Racine County, Wisconsin - Chapter 23: Battery F, 121st F. a, 1920

Chapter 23: Battery F, 121st F. a

TO Battery F, 121st Field Artillery, 32nd division, belongs the distinction of being the only combat unit recruited exclusively in Racine to see action in France. It was composed entirely of volunteers who enlisted after the outbreak of the war with Germany. As a part of the Thirty-second division it participated in the great offensives designated as the Aisne-Marne, the Oise-Aisne and the Meuse-Argonne, and also spent two months in defensive warfare in Alsace. It lost three men killed in battle, seven dead from disease or accident, and thirty wounded. Ninety men were seriously enough ill to require treatment at a field or base hospital at one time or another. In addition to supporting the infantry of the Thirty-second division in three offensives, Battery F also supported at various times the Third, Seventy-ninth, Twenty-eighth, Eighty-ninth, Ninetieth and Forty-second American division infantry units, and the First Moroccans of the French army.

It was in active offensive combat from Aug. 1 until Nov. 5, with a rest of only ten days late in September. Whenever the infantry of the Thirty-second division was withdrawn to act in support or reserve, the artillery remained at the front, and assisted other divisions by sending over showers of high explosive and gas shells, conducting interdiction fire, harassing fire, and destructive fire and helping to form creeping or stationai-y barrages.

The early history of Battery F is recounted in one of the first chapters of this volume. During its service it undei-went many changes in personnel. Officers were transferred, promoted and assigned to other units. Men were sent away to officers' training schools, transferred to other organizations, and lost by death and illness. Usually when a man was sent to a base hospital, he had great difficulty in returning to his old organization. Convalescents were sent to replacement camps and foz^warded to the divisions which needed men at that time. Of the 205 officers and men who left Racine for Camp Douglas July 2, 1917, only 111 men embarked from France for America with the Battery. None of the original officers were with it.

In France Battery F was equipped with 155 millimeter howitzers of French design. There were four of these guns and eight caissons for each battery, a French fourgon and chariot du pare (wagons), an American supply wagon, a forge outfit on wheels, a rolling kitchen, a water cai't and, usually, a motley collection of native carts and carriages picked up in I'uined villages en route to carry surplus supplies. By the early autumn, however, the number of horses had been reduced so by shell fire and gas casualties that it was difficult to haul the authorized wheeled vehicles. The battery was furnished with 220 horses upon arrival in France, and had thirty-two left when it was taken out of the lines in November for lack of animals to pull the material forward. These horses were of native heavy stock, all mares and stallions, and as they understood no English and were inclined to be wild, there were some desperate encounters during the ti'aining of them.

The howitzers fired two types of shells, six inches in diameter. One was comparatively light and sharp nosed, to be used normally for ranges of more than 6,000 meters. The other was longer and heavier, containing much more high explosive powder, and was designed for destroying defenses. It was also more expensive. The guns could send shells up to 11,000 meters, and owing to the two weights of shell and the fact that the driving charge of powder could be varied, the guns were able to accomplish many sorts of missions. A heavy powder charge and a light shell allowed a piece to be fired with a low trajectory like a rifle. A smaller powder charge could be used for shorter ranges, or to cause the shell to take a high trajectory and strike the target at a wide angle. This was especially useful in firing at objects behind steep hills, and in obtaining deep penetration in the gi'ound. Various sorts of fxises were used to detonate the shells on impact, some causing an explosion instantaneously and others causing the shell to explode in from one-fiftieth to one-fourth of a second after striking the ground. In loading the gun, a fuse was screwed in the nose of the projectile, the projectile was then pushed into the breech of the piece, as many small bags of powder as were needed were put in behind it, and the breech was closed. A primer cartridge was then inserted in a small hole in the breech block. A pull of the firing pin lever then caused the firing of the primer, which ignited the powder and propelled the shell to its destination. When desired, time fuses could be used which would cause the shells to explode in the air at a certain distance from the gun.

Each ho^vitzer was hauled by four pair of horses on the road. Three pair were used on each caisson, and one or two pair on the other carriages. A driver was mounted on the near horse of eath pair. Non-commissioned officers and officers were mounted when there were enough animals. The gun crews marched behind their respective pieces, one of them being in charge of the brakes. In the zone of the advance carriages generally kept fifty yards apart for safety, but on crowded roads it often was deemed wise to close up to keep other organizations from getting between sections and splitting the units.

In action guns were concealed as much as possible under nets of camouflage material, or beneath branches of trees. The men dug pits neai'by for shelter from shell fire, and when not at their guns occupied shelters or dug caves which would protect them from bullets and shell splinters. It was impossible to construct shelters in a few hours which would save them from the effects of a direct hit by a shell.

Gas shells were used by the enemy in large quantities to harass the artillery. Battery F men worked their guns many times for hours while wearing the cumbersome and oppressive anti-gas masks provided for their protection.

During its entire period of service it had a record remarkable for its character. The battery was composed of enthusiastic, patriotic young fellows who were anxious to do their duty in every respect. There were few cases of court martial, and these wei-e for offenses which would be considei-ed trivial by a civilian. It accomplished every mission assigned to it, never received an official rebuke and was praised several times for its efficient work in battle and elsewhere in France. Its morale was of the highest and there was practically none of the internal dissensions which marked many military organizations.

Battery F left Racine on July 2, 1917, for Camp Douglas. It was selected to precede the regiment to Waco, Tex., and spent a month there as a detached organization, awaiting the arrival of the rest of the troops which were to constitute the Thirty-second division. It was intended for a light field artillery battery, but after being variously classified as light, heavy, horse-drawn and motorized artillery, it became heavy horse-drawn field artillery. It had some drill with 3-inch guns at Camp Mac- Arthur, but most of the time there was spent in foot drill and simulated gun drills, using logs to represent guns. It was equipped with rifles and had some practice on the range. There was an anti-aircraft machine gun section in each battery.

With the rest of the division it underwent the misery of blistering weather, terrific dust storms, practice marches and deferred hopes at Camp MacArthur. It was ready for overseas service by Dec. 1, 1917, but lack of transports kept most of the army in America. By -January, 1918, it was announced that the ships were available.

About the first of the new year the division started to entrain for Camp Merritt, N. J., to embark for France. Battery F left Waco on Feb. .5, arriving at New York three days later. After some delay due to quarantine and shortage of vessels, the regiment embarked on March 3 on the U. S. S. Leviathan, formerly the Hamburg-American liner Vaterland, and arrived at Liverpool 6 days later without seeing an enemy submarine. From Liverpool the regiment was transferred by rail to a camp at Winnel Downs near Winchester, England; thence to Southampton and across the English channel to Havre. After a few days in the rest camp at Sanvie, near Havre, the men entrained again and were taken to Camp de Coetquidan, at Guer, France, where for two months the artillerymen studied gunnery, fired on the range and learned everything which their French instructors could teach them about the 15.5 mm howitzer and the science of trench and field warfare. On June 8 Battery F, with the rest of the regiment, entrained with guns and horses and equipment, for Belfort, from which city they marched to Ettonfont-le-bas, near the Alsatian frontier. On June 11 tlie batteries were formed in eschelon - guns and caissons in position to fire, horses and drivers billeted in nearby towns and the reserve drivers, cannoneers, supply wagons, etc., remaining in the rear at Ettonfont.

This method of escheloning was generally followed throughout the war to avoid needless risk for men not actually engaged in handling the pieces, although at times it was not possible to withdraw the rear eschelon entirely from the danger zone.

The firing battery was near the village of Bretton, across the frontier and well into Alsace. Later on it moved about two miles further east where it was in active support of the infantry.

While the regiment was at Camp de Coetquidan. Battery C, of Racine and Battery E of Green Bay were assigned to duty at officers' training camps in France and did not rejoin the organization until the conclusion of the armistice. The regiment, therefore, had only four batteries at the front - A, B, D, and F. The Second battalion consisted of D, and F batteries and as the battalion was the tactical unit at the front they were always together. Its battalion commanders were, in turn, Maj. George W. Rickeman, Maj. E. V. Cook and Maj. Kane. Capt. Haight of Racine was battalion adjutant and Lieut. Roscoe Guilbei't of Racine was battalion telephone officer. Battalion headquarters was generally between the firing batteries in action. Regimental headquarters was usually from half a mile to a mile or more to the rear, near the battery eschelons and connected with the battalion headquarters by field telephone lines. The firing batteries were from half a mile to a mile and a half back of the front infantry lines, according to the movements of the infantry.

On June 14 Battery F, fired its first shot at the enemy, and from that time on indulged in fairly frequent "shoots" at the German trenches. On June 30 a heavy barrage fire was laid down by the entire divisional and French supporting ai'tillery, for on that evening the infantry made a raid on the opposing trenches. All branches received high praise for the manner in which the maneuver was conducted. Although the Battery, and especially its advanced observing pai-ties, were under fire in this area several times, there were no casualties. For various reasons this sector was immune from serious battles or attempts by either side to gain territory. These reasons were partly topographical, but mainly political.

Training under actual field conditions having been completed the division was withdi'awn. The artillery entraining at Belfort on July 24, arrived the next day at Ormoy-Villers. From there the command marched to Pont St. Maxence, presumably for a week's rest.

At this time the German drive toward Paris had finally been stopped near Chateau-Thierry by American and French troops and a counteroffensive begun. It was decided to hurl all the available strength of American arms into the fray to relieve the war-wearied French troops and the two divisions of Americans who had forced the Germans across the Marne.

On twelve hours' notice the Thirty-second division started for Chateau-Thierry July 27. The artillery brigade marched the 92 miles in four night marches, without losing a man or horse, a truly remarkable performance. The men became terribly fatigued, often walking or riding for miles while sound asleep. They carried full packs and rifles and only the drivers were allowed to I'ide, as it was essential that the horses be saved as much as possible. The men slept in fields and woods when halted, seldom taking time to pitch their shelter tents.

Arriving at Chateau-Thierry the division was put in action at once in the effort to drive the German invaders out of the territory recently conquered, and insure the safety of Paris, Rheims and numerous railroads and avenues of communication of the Allied armies. A month before the fortune of the Allies had been at its lowest ebb, and only the magnificent stand of the newly arrived Americans at the Marne had lent hope to the sadly harassed armies of Foch.

Battery F moved daily trying to keep in touch "with the infantry, which ignored all precedents by pushing forward constantly, regardless of the success or failure of units on the flank. While the artillery often was left behind in these rushes, it gave all the assistance needed and was able to neutralize and out-shoot the foe, most of whose cannon were kept on the roads ti-ying to escape capture.

On July 30 the divisional infantry engaged in a bitter hand to hand fight for the wood of Grimpettes, and on the following day had cleared the foe from its environs. They neared Cierges, which lay in a valley. The Germans filled the town with mustard gas during a severe bombardment. After fierce fighting there, the Americans went around the town, captured or crushed the machine gun nests on the heights to the north, cleared out the woods of Joublets and on the 1st of August had advanced until thev confronted Reddv Fai'm and

Hil! 230, both strong points of resistance. On the first assault the 32nd division infantry gained both positions, capturing many prisoners. When Battery F moved forward past Reddy Fai'm the artillerymen found the ground literally covered with human corpses, and carcasses of German horses. Grain fields had been mowed down by machine gun fire and everywhere were strewn rifles, grenades, helmets, and equipment of the fleeing foe.

On the afternoon of August 1, Batteries D, and F, undei-went their first direct attack from the air. Four German aeroplanes swooped down on them near the village of Fresnes and poured a stream of machine gun bullets along the column. Some of the missiles passed between carriages but not a man was wounded. Not a soldier left his position in column, and by the time the first plane reached the head of the column the four machine guns mounted on the caissons were firing on it, and the cannoneers and drivers kept up a hot rifle fire against the aerial raiders. It was believed that the leader of the squadron was wounded. Anyway, he darted away from the vicinity of . the road and the other fliers followed him back toward the German lines. This was the first of many similar attacks. In some instances the aviators would drop grenades or bombs on the roads.

For six days the indomitable infantry crawled and ran and shot and bayoneted its way northward through Cohan, and Dravigny and the hilly ground north of Saint Martin, manoevering where necessary, flanking when cleverly concealed machine gun nests foiled frontal attacks - but always gaining, always fighting, never giving their sorely harassed foes a chance to reform their lines or establish firm positions. The one road into the sector was jammed by traffic, covered with mud and debris, subjected to fire from guns on the gi'ound and aviators overhead. Finally the infantry got to Fismes and the valley of the Vesle and on Aug. 4, with assistance from the artillery, they forced their way into the village and after house to house and hand to hand fighting there for nearly two days drove the last of the living invaders across the Vesle to their old lines on the heights beyond.

Battery F had its shai'e in the attacks. It had several casualties, William Weiss being killed and sixteen wounded, and it lost some thirty horses by shell fire. Remaining in "Death Valley," a mile south of the Vesle for nearly three -weeks it undei^went the discomforts of constant bombardment, poison gases, aeroplane attacks and the pi'esence of the sickening odors of the battlefield. One gun was put out of action by shell fire on Aug. 19. During- this period the battery eschelon was at Cohan and regimental headquarters at Dravigny.

Although the infantry crossed the Vesle river occasionally on successful raids, it was seen that the German positions there were too strong for immediate capture, and the high command decided upon a flanking movement, which proved successful. The battery was withdrawn from the sector on August 23, moved in long marches around west of Soissons, and after a brief halt in the woods of St. Etienne was sent north across the Aisne river, from where an assault was launched toward Juvigny In an easterly direction. The tactics of a month before were repeated and again the Americans, aided by the First Moroccan division of the French army, drove the Germans back in confusion during a week of bloody, hand to hand battling.

During this campaign Battery F's eschelon was at Hors, the firing battery moving first to Epagny, where it was under fire for a day and night in a wooded valley, and then advanced to a ravine a mile or so from Juvigny. Here it -was under severe fire from aeroplanes, enemy machine guns, rifles, and ai'tillery, a sudden falling back of the infantry putting the battery within a few hundred feet of the front line of the infantry. Both F and D batteries suff^ered many casualties in this position, which was the most exposed of any held during the war. Battery F lost Corporal Harold Kister killed and two officers and 16 enlisted men wounded and gassed. At no time, however, did it fail to provide the firing called for, and it received commendation for its work at this dangerous position.

About Sept. 2 the infanti-y captui'ed Juvigny in a terrific attack and within another day had advanced to Terny-Sorny, and the German lines above the Vesle river were now so endangered from the flank and rear that they had to be evacuated.

Off to the southwest, part of the First American army had now begun its attack on the St. Mihiel salient. The Thirty-second division had concluded its job, and was started off to assist at St. Mihiel, but later recalled and given a ten days' re.st, Battery F being at Wassy. It seems that the disheartened Germans had fled and the Americans nipped off this salient without difficulty. Resolved to continue the policy of hammering every^vhere and continuously, the high command sent all reserve American forces, including the 32nd division.

into the Argonne sectoi-, west of the Meuse, and under the cover of fog and rain they were massed there for attack. By Sept. 2.5 Battery F was in position near Esne, after a march of about a week. The esehelon was near Dombasle in a woods.

On Sept. 26 the surprise attack was launched after a three hour artillery preparation. The 121st ai'tillery supported the 79th division, oiu' own infantry being in reserve during the first five days of the Argonne battle.

The surprise was complete. The artillery drove the Germans into their dugouts deep under the ground and before they had realized the time for attack had come, the American infantry went over the top on a ten mile front and went across the muddy, shell torn fields, throug:h the battered barbed wire and into the foe's defenses, capturing or killing all the foes there. Without a pause, before the German artillery could get into action effectively, the "doughboys" followed the American barrage forward to the slopes of the towering hill of Montfaucon.

This Meuse-Argonne sector had been considered as impregnable. The Germans were confident of it. The French had long ago given up hope of its recapture. The latest feat of the Americans aroused the greatest enthusiasm throughout France.

The territory was barren, bleak and desolate. No Man's Land was a torn and forbidding sti'etch, containing the mud encrusted bones of thousands who had died during the attack on Verdun in 1916. Barbed wire guarded the entire front. The German trenches were deep and perfectly built and maintained.

In the rear of the trenches was a long stretch of rolling country, filled with treacherous gullies and spotted with patches of woods and underbrush which offered perfect concealment for machine guns and artillery. Railroads brought supplies to the Germans at all points along the line.

When the Americans advanced they had to build roads to bring their supplies foi-ward. They encountered mines and man traps. There was little drinking water obtainable. They were harassed at every step by aeroplanes and long range artillery.

Battery F, with the other artillery moved forward day by day. The men were undaunted by lack of food, water, clothing and supplies. Near Montfaucon the Battery's machine guns assisted in bringing two aeroplanes to earth. The ar-tillery work itself was magnificent. Again the men were under fire for days at a time and suffered numerous casualties, including Nick Garski killed and five men wounded.

From Montfaucon the battery moved to Eclesfontaine, and on October 25 again went forward to Roniagne, where it assisted in the general offensive on Nov. 1. On Nov. 5 the number of horses having been so reduced by shell fire as to make rapid advances impossible, and the end of the war being in sight, the regiment was withdrawn to a position in reserve, and three days later started back to Bussy, near Bar le Due, to be motorized. It was en route there when the armistice was signed.

Battery F participates in the numerous citations in praise of the 32nd division and its members can be proud of an unblemished and honorable record during the historic days.

The battery remained at Bussy until Dec. 22, and entrained at Revigny for Dumont, and from that point marched to Rozieres where it went into camp and received motor equipment. It was assigned to the 88th division temporarily for maneuvers and drill. With the rest of the Fifty-seventh brigade it left April 15, 1919, for Brest and sailed April 30 for Boston on the U. S. S. Geoi'gia. The battery was mustered out at Camp Grant, 111., on May 19, 1919, and entrained for Racine in a body, with Battery C and the rest of the 121st Field Artillery regiment.

Despite numerous changes in personnel during the war, a fairly complete roster of officers and men of Battery F has been preserved through the foresight of First Sergeant Max J. Zirbes. The names in it include casuals and replacements who may have been members for only a short time. In the following list on page 244 the ones who were wounded, gassed or shellshocked are designated by a (*), and fui-ther details regarding the Racine men are in their individual records in another chapter. Those who were killed, died of wounds or died of disease are designated by a (d) before their names:

Battery F Roster

In addition to the men noted above as ha\'- ing been wounded seriously enough to require treatment at a field hospital or base hospital, many others suifered slight injuries which were treated at the first aid stations without requiring absence from duty. About seventyfive men also Avere sent to base hospitals because of illness. The majority of the cases of illness were reported after the armistice. This is partly due to the fact that during action,

Battery F In Camp Douglas And France

At the top, getting mail at Camp Doug^las. next to top is sh ^wn the battery lined up in its eompany street; nest below, the famous "pa jam a parade;" washing up (^ante-cootie days) ; line of "mushroomed" tents - furled for inspection; waitinR for "chow" supplies. At top, right (in France) one of the 155 mm. guns of the Racine unit; Captain Hofman and a reconnnitering party; ready for the "feed bag;" on the road to the front. At end. chow time at Camp Grant - home again.

soldiers seldom would ask to be relieved from duty as long as they felt able to stand up. Living in the open air during a comparatively warm season of the year may also have contributed to the low sick record in the war. It is a fact, however, that there were numerous cases of dysentery in all combat organizations from July 1 to November. The army headquarters physicians ascribed this to the unsanitary conditions of the battlefields, the millions of flies and other insects, the poor water supply, eating of canned or preserved food almost exclusively and the fact that hardly a day passed when the tired, hungry men did not get wet through from the autumn rains. Colds were infrequent. Presence of poison gas caused a considerable proportion of men to have husky voices for weeks at a time. Very frequently a man would get quite badly burned by sitting or lying where a mustard gas shell had exploded and left some of the poisonous contents on the ground. There was no typhoid fever reported. Pneumonia was the most serious illness with which the American army in France had to contend, and many of the cases of pneumonia developed while crossing the ocean in crowded, dark and unheated transports.