Personalities and Reminiscences of the War [1925, US Army]

1–26 June 1918

Battle of Belleau Wood

THE CHATEAU-THIERRY SALIENT 207

Cantigny and the Boche drive to the Marne had been practically simultaneous. Not long after, the rumour reached me that my division was to be relieved in its sector before Montdidier by the 2nd (American) Division, and we were to be sent to the Marne to face the Germans there. I was glad: It was the place of danger and so the place of honour: we felt very proud. But while, as we afterward learned, plans had actually been thus formed, the energy of the Boche prevented them from ever being executed. He had suddenly become so active and threatening in the bulldog nose (the point of the Chateau-Thierry salient) that the 2nd Division on its way to relieve us had to be deflected to Chateau- Thierry for immediate help to the French there. In their fight which followed at Belleau Wood this division did invaluable work in helping to stop the Boche in his push toward Paris.

THE CHATEAU-THIERRY SALIENT 209

‘*General,’’ I said to him at dinner, ‘‘I see that the 2nd Marines,”’ (emphasizing the 2nd as though that division was all Marines) ‘‘have won the war at Belleau Wood.”

THE CHATEAU-THIERRY SALIENT 209

But had he? He stopped only what was yet to come, not what had already gone forth. That he could not stop, and it was, I say, enough to convince all good enthusiastic Americans that at Belleau Wood there was nothing but Marines and, of course, dead Germans, their victims and theirs alone. I thought of Peter Dunn’s “ Alone in Cuba.”

A. E. F., 62, 66, 90

Marines, in first troop movement to France, 32; get the glory due the entire 2nd Division for victory of Belleau Wood, 208