SECOND I I DIVISION. f 1 I '' r' ' ' THE SECOND DIVISION SYLLABI OF THE HISTORIES OF REGIMENTS AND SEPARATE ORGANIZATIONS. From dates of organization to June 1, 1919. Coblenzer Volkszeltung. Coblenz, Germany. ORDER OF SYLLABI. page Second Divlson . 3 Third Infantry Brigade 9 Ninth Infantry • . 12 Twenty-third Infantry • 14 Fifth Machine Gun Battalion • 16 Fourth Infantry Brigade 18 Fifth Marines . 20 SL~th Marines . • • . 22 Sixth Machine Gun Battalion 25 Fourlh Machine Gun Battalion 27 Second Field Artillery Brigade 29 Twelfth Field Artillery . 31 Fifteenth Field Artillery • . 33 Seventeenth Field Artillery 35 Second Engineers . • 37 First Field Signal Battalion 38 Second Supply Train . 41 Second Ammunition Train • 42 Second Sanitary Train • 44 Second Engineer Train . • 45 Motor Transport Corps • • 47 Second Mobile Ordnance Repair Shop 48 Headquarters Troop . 49 Second Military Police • • . • • . • 51 SECOND DIVISION. TIME AND PLACE OF ORGANIZATION: Division organized at Bourmont, France, in October 1917. SUB-DIVISIONS: Infantry 3rd Infantry Brigade: 9th Infantry Regiment 23rd Infantry Regiment 5th Machine Gun Battalion 4th Infantry Brigade: 5th Marine Regiment 6th Marine Regiment 6th Machine Gun Battalion Machine Gun Battalion (Divisional) 4th Machine Gun Battalion Artillery 2nd Field Artillery Brigade: 12th Field Artillery 15th Field Artillery 17th Field Artillery 2nd Trench Motor Battery Engineers 2nd Engineer Regiment Signal Corps Field Signal Battalion - 4 - Trains 2nd Train Hqrs. and Military Pollee 2nd Ammunit10n Train 2nd Supply Train 2nd En~ineer Train 2nd Sanitary Train Miscellaneous Headquarters. Troop 2nd Mobile Ordnance Repair Shop Mobile Veterinary Section No. 2 Motor Tr.ansport Corps Service Park Units 303 and 363 Salvage Squad No. 2 Sales Commissary Unit No. 1 P. E S. del. A. P. 0. 710 Railhead Detachment Clothing and Bath Unit No. 320* Mobile Laundry Unit No. 326* Bakery Unit No 31 'J* Delousing and Bath Unit No. 17* Commanding Oenerals Name Assumed Command Brig. Gen. C. A. Doyen, U.S.M.C. Oct. 26, 1917. Maj. Gen. Omar Bundy, N. A. Nov. 8, 1917. Maj. Gen. James G. Harbord, N. A. July 15. 1918. Maj. Gen. John A. Lejeune, U. S. M. C. July 29, 1918. Chiefs of Staff. Colonel Preston Brown, G. S. April 6, 1~18- Sept, 18, 1918 Colonel James C. Rhea, G. S. Sept. 19, 1918- Nov. 1, 1918 Colonel Hu B. Myers, G. S. Nov. 2, 1918 to date. Dates of Arrival in France 3rd Brigade infantry: -Sept.- Oct 1917 4th Brigade Marines: - June, 1917- Jan. 1918 2nd Brigade field Artillery: -Dec. 1917 -Jan. 1918 Trains and other troops: - Oct. 1917 to Jan. 1918. "These units joined Division after Us arrival In Oermany. - 5 - Training Periods Subordinate 11nits assembled in Bonrmont area. fo-r inte!lslve traini11g in Junnary, 1318, '!onth.ued to lt.farch 14, 1918. Robert F.spagne area May 14th to May 20th, 1918. GisoTS, Chaumont-en­ Vexin ;JrPa May 21st to 31st, 1918. Colombcy-les-Belles area August 1 gth to September 1st, Hll.S. Verdun Sector March 15th - May 13th, 1918. Dhh~;ion occupied •rouJon and Troyan Sectors in conjunction with }'ren<~h. A German raid in force was mnde against the 9th Infantry on April 13th, 1a lR. TLis was the largest demonstration made agAinst American. troops up to this time. 'rhe 9th Infan· try tcok many prisoners and inflicted heavy casualties on the Germans. Aisne- Marne Defensive (west of Chateau-Thierry) May 31 - June 5, 1918. The Division mfl'l"ed by carnian to area northeast of Meaux and took up a position across the Paris-Metz highway west of Chato..·m Thierry .May 31st, 1918. The German advance on Pari~ was stopped and the enemy rhrown back dUiing this oreratiun, which lasted until June 6th, 1!118. Chateau Thierry Sector June 6th -July 9th, 1918. Almost e.. ''ti'nuous fighting marked the 2nd Division's stay in this sector. During this time the Belleau '\Voods, and th& vil1ng1s of Dourcs.. 1les and Vaux were captured. C't.snaltit>s were heavy, but the Amel'i·~an Army d"'monstrate•l its ability to suci3css~ fully meet in battle the best of Guman troops. Alsne-Marne Offensive (Soissons) July 18th -19th, 1918. Attacked as part of the 20th Army Corps (French) near Scissons on the w<•stcrn side of the salient the Germans had pushed down to the :!tfflrne. Cnptnrf:'d Bcaurcpaire Farm, Vau­ castille, Vierzy and advanced to Tigny. Marbache Sector August. 12th- 16th, 1918. Quiet sector on Moselle Uiver. No action except for numeroua patrola. - b - St. Mihiel Offensive September, 12th -16th 1918. Went into the line near Limey, night of September 9th-10th, 1918; attacked with 1st Ameri·3~tn Army Sepwmbnr 12th, 1918, cnptnred Thiaucourt; Xamm9s and Jaulny \Yer•J taken, ndva.ntcd to thP. vieinity of Rarnbercourt. RclievcJ. September 16th, 1918. Took mr..ny prisoners, losses -;light. Attack made in aeeord.·Ulce with r1ans perfected in training area. Meuse-Argonne Offensive (Champagne) Oct. 1st -lOth, 1918. Mm·ed from Mairy-sur~Marne to Suippes·Souain Ar~n. Went into front line under 21st Corps (J.'rpveh) Octobor 1st, 1918 ncar Somxne·Py. Cleaned up Essen 'I'rench. Jun1ped o'ff October 3rd, HilS, nnd ad,•aneed to Medc>ah Fmc, Bl:wc Mcnt Uidgo Road. Captured the strong enemy position of Blanc Mont and town of St. Etienne. Our losses were severe. Helicvej by 36th DiviSion, tJ. S., October lOth, 1918, and moveU to rest area near Sornme Suippes. Meuse·Argonne Offensive November 1st -11th, 1918. Matched to 1st Am'3ricall Army arc•a Oetoher 2£:'1d-2fith, l!J18. J:eJie-,-ed ?2nd Division in liua nE:n:r 1.andres-'3t-St. Georges, night of October 30th-31st. Attacked Nonmber 1st, 1918, advanced to Corps Objcr.fil'e. Captured Lan·lre!H·t-St. Georges, St. George, LandreviJle and BayonviHe; eontnmed the advance for fil'\'Cral days, eapturea :F'osse, NJunrt, I~etnune and Beaumont. Cross·~d the Meuse the night of N•>vcmber lOth·llt!l, HHS, and were fighting cast of river wh::-n tbP. Armistic:.c went; into effect. ill !I Officera and 9972 n1en, who w~ro pn•sent 1vith the :Civi!lion on :March 15th, 1918, were present for duty on this date. Remained in the Be'"lum.ont-Pouilly Area refitting until No~ vember 17th, 191S. March to the Rhine. Marched at 5.00 A. M., on Novembel" 17th, 1918; cro•sed tho Ameril•an frC\nt line, advanced through Belgium :md Lux£ml.Jourg and entered GeJmany December Jst, 191S. Reached tho Rhine in the ,.ic.inity of Hemugcn and i!rtHseU this river December 13th, l!HR. Occupied area No. 2 of the American Srctor of the Coblcnz Bridgehead lllld established Headquarters at lloddcsdorf. - 7 Accomp!lshments in the field. Kilometers advanced against opposition - 62. Prisoners Captured Officers Men Total 288 11 738 12 026 Materiel Captured Heavy Light Trench Machine Anti Artillery Artillery Mortars Guns') Tank Guns R.iflcs') 74 269 58 1350 8 1000 Decorations Awarded. Medal of Honor Total . 7 Distinguished Service Crosses Total . 675 Distinguished Service Medals Officers. 10 Belgian Crosses Officers. 6 Legion of Honor (French) Officers . 17 Medaille Milltalre (French) Men .......• ... 42 Croix de Guerre (French) Total . 2740 Croce di Guera (Italian) Total . 15 Knight of Order of Crown of Italy Officer . 1 Citations for Distinguished Gallantry Total . 795 · ') Many machine guns taptured at St. Mihiel were not counted and are ttot figured in this total. I) Not counted e:r.cept in the St. Mlhiel Offensive. - 8- American Citations 2nd Division - G. 0. 112, G. H. Q., A. E. F., July 9th, 1918 2nd Division - G. 0. 9, Hq. 111, A. C., July 25th, 19i8 2nd Division- 0. 0. 26, Hq. V, A. C., Nov. 20th, 1918. 2nd Division - 0. 0. 232, 0. H. Q. A. E. F., Dec. 19, 1918 2nd Dlvlslon - 0. 0. 238, 0. H. Q. A. E. F., Dec. 26, 1918. French Army Citations Co. I, 9th Regiment Infantry , . • April 14, 1918 Co. L, 9th Regiment Infantry . • April 14, 1918 4th Platoon Co. K, 9th Regt. In!. April 14, 19!8 4th fuigade (Marine) • . • • June 2-13, 1918 5th Regiment Marines 6th Regiment Marines 6th M, 0. Bn. Marines Co. F, 9th Regiment Infantry . June 6 - 7, 1918 Co. 0, 9th Regiment Infantry June 6- 7, 1918 9th Regiment Infantry . July 18, 1918 23rd Regiment Infantry . 18, 1918 5th M. 0. Bn. 18, 1918 5th Regiment Marines 18, 1918 6th Regiment Mar.lnes 18, 1918 6th M. 0. Bn. Marines 18, 1918 12th F. A. Regiment . • 18, 1918 15th F. A. Regiment . 18, 1918 17th F. A. Regiment . 18, 1918 Battery D, 17th F. A. • 18, 1918 4th M. 0. Bn. • 18, 19 t 8 2nd Regiment Engineers • 18, 1918 9th Regiment lnfa•"" ry . Oct. 3, 1918 23rd Regiment l•IJ -,try . 3, 1918 5th Regiment Marines • 3. 1918 6th Regiment MJrines . 3. 1918 2nd Regiment Engineers 3, 1918 Casualties Killed Severely Slightly Gassed Missing Total & Died Wounded Wounded Officers 189 113 393 70 0 765 Men 4888 3565 13181 2662 328 25224 Total 50/7 3678 14174 2732 3~8 259!19 - q - THIRD INFANTRY BRIGADE. TIME AND PLACE OF ORGANIZATION: August 11, 1917, Syracuse, N. Y., then called 1st Provisional 'Brigade, or the Syracul:io Brigade. SUB-DIVISIONS: l':inth Infantry Re)l'iment, 'l'wenty-Third Infantry Regiment, 5th 1\la('hiue Gun Battalion. Names of Commanding Officers. Colon<•! Hurry R. Lo•, Sept. 21st, 19.17- Octol1er 10, 1917. Colonel Walter K. Wright, Oct. lOth, 1~17 - Feb. 10, 1918. Brigadit:r General Peter Murray, F(>lJ. 10_. 1917 - May 7th, 191~. Brigadier General E. ).{. I~cwis, ~fay 7th, 191S- July 15~ 1918.