade of pay clerk.
3. The new enlisted clerical personnel was partly obtained from
enlisted men who had previously been employed as pay roll clerks at
shore stations and aboard ships of the Navy, and from men enlisted
and enrolled from civil life with clerical experience outside. The
men obtained were detailed in the regularly established offices,
and there formed into classes for instruction in their duties, the
commissioned officers and senior clerks being used as instructors for
this purpose. In addition to the above, and to the end of creating a
proper spirit and morale, and bringing about a better understanding
throughout the department of its aims and purposes, a series of
lectures by the Paymaster and subordinate officers was delivered
at headquarters, and afterwards published and distributed to the
entire personnel of the department. Later on, in order to meet the
further increased demand for clerical assistance, a school for the
instruction of men in paymaster’s department work was established
at the Marine barracks, Parris Island, S. C. This was, however, in
addition to the system of instruction previously instituted in the
permanently established offices. The school was of considerable value
in that it aided in the selection and assignment of men (recruits)
with previous clerical experience to duty in the paymaster’s
department. The demand for clerks for both home and overseas service,
however, was so great for some time before the close of the war, that
it was not possible at any time to keep the men under instruction
in the school or in the offices for sufficient length of time to
complete the prescribed course that had been laid out for them. As a
consequence, many men had to be sent out with but a meager idea of
the duties they were to perform. The clerical forces of the permanent
offices, therefore, finally became so drained of experienced clerks
and stenographers taken away to supply the demand for expeditionary
and overseas forces that it became necessary to enlist or enroll
women to perform these duties.
MONEY EXPENDED.
The amount of money expended for pay and allowances for each month
from April, 1917, to December, 1918, follows:
--------------+--------------+---------------+--------------
Months. | Officers. | Enlisted men. | Total.
--------------+--------------+---------------+--------------
1917. | | |
April | $143,698.37 | 357,398.60 | 501,094.97
May | 176,742.19 | 413,019.82 | 589,762.01
June | 201,977.79 | 565,677.22 | 767,655.01
July | 220,884.23 | 989,495.53 | 1,210,379.76
August | 280,038.19 | 1,196,082.09 | 1,476,120.28
September | 269,160.66 | 1,137,790.16 | 1,406,950.82
October | 332,859.49 | 1,244,965.55 | 1,577,825.04
November | 378,458.48 | 1,266,138.57 | 1,644,597.05
December | 350,098.46 | 1,353,510.60 | 1,703,609.06
| | |
1918. | | |
January | 328,517.81 | 1,322,724.98 | 1,651,242.79
February | 337,407.35 | 1,441,099.32 | 1,778,506.67
March | 369,298.24 | 1,321,933.64 | 1,691,231.88
April | 373,395.58 | 1,313,210.75 | 1,686,606.33
May | 378,551.77 | 1,815,309.63 | 2,193,861.40
June | 385,042.99 | 1,856,344.35 | 2,241,387.34
July | 441,838.15 | 2,124,134.76 | 2,565,972.91
August | 515,273.26 | 2,436.318.86 | 2,951,592.12
September | 572,721.39 | 2,322,089.79 | 2,894,811.18
October | 522,995.22 | 2,503,312.62 | 3,026,307.84
November | 648,615.69 | 2,597,542.71 | 3,246,158.40
December | 597,142.61 | 2,545,932.41 | 3,143,075.02
+--------------+---------------+--------------
Totals | 7,824,715.92 | 32,124,031.96 | 39,948,747.88
--------------+--------------+---------------+--------------
ADDITIONAL DUTIES DURING WAR.
The duties of the paymaster’s department during the war were
greatly enlarged and made more complicated and difficult: (1) By
reason of the enactment of the war risk insurance act of October
6, 1917. The work connected with family allotments and war risk
insurance created by this act was of such magnitude as to require
the establishment of a separate administrative section under a
commissioned officer to handle the voluminous correspondence, keep
the records, and make proper audit of these items in the accounts
involved. It was also found necessary in order to facilitate the
work of this section, that a liaison group of clerks be kept in the
War Risk Bureau. (2) By reason of the taking over of the payment of
all Marine Corps allotments, as the deputy of the Navy allotment
officer. (3) By reason of the necessity of having to pay many men on
affidavits without proper records; service record books and other
papers pertaining to their accounts having been lost or destroyed by
operation of war or other accidental circumstances. (4) By reason
of the large number of wounded men, some of whom were scattered in
various hospitals throughout France, and others of whom were returned
to the United States without due notice to military authorities, and
sent to both naval, military, and civil hospitals at widely scattered
points throughout the States. In but a few of these cases were there
any records on which full and accurate payments could be made. Hence
a system of emergency, or casual payments, as they were called, was
established both in France and in the United States. The absence of
records in these cases was not the worst feature however, but the
absence of any information whatever, as to the whereabouts of the
men made it at first impossible to locate some of them and effect
regular payments. However, after the first few months’ experience
with the handling of payments to the wounded, a system was devised
by which most of those returning to the States were immediately
reported and prompt payments were thereafter made. A similar system
of emergency or casual payments to wounded men was adopted by the
department in France, but wounded men in France were evacuated so
frequently from one hospital to another, that no system of reporting
was practicable. Each hospital there had to be visited in person by
a paymaster at least once a month and such wounded Marines as were
found, had to be paid on their own representations a sum sufficient
to meet their immediate needs. Under such a system some necessarily
went without pay for some time, while others more fortunate in
meeting a paymaster at frequent intervals, received at times more
money than was properly due them. (5) By reason of the enactment of
February 24, 1919, providing a gratuity of $60 to all persons in the
military and naval forces of the United States, who were discharged
under honorable conditions at any time subsequent to April 6, 1917.
This law necessitated the establishment at headquarters of a claims
section, whose sole duty was to settle the twenty or thirty thousand
supplementary claims created by this act and the act of February 28,
1919, increasing the amount of travel allowance to 5 cents per mile
to all enlisted men discharged subsequent to November 11, 1918.
NEW PAY ROLL.
In addition to the above, it became necessary to adopt a new pay roll
suitable for preparation on the typewriter and so arranged as to make
it adaptable for use as a combination pay and muster roll, should
this be deemed necessary. This roll was prescribed and put into use
in the midst of the war without much confusion, and it is understood
resulted in a saving of much clerical labor to the organization
commanders.
OFFICE OF THE CHIEF PAYMASTER, U. S. MARINES, FRANCE.
In obedience to orders dated October 2, 1917, and in compliance with
provisions of G. H. Q. General Orders No. 38(2), September 17, 1917,
the “Office of the Chief Paymaster, U. S. Marines, France,” was
established in Paris, France, on October 5, 1917. Maj. Davis B. Wills
was Chief Paymaster, U. S. Marines, France, from that date until the
office was abolished in August, 1919.
Chapter XXVII.
QUARTERMASTER’S DEPARTMENT.
Brig. Gen. Charles L. McCawley, was the Quartermaster of the United
States Marine Corps, with station at Headquarters, during the
entire war. Brig. Gen. McCawley, in company with the Major General
Commandant, sailed from the United States on board the _Leviathan_
September 29, 1918, arriving at Brest, France, October 7, 1918. After
an extended visit to the Marines as an observer Brig. Gen. McCawley
sailed from Brest on board the _De Kalb_ December 9, 1918, arriving
in the United States, December 16, 1918.
Upon the increase of the Marine Corps from 17,400 to 30,000 and later
to 75,500, it became necessary to increase the commissioned, warrant,
and enlisted personnel of the quartermaster’s department, in order
that it might successfully meet the heavy demands made upon it by the
war and by the large increase in strength.
The increase in the commissioned personnel was made largely by the
promotion of experienced quartermaster clerks and quartermaster
sergeants to commissioned rank, and the vacancies in the grade of
quartermaster sergeant were filled, as far as possible, from selected
enlisted men.
Later a school for the instruction of quartermaster sergeants was
organized at Marine barracks, Norfolk, and three classes were
graduated therefrom.
It was necessary to make large increases in the personnel at
headquarters to handle the question of supply, transportation,
construction, and finance. The table below shows the strength in the
office of the quartermaster on January 1, 1917, and June 30, 1918:
------------------------------+---------+---------
Grade. | Jan. 1, | June 30,
| 1917. | 1918.
------------------------------+---------+---------
Commissioned officers | 4 | 9
Warrant officers | .. | 12
Special assistant | .. | 1
Technical engineer | .. | 1
Clerical force: | |
Civilians | 10 | 8
Enlisted (regular) | 43 | 53
Enrolled (reservists) | .. | 111
+---------+---------
Total | 57 | 195
------------------------------+---------+---------
ADDITIONAL STOREHOUSES AND COOPERATION WITH GOVERNMENT AGENCIES.
Due to changes in the method of purchasing rations, caused by
existing conditions, it became necessary to establish commissary
storehouses at San Francisco, Charleston, and Baltimore, at which to
maintain reserve supply stores. The Baltimore storehouse was later
moved to Philadelphia. At the beginning of the war the Marine Corps
had in its depots at Philadelphia, Pa., and San Francisco, Calif.,
a small surplus stock, which had been accumulated from the regular
appropriations, sufficient to outfit 8,500 men; consequently when
the war was declared against Germany and the corps was increased,
first to 1,323 officers and 30,000 men (act May 22, 1917), and
secondly to 3,341 officers and 75,500 men (act July 1, 1918), it
was necessary to provide simultaneously clothing, equipage, food,
and shelter for these men. The question of shelter is discussed
in the following pages. In connection with the purchase of these
supplies it must be remembered that the Army, Navy, and Allies were
in the market for similar articles, and in order to determine supply
and allocate demands the President first appointed a Council of
National Defense, which was later superseded by the War Industries
Board. The quartermaster’s department had representatives in daily
attendance at the various meetings of the committees of the Council
of National Defense, and later the War Industries Board. All of the
above-mentioned supplies, as far as practicable, were purchased in
the usual manner, by the bid and tender plan, only those articles on
which no bids were received or those controlled by the War Industries
Board being allocated.
There was installed in the office of the quartermaster a “follow-up”
system, where record was made of all orders, contracts, purchase
orders, and requests for transfer of supplies from other departments.
The function of this section was to see that the supplies were
delivered in accordance with contract obligations and trace
delinquent deliveries. The section has proven its value, and
satisfactory deliveries have been obtained, with few exceptions. From
these records the quartermaster has available at all times the status
of all outstanding orders as well as a concise record of completed
contracts.
CANTONMENTS.
To furnish accommodations for the increased personnel, cantonments
on a large scale were built at Quantico, Va., and Parris Island,
S. C., and on a smaller scale at Mare Island, Calif. This work was
expeditiously handled and afforded suitable temporary accommodations
during the war.
DEPOT OF SUPPLIES, PHILADELPHIA, PA.
During the period of the war the depot outfitted and equipped 36
expeditionary units for service in France and the West Indies, and
over 31,000,000 pounds of various kinds of supplies were shipped on
Government bills of lading. The depot departments were so organized
that it was only necessary to expand each division of the office
forces and increase the number of employees and machines in the
manufacturing departments in order to meet the increased demands
during the war. The personnel of the depot on June 30, 1919, was
as follows: Thirteen commissioned officers, 7 warrant officers, 2
civilians, 102 enlisted men of the regular service, 21 reservists,
and 1,095 other employees of all classes, making a total personnel of
1,240.
DEPOT OF SUPPLIES, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF.
The activities of this depot were increased during the war by the
greater number of recruits to be outfitted on the west coast, and
by the establishment of the subsistence branch of the depot at San
Francisco. This depot has supplied all posts on the west coast, and
furnished the supplies for the troops in the Orient.
DEPOT OF SUPPLIES, CHARLESTON, S. C.
This depot was established soon after the declaration of war for the
purpose of supplying all posts south of Norfolk, including the West
Indies. The storage facilities consist of 7 warehouses and a total
floor space of 124,778 square feet. A total of about 14,287 tons of
stores were shipped from this depot during the fiscal year 1919,
these stores being valued at approximately $12,000,000; during the
same period approximately 18,000 tons of stores were received, at an
estimated value of $15,000,000. Practically all shipments of supplies
of every description for troops in the West Indies are made from this
depot.
EXPENDITURES.
The expenditures of the quartermaster’s department for the fiscal
years ending June 30ths, 1917, 1918, and 1919, were as shown
below, exclusive of appropriations for public works, under the
Navy Department, from which figures the enormous increase in the
activities and responsibilities of this department, caused by the war
and by the increase in strength, is evident:
------------------------------+-------------+-------------+--------------
Subhead. | 1917 | 1918 | 1919
------------------------------+-------------+-------------+--------------
Provisions |$1,612,908.30|$6,725,893.05|$10,287,965.53
Clothing | 2,173,501.59|11,123,760.36| 20,275,456.01
Fuel | 248,606.82| 590,120.91| 989,573.08
Military stores | 1,520,289.39| 6,371,978.10| 13,952,476.49
Camps of instruction | 31,871.04| 30,945.83| ..
Transportation and recruiting | 620,667.75| 1,514,657.77| 3,064,099.21
Repairs of barracks | 216,715.56| 3,754,241.58| 5,883,065.69
Forage | 75,018.94| 161,614.81| 163,132.90
Commutation of quarters | 164,497.24| 402,402.51| 363,484.53
Contingent | 983,984.91| 4,864,825.25| 8,674,269.61
Expenditures under appropriation | |
“Reserve supplies, U. S. M. C.” .. | .. | 2,510,527.44
Purchases under second deficiency | |
act from United States Army .. | .. | 772,540.00
+-------------+-------------+--------------
Total maintenance | | |
quartermasters’ | | |
department U. S. M. C. | 7,648,061.54|35,540,440.17| 66,936,590.49
------------------------------+-------------+-------------+--------------
INDEX.
A.
Page.
Actual strength of Marine Corps, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 73, 74, 84, 85, 89
Adjutant and Inspector’s Department, 5, 83
Advanced Base Force, 10, 19, 37
Aerodromes, 72
Aero Squadrons, 9, 67
_Agamemnon_, 33
Age limits, Marine aviators, 74
Aigrefeuille, France 63
Aisne defensive, 41, 57, 58, 65
Aisne River, 49, 50, 55
Aisne-Marne offensive, 9, 38, 44, 45, 57, 58, 65, 67
_Alabama_, 18
Albany, 18, 61
Allotments, 87
Amaroc Shoot, 70
Ambrose Lightship, 60
_America_, 48
American embarkation center, Le Mans, France, 62
American Commander in Chief, 30, 31, 38, 39, 40, 41, 45, 46, 51, 54,
79, 81, 82
American Peace Commission, Paris, France, 63
Amiens, France, 40
Annapolis, Md., 19
Antitank guns, 67
Antweiler, 56
Archangel, Russia, 20
Argonne-Meuse (Meuse-Argonne). (_See_ Meuse-Argonne.)
_Arizona_, 18
_Arkansas_, 18, 59
Arlon, 56
Arnes, valley of the, France, 51
Armistice signed, 55
Army of occupation (Third Army), 56, 57
Armentieres, France, 40
Artillery captured by Second Division, 67
Asiatic Fleet, 18, 61
Astoria, Oreg., 19
Attigny-Voncq, Aisne River region, 51
Atlanta, Ga., 19, 85
Athens, Greece, 20
Atlantic Fleet, 18, 60
Austria, 61
Automatic rifle competitions, 70
Automatic Rifle School, Overseas Depot, 27
Aviation, 10, 23, 24, 28, 36, 65, 66, 71-75, 79, 83
Azores, 10, 17, 20, 34, 36, 37, 71, 73, 74, 75
B.
Baker, Newton D., Secretary of War, 82
Bakers; Cooks and Bakers School, Parris Island, S. C., 25
Balloons, 71, 73, 74
Bandits, 37, 65, 66
Band School, Parris Island, S. C., 25
Bands, silver, for colors, 57
Bantry Bay, Ireland, 37, 60
Barmant, France, 63
Barnett, George, Maj. Gen., Commandant, 5, 83
Barracks, repairs of, expenditures, 91
Barrett, Charles D., Maj., 56, 63
Base Detachment, Fifth Regiment, 34
Base, naval:
No. 13, Azores, 34, 36, 71, 73, 74
No. 29, Cardiff, Wales, 34
Bassens (Gironde), France, 63
Battleships, 17, 18, 37, 59-61
Battleship Force, 18, 60
Battleship Force One, 17, 60
Battleship Force Two, 17, 18, 60
Bayonet School, Overseas Depot, 27
Bayonville-et-Chennery, France, 55, 57
Bearss, Hiram I., Col., 32, 36
Beaufort, S. C., 19
Beau Desert (Gironde), France, 63
Beaumont, France, 54, 55
Beaurepaire Farm, France, 45
Belgium, 49, 56, 68
Belleau Woods (_see also_ Bois de Belleau), France, 39, 41, 42, 43, 57
Bellefontaine, France, 56
Belmar, N. J., 19
Belval-Bois-des-Dames, France, 55
Belval Forest, France, 54
Berg, 56
Blanc Mont Ridge, France, 50, 57, 58, 67
Bois de Belleau (_see also_ Belleau Woods), France, 10, 39, 41, 42,
44, 48
Bois de Belval, France, 54, 55, 57
Bois de Hazois, France, 53
Bois de la Brigade de Marine, France, 42, 58
Bois de la Folie, France, 57
Bois de Retz, France, 45
Bolinas, Calif., 19
Bolsheviki, 61
Bombs, 22, 72, 74
Bombing School, Overseas Depot, 27
Bordeaux, France, 63, 79
Boston, Mass., 19
Bou-des-Bois, France, 39
Bouresches, France, 10, 41, 43, 57, 58
Bourmont (Haute-Marne), France, 32, 38
Bourmont Training Area, France, 28, 31, 32, 33, 39
Bouvron, France, 48
Bouy, France, 51
Bradman, Frederic L., Col., 60
Brest, France, 32, 33, 39, 48, 56, 60, 62, 63, 72, 79, 83, 89
Breuvannes, France, 31
Brewster, David L. S., Maj., 71
Bridgeheads:
Chateau-Thierry, France, 40
Coblentz, Germany. (_See_ Army of Occupation; Germany; Third Army.)
Meuse River, 54
British. (_See also_ England.)
Aviation Forces, 72
Distinguished Service Order, 68
Forces, 36, 61, 72
Grand Fleet, 37, 59
_Brooklyn_, 18, 37, 61
Budesheim, 56
Bulgars, 49
Bundy, Omar, Maj. Gen., United States Army, 31, 32, 38
Burgbrohl, 56
Butler, Smedley D., Brig. Gen., 62, 63
C.
Calais, France, 20, 72
Caldwell, N. J., 70
Cambria, France, 49
Camp Cabaud, France, 53
Camp Carret (Camp Covington), near Marseilles, France, 63
Camp Covington (Camp Carret), 63
Camp Perry, Ohio, 69
Camp Pontanezen, France. (_See_ Pontanezen Camp.)
Camps of instruction, expenditures, 91
Canadian officers, 26
Cantigny, France, 41
Cantonments, 90
Cape Cod, Mass., 19
Cape Haitien, Haiti, 84, 85
Cape May, N. J., 19, 71, 73, 74
Cape May, N. J., naval air station, 19
Carbon Blanc, France, 63
Cardiff, Wales, 10, 20, 34
Casino-de-Lilas (Bordeaux), France, 63
_Castine_, 18
Castletown Berehaven, Bantry Bay, Ireland, 37, 60
Casual payments, 87
Casualties, 10, 37, 41, 58, 65, 66
Catlin, Albertus W., Col. (brigadier general), 32, 33, 42, 43, 48
Cavite, Philippine Islands, 10, 20
Chalons-sur-Marne, France, 48, 51
Champagne, 50, 55, 57, 60
Champagne-Marne defensive, 44, 58
Chaudenay, France, 48
Chaplains of the Navy, 35, 68
_Charleston_, 18
Charleston, S. C., 19, 89
Charleston, W. Va., navy ordnance plant, 19
Chatham, Mass., 19
Chateau-Thierry sector, France, 9, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 45, 57,
65, 67
Chateauroux, France, 63
Chemin-des-Dames, France, 40
Chesapeake Bay, 59
Chief Paymaster, United States Marines, France, 88
China, 10, 17, 37, 61, 68, 84, 85
Chollas Heights, Calif., 19
Christiania, Norway, 20
_Cincinnati_, 18
Citations by French Army, 9, 42, 46, 51, 67
Civil War, 9
Claims Section, Paymaster’s Department, 87
Clerical School, Parris Island, S. C., 25
Clothing, expenditures, 91
Coblentz, Germany. (_See_ Bridgeheads, Coblentz.)
Cole, Edward B., Maj., 32, 42, 43
Cole, Eli K., Brig. Gen., 33, 62
_Columbia_, 18
Commander in Chief, American Expeditionary Forces. (_See_ American
Commander in Chief.)
Commercial Telegraph & Cable Co., Boston, Mass., 19
Company clerks, 26
Commissary storehouses, 89
Commutation of quarters, 91
Composite Regiment, Third Army, 78
_Connecticut_, 18
_Constellation_, 18
Contingent expenditures, 91
Convoying railroad trains, 63
Convoying troops across Atlantic, 37
Cooks, 26
Cooks and Bakers School, Parris Island, S. C., 25
Copenhagen, Denmark, 20
Cornell University, 23
Council of National Defense, 90
Croix de Guerre (French), 9, 67, 68
Croix d’Hins, France, 20, 63
Cruiser Force, 17, 18, 37, 61
Cuba, 10, 17, 20, 37, 85
Cunningham, Alfred A., Maj., 72
Curtis, Md., 19
Cutts, Richard M., Col., 61
_Cyclops_, 66
Czecho-Slovaks, 61
D.
d’Avours range at Le Mans, France, 70
Damblain, France, 31, 32, 39
Dampierre, France, 51
Daniels, Josephus, Secretary of the Navy, 5, 81, 82
Days in France; Fourth Brigade, 67
Day Wing, Northern Bombing Group, France, 34, 36, 71, 72, 73, 75
Deaths, 65, 66
Decorations, 68
Degoutte, General, 42
_De Kalb_, 9, 30, 32, 33, 34, 72
_Delaware_, 18, 59
Demobilization, 80-81
Denmark, 20
Dental Corps, Navy, 35, 66, 68
_Denver_, 18
Depots of supplies:
Charleston, S. C., 91
Philadelphia, Pa., 19, 90
San Francisco, Calif., 90, 91
_Des Moines_, 18
Dieulouard, France, 48
Distinguished-service crosses (American), 68
Distinguished-service medals (American), 39, 68
Distinguished-service order (British), 68
Division 6, Atlantic Fleet, 18, 60
Division 7, Atlantic Fleet, 18
Division 8, Atlantic Fleet, 18
Division 9, Atlantic Fleet, 18, 59, 60
Divisions, American Expeditionary Forces:
First Division. (_See_ First Division.)
Second Division. (_See_ Second Division.)
Third Division. (_See_ Third Division.)
Fourth Division. (_See_ Fourth Division.)
Sixth Division. (_See_ Sixth Division.)
Twenty-sixth Division. (_See_ Twenty-sixth Division.)
Thirty-second Division. (_See_ Thirty-second Division.)
Thirty-fifth Division. (_See_ Thirty-fifth Division.)
Forty-first Division. (_See_ Forty-first Division.)
Ninetieth Division. (_See_ Ninetieth Division.)
Ninety-second Division. (_See_ Ninety-second Division.)
Division machine gun officer, 52
_Dolphin_, 18
Dominican Republic, 17, 66, 84, 85
Dover, N. J., 19
Doyen, Charles A., Brig. Gen., 29, 30, 32, 38, 39
Dunkirk, France, 71, 72
Dunlap, Robert H., Col., 36
Duration-of-war enlisted men, 80
E.
East San Pedro, Calif., 19
Edinburgh, Scotland, 60
Eighth Infantry Brigade, 36
Eighth Separate Battalion, 27, 34
El Cayay, Porto Rico, 20
Eleventh Regiment, 27, 33, 63, 70, 78, 81
Eleventh Separate Battalion, 27
Ellis, Earl H., Lieut. Col., 39, 48, 55, 56, 63
Emergency payments, 87
England (_See also_ British), 10, 17, 20, 28, 31, 33, 36, 49, 72
Enlistments, 14, 15
Enlisted Staff School, Overseas Depot, 27
Enrollments in the reserve, 14, 15, 76-77
Epidemic of influenza. (_See_ Influenza.)
Eppeldorf, 56
Escorts, 37, 63
Essen Hook (Blanc Mont), France, 50
Eureka, Calif., 19
Evans, Francis T., Maj., 71
Exermont, France, 53, 55
Expenditures, 86, 91
F.
Farallones Islands, Calif., 19
Feland, Logan, Col. (Brigadier General), 31, 38, 47, 51, 56
Female reservists, 12, 13, 76, 77
Field Musics School, Parris Island, S. C., 25
Fifteenth Field Artillery, 38, 39
Fifteenth Separate Battalion, 79
Fifth Corps, 53, 54, 55
Fifth Brigade of Marines, 10, 28, 62, 78, 79, 80, 81
Fifth Brigade Machine Gun Battalion, 27, 33, 64, 78, 81
Fifth Machine Gun Battalion, 38
Fifth Regiment of Marines, 9, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 70, 78, 81
Fifth Regiment Base Detachment, 34
Fifth Separate Battalion, 27, 34
Fifty-first Infantry Brigade, 36
Finances, 86, 91
First Army, 48, 49, 53
First Aviation Squadron, 71
First Battalion, Eleventh Regiment, 33
First Battalion, Fifth Regiment, 29, 30
First Battalion, Sixth Regiment, 29, 32, 33
First Casual Replacement Battalion, 34
First Corps, 48
First Depot Division, 62
First Division, American Expeditionary Forces, 28, 29, 30, 36, 39,
41, 45, 46, 79
First Field Signal Battalion, 38
First Machine Gun Replacement Battalion, 34
First Marine Aeronautic Company, 34, 36, 71, 75
First Marine Aviation Force, 34, 72
First Regiment of Marines, 85
First Replacement Battalion, 34
First Replacement Depot, 62
First Separate Machine Gun Battalion, 34
Firth of Forth, Scotland, 59, 60
Flanders, Belgium, 49, 72
_Florida_, 18, 59
Florida Straits, 37
Flying Corps:
England, 72
France, 72
United States. (_See_ Aviation.)
Foch, Marshal, 40, 44, 45, 46, 49, 50, 79
Forage, expenditures, 91
Forty-first Division, American Expeditionary Forces, 62
Forty-second Division, American Expeditionary Forces, 53
Fort Crockett, Galveston, Tex., 19
Fort Lafayette, 19
Fort Lyons, Colo., 19
Fort Mifflin, Pa., 19
Fosse, France, 53
Fossoy, France, 42
Fourragère, French, 9, 67
Fourth Brigade:
Casualties, 10, 65
Composition of, 9, 29
Demobilization, 80, 82
First Division, element of, 29
Formed, 29, 32, 33
Operations, 36, 40-55
Organizations composing, 9, 29
Organization perfected, 33
Organized, 29, 32, 33
P. C.’s. (_See_ P. C.’s of Fourth Brigade.)
Sailed (Fifth Regiment) for France, 9, 30
Strength, 10
Returned to United States, 78
Training, 28, 39
Fourth Division, American Expeditionary Forces, 36
Fourth French Army, 49, 50, 51, 57, 58
Fourth Infantry Brigade, 38
Fourth Machine Gun Battalion, 38
Fourth Separate Battalion, 27, 34
Forwarding Camp, Le Mans, France, 62
_Frederick_, 18
French:
Decorations, 68
Flying Corps, 36, 72
Officers serving with Marines, 26, 68
Freya Stellung, 53
Fryer, Eli T., Col., 61
Fuel, expenditures, 91
G.
_Galveston_, 18, 37
Galveston, Tex., 19
Gamborg-Andresen, Carl, Col., 61
Gas, 22, 27, 65, 66
Geiger, Roy D., Maj., 72
Gendarmerie, Haitian, 10, 37
Genicart, France, 63
Geographical location of Marines, 17
_George Washington_, 18, 60, 78
_Georgia_, 18
Georgia School of Technology, 23
Germainvilliers, France, 32
Germany, 11, 17, 20, 56, 57, 61, 69
German High Seas Fleet, 59
Gerstner Field, Lake Charles, La., 7, 19, 73, 74
Gievres (Loire-et-Cher), France, 63
Gisors-Chaumont-en-Vixen, France, 39
Gleaves, Albert, Rear Admiral, 30
Gondrecourt training area, 28, 31
Gouraud, Gen., 49, 50, 57
Grand Bois de Saint Souplet, France, 51
Grand Fleet, British, 37, 59
Grange Neuve, France, 63
Gratuity of $60, 87
Great Lakes, Ill., 19, 74
Greece, 20
Greenbury, Md., 19
Guam, 10, 17, 20, 37
Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, 10, 20
Guardia Nacional Dominicana, 10, 20, 37
H.
Haines, Henry C., Col., 5, 83
Haiti, 10, 17, 20, 37, 84, 85
Hampton Roads, Va., 19, 62, 80
_Hancock_, 9, 30, 34
Harbord, James G., Maj. Gen., United States Army, 38, 39, 42, 45, 46,
47
Hart, Franklin A., Capt., 64
Harvard University, 23
Hatenfels, Germany, 56
Haute-Marne, France, 32, 38
_Havana_, 30
Havre, France, 63
Hawaiian Islands, 10, 17, 37
Headquarters Companies:
Fifth Regiment, 29
Sixth Regiment, 29, 32
Headquarters Detachment, Paris, France, 63
Headquarters of Fourth Brigade. (_See_ P. C.’s of Fourth Brigade.)
Headquarters, Washington, D. C., 19, 83
_Helena_, 18, 37
_Henderson_, 9, 30, 32, 33, 34, 39, 79
Herschbach, Germany, 56
Hill 142, 10, 41, 57, 58
Hindenburg Line, 49, 53
Hingham, Mass., 19
Historical Division, Marine Corps, 5
Holland, 17
Hönningen, 56
Hospitals, France; paying men in, 87
Hoyt, Leon W., Maj., 60
Huey, James McE., Lieut. Col., 60
_Huntington_, 18
I.
_Idaho_, 18
Influenza, 23, 83
Indian Head, Md., 19
Inductions, 14, 15, 16
Inglewood, Calif., 19
Inor, France, 54
Inspector General’s Department, 63
Inter-allied rifle championships, Le Mans, France, 70
Interpreters, 63
Iona Island, N. Y., 19
Ireland, 37, 60
Isle of Ste. Anne (Nantes), France, 63
Issonge Farmhouse, France, 43
Issoudun, France, 63
Italy, 20, 68
J.
Japan, 20, 61
Jassy, Roumania, 20
Jaulny, France, 48, 57
K.
_Kansas_, 18
Key West, Fla., 19
Killed in action, 65, 66
Kilometers advanced, 68
Kingman, Matthew W., Maj., 52
Knight, Austin M., Rear Admiral, 61
L.
La Baule, France, 63
La Loge Farmhouse, France, 43
La Pallice, France, 63
La Playa, Calif., 19
La Rochelle, France, 63
La Teste (Gironde), France, 63
La Veuve, France, 51
Lake Charles, La., 71, 73, 74
Lake Denmark, N. J., 19
Landres-et-St. Georges, France, 53, 57
Lansdowne, Pa., camp of instruction bayonet team, 19
Lauchheimer, Charles H., Brig. Gen., 83
Lay, Harry R., Lieut. Col., 30, 32, 48
Lee, Harry, Col., 43, 45, 46
Le Franc aerodromes, France, 72
Le Mans, France, 62, 70
Leffincourt, France, 29, 33, 52
Legion of Honor (French), 60
Lejeune, John A., Maj. Gen., 36, 38, 39, 47, 48, 49, 50, 54, 79, 83
Leland Stanford Junior University, 23
Lents, Oreg., 19
Les Islettes, France, 53
Letanne, France, 54
Letters designating companies, 29
_Leviathan_, 18, 63, 78, 83, 89
Line of Communications, 28, 31, 33
Lironville, France, 48
Little, Louis McC., Col., 61
London, England, 10, 20, 78
Long, Charles G., Brig. Gen., 83
Lormont, France, 63
Lorraine, France, 55
Lost and destroyed records, 87
_Louisiana_, 18
Lugol, G., mayor of Meaux, France, 43
Luxembourg, 20, 56
Lynnhaven Roads, Chesapeake Bay, 59
Lys, Ypres-Lys offensive, 40, 58
M.
_Machias_, 18
Machine guns captured, 67
Machine Gun Company (8th), Fifth Regiment, 29
Machine Gun Company (73d), Sixth Regiment, 29, 32
Machine Gun School, Overseas Depot, 27
Machine Gun School, Utica, N. Y., 23, 28
Machine gun training, 23, 26, 28
Madrid, Spain, 17, 20
Maintenance of Quartermaster’s Department, cost of, 91
Major General, Commandant, 5, 11, 12, 29, 31, 32, 33, 82, 83, 89
Major, Harlan E., Capt., 43
Major offensives, German, 40
Major operations, American, 9, 36, 38, 39, 40-55, 57, 58, 67, 72
Managua, Nicaragua, 10, 20, 84, 85
Manonville, France, 48
Marans, France, 63
Marbache sector, France, 48, 57, 65, 67
Marconi Wireless Co., Boston, Mass., 19
Mare Island, Calif., 19, 22, 25, 26, 90
Margut, 56
Marine Aeronautic Co., 71
Marine Aviation Section, Miami, Fla., 37
Marine Corps Reserve, 11, 12, 13, 76-77, 80, 89, 90
Marine Corps Reserve Flying Corps, 74
Marne, River, salient, Valley, 40, 41, 44, 55
Married men, rejections of, 15
Marseilles, France, 63
Marshall, Calif., 19
Marshfield, Oreg., 19
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 19, 74
Massif de Notre-Dame-des-Champs, France, 50, 51
Massif du Blanc Mont, 51
Matthews, Calvin B., Maj., 63
_Mauretania_, 62
_Mayflower_, 18
McCawley, Charles L., Brig. Gen., 83, 89
McClellan, Edwin N., Maj., 1, 5, 60
McDougal, Douglas C., Lieut. Col., 63
McGill, John F., Col., 60
Meaux, France, 41, 43
Medaille Militaire (French), 68
Medals of honor (American), 68
Medeah Ferme, France, 50, 51
Medical Corps of the Navy, 35, 66, 68
Mehun, France, 63
Menaucourt, France, 31
_Mercury_, 75, 78, 79
Mess sergeants, 26
Metz, 41
Meuse-Argonne, 9, 36, 39, 50, 52, 53, 54, 55, 57, 58, 65, 67
Meuse-Argonne (Champagne), 65, 67
Meuse River, 49, 53, 54, 57
Mexico, 10, 37
Miami, Fla., 37, 71, 72, 73, 74
_Michigan_, 18
Military colleges, graduates of, 21
Military police, 31, 63
Military stores, 91
Mineola, Long Island, 19, 71, 73, 74
Mines, 37
Mine craters, 50
Miners and Sappers School, Overseas Depot, 27
_Minnesota_, 17, 18, 37
Minors, rejection of, 15
Miramas, France, 63
Missing, 65
_Mississippi_, 18
Mobilization Bureau, 19
Money expended, 86, 91
Mont Pelier, France, 52
_Montana_, 18
Montdidier, France, 40
Montierchaume (Indre), France, 63
Montoir, France, 63
Montreuil-aux-Lions, France, 41, 43
Monts, France, 51
Monument commemorating entrance of United States in World War, 79
Morale of the Allies, 40, 42
Moroccan Division, 45, 46
Moscou (P. C.), France, 39
Moselle River, 48, 57
Mouzon, France, 54
Myers, John T., Col. (Brigadier General), 60
Murman Coast, Russia, 37
N.
Naix, France, 31
Nancy, France, 48
Nantes, France, 63
Nanteuil-le-Haudouin, France, 47
Nanteuil-sur-Marne, France, 44
National Naval Volunteers, Marine Corps Branch, 11, 21, 76
Naval air station, Cape May, N. J., 73
Naval ammunition depots, 19
Naval district base, New London, Conn., 19
Naval experimental station, New London, Conn., 19
Naval headquarters, Paris, France, 63
Naval hospitals, 19
Naval Militia, Marine Corps Branch, 76
Naval prisons, 19
Navy allotment officer, 87
Navy Department, 30, 81, 82, 91
Navy distinguished-service medal, 39
Navy welcomes Marines home, 81
_Nebraska_, 18
Negro stevedores, 30
Neuenahr, 56
Neuerburgh, 56
_Nevada_, 18, 60
Nevers, France, 63
Neville, Wendell C., Brig. Gen., 32, 42, 45, 47, 48, 55, 79
New Brunswick, N. J., 19
Newfoundland, 59
_New Hampshire_, 18
_New Jersey_, 18
New London, Conn., 19
_New Mexico_, 18
_New Orleans_, 18, 19, 61
New pay roll, 88
Newport News, Va., 75
Newport, R. I., 19
New York, N. Y., 18, 19, 59, 78, 79, 84, 85
Ninth French Army Corps, 29, 51
Ninth Infantry, 38, 39
Ninth Separate Battalion, 27, 34
Ninetieth Division, American Expeditionary Forces, 36
Ninety-second Division, American Expeditionary Forces, 36
Nicaragua, 10, 17, 37, 84, 85
Nieder Bieber, Germany, 56
Noncommissioned Officers School, Parris Island, S. C., 25
Norfolk, Va., 19, 25, 89, 91
_North Carolina_, 18
_North Dakota_, 18
North Head, Wash., 19
North Island, Calif., 19
Norway, 20, 59
Northern Bombing Group, 34, 36, 71, 73, 75
Notre-Dame-des-Champs, France, 50, 51
Noyers, St. Aignan-Noyers, France, 63
Noyon-Montdidier drive, France, 44
O.
Observation squadrons, 36
Observers, 36, 62, 89
Office of the Chief Paymaster, United States Marines, France, 88
Office of the Judge Advocate General, 19
Office of the Major General Commandant, 83
Officers, 21, 22
Officer in charge, Historical Division, Marine Corps, 5
Officers’ school, Overseas Depot, 27
Officers’ training camps, 22, 23
Oil supply of Allies, 37
Oise-Aisne offensive, 58
_Oklahoma_, 18, 60
Olongapo, Philippine Islands, 10, 20
_Olympia_, 18
One hundred and second Regiment of Infantry, 36
Operations, 36-61
Operations in general, 36
_Orizaba_, 78
Orkney Islands, 59, 60
Orleans, Mass., French Cable Co., 19
Ostend, Belgium, 71
Osterhout, George H., Capt., 43
Otter Cliffs, Me., 19
Overseas Depot, Marine Barracks, Quantico, Va., 22, 26, 27, 33
P.
P. C.’s of Fourth Brigade, 39, 43, 44, 45, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52,
53, 55, 56
Pacific Fleet, 18, 61
Palestine, 49
Paoli, Pa., signal battalion, 19
Paris, France, 10, 20, 34, 40, 41, 63, 70, 78, 83, 88
Paris-Metz Highway, France, 41
Parris Island, S. C., 19, 21, 22, 25, 26, 27, 86, 90
Pauillac, France, 20
Pay for personnel, expenditures, 86
Pay roll, new, 88
Pay School, Parris Island, S. C., 25
Paymaster, Chief, United States Marines, France, 88
Paymaster’s clerks, United States Marine Corps, 21
Paymaster’s Department, 84-88
Peace memorandum No. 1, 55
Peace treaty, 56, 80
Pearl Harbor, Hawaiian Islands, 10, 20, 37
Peking, China, 10, 20, 37, 84, 85
Pen Houet, France, 63
_Pennsylvania_, 18, 60
Pensacola, Fla., 19, 71, 73
Pentland Firth, 59
Perkins, Ernest A., Maj., 64
Pershing, John J., Gen., 30, 31, 38, 39, 40, 41, 45, 46, 51, 54, 79,
81, 82
Petain, Marshal, 31, 43, 45, 46, 49, 50, 51
Petrograd, Russia, 20
Philadelphia, Pa., 10, 19, 25, 30, 37, 90
Philippine Islands, 10, 17, 20, 37
Pistol matches, 69, 70
_Pittsburgh_, 18, 37
Plan directeur, 42
Planning section, 83
Plebiscite, 79
_Pocahontas_, 34
Point Arguello, Calif., 19
Point Isabel, Tex., 19
Pointe de Grave, France, 79
Police sergeants, 63
Pont St. Vincent, France, 48
Ponta Delgada, Azores, 20, 34, 36, 71, 74
Pont-a-Mousson, France, 48, 57
Pontanezen Camp, Brest, France, 62, 63, 64, 79
Port au Prince, Haiti, 84, 85
Portland, Me., 19
Portland, England, 60
Porto Rico, 10, 17
Portsmouth, N. H., 19
Portuguese decorations, 68
Pouilly, France, 54
_Prairie_, 18
President of the United States, 11, 14, 29, 30, 60, 79, 90
Price, Charles F. B., Maj., 79
_Prinz Eitel Fredrich_, 30
Prison:
Guards, 63
Naval prisons,19
Officers, 63
Prisoners, 61, 65, 68
Provisions, expenditures, 91
Provost guards, 31, 63
Provost marshals, 31
Provost Marshal General, 14, 23
Prum, 56
Public works, 91
_Pueblo_, 18
Puget Sound, Wash., 19
Purchases under second deficiency act, from United States Army, 91
Q.
Quarters, commutation of; expenditures, 91
Quartermaster’s Department, 89-91
Quantico, Va., 22, 23, 26, 28, 33, 73, 79, 80, 83, 85, 90
R.
Radio, Va., 19
Radio School, Parris Island, S. C., 25
Radio stations, etc., 19, 61
Rations, expenditures, 89
Records, lost and destroyed, 87
Recruit depots:
Mare Island, Calif., 21
Norfolk, Va., 25
Parris Island, S. C., 21
Philadelphia, Pa., 25
Rejections of applicants at, 15
Training at, 27, 28
Recruiting statistics, 14, 15
Recruiting and transportation, expenditures, 91
Rejections of applicants for enlistment, 14, 15
Remenauville, France, 48
Repairs of barracks, expenditures, 91
Replacements, 28, 34
Reserve, Flying Corps, 24, 74
Reserve, Marine Corps, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 21, 23, 24, 76-77, 80, 89,
91
“Reserve supplies, U. S. M. C.,” expenditures, 91
Retired officers, warrant officers, and enlisted men, 11, 12
Return of Marines from Europe, 75, 78, 79
Rheims, France, 40, 50, 51, 57
Rheims Massif, France, 49
Rheinbrohl, 56
Rhine River Patrol, 56
_Rhode Island_, 18
Richards, George, Brig. Gen., 84
Rifles captured, 67
Rifle competitions and practice, 69, 70
_Rinjdam_, 78
Rochefort, France, 63
Rockport, Mass., Postal Telegraph & Cable Co., 19
Rome, Italy, 20
Romorantin (Loire-et-Cher), France, 63
Roosevelt Field, Mineola, L. I., 73, 74
Roosevelt, Franklin D., Assistant Secretary of the Navy, 81, 82
Rosyth, Scotland, 59, 60
Royal Flying Corps of England, 36, 72
Russia, 20
Russian Island, Siberia, 61
Rye Beach, Me., 19
S.
St. Aignan-Noyers, France, 63
St. Etienne, France, 50, 51, 57, 58
St. Juliens Creek, Va., 19
St. Loubes, France, 63
_St. Louis_, 18
St. Mihiel offensive, 36, 48, 57, 58, 65, 67
St. Nazaire, France, 30, 31, 75
St. Quentin, France, 49
St. Sulpice (Gironde), France, 63
Samoa, 17
_San Diego_, 18, 37
San Diego, Calif., 19, 74
San Francisco, Calif., 19, 84, 85, 89, 90, 91
San Juan, Porto Rico, 10, 17, 20
_Santa Paula_, 78
Santiago, Dominican Republic, 84, 85
Santo Domingo, 10, 17, 20, 37, 65, 84, 85
Sappers, 27
Sarry, France, 48
Savenay, France, 63
Sayville, N. Y., 19
Scapa Flow, Orkney Islands, 57, 60
Scarponne, France, 48
Schleswig-Holstein Battalion, 79
Schools, United States Marine Corps:
Armorers, 26, 74
Army balloon, 73, 74
Army candidates, 23
Automatic rifle, 27
Bakers, 25
Band, 25
Bayonet, 27
Bombing, 27
Clerical, 25
Company clerks, 26
Cooks, 25
Enlisted staff, 27
Field musics, 25
Gas, 27
Machine gun, 23, 27, 28
Mess sergeants, 26
Miners, 27
Noncommissioned officers, 25
Officers, 22, 23, 27
Overseas depot, 22, 26, 27, 33
Pay school, 25, 86
Quartermaster sergeants, 89
Radio, 25
Scout snipers, 27
Signaling, 25
Scout snipers school, Overseas Depot, 27
Sea duty, 9, 10, 17, 20, 59-61
Sea Girt, N. J., 70
_Seattle_, 18, 30
Second ammunition train, 38
Second Battalion, Fifth Regiment, 29, 30
Second Battalion, Sixth Regiment, 29, 32, 33
Second Battalion, Eleventh Regiment, 33
Second Casual Replacement Battalion, 34
Second Division, American Expeditionary Forces, 9, 10, 28, 29, 31,
32, 33, 36, 58, 78, 79, 81, 82
Second Engineers, 38, 54
Second Engineer Train, 38
Second Field Artillery Brigade, 36, 38
Second Headquarters Train and Military Police, 38
Second Machine Gun Battalion, 27
Second Replacement Battalion, 34
Second Sanitary Train, 38
Second Separate Machine Gun Battalion, 27
Second Supply Train, 38
Second Trench Mortar Battery, 38
Secretary of the Navy, 5, 14, 15, 56, 59, 60, 81, 82, 86
Secretary of War, 14, 23, 82
Selective service law, 14, 15
Services of Supply, 28, 47, 63
Seventeenth Field Artillery, 36, 38, 39
Seventh Regiment of Marines, 85
Seventh Separate Battalion, 27, 34
Seventy-third Machine Gun Company, 32
Shearer, Thomas R., Capt., 73
Siberia, 37, 61
Sibert, W. L., Maj. Gen., United States Army, 30
_Siboney_, 62, 78
Signal Battalion, Paoli, Pa., 19
Signal School, 25
Signal School, Parris Island, S. C., 25
Silver bands for colors, 57
Sixth Battle Squadron, British Grand Fleet, 18, 59
Sixth Division, American Expeditionary Forces, 36
Sixth Division, Atlantic Fleet, 37, 60
Sixth French Army, 42
Sixth Machine Gun Battalion of Marines, 9, 26, 29, 32, 38, 78, 81
Sixth Regiment of Marines, 9, 26, 29, 32, 38, 70, 78, 81
Sixth Separate Battalion, 27, 34
Sixty-fourth Infantry Brigade, 36
Slovaks, 61
Smith, Holland M., Maj., 32
Snyder, Harold C., Col., 47, 56
Soissons, France, 9, 38, 40, 44, 45, 46, 57, 67
Somme, France, 40, 63
Somme-Py, France, 50
Sommerance, France, 55
Souain, France, 62
Souain-Suippes area, France, 49
_South Carolina_, 18
_South Dakota_, 18
Spain, 17
Spanish War, 9
Special Assistant, Quartermaster’s Department, 89
Special disbursing agents, 84, 85
Stadenburg, 72
Staff School, 26
States, enlistments by, 14, 16
States, Naval Militia, Marine Corps Branch, 76
Statutory strength of Marine Corps. (_See_ Strength of Marine Corps.)
Stevedores, 30
Stockholm, Sweden, 20
Stores, military; expenditures, 91
Storehouses, 89
Strength of Marine Corps, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 73, 74, 84, 85, 89
Students Army Training Corps, 23, 24
Suarce sector, France, 36
Submarines, 30, 59, 60
Suippes, France, 49, 51
Suippes River, France, 49, 50, 51
Suippes-Somme Suippes-Nantivet area, France, 51
Summary of operations, 57
Supplies, expenditures, 90
Supply Company of Fifth Regiment, 29
Supply Company of Sixth Regiment, 29, 32
Surrender of the German High Seas Fleet, 59, 60
Sursol (Gironde), France, 63
Swiss border, 36
T.
Taillefontaine, France, 47
Target practice, 69, 70, 83
Tatoosh, Wash., 19
Taylor, Charles B., Lieut. Col., 61
Tebbs, Richard H., Maj., 61
Technical engineer, Quartermaster’s Department, 89
_Tenedores_, 30
Tenth Separate Battalion, 27
_Texas_, 18, 59
The Hague, Holland, 17, 20
Thiaucourt, France, 48, 57
Third Army (Army of Occupation), 56, 57, 70, 78, 79
Third Battalion, Eleventh Regiment, 33
Third Battalion, Fifth Regiment, 29, 30
Third Battalion, Sixth Regiment, 29, 32, 33
Third Corps, 46
Third Division, American Expeditionary Forces, 36, 40, 70
Third Infantry Brigade, 38
Third Machine Gun Battalion, 27
Third Replacement Battalion, 34
Third Separate Battalion, 27, 34
Third Separate Machine Gun Battalion, 27
Thirteenth Regiment of Marines, 27, 63, 70, 78, 81
Thirty-fifth Division, American Expeditionary Forces, 36
Thirty-second Division, American Expeditionary Forces, 36
Tiburon, Calif., 19
Tigny, France, 45, 46
Toul, France, 39, 48
Toulon, France, 63
Toulon (P. C. of Fourth Brigade), France, 39
Toulon sector, France, 57, 65
Tours, France, 62, 63
Traffic police, 64
Training of enlisted men, 22, 25, 27, 28, 39
Training of officers, 22-24
Transportation and recruiting, expenditures, 91
Travel allowance of 5 cents a mile to discharged men, 87
Treaty of peace, 56, 80
Trench mortars, 67
Tuckerton, N. J., 19
Turnage, Allen H., Maj., 64
Twelfth Company of Marines, 34
Twelfth Field Artillery, 38
Twelfth Replacement Battalion, 34, 35
Twelfth Separate Battalion, 79
Twenty-eighth Division, 40
Twenty-sixth Company, 34
Twenty-sixth Division, American Expeditionary Forces, 36, 41, 43
Twenty-third Infantry, 38
U.
U-boats (_see also_ Submarines), 59
University of—
Kansas, 23
Minnesota, 23
North Carolina, 23
Texas, 23
Washington, 23
Wisconsin, 23
Usine Brulee, France, 63
Usseldange, 56
_Utah_, 18, 60
Utica, N. Y., 19, 23, 28
V.
Vadenay-Bouy-la-Veuve-Dampierre area, France, 51
Van Orden, George, Col., 63
Vaux, France, 10, 41, 42, 57, 58
Vaux-en-Dieulet, France, 54
Velaine-en-Haye, France, 48
Verdun, France, 28, 39, 55, 57, 65, 67
_Vermont_, 18
Venault-les-Dames, France, 39
Vierzy, France, 45, 46, 47
Virgin Islands, 10, 17, 20, 37, 84, 85
_Virginia_, 18
Virginia Military Institute, 23
Vitry-le-François, France, 39
Villers-les-Nancy, France, 48
Vivieres, France, 45
Vladivostok, Siberia, 37, 61
_Von Steuben_, 32, 33, 34, 56
Voncq, France, 51
Vulte, Nelson P., Maj., 59
W.
Wakefield, Mass., 19
Wales, 10, 34
Waller, Littleton W. T., Jr., Maj., 43, 46, 52
Wars:
Civil, 9
Germany, declared against, 11
Spanish, 9
War Industries Board, 90
War Risk Bureau, 87
Warehouses, 91
Washington, D. C., 16, 19, 78, 79
Waxweiler, 56
Wehr, Germany, 70
Wellfleet, Mass., 19
West Indies, 90
Weymouth, England, 60
Western Union Co., Boston, Mass., 19
Wiesbaum, 56
_Wilhelmina_, 78
Wills, Davis B., Maj., 88
_Wilmington_, 18, 37
Winthrop, Md., 19
Wirgman, Harold C., Maj., 60
Wise, Frederic M., Col., 36
Wise, William C., Maj., 63
Wissahickon Barracks, N. J., 19
Women, Female reservists, 76, 77, 86
Wounded, 32, 65, 66
_Wyoming_, 18, 59
X.
Xammes, France, 48, 57
Y.
Yale University, 23
Yokohama, Japan, 20
_Yorktown_, 18
Yorktown, Va., 19
Young Men’s Christian Association, 68
Ypres-Lys offensive, 58
Z.
Zeebrugge, Belgium, 71
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