Military: WWI This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Cay Merryman caym@infowest.com August 2002 Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm "THE PRICE OF OUR HERITAGE" W. E. Robb, 1919 American Lithography and Printing Company, Des Moines, Iowa DRIVE TO SEDAN. After the battle of the Argonne we rested for five days in the valley to the right of Exermont…..On the night of November 2, our regiment with the rest of the division, started forward once more to enter the line of battle….. On the night of November 4, we bivouacked near the town of Brieulles-Sur-Bar. There airplanes in great number came roaring over to drop their loads of bombs and to turn back to their own lines for a fresh supply. (The next day) I saw a sight I never shall forget. Two hundred and twelve American aeroplanes, flying in beautiful formation, flew over us to bomb the retreating boche. Never shall I forget them, flying in goose formation while far above the bombing planes, our lone scouts were watching for any enemy who might attempt to attack our bombers. The next day as we followed the retreating Hun, the roads were thick with evidence of what those planes had accomplished. Wagons and guns had been thrown about in wild confusion, dead horses and German soldiers lined the roads. Our boys went out in skirmish lines, with scouts ahead of them. Under the personal command of Colonel Tinley, we jumped off to the attack at Verrieres and swept forward almost like a march, clear to the town of Stonne. The German rear guards fouht cleverly, but they knew the battle was lost…… From Stonne to the Meuse our progress was much hampered by the fact that the enemy had destroyed all culverts and bridges and blown great gapping holes in the low places along the splendid highways…… By the morning of the 7th, the entire Forty-second Division had reached the Meuse river and was encamped on the heights above Sedan. On that night and the night of the 8th, our Brigade, the Eighty-fourth, took over the front of the whole division…..In the little village of Briquenay, on November 11, we received the news of the armistice. In this drive our regiment was the most fortunate of any of the division. We did not lose a single man, killed, and only three slightly wounded….. The armistice was signed and the fighting part of the war was over. Our dead were strewn over seven battlefields and our wounded were lying in many villages of France in our American hospitals. The price that our regiment paid to maintain and protect our heritage of Freedom and Liberty was six hundred and seventy-seven dead and approximately thirty-one hundred wounded…… RHODES, Glenn, page 395, photograph, [no serial number] Private Company H Died of wounds received in action, November 2, 1918. Son of E. J. Rhodes, Sloan, Iowa. During our drive to Sedan we did not have many casualties as the Germans fled as fast as we approached their position. Only three men in our regiment were wounded, and Glenn was one of those. McMURRAY, William V., page 395, photograph [no serial number] Second Lieutenant Headquarters Company 363d Infantry. Formerly Sergeant Company B 168th Infantry. Buried at Waerghem, Belgium. William McMurray served with Company B in the Mexican Border service and served with the 168th Infantry throuh the battles of the summer. He was sent to the army candidates' school at Langres, France, where he was commissioned Second Lieutenant. He was killed in action on November 3rd, while serving with the 91st division in Belgium. Relative's address, Everett McMurray, 3219 Cleveland Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa LANGAN, Thomas E., page 396, photograph, 102389 Sergeant Company L Died November 27, 1918 at Base Hospital No. 19. Langan was a wonderful soldier. Besides physical strength and military bearing he had an active military mind. In our last advance he was slightly wounded and while in the hospital contracted pneumonia and died about three weeks later. Langan was to have been commissioned but died several days before he was to have taken the oath of office. (He) was awarded D.S.C. Emergency address, Mrs. James Langan, Council Bluffs, Iowa GARTNER, Peter A., page 396, photograph, [no serial number] Private Company E Home address, St. Ansgar, Iowa. Private Gartner died back at the hospital from wounds received in action. We were not able to get any definite information concerning Gartner's death. One of his comrades having sent us his picture which is shown here. Private Gartner enlisted with Company E when the first call for men was made by the National Guard. WHALEN, James Edward, page 397, photograph, [no serial number] Private First Class, Company E Killed July 26, 1918, Chateau Thierry in Foret de fere. Grave No. 7-A. Whalen enlisted in the first Iowa guard and was transferred to Company E in August 1917. He served throughout the Lorraine campaign and the battle at Champagne. He was a good soldier and well liked by all of his comrades. Relative's address, Mrs. Mary C. Whalen, 612 S.E. 4th St., Des Moines, Iowa. COOK, Carl J., page 397, photograph, 84334 Private Company F Killed July 15, 1918, Champagne. Buried July 16, Grave No. 13. Private Cook was our first replacement from 41st Division. He was a willing and hard working soldier. Cook had carried wounded during the bombardment of July 14, never stopping through all of the shell fire. He showed great courage and faithfulness while at his work. He was killed by a bursting shell the morning of the 15th, while on duty in the front line trench, in Lorraine, Chateau Thierry, St. (Mihiel). Emergency address, Harvey J. Cook, Gillette, Wyoming.