June 24, 1918 - Don Martin reports on citations for bravery of AEF soldiers

Don Martin diary entry for Monday, June 24, 1918: 

Went to 2^nd division headquarters with [Edwin] James [New York Times]. Got story of letters written by Germans captured by Americans. Stopped at American hospital at Bazu, had finger dressed. Was bruised and became infected. Had piece cut out. Think will get better now but incapacitates me for much typewriting. Certainly am having fine time. Throat still bad. Hardly able to talk. Sent cable 500 words New York. Sent long story to Paris on awards to soldiers for bravery in Cantigny fight. Sending stories to New York and Paris too, and putting up with James at the same time is a pretty tough job. Everyone kicking on censors. Am doing my share.

           A dispatch dated Monday was published in the Paris Herald on June 25.

AMERICANS DRIVE GERMANS 
FROM STRONG POSITION 
ON EDGE OF BOIS DE BELLEAU

Enemy Is Forced Back on His Last Line in the Wood,

Heavily Fortified on North-Western Fringe—

Five Machine-Guns Are Captured in Attack.

(SPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE HERALD.)

By DON MARTIN

WITH THE AMERICAN ARMIES, Monday. [June 24]

                     Determined at no matter what cost to rid the Bois de Belleau of German machine-guns and German snipers, American soldiers on Sunday night made an attack on the north fringe of the wooded region, killed a fair number of Germans, captured five machine-guns and suffered almost trifling casualties.

                         They took possession of a German line which runs across the north-west tip of the woods and retained it. There is another German line heavily fortified a few hundred feet from this, partly among the small trees and undergrowth.

                  The dash of the Americans followed a terrific shelling of the Germans. However, enough of the enemy remained to man machine-guns mounted in trees and in rocky niches and as the Americans sped forward they were met with a steady but poorly-aimed blast of machine-gun bullets. The few who necessarily were rendered incapable of immediate service dropped back, but the greater number got through and captured the machine-guns. The Germans fled to their second position, taking many dead and badly wounded with them. They made no attempt to retake the forward position lost by them.

Will o' the Wisp Gun.

                            During this attack, which started early in the evening and lasted during a large part of the evening, a group of five Americans captured what had been nicknamed the Will o' the Wisp—but a dangerous will o' the wisp. It was a machine-gun arranged on a pulley-rope so that it could be quickly hauled from tree to tree. To the soldiers who had been in that part of the woods before, this weird spurting of lead from here, there and everywhere caused mystery and trouble.

                         The five Americans, who had set out with the determination to capture one gun, came upon the old will o' the wisp and they chased it from tree to tree until they caused the two Germans hauling it back and forth to drop from their perches in the crotches of trees and flee. The gun with the pulley attachment was captured.

                        While the fighting on the edge of the wood was going on the Germans hurled a shower of gas shells on infantry regiments to the west of the woods.

                      The Bois de Belleau has been the scene of much bloody fighting and will doubtless continue to be for some time. The German line runs through the northwest tip of it and the Germans are strongly fortified. However they are about two hundred yards farther back than they were.

Bouresches Heroes Again.

                      The Americans who did the fighting here are the same boys who made the first attack on the German positions in the Bois de Belleau and who took the village of Bouresches. They seemed possessed of a most indomitable spirit. I saw several of them who were slightly wounded and talked to them about their exploits. One was struck in the buttock with a piece of shell, which left a hole about the size of a wine glass.

                      "Fine business this," he said, "get shot in a place like that and put out of the running for three or four weeks."

                          Then, turning to the surgeon, he said : —"Go on, sew it up and let me go hack to help finish this Belleau job with the boys."

                             This chap, not more than nineteen, hails from Missoula, Montana.    Another boy was in the hospital for rupture. He had fallen over a stump in the woods.

                           "Do you think you will clean this bunch of Germans up?" I asked him.

                              "Well, we're going to do it or keep trying till there isn't one of this bunch left."

            Another dispatch dated Monday was also published in the Paris Herald on June 25. It reported on Major Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. and others decorated for bravery at Cantigny.

MAJOR ROOSEVELT CITED FOR

BRAVERY IN CANTIGNY FIGHT

Half Suffocated, Almost Blinded by Gas,

Leads Company With Conspicuous Gallantry.

(SPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE HERALD.)

By D0N MARTIN.

WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY, Monday. [June 24]

                      For "conspicuous gallantry" in personally leading a company in a charge at Cantigny and for "refusing to be evacuated" even though he had been half suffocated and rendered practically blind by gas, Major Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., has been cited by the commanding general of the army.

                       In addition to Major Roosevelt, 182 other members of the First Division and two entire batteries of field artillery have been cited.

                          Major Roosevelt is a chip of the old block. He is the second member of the Roosevelt family to be mentioned for gallantry and valor in the last three months. His brother, Captain Archie Roosevelt, received the Croix de Guerre.

                The citation for Major Roosevelt reads as follows: —"For conspicuous gallantly in action during the operations connected with the capture and defence of Cantigny.

              "During an enemy raid, displayed high qualities of courage and leadership in going forward to supervise in person the action of one of the companies of his battalion which had been attacked.

                "On the day of our attack upon Cantigny, although gassed in the lungs and gassed in the eyes to blindness, Major Roosevelt refused to be evacuated and retained the command of his battalion under a heavy bombardment through out the engagement."

                  Battery C, Fifth Field Artillery, is cited as follows:    ---"The personnel of this battery served their guns continuously with great skill while subjected to a hostile gas bombardment, thus contributing in a large measure to the success of the operations;"

                 Battery A, Seventh Field Artillery, Captain Edward M. Smith, commanding: 

—''Captain Smith and the personnel of this battery, although subjected to three fires for destruction and a heavy bombardment during the enemy's counterattack, served their guns in the open, carried out every mission and displayed great courage and tireless devotion to duty."

               Company D, 1st Engineers, is also cited, as follows: —"Although handicapped at the beginning of the action by the loss of two officers killed and one wounded, nevertheless carried out its mission in a highly efficient and satisfactory manner. In addition to its duties it acted as infantry reinforcement and during three days suffered severely in killed and wounded."

                 Section Sanitaire U.S. 649 is thus cited: 

—"The personnel of this section, without regard to personal danger, displayed great courage and devotion to duty, assisting in evacuating the wounded."

Record of Epic Battle.

              The citations of officers and men which follow record in simple language the epic battle of Cantigny, which is destined to form a glorious page in American history: —

        Private John J. Poole: Distinguished bravery in repairing telephone lines under heavy shellfire and in maintaining communications.

    First-Lieutenant Volney B. Bowles: Displayed great courage in stringing wire and in maintaining communications under exceptionally heavy shellfire.

       Captain Joseph E. Campbell: Showed high qualities of efficiency and courage under heavy shellfire in giving medical attention and evacuating the wounded.

    Lieutenant Edouard Gouin: Conspicuous ability and devotion to duty in the preparation and execution of a plan for the employment of artillery in the operation against Cantigny on May 28, thereby contributing in a predominating degree to the success of the artillery action.

        Private 1st Class Oscar A. Bondlid: Great courage and bravery in repairing under heavy shell-fire a telephone cable between the P.O. of the Division machine-gun officer and the P.C. of his group commander. Although hit by shell fragments he continued his work regardless of danger.

     Sergeant Axel J. Carlstrom: Under heavy shell-fire showed great courage and coolness in inspiring confidence in his men and directing the fire of his guns.

Refuses First Aid.

       Private First Class Crofford Cagle: Although seriously wounded refused to allow any of his gun crew to give him first-aid, declaring that fire must be maintained at any cost. He subsequently made his way alone to the dressing station, refusing all assistance.

         Sergeant Carl G. Thoete, Engineers: Twice wounded in the opening attack, he insisted on going over with his section. Remained under heavy fire for five hours until the section was withdrawn. Worked cheerfully, his bravery and coolness being an example to his men. Without first-aid went forward a second time, displaying great heroism until killed by machine-gun fire.

         Private Frank D. Ward, Engineers: Asked permission to go into action; advanced sixty yards and killed a German sniper who had been causing great casualties. Was buried twice by shellfire but escaped unwounded.

       Lieutenant Moses E. Cox; Engineers: For bravery and leadership in conducting a section in the construction of a strong point under heavy machine-gun fire, setting a dashing example to his men.

         Lieutenant Lee S. Dillon, Engineers: Exposed himself to heavy machine-gun fire unsheltered for the successful conduct of working parties during five days.

         Colonel Lucius R. Holbrook, Seventh ...

 (CONTINUED ON PAGE 4, FIRST COLUMN.) [Page not available]

     The New York Herald on June 24 published on page 1 under a bold headline the report about the situation in Russia told by Herman Bernstein on his return to the U.S. from serving as the Special Correspondent of the Herald in Russia. (The three Special Correspondents of the Herald covering the Great War were Herman Bernstein in Russia, Percival Phillips with the British forces, and Don Martin with the American forces.) Here are the headlines and Bernstein’s first sentence.

THE GREATEST CRIME OF HISTORY;

IRON HUN RULE HAS MADE RUSSIA

A HELL BEYOND SELF-REDEMPTION

CHAOS GROWS UNDER BOLSHEVIKI, SAYS HERMAN BERNSTEIN,WHO PAINTS A TERRIBLE PICTURE

Country Betrayed by Lenine and Trotzky, Tyranny Prevailing such as Nicholas Never Dared Impose and Graft Such as Russia Could Not Equal in the Past

PERSONS DAILY MURDERED IN THE STREETS OF PETROGRAD, NO ONE VENTURING TO PROTEST

Entire Land Practically a German Colony, Leaders Making It Possible for the Huns to Remove Troops 

West for Use Against the Allies

By Herman Bernstein

Who Returned Yesterday to America After Six Months

in Russia for the New York Herald

        I went to Russia to see the second act of the revolution and saw the effects of the great betrayal which made Russia the victim of Prussian imperialism. [continued]