Racine County, Wisconsin - Chapter 25: Facts Regarding Various Branches of the Army, 1920

Chapter 25: Facts Regarding Various Branches of the Army

RACINE county men were in almost every division of the American army in Prance. Some became members of tlieir organizations intentionally through enlistment; some were in smaller units assigned to certain divisions; some were members of draft contingents sent to cantonments where divisional organizations were being completed, and still others were "casuals" or members of replacement detachments sent to France to replace casualties.

In addition to these combat divisions, there were numerous other military organizations necessary to the operations of the army in the field. The most important of these was the Sei-vice of Supply, which extended from the ports of embarkation in America to the end of the railroads directly behind the zone of the advance, or "the front." In the Service of Supply (or "S. 0. S.," as it was universally known) were scores of subsidiary organizations, such as factories, repair shops, mills, railroad systems, warehouses, docks, labor battalions, motor truck trains, arsenals, clerical departments, a bureau to mark and care for soldiers' graves, a secret service section, chemical research department, salvage plants, tailor shops, butchering plants, remount depots, international courier force, army post offices, ti-aining centers, replacement camps, civilian mechanics, prison camps and dozens of other institutions required to supply the army in the field quickly and efficiently with everything needed, from men to harness, from shoes to jam, from aeroplanes to bullets. Inasmuch as every organization in the field asks constantly for every article which it thinks might make it more comfortable and useful, the problems of transportation and priority of demand were neither small nor easy of solution.

Every requisition for material of any sort had to be foreseen and provision made to meet it. As most of it came from America and cargo space was very limited, it is not hard to see why the successful functioning of the S. 0. S. was one of the most remarkable features of the work of the A. E. F. As an example, American made automobiles were supplied to the army. The S. O. S. had to figure out which parts were likely to give out first, and have plenty of spare parts on hand. These had to come from the United States and it would not do to use cargo space for too many of them when every cubic foot of room was needed for munitions, food, clothing and other supplies. At first, many of the guesses were pretty wild, but by the end of 1917, the S. O. S. appeared to be using an uncanny foresight in anticipating wants of all sorts.

One of the biggest jobs for the S. O. S. was the transportation of troops in France. Railroad Transportation officers were stationed at all railroad junction points and important centers to direct troop trains and arrange for the care of men and horses en route. As a freight train could only carry one battery of artillery or three companies of infantry it can be seen that the problem of moving divisions of 28,000 men around was no small undertaking in itself.

The combat divisions of the army in France were forty-two in number. Not all of these reached the lines in time to participate in actual hostilities. Most of them, however, had some experience at least in quiet sectors.

Ypres-Lys - From Aug. 19 to Nov. 11, 1918. The fighting was done in the vicinity of Ypres, Lille and Armentieres. American divisions engaged were the 27th, 30th, 37th and 91st.

Champagne-Marne - From July 15 to July 18, 1918. Near the Rheims-Paris highway west of Chateau-Thierry. Divisions engaged were the 2nd and ."rd, with the 28th in reserve.

Somme - From Amiens and Montdidier northeast between Laon and Cambrai, from Aug. 8 to Nov. 11. Divisions engaged, 27th 30th and part of 33rd.

St. Mihiel - From Sept. 12 to Sept. 18. From St. Mihiel east, north-east and north. Divisions engaged, 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, 26th, 42nd, 82nd, 89th, 90th, with the 33rd, 3rd, 35th, 78th, 80th and 91st in reserve. The objectives were reached before it was necessary to call on the reserve divisions for relief.

Meuse-Argonne - From Sept. 26 to Nov. 11. From a line eastward from Verdun through the Argonne forest, almost straight north to Sedan. At the close of hostilities, the American fi'ont line ran from Sedan in a south-easterly direction to a point on the Meuse river north of Verdun, and then south a few miles, then east toward Metz, then south-east to the Swiss border, through Alsace-Lorraine.

In addition to the divisions named, the War department records show that some time was spent in quiet sectors by the 92nd, 6th, 81st, 88th and some units of the 41st, 83rd, 85th, 7th, 8th and 76th. Those listed as not having reached any portion of the front but which were training for battle in Finance, were the 40th, 39th, 87th, 86th, 84th, 34th, 38th and 31st.

Statistics relative to the number of days spent in battle by each division, and published on another page, are intended to refer to divisional organizations as a whole. Some regiments saw more actual service than others. Artillery regiments generally stayed in the lines continuously, supporting new divisions when their ovm infantry was relieved temporarily. No field artillery is known to have received more than a total of ten days' rest from the time they first entered the zone of the advance until the end of the war, excepting as they might have to leave the lines to transfer from one sector to another. They could stand it, as their living conditions wei'e not as nerveracking as those under which infantry existed during an ofi'ensive.

The army divisions bearing numbers from 1 to 15 were nominally Regular Army organizations. Those numbered from 25 to 50 were National Guard divisions. Those numbered above 50 were made up of drafted men. In the National Guard and National army divisions, the infantry regiments were numbered consecutively in accordance with their divisional affiliations and as there were four infantry regiments to a division it is possible to tell what division a regiment belonged by dividing its numerical designation by 4. If the answer contains a fraction, take the next largest whole number. Thus, to determine what division the 339th Infantry belonged to, divide by 4, which gives 84%. Taking the next larger whole number, you have 85, the number of the division to which the regiment belonged. This rule does not apply to Regular Army regiments, as many of them were known by their old designations.

The two overseas divisions which contained the largest number of Racine county men were the 32nd and the 85th, the first a National Guard and the other a National Army unit.

The Thirty-second division, composed of Michigan and Wisconsin men, went overseas in January, February and March, 1918. After two months of intensive training it took its place in the lines in Alsace in June and remained there until the Aisne-Mai-ne offensive began. As its field of activities were across the German frontier as established in 1871, it was the first American division to fight on German soil. I,ate in July it was sent to the vicinity of Chateau-Thierry to join in the offensive operations, and won high praise for its work in that bloody affair.

On the night of July 29-30 the 64th infantry brigade relieved the 3d U. S. division on the Ourcq in the vicinity of Rencheres. The 3d had been fighting continuously since the German offensive started two weeks before and it was up to the 32d to overcome strong German resistance in the Bois de Gi'inipettes.

Just three and a half hours after the sector had been taken over troops of the 127th infantry followed a rolling barrage and went over the top into the wood. They pushed through until they were stopped by machine gun fire from the right flank, but they gained the edge of the Cierges wood and established themselves there.

Just before midnight the enemy delivered a counter attack, but in a fiei'ce bayonet combat the Americans won. Heavy shelling followed, but during the night the 63d infantry brigade relieved the 28th division on the right, and on the morning of July 31 the two brigades of the 32d, side by side, attacked to capture the village of Cierges and Hill 212.

promptly reached its objective, Hill 212, and on the right the 127th infantry took and passed beyond the village of Cierges, where it was held up by a heavy fire from Bellevue farm, a strong center of resistance.

This position could not be taken by a frontal attack, but the right flank of the 64th brigade succeeded in filtrating through as far as Hill 230. This was a fire swept salient in a short time, as French troops on the right could not advance to straighten the front. A withdrawal was effected from the hill and a position was taken up on the reverse slope between Cierges and Bellevue farm.

The line of the Ourcq had not been broken, but it was badly battered, and Maj. Gen. Haan decided to attack along his entire front on the morning of Aug. 1. That attack captured both the Bois de la Planchette and Hill 230, maneuvered the boche out of Bellevue farm, and gave the division the key to the entire enemy line north of the Ourcq.

When Hill 230 fell the Germans were forced to retreat, and during that night information was obtained showing they pushed their retirement with great rapidity. Therefore the commander of the 6th French ai-my ordered a consolidated advance for the following morning - Aug. 2.

Progress was I'apid. Early in the day the 32d reached its objective on a line south of Chamery, but the pursuit was pressed energetically onward to north of the village of Dravegny. This was reached at nightfall after an advance of approximately six kilometers.

The pursuit was resumed the following morning, and at the end of the day the Michigan-Wisconsin men had gone another seven kilometers to the hills overlooking the valley of the Vesle. Continuous streams of artillery and machine gun fire were poured in by the Germans from the heights north of the river, but at midnight came orders to advance to the river and provide means for crossing it.

The 63d infantry brigade attacked the railroad yards on their front and in spite of the heaviest resistance took them in the late afternoon, and succeeded in getting a few small patrols across the river during the night, but were unable to maintain them there and they were withdrawn.

At 3 p. m. the 127th moved out from St. Gillies toward Fismes. During the attack it was badly cut up and late in the day Col. Langdon organized a provisional battalion out of what was left of his regiment and sent it forward to storm the town. After a desperate assault the battalion succeeded, about nightfall, in passing through the city and establishing itself on the south bank of the river.

In the morning, Aug. 5, these troops mopped up the west half of the town and attempted to cross the river. That night the 3d battalion of the 128th - the only strong battalion left in the brigade - came up as reinforcements, and on the morning of Aug. 6 relieved the 127th. This battalion continued to mop up Fismes. In the eastern part of the town German and American patrols fought throughout the day, but by nightfall the Americans completely occupied the town.

During the night the 28th division took over the sector from the 32d and relieved the 128th in Fismes the morning of August 7th. The 32nd division artillery remained at the front for two weeks more, however.

In the seven days of fighting the Michigan- Wisconsin troops had gained nineteen kilometers, had broken through the strong German line on the Ourcq, had stormed, taken, and held the city of Fismes, and had completely occupied the south bank of the Vesle.

The 63d infantry brigade in the front line promptly gained its objective, the railroad tracks west of Juvigny, lying facing the enemy on high, open ground on the slope of a hill containing little cover except shell holes, where the men were subjected to steady artillery and machine gun fire.

Shortly after noon the enemy delivei'ed a counter attack, but it was stopped by artillery and machine gun fire, and orders were issued by Gen. Mangin for a general attack at 5:25 the following morning - Aug. 29.

The enemy machine gun strength was so great that the artillery preparation failed to silence them, and the barrage did not keep them from operating as the infantry advanced. The 125th infantry made a slight advance and captured a few prisoners on the left. On the right the 126th in isolated groups crossed the jumping off line and penetrated deeply into the woods, but it was impossible to bring the whole line up. No real advance was made, and this was true of the entire army. Casualties were severe.

The front line was thinned out, but the position was not favorable. Arrangements were made to improve it by taking the woods southwest of .Juvigny, but corps orders directed that it be withheld in view of a general attack to be made the next morning. But that attack wa& not ordered. Instead the Wisconsin-Michigan men lay exposed on the hillside until word was received that the 59th French division had penetrated the German line on the right and corps orders directed the 32d to advance in liaison that organization.

This gave the desired opportunity to attack at Juvigny, and with the 64th brigade in the front line the 32d made its way through a ravine to a position south of the town, partly enveloping it to the east. One battalion of the 128th infantry moved forward west of Juvigny and finally reached a position to the north of the town. In this way it was practically surrounded.

A heavy counter attack failed to check the movement, and troops from the 127th entered it from the southwest and mopped up after considerable bloody fighting. The town was in American hands for some time before enemy shells began to fall in it, doubtless because the enemy did not know it had been captured.

On the following morning - Aug. 31 - the front line of the 82d was considerably in advance of the divisions on its right and left, and from this position it led a general attack at 4 a. m., following artillery preparation that had begun at midnight. Arrangement of a triple barrage across the broken front was difficult, but it was accomplished successfully and progress across the whole front continued until the division reached the Terney Sorney- Bethancourt road.

On the extreme right of the sector, however, in ravines and sheltered places, machine gun nests held up the division on the right of the 32d and some of its own forces. The general advance stopped and infiltration was used to capture machine gun nests and other strong points on the right. But the time was too short. Darkness fell and the position held was reorganized for further operations the next day.

In the morning further attempts were made to improve the positions, and a number of machine gun nests were cleaned out. An effort was made to assist the 59th French division to come up on the right, and this task was under way when orders came for the relief of the 32d by the 1st Moroccan division.

In this operation the Wisconsin-Michigan outfit attacked a strong enemy well supported by artillery and intrenched in highly organized positions in a country naturally lending itself to defense, had again broken through a German key position, had penetrated his line to a depth of five and one-half kilometers and started an enemy withdrawal, thus paving the way for a forward movement by the whole 10th French army, which ultimately outflanked the German positions on the Vesle and the Chemin des Dames.

On Sept. 5 the 32d division received orders to join the 1st American army, which then was preparing for the big offensive at St. Mihiel and in the Argonne.

Moving to a rest area at Joinville, north of Chaumont, it received replacements and began training them, but the training had not progressed more than eight days 'when orders came to move forward as a reserve unit. At once it was moved to the Verdun front and assigned as reserve to the 5th army corps.

On Sept. 26 it was directed to occupy as a garrison the original front of this corps, which that morning had gone over the top and attacked the enemy in the Argonne. The two infantry brigades were placed about four kilometers south of what for four years had been No Man's land, and in that position at 6:30 p. m. on Sept. 29 were ordered to proceed at once to the vicinity of Ivory and relieve as far as possible that night the part of the 37th division then in the front line.

One hour after the orders came both brigades were under way. It was a rainy night, and the roads were so bad that nothing but the lightest vehicles could be taken across No Man's land in the darkness. But the infantry marched all night, covering from eleven to eighteen kilometers. The relief was completed the night of Sept. 30, so that on the morning of Oct. 1 the 32d occupied the sector, with a front line, extending east and west about four kilometers, lying half a kilometer south of the village of Cierges.

The position was a bad one, and it had been slightly improved by carrying the front line up beyond the village, when the division was shifted to the left to relieve the 91st.

Improvement of this position by an advance of one kilometer put the 64th brigade almost in front of well placed, well protected enemy machine gun nests in the Bois de la Morine. The brigade made an attempt to take these woods virithout artillery preparation, but, although some progress was made, it was found necessary to wait for a deep artillery barrage.

Then, with gas and flame troops and a section of tanks, both brigades attacked on the morning of Oct. 5. The Bois de la Morine was ovemvhelmed and the machine guns wiped out, and the attack was shifted toward the north and the Bois de Chene Sec. There was hand to hand fighting in these woods, but they also finally were mopped up and the advance proceeded as far as the strong enemy positions on Hill 255 and Hill 269. Two days then were spent in reducing the strong points in the German line.

The division was ordered forward November 5th minus the artillery brigade, which had to be withdrawn because of the heavy casualties to horses. Tractors were borrowed to get the field guns back to a I'eserve area to be reequipped. The armistice found the balance of the division still in the lines advancing toward Sedan. It later went into Germany as a part of the army of occupation.

The Eighty-fifth division, which contained several hundred men from Racine county and vicinity, was organized at Camp Custer, Mich. All of the first, second and third draft contingents from the lake shore counties of Wisconsin became part of the division, and most of the Racine county contingent were in the 340th infantry. Company D of that regiment was made up of soldiers from Racine county and Port Washington.

The division was at full strength late in November, 1917, but its training was interfered with by the fact that it began to function as a replacement division almost immediately. A large contingent was sent to the 89th division at Camp Pike in November, and many of these men were in action in France in the St. Mihiel drive in the following September, and later in the Meuse-Argonne battle. Forty-five men from Company D were sent to the Fourth division at Camp Green in December, and these were fighting as early as August, 1918. In April, 1918, Co. D was filled with recruits from Grant and another contingent of Racine men arrived and were assigned to the 337th Infantry. Other replacements were sent away, and in June more new men arrived and were given a strenuous two weeks' drill on the field and at the rifle range. On July 15 the division began its movement overseas from Camp Mills. The 340th infantry embarked late in July on the Corinthic, landed at London after a voyage of seventeen days and camped at Romsey for three days. Then it was transpoi'ted across the channel to Le Havre where it was joined by the 335th infantry. They were sent to a training center at Veaugues, near Bourges and again began to function as a replacement division for organizations in the lines. It was only a skeleton of its former self when ordered to take position in the lines in the Toul sector on Nov. '7. It arrived there too late to see any fighting. The division was filled by replacements in November, and returned to America in April, 1919, a fairly complete organization.

One regiment, the 339th, was detached from the division in England and sent, with the 310th Engineer battalion, to Archangel for service in northern Russia. They were joined there by the 337th Ambulance Company and 337th field hospital unit. The expedition landed in Russia the fii'st week of September, 1918. They found British and French contingents there. They were supposed to guard Allied stores; prevent any German activities on the White sea coast and assist the Russians to combat the revolutionists and reorganize an army for use on the German front.

The supplies were all stolen, burned or lost before the Allied ti'oops arrived. No sign was found of the German White sea expedition. The Russian people didn't seem to have any desire to light the revolutionists, or Bolshevikis. So the Allies decided they would have to do it themselves.

The Allied lines formed a semi-circle around Archangel, the radius being from 120 to 300 miles. Up to Nov. 11 the lines had been advanced from 20 to 75 miles without there being any change in the general situation. The Arctic winter swooped down upon the land. On Dec. 31 the allies planned an ofi'ensive but the "Bolos," as the enemy was nicknamed, beat off the attack and later drove the Americans back several miles by a great superiority in men and artillery, on the Vaga front. There was nothing but guerilla warfare from then to May, when the Americans left for home. Americans lost in 9 months 104 killed, 337 wounded, and 80 died of disease and accident.

There were many hardships connected with the expedition which were unique in American army history but the soldiers thei'e were repaid by the memory of an interesting service well performed.

Semi-official records of all the divisions in the army were prepared before the departure of the troops for home, and a summary of these records is published here. There is also given a description of the shoulder insignia worn by the members of the various divisions. Many interesting stories are back of the selection of these insignia. State traditions, symbolical emblems, conditions in training camps, citations, and numerous other things offered inspiration for them. The insignia were worn on the left arm just below the shoulder, and were intended to facilitate the rapid rallying of troops when scattered on the road, in battle or elsewhere. Soldiers in France became very

Six boys went from the Corbeil family of Burlington. They are the three at the left and three at the rieht of the upper portion of the picture. At left (I) Oliver S . (II) G. Arthur. (Ill) Eric T. ; at riffht (IV) George S . (V) Charles D. and (VI) Elmer D. The top center consists of Norbert M.. Ralph J. and Raymond M. Zinnen. Below them are Harold. Irving, Ben and Louis Shaw. The four larger pictures at bottom are (I) E. A., (II) Atwood. (Ill) Charles and (IV) Fred Merrill. Howard O. Manchester is the small picture a! left and Russell H. Manchester the small picture at right.

proud of the emblems, as is natural when it is recalled that most Yanks got the idea that their particular division was doing most of the real fighting and that if "the division on the left" had only done its part the war would have been finished in a week. In fact military units were so large, that troops seldom knew or cared what divisions were on the right or left, or what corps or army they belonged to themselves. The division was the largest organization with which they had time to become familiar.

The insignia were usually of brilliant colors and easily distinguished. Most of them were issued ready for sevHng on the uniforms, having previously been mounted upon a patch of O. D. cloth about three inches square. Official authorization was never given for shoulder insignia in America, but some divisions designed theirs before getting sailing orders.

Following are the records of the divisions. Due allowance must be made for the fact that, while units were organized of certain troops in America, the personnel underwent frequent changes due to casualties and transfer's.

First Division

Regular Army: Division Headquarters arrived in France June 27, 1917. Activities: Sommerville sector, ten kilometers southeast of Nancy, October 21 to November 20, 1917; Ansauville sector, January 15 to April 3, 1918; Cantigny sector, April 25 to July 7 (battle of Cantigny, May 28 to 30); Soissons operation, Marne counter-offensive, July 18 to 24; Sazerais sector, August 7 to 24; St. Mihiel operation, September 12 and 13; Argonne-Meuse offensive, October 1 to 12; operations against Mouzon, November 5 and 6; operation south and southwest of Sedan, November 7 and 8; march on Coblenz bridgehead, November 17 to December 15, 1918.

Division Insignia: Crimson figure "1" on khaki background. Chosen because the numeral "'1" represents the number of the division and many of its subsidiary organizations. Also, as proudly claimed, because it was the "First Division in France;" first in sector; first to fire a shot at the Germans; first to attack; first to conduct a raid; first to be raided; first to capture prisoners; first to inflict casualties; first to suffer casualties; first to be cited singly in General Orders.

Second Division

Regular Army: Divisional Headquarters established in France October 26, 1917. Activities: Verdun and Toul-Troyon sectors, March 15 to May 14, 1918; sector northwest of Chateau-Thierry (almost continuous heavy fighting). May 31 to July 9; Soissons sector, Marne counter-offensive, July 18 to 20; Marbache sector, August 9 to 24; St. Mihiel sector and operation, September 9 to 16; Blanc Mont sector and advance in Champagne, September 30 to October 9; Argonne-Meuse offensive, October 30 to November 11, 1918.

Insignia: Indian head, with background, star and shield, with colors varying accoi'ding to unit. Creation of a truck driver who practiced on the side of his ti'uck with such success that the design he had drawn evolved into the insignia of the division.

Third Division

Regular Army: Division Headquarters arrived in France April 4, 1918. Activities: Chateau-Thierry sector, May 31 to July 30 (battle operations May 31 to June 4 and July 15 to 30); St. Mihiel sector (corps reserve), September 10 to 14; Argonne-Meuse offensive, September 30 to October 27; mai'ch on Rhine, November 14.

Insignia: Three white stripes diagonally superimposed upon a square field of royal blue. The three stripes are symbolic of the three major operations in which the division participated - the Marne, St. Mihiel and the Argonne-Meuse. The blue field is a symbol for those who have died.

Fourth Division

Regular Army: Division Headquai"ters arrived in France, May 17, 1918. Activities: Marne counter-offensive, July 18 to 21 (brigaded with 6th French Army), vicinity of Noroy and Hautevesnes; Vesle sector (almost continuous heavy fighting), August 2 to 12; St. Mihiel sector, near Watronville-Treseauvaux (in reserve), September 6 to 13; Argonne-Meuse offensive, September 25 to October 19.

Fifth Division

Regular Army: Arrived in France May 1, 1918. Activities: Anould sector, June 15 to July 16; St. Di6 sector, July 16 to August 23; St. Mihiel operation, September 11 to 17; Argonne-Meuse offensive, October 12 to 22; Argonne-Meuse offensive (second time in), October 27 to November 14.

Sixth Division

Regular Army: Arrived in France July 23, 1918. Activities: Gerardmer sector, Sept. 3 to Oct. 13; Argonne-Meuse offensive (First Army Corps Reserve), Nov. 1.

Seventh Division

Regular Army: Arrived in France, August 11, 1918, Activities: Puvenelle sector, Lorraine, October 9 to 29; Puvenelle sector, extended, October 29 to November 11, 1918.

Insignia: Two triangles in black on red base. Design supposed to have developed out of the numeral seven, one numeral up and the other down and reversed, making two triangles.

Eighth Division

Regulars: Organized at Camp Fremont, California, in December, 1917. When the armistice was signed the ai'tillery, engineers, and one regiment of infantry (the Eighth, later on duty at Coblenz) had left for France. The remainder of the division was at the port ready to leave, but, as all troop movements were at once suspended, the division complete never reached France. Nevertheless, it lost 6 men killed and 29 wounded. It received the name of the Pathfinder Division, which is repi'esented in the insignia by the gold aiTow, pointed upward.

Tenth Division Eleventh Division

Regulars: Organized at Camp Meade, Maryland, in August, 1918, and, like all divisions numbered from 9 to 20, inclusive (several of which chose no insignia), it never left the United States. It became known as the Lafayette Division, the profile of the Revolutionary hero being represented in the insignia.

Twelfth Division

Organized at Camp Devens in July, 1918, and took the name of the Plymouth Division because it was recruited mainly from the New England States.

Thirteenth Division

Organized at Camp Lewis, Washington, in September, 1918. The device includes the two proverbial "bad luck" symbols, the figure 13 and a black cat, surrounded by the "good luck" horseshoe, indicative of the doughboy's confidence in his ability to overcome all hoodoos.

Fourteenth Division

Organized at Camp Custer, Mich., in July, 1918, and took the name of the Wolverine Division, those animals having been very common in Michigan in early days. The head of a wolverine appears on the insignia.

Eighteenth Division

Organized at Camp Travis, Texas, in August, 1918, and acquired the name of the Cactus Division, which appears on the insignia, together with the Latin motto meaning: "Touch me not."

Twenty-Sixth Division

National Guard of New England: Arrived in France December 5, 1917. Activities: Chemin des Dames sector, February 6 to March 21, 1918; La Reine and Boucq sector, April 3 to June 28; Pas Fini sector (northwest of Chateau-Thierry), July 10 to 25 (battle operations July 18 to 25); Rupt and Troyon sector, September 8 to October 8 (St. Mihiel operation, September 12 to 14); Neptune sector (north of Verdun), October 18 to November 14 (Argonne-Meuse offensive).

Insignia: Dark blue "YD" monogram superimposed on diamond of khaki cloth. The initials represent the nickname of the division which, since its arrival overseas, had been known as the "Yankee Division."

Twenty-Seventh Division

National Guard of New York: Arrived in France May 10, 1918. Activities: East Poperinghe line, Belgium (four battalions at a time), July 9 to September .3; Dickebush sector, Belgium, August 24 to September 3 (operation of Vierstrast Ridge, August 31 to September 2); Hindenburg line, France, September 24 to October 1 (operation at Canal tunnel, Bellicourt and east, September 27 to 30); St. Souplet sector, October 12 to 20 (Selle river, October 17); Jonc de Mer Bridge, October 18; St. Maurice River, October 19 to 21.

Insignia: Black circle with red border, with monogram N.Y.D. superimposed - New York Division - and seven red stars. The stars represent the constellation Orion and were chosen in honor of Major General O'Ryan, who has commanded the division during the last seven years.

Twenty-Eighth Division

National Guard of Pennsylvania: Arrived in France May 18, 1918. Activities: Sector southeast of Chateau-Thierry (corps reserve), June 30 to July 31 (battle operations, July 15 to 18 and July 28 to 30); Vesle sector, August 7 to September 8 (almost continuous heavy fighting) ; Argonne-Meuse offensive, September 26 to October 9; Thiaucourt sector, October 16 to November 11.

Prisoners captured: Ten officers, 911 men. Guns captured: 16 pieces of artillery, 63 machine guns. Total advance on front line: Ten kilometers.

Twenty-Ninth Division

National Guai-d of Maryland, New Jersey, Delaware, Virginia and District of Columbia: Arrived in France June 27, 1918. Activities: Center sector, Haute Alsace, July 25 to September 22; Grand Montagne sector, north of Verdun, October 7 to 30.

Prisoners captured: 2,187 officers and men. Guns captured: 21 pieces of artillery and 250 machine guns. Total advance on front line: Seven kilometers.

Thirtieth Division

National Guard of North and South Carolina and Tennessee: Arrived in France May 24, 1918. Activities: Canal sector, south of Ypres, (brigaded with British), July 16 to August 17; Canal sector, south of Ypres (under own command), August 17 to September 4; Gouy-Nauroy sector, September 23 to October 2 (battle operations); Beaurevoir sector, October 3 to 12 (battle operations); Le Cateau sector, October 16 to 20 (battle operations).

Insignia: Monogram in blue, the letter "O" surrounding the letter "H," with three "X's," (Roman numerals for 30) forming the cross bar of the letter "H," all on a maroon background. The design is a tribute to Andrew Jackson, "Old Hickory."

Thirty-Second Division

National Guard of Michigan and Wisconsin: .\rrived in France February 20, 1918. Activities: Alsace front, May 18 to July 21; Fismes front, July 30 to August 7 (advance from the Ourcq to the Vesle); Soissons front, August 28 to September 2 (battle of Juvigny); Argonne-Meuse offensive, September 30 to October 20 (operations against Kriemhilde Stellung); front east of the Meuse, Dun-sur- Meuse, November 8 to 11; Army of Occupation from November 17.

Thirty-First Division

THIRTY-FIRST DIVISION. National Guard of Georgia, Alabama, and Florida. Organized at Camp Wheeler, Georgia. It went to France in October, 1918, and never entered the line. The insignia stands for the initials of the nickname, the Dixie Division, and was used for marking the baggage as early as November, 1917.

Thirty-Third Division

Amiens sector (with Australians), July 21 to August 18; Verdun sector, September 9 to October 17; St. Mihiel sector, November 7 to 11. Prisoners captured: 65 officers, 3,922 men. Guns captured: 93 pieces of artillery, 414 machine guns. Total advance on front line: 36 kilometers (made by units of one regiment or

Insignia: Yellow cross on black circle, a combination of the divisional colors, yellow chosen because it was the only color paint available in Texas when the division was assembling its equipment. The cross, long used to mark Government property, had a terrifying effect on the Philippine natives.

Thirty -Fourth Division

National Guard of Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska and North Dakota. Insignia: Black oval encircling red bovine skull, a conventionalization of the Mexican olla or water flask, the whole design reminiscent of the Camp Cody country in New Mexico where the division trained.

Thirty-Fifth Division

THIRTY-FIFTH DIVISION. National Guard of Missouri and Kansas: Arrived in France May 11, 1918. Activities: North sector of Wesserling sector, Vosges (one brigade), July 1 to 27; North sector of Wesserling sector, Vosges, with Garibaldi sub-sector (under division command) July 27 to August 14; Gerardmer south sub-sector added, August 14 to September 2; Argonne-Meuse offensive (Grange-le-Comte sector), September 21 to October 1; Somme-Dieue sector, October 1.5 to November 7.

Insignia: Santa Fe cross within two circles of varying colors, the outer one divided into four arcs. The design was chosen because the old Santa Fe trail started westward from a point near the Missouri-Kansas line.

Thirty-Sixth Division

National Guard of Texas and Oklahoma. Divisional headquarters arrived in France July 31, 1918. Activities: Blanc Mont sector, north of Sonnne-Py, Oct. 6-28 (French Champagne offensive).

Prisoners captured: 18 officers, 531 enlisted men. Guns captured: 9 pieces of artillery, 294 machine guns. Total advance on front line, 21 kilometers.

Thirty-Seventh Division

National Guard of Ohio. Divisional headquarters arrived in France June 23, 1918. Activities: Baccarat sector, Aug. 4-Sept. 16; Meuse-Argonne offensive, Sept. 25-Oct. 1; Pannes (St. Mihiel sector), Oct. 7-16; Lys and Eseaut rivers (Flanders), Oct. 31-Nov. 4; Belgium, Syngem sector, Nov. 9-11.

Prisoners captured: 26 officers, 1,469 enlisted men. Guns captured: 29 pieces of artillery, 263 machine guns. Total advance on front line: 30 2/3 kilometers.

Thirty-Eighth Division

National Guard of Indiana and Kentucky: Arrived in France Oct. 19, 1918; became a replacement division and members saw action as replacements to other divisions.

Insignia: Shield, left half blue, right half red; superimposed in center of shield is the initial "C" with the letter "Y" interlaced with lower half of the initial "C," both in white.

Thirty-Ninth Division

THIRTY-NINTH DIVISION. The Thirty-ninth Division was organized from the National Guard of Louisiana, Mississippi and Arkansas, at Camp Beauregard, Louisiana. It went to France in August, 1918, as a depot division, from which replacements were sent to the combat divisions at the front; therefore it was never intended to be in the line. The insignia shows the Greek letter delta, because the personnel came from the vicinity of the Mississippi delta, but it was never approved by the A. E. F. It was stationed at St. Florent and sent 10,156 replacements to the front.

Fortieth Division

FORTIETH DIVISION. National Guard of California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico: Arrived in France Aug. 20, 1918; became a replacement division and members saw action as replacements to other divisions.

Insignia : Blue patch of cloth with gold sun superimposed in center, a representation of the sun at midday in blue sky. The insignia and name "Sunshine Division" were selected as best exemplifying the climatic conditions of the camp in which unit trained.

Forty-First Division

Insignia: Setting sun in gold on red background over a wavy blue stripe representing the waters of the Pacific, in the foreground. Design originated by a Red Cross nurse attached to Camp Hospital No. 26, at St. Aignan- Noyers. Organization is known as Sunset Division.

Forty-Second Division

National Guard of 26 States and District of Columbia. Divisional headquarters arrived in France Nov. 1, 1917. Activities: Dombasle- Luneville-St. Clement-Baccarat sector, Feb. 21- March 23, 1918 (under the French 8th Army and 7th Army Corps); Baccarat sector, March 18-June 21; Souain and Esperance sector, July 5-17 (German offensive east of Reims, July 15- 16); Trugny and Beauvardes, July 25- Aug. 3 (front of 4th Army Corps on Ourcq); Ansauville, Essey and Bois de Pannes (St. Mihiel salient), Sept. 12-30; south of St. Georges- Landres-et-St. Georges-Cote de Chatillon (Argonne-Meuse offensive), Oct. 13-31; Autruche, Grandes Armoises and Maisoncello, south of Sedan (Argonne-Meuse offensive), Nov. 5-10.

Prisoners captured: 14 officers, 1,303 enlisted men. Guns captured: 25 pieces of artillery, 495 machine guns. Total advance on front line: 55 kilometers.

Seventy-Sixth Division

The Seventy-sixth was composed of men from the New England States and northern New York State and was stationed at Camp Devens, Massachusetts. The Seventy-sixth Division and those following, to include the Ninety-second, where knovm as National Army divisions and it was organized from the first draft in September, 1918. It went to France in July, 1918, and was a depot division, stationed at St. Aniand-Montrond and sent 19,971 replacements to the front.

Seventy-Seventh Division Seventy-Eighth Division

National Army of New Jersey, Delaware and New York. Arrived in France June 8, 1918. Activities: Limey sector, St. Mihiel front, Sept. 16 to Oct. 4; Grand Pr6-St. Juvin sector, Oct. 16 to Nov. 5 (Meuse-Argonne offensive).

Prisoners captured: Six officers, 392 men. Guns captured: Four or more pieces of artillery, 43 or more machine guns. Total advance on front line, 21 kilometers.

Insignia: Crimson semi-cii'cle crossed by a white streak of lightning which begins at upper right hand side of insignia and crosses to the lower left hand corner. The colors, crimson and white, are those of the division; the lightning is symbolic of "Lightning Division," the name adopted by division before leaving the States.

Seventy-Ninth Division

National Army of District of Columbia, Maryland and Pennsylvania; Divisional headquarters arrived in Fi'ance July 15, 1918. Activities: Sector 304, between Argonne and Meuse, Sept. 16 to 30 (Meuse-Argonne offensive, Sept. 26 to 30); Troyon sector, east of Meuse, Oct. 8 to 25; Grand Montague sector, heights east of Meuse river, Oct. 29 to November 11 (active operations in progress most of time ) .

Prisoners captured: One officer, 391 enlisted men. Guns captui'ed: 32 pieces of artillery, 275 machine guns. Total advance on front line, 19^2 kilometers.

Insignia: Lorraine Cross, adopted in the 15th century by the House of Aujou, following the defeat of Charles the Bold, as a symbol of triumph.

Eightieth Division

National Army of Virginia, West Virginia and Pennsylvania. Divisional headquartei's arrived in France May 30, 1918. Activities: Aveuly Woods, Arras (Artois front), July 23 to Aug. 18 (under British); St. Mihiel salient, Sept. 12-15 (one regiment of Infantry and one Machine Gun Battalion, reserve Second French Colonial Corps), Bethincourt sector, Sept. 25- 29 (Argonne-Meuse offensive); Nantillois sector, Oct. 4-12 (Argonne-Meuse offensive); St. Juvin, Nov. 1-6 (Argonne-Meuse offensive).

Insignia: Shield of olive drab cloth, upon which is superimpo.sed in center three blue hills, i-epresenting the Blue Ridge mountains, all outlined in white.

Eighty-First Division

National Army of North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida and Porto Rico. Arrived in France Aug. 16, 1918. Activities: East of St. Di6 and Raon I'Etape sector, Vosges, Sept. 18 to Oct. 19 (brigaded with 20th French Division) ; Sommedieue sector between Haudiemen works and Benz6e-en-Woevre, Nov. 7-17.

Eighty-Second Division

National Army of Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee. Divisional headquarters arrived in France about May 17, 1918. Activities: Lagny sector, June 25 to Aug. 10 (brigaded \vith 1.54th French Division); Marbache sector, Aug. 17 to Sept. 11; St. Mihiel operation, Sept. 12-15; Baulney and Charpentry, Fleville and Chehery, Chehery and la Viei'gette sectors, Sept. 30 to Oct. 31 (Argonne-Meuse offensive).

Prisoners captured: 18 officers, 827 enlisted men. Guns captured: 11 pieces of artillery, 311 machine guns. Total advance on front line: 17 kilometers.

Insignia: '"A A" in gold braid upon cii'cle of solid blue, the whole superimposed on square background of red. The "AA" stands for "All- American," the name chosen for the division, with the further later significance "Ail- Aboard."

Eighty-Third Division

The Eighty-third Division was formed of men from Ohio and West Virginia and was stationed at Camp Sherman, Ohio. It went to France in June, 1918, and was a depot division at Le Mans, sending 193,221 replacements to the front. One regiment, the Thirtythird, served in Italy and was in the battle of Vittorio-Veneto. The insignia consists of the letters of Ohio in monogram.

Eighty-Fourth Division

The Eighty-fourth Division was formed of men from Indiana, Kentucky, and southern Illinois, and was stationed at Camp Taylor, Kentucky. It went to France in September, 1918, but never got into the line.

Eighty-Fifth Division

The Eighty-fifth Division was formed of men from Michigan and Wisconsin and was stationed at Camp Custer, Michigan. It went to France in August, 1918, was a depot division stationed at Cosnes, and sent 3,948 replacements to the front. It was known as the Custer Division, in honor of General Custer and also the camp at which it was trained, the insignia consisting of the initials C. D. One of the infantry regiments, the Three Hundred and Thirty-ninth, served in noi'thern Russia.

Eighty-Sixth Division

National Army from northern Illinois and was stationed at Camp Grant, Illinois. It went to France in September, 1918, never getting into the line. It was known as the Black Hawk Division, which is represented in the insignia.

Eighty-Seventh Division

National Army of Louisiana, Arkansas, and Mississippi, stationed at Camp Pike, Arkansas. It went to France in September, 1918, and never got into the line. The insignia appears to have had no special significance. It was a bro-wn acorn on a circular green background.

Eighty-Eighth Division

National Army troops from North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, and Western Illinois, stationed at Camp Dodge Iowa. It went to France in August, 1918, and served in Alsace from October 7 to November 5; 28 days in a quiet sector, none in active sectors. It captured three prisoners and lost 29 killed and 89 wounded.

The insignia was evolved by two figures "8" at right angles, the result being a four-leaf clover, representing the four States from which the personnel of the division came. It is in blue for the infantry and machine gun battalions, in red for the artillery, and in black for the remainder of the division.

Eighty-Ninth Division

National Army troops from Kansas, Missouri, and Colorado, stationed at Camp Funston, Kansas. It went to France in June, 1918, and went into the line in August, northwest of Toul; it was at St. Mihiel, in the sec- tor Bois de Bouchot, and in the Meuse-Ai'- gonne oflfensive. It was 55 days in quiet and 28 in active sectors and advanced 48 kilometers against resistance, the second best record in this I'espect of the National Army Divisions and exceeded by only five of the A. E. F. divisions. It captured 5,061 prisoners, the third best record in the A. E. F., being surpassed only by the First and Second Divisions. It lost 1,433 killed and 5,858 wounded.

It was known as the Middle West Division and the insignia is the letter "W," which when inverted becomes an "M." The central open space is colored to show the organization as follows: One Hundred Seventy-seventh Infantry Brigade, sky blue; One Hundred Seventy-eighth Infantry Brigade, navy blue; One Hundred Sixty-fourth Field Artillery Brigade, scarlet; Engineers, scarlet, edged with white; Three Hundred Forty-first Machine Gun Battalion, half sky blue and half scarlet; Three Hundred Forty-second Machine Gun Battalion, half navy blue and half scai'let; Three Hundred Forty-thii'd Machine Gun Battalion, half orange and half scarlet; Signal Battalion, orange; Supply Train, purple, edged with white; Sanitary Ti'ain, white with red cross, and Division Headquarters, no color.

Ninetieth Division

National Army of Texas and Oklahoma. Divisional headquarters arrived in France June 23, 1918. Activities: Sazerais-Haye-Puvenelle sector, Aug. 24-Oct. 10; St. Mihiel operation, September 12-15; demonstration at beginning of Argonne-Meuse off'ensive, Sept. 26; Argonne Meuse offensive, Oct. 19-Nov. 11.

Ninety-First Division

National Army of Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Nevada, Montana, Wyoming and Utah. Divisional headquarters arrived in France July 12, 1918. Activities: Argonne-Meuse sector near Vauquies, Sept. 20- Oct 3 (Argonne-Meuse offensive, Sept. 26-Oct. 3); west of Escaut river, Belgium, Oct. 30-Nov. 4; east of Escaut river, Belgium, Nov. 10-11.

Prisoners captured: 12 officers, 2,400 enlisted men. Guns captured: 33 pieces of artillery, 471 machine guns. Total advance on front line: 34 kilometers.

Ninety-Second Division

The first Army was organized for the St. Mihiel offensive, under command of Gen. Pershing himself. It then consisted of the First, Fourth, and Fifth Corps, with the Thirtythird, Thirty-fifth, Eightieth, and Ninety-first Divisions in reserve. The object was attained without putting any of the reserve divisions in the line.

Later the First Army was commanded by Lieut. Gen. Hunter Liggett, and at the commencement of the Meuse-Argonne drive consisted of the First, Third, and Fifth Corps, with the First, Twenty-ninth, and Eighty-second Divisions in reserve.

In the lower part of the insignia are devices to represent different arms of the service: a red and white patch for army artillery; red castle for the army engineers; red, white, and blue cocarde for the air service of the army, etc.

In the reoi'ganization after the armistice the First j\rmy consisted of the First, Fifth, and Eighth Corps and immediately began preparations to leave France for the United States.

The Third Corps during the St. Mihiel offensive was on the Meuse, making preparations for the forthcoming Meuse-Argonne drive, which it opened v^dth the Thirty-third being the exti'eme right of the movement along the Meuse for the first few days.

In the reorganization after the armistice the Third Corps consisted of the Second, Thirtysecond, and Forty-second Divisions and was stationed in the occupied German territory.

On declaration of war the United States had 55 service airplanes, 51 of which were obsolete and the other four obsolescent. The personnel consisted of approximately 65 officers and 1.100 enlisted men.

United States had 3,538 airplanes in the A. E. F. and 4,865 in the United States, a total of 8,403. The total personnel consisted of approximately 200,000 officers and men.

The American army made approximately over the enemy's line 12,830 pursuit flights, 6,672 observation flights and 1,174 bombing flights, a total of 20,676. They flew for 35,747 hours over the enemy's line, covering approximately 3,574,700 miles.