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Ce petit récit, concernant
deux compagnies de soldats originaires de Miami, incorporées
dans la garde nationale de l'Ohio et déployées dans le secteur
Badonviller-Ancerviller début août 1918, contient ce curieux
« The division responded by carrying out successfully a gas
attack and also destroyed the enemy's ammunition dumps at Cirey
and Blamont ». Nous n'avons en effet pas trace de
destructions de « dépôts de munitions ennemis à Cirey et Blamont
»
Memoirs of the
Miami Valley
Vol. I
Ed. Chicago, 1919
While the greater part of
Miami's contribution to the great war was widely distributed
among different regiments and divisions, the local identity was
preserved in the two regularly organized companies which were
distinct Miami county companies. We will confine ourselves
largely in this instance to the exploits of these contingents as
being distinctly representative of the county. The number of men
who claimed Miami county as their home and who served in the
World war cannot be definitely ascertained, of course. However,
the number of those who joined the colors in the army and navy,
by draft and enlistment, was approximately 1,100 men. Many of
these served in the 83rd and 37th divisions, the latter division
embracing the two units regularly organized within the county.
Company C, of Piqua, and Company A, of Covington, were part of
the old Third Infantry of the Ohio National Guard, and as such,
they were called for service during the Mexican outbreak on the
border. At this time the officers of both companies were as
follows: Company A, Covington, Ohio. Captain, W. L. Marlin;
first lieutenant, W. O. Boggs; second lieutenant, Kenneth Little.
Company C, Piqua, Ohio, Captain, James Freshour; first
lieutenant, Frank McCullough; second lieutenant, Ray Wolf.
Called for service on the Mexican border, both companies were
sent to Camp Willis, Ohio, July 3, 1916. They were assigned to
the 11th Provisional Division of the United States Army and were
stationed at El Paso, Texas, from September, 1916, to March,
1917.
They entrained for Fort Benjamin Harrison to be mustered out but
as the world war was imminent, the order was recalled. After a
short stay at Fort Benjamin Harrison, both companies were sent
to Ohio on guard duty. They were then ordered to Camp Sherman,
August 14, 1917, which was in process of construction, and they
later became a part of the 148th Infantry, Thirty-seventh
Division, U. S. A. At Camp Sherman they entrained for Camp
Sheridan, Montgomery, Ala., where they received intensive
training and were sent to Camp Lee at Petersburg, Va. Here they
were further trained and equipped for overseas duty and the
following June, 1918, embarked for overseas service on the U. S.
S. Susquehanna. On July 5, 1918, they disembarked at Brest,
France, and were removed to the Napoleon barracks, where they
remained for a short time and were then detailed for service on
the Alsace-Lorraine front.
As the activities of these two companies were largely merged
with the general movements of the Thirty-seventh Division, we
will divert to a short history of this division before following
it into battle. The Thirty-seventh was a National Guard
Division, made up of Ohio National Guard units. This division
was formed at Camp Sheridan, Alabama, and was completely
organized in October, 1917. New numbers were given the various
units and the identity of the old National Guard regiments was
lost. On August 4, 1918, the infantry of the division took over
the Baccarat sector, on the Alsace-Lorraine front, in the Vosges
mountains, which had been comparatively quiet. It extended for a
distance of fifteen kilometers from the Bois des Elieux, north
of the village of Badonvillier, through the Bois Communal de la
Woevre, Bois des Haies, the villages of Merviller and
Ancerviller, along the edge of Bois Banal to the southern edge
of the Bois des Pretres.
Here the men had their initial training and received their
bapism of fire. They were made the special target each night,
weather permitting, for enemy airplanes, which constantly raided
and harassed them. The division responded by carrying out
successfully a gas attack and also destroyed the enemy's
ammunition dumps at Cirey and Blamont.
The division soon asserted itself and the night patrols made the
enemy contest every foot of front they held. The control of No
Man's Land became the sole prerogative of the Thirty-seventh
after it was there a short time. This sector passed from a quiet
zone into one of decided activity on the arrival of the
Americans and in every encounter they maintained their
traditional bravery. On being relieved, September, 1918, the
French general, Duport, who was in command of the troops in this
sector, commended the Thirty-seventh Division. In a special
order he paid a tribute to their spirit, discipline and valor.
The total casualties while on this sector were 102. |
