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September 16, 1918: Don Martin tours recaptured St.-Mihiel salient

Don Martin diary entry for Monday, September 16, 1918: 
Had interesting trip. Went to Essey; then to Nonsard and on through Heudicourt to Saint Mihiel. Talked to several persons who lived in villages during German occupation of four years. Saw German cemetery in Saint Mihiel – fully 6,000 Germans buried there. Monuments elaborate as anything in Europe. German efficiency has a counterpart in German effrontery. Americans here about cleaned out the salient. Germans never stopped to give a fight. Our casualties are very small, but we have about 20,000 prisoners. Met Jack Wheeler tonight. Another air raid alert. 
St.-Mihiel salient battle map
From Paris Herald, September 17, 1918         

Don Martin's daily report for Paris on September 16 was on a French political topic, recalling that politics was close to his heart. It was published in the Paris Herald on Tuesday, Sept 17. 
French Premier Gives Thanks 
to General Pershing
 (Special Telegram to the Herald)
By DON MARTIN
With The American Armies, Monday.
              M. Clemenceau visited the American Headquarters yesterday afternoon and talked with General Pershing, whom he complimented on the work done by his men. He said: “The Americans are deserving of much praise.” Afterwards the Premier visited some of the interesting points near the front.
              M. Clemenceau left Paris to visit the new Voivre front on Saturday morning. He was accompanied by M. René Renoult, president of the Army Committee of the Chamber of Deputies, and General Mordacq.

              After congratulating General Pershing and the other American generals commanding the victorious forces from the United States, M. Clemenceau made a tour of inspection through the reconquered territory, visiting Thiaucourt and Vigneulles and passing a considerable time in a front-line observation post near Hattonchatel. He also went to Saint-Mihiel, where he assured the municipal authorities of the grateful solicitude of the Government and presented congratulations to General de D---, the commander of the first metropolitan division that entered the reconquered Lorraine town.
    In its Sunday edition on September 15, 1918, the New York Herald featured the following two series of photos taken by Don Martin and mailed to New York.
   Banner headline at top of page:
DON MARTIN’S THRILLING TRIBUTE TO THE AMERICAN SOLDIER
7 Photos by DON MARTIN
No. 1—Shell-shattered buildings in Fere-en-Tardenois. The sign is German.
No. 2—A glance westward on the principal street in Vaux, which was taken by the Americans after one of the most violent bombardments of the war.
No. 3—A public market in Fere-en-Tardenois which the Germans, during their six weeks’ occupation of the city, used as a hospital. American soldiers who cleaned up the city are having their mess at noon time.
No. 4—This is a close range photograph of a shell hole made by one of the French heavy guns. The hole is about eight feet in depth and about thirty feet in diameter.
No. 5—Wrecked building in village of Essomes on the Marne. Shells fell in great numbers here.
No. 6—Here is what an aerial bomb did to a two story building in Fere-en-Tardenois.
No. 7—This picture gives a good idea of the force of a high explosive shell.


    Banner headline at top of page:
HOW A BIG BATTLE IS FOUGHT,
AS DESCRIBED BY DON MARTIN
6 Photos by Don Martin
No. 1---These two Frenchmen are moving back to their wrecked home. They left it in June and it was badly damaged by shells.
No. 2---A movement toward the front.
No. 3---A village street on the outskirts of Fere-en-Tardenois.
No, 4---An aerial bomb struck this house. On June 1 it was a fine new dwelling owned by a wealthy manufacturer of Chateau-Thierry.
No. 5---Typical grave of a German lieutenant, holder of the Iron Cross/

No. 6—In the village of Beuvardes, recaptured by the Americans and French, the French cemetery has been despoiled by the Germans. There are twenty German markers, some of which are shown in the photograph over spots where French citizens of Beuvardes, dead many years, had been buried.


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