2d Dragoons

David.Gettman May 31st, 2008

In April 1918 the Second Cavalry landed in France and was in the Toul sector within three weeks of leaving home. “I should consider myself fortunate to again have your splendid Regiment a part of my command”, wired General Pershing to Colonel West when the Second left Jolo in 1912, and his word was fulfilled, when half a world away, thirty-one of it’s troopers landed with him as his escort, first in England, then in France, as Headquarters Troop at Chaumont.

The Regiment followed and gained the unique distinction of being the only American Cavalry to remain mounted to reach the firing line. They fought in the Aisne-Marne offensive in July 18 – August 6, 1918, when the American First and Second Divisions smashed in the west face of the German Marne Salient at Soissons. Detachments from the Regiment took part in the Oise-Aisne offensive, August 18 – September 11, but the greatest commendation was gained by the Second Cavalry for it’s part in the reduction of the St. Mihiel Salient, Sept. 12-16, when Troops A, B, C, D, F, G and H under Lt. Col. O.P.M. Hazzard were attached to the American First Division of the Fourth Army Corps, making the main effort of the American First Army in France.

General Pershing massed six divisions on an eighteen mile front, so something had to give. The 1st Division jumped off by passing Mont Sec, which the French had assaulted for years in vain, and reached the line Heudicourt-Nosard. Here the Squadron passed through the forests of La Belle Oziere, Nonsard, and Vigneulles, scouted the open country as far as Heudicourt, Creue, and Vigneulles, eventually advancing to St. Maurice, Woel, and Jonville, pursuing the enemy, fighting his rear guard, capturing numerous prisoners, forcing deployment and delaying his retreat, in fact, doing everything that so small a force could accomplish. Continue Reading »

• World War I 1917-1919
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TacomaDave May 30th, 2008

America was not ready for war in 1917 but the event was certainly expected by everyone. There had been a long series of notes between President Wilson and the Imperial German Government in which the President objected to the sinking of American ships when many of our people lost their lives. There was much excitement over the mistreatment of the citizens of occupied territory by the Germans. This was later proven generally to be Allied propaganda, but at the time Americans believed the stories of so-called “Belgian atrocities”. These stories contributed much toward molding in this country public opinion favorable to the Allies.

When the National Guard was ordered to the Mexican border in 1916, the immediate reason for the move was to protect American lives and to act as a support for the Punitive Expedition which was in Mexico at the time to punish Villa for attacking the camp of the Thirteenth Cavalry at Columbus, New Mexico. But whether the administration knew it or not, this training was excellent preparation for America’s entry into the World War. Another factor which aided in preparing the country for the coming conflict was the increase in the size of the Regular Army in 1916.

At the request of the President, Congress passed an act on April 6, 1917, declaring war on Germany. It was understood that the war involved larger armies than this country had ever assembled, and a great modification of industrial processes, as well as a radical change in the peace-time activities of the people. Our task was not only to increase the size of our army and navy and to support these with industrial and agricultural mobilization, but to send money and supplies to our allies, who had borne the attacks of the enemy for three years.

Congress passed a law May 18, 1917, to increase the Regular Army to 18,033 officers and 470,185 enlisted men, and to increase the National Guard to 13,377 officers and 456,800 enlisted men. While the men of the first two components were to be raised by voluntary enlistment, at the same time the National Army was to be raised by selective conscription of 1,000,000 men. On June 5 there registered for military service 10,000,000 male citizens between the ages of 21 and 30. This registration was carried out by voluntary efforts of citizens employed on boards who later also had the task of examining and classifying the registrants. This great task was carried out in a most efficient manner under the guidance of the Provost Marshal General’s Office. On July 3 the President called the National Guard into the Federal service and sent it to sixteen divisional camps, which were established generally in the Southern states in order to be able to train throughout the year. Continue Reading »

• World War I 1917-1919
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TacomaDave May 29th, 2008

On January 8, 1918, orders came for the Second Cavalry to prepare for overseas service. At this time it was intended to take all horses and equipment, but later the horses were left behind on account of shortage of ship tonnage. The inferior grade of animals furnished the regiment in France made everyone feel that much better work could have been done if their own horses had been used.

Preparation and intensive training continued until March 17, 1918, when all the regiment except the first squadron at Fort Myer, Virginia, and Troop E, left Fort Ethan Allen, Vermont, for Camp Merritt, New Jersey. Upon arrival at the camp, temporary headquarters were established in wooden barracks and the routine work of preparing records, examinations and inspections, and sailing lists was begun. The troops entrained for Hoboken, New Jersey, on March 21 and arrived there the same day. After the men went aboard the Martha Washington, the remainder of the day was spent in loading the property. In the afternoon the transport moved to the outer harbor and waited for the rest of the convoy. It sailed at midnight with two other transports, convoyed by the cruiser Pueblo.

At sea the duty on the ship consisted of life-boat drill, assignment to boat stations, and physical exercises to keep the men fit. When the war zone was entered, the men were required to wear life preservers all the time. The submarine chasers joined the convoy on April 1 in order to protect the ships near the coast of France where the submarines were thickest. While the men were eating the noon meal on April 4, the alarm was sounded and everyone rushed to the life-boat stations. The submarine chasers went after the quarry and threw depth bombs, while the guns on the transports opened fire. In about one-half hour another periscope was sighted with the same activity in the convoy, but this time one of the submarines was officially credited with being sunk.

Several interesting incidents occurred during these attacks. The submarines came as the men were having their lunch and one man had just filled his mess kit while he held his hat in the other hand. Upon the alarm of the submarines, he cast his hat overboard, and putting his mess kit, filled with food, on his head, rushed to the life-boat with the food pouring down over his face. A sentry near a bow gun was so interested in watching a submarine that he did not notice that the crew had swung the gun around with the muzzle near him. The muzzle blast threw him down a hatch and ripped his overcoat from his body. A few enterprising troopers of the regiment who did not seem to get so excited over the attack, raided the galley during the excitement and took all the pies which were to be served at dinner.

The mine fields were passed through and then a pilot was picked up at the mouth of the Gironde River who took the ship to the port of Pauillac the same day, April 4. After the troops landed on April 6, a parade was formed consisting of the band, field music, and Troops F, G, and H. This was in honor of Lafayette, who embarked at this port for America 141 years before. On the same day the troops were placed in double-deck railroad cars and sent to Bordeaux a few miles up the harbor. From here they traveled a short distance in trucks to Camp Genicart, a rest camp, but the men never knew why they were supposed to need rest.

The first squadron, consisting of Troops A, B, C, and D, left Fort Myer, Virginia, by train on March 26, 1918, for the port of embarkation at Hoboken, New Jersey. The men sailed for France March 29 on the transport No. 539 (Northern Pacific). The trip across was without incident and the troops disembarked at Brest April 8 and were stationed at the nearby Pontanezen Barracks until the 12th, when they entrained for Treveray in the St. Mihiel sector.

Troop E, with a detachment from the Supply Troop and all stable sergeants and horseshoers, left Fort Ethan Allen, Vermont, on May 5, 1918, and arrived at Camp Merritt, New Jersey, the next day. A detachment from Troop D, which was left behind at Fort Myer, Virginia, joined Troop E, and all sailed on the transport Caserta May 10, arriving at Brest, France, May 23. The detachments joined their troops, but E Troop was sent to Port Du Commerce, near Brest, known as Base Section No. 5. S.O.S., and remained here on military police duty until after the Armistice. It was the only troop in the regiment which did not reach the battle area.

• World War I 1917-1919
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David.Gettman May 28th, 2008

I was with the 2nd Cavalry, Commanding Troop “E”, and later the 2nd Squadron as senior captain, and finally for a month I had the Regiment, less the 1st Squadron which remained in Coblenz, Germany (I think) on Army of Occupation duty after the Regiment returned to the US. I was at Fort Ethan Allen from November 1917 to May 1918, then went over to France on the good ship Caserta (an Italian boat which had been a horse transport until they cleaned out the manure and built three tier bunks out of odds and ends of lumber) which was our home for the two weeks it took to cross.

They tried to feed us Jack Rabbits, but some of the men made a midnight raid and threw them overboard. They stank to high heaven as they had come across the Pacific through the Panama Canal to New York from Australia on a cooler ship that wasn’t too efficient, not a refrigerator ship by any stretch of the imagination.

We finally landed at Brest and were promptly picked on as Military Police as we were the first Regular Army unit to land. For about two or three weeks we stayed down in the dock area and then built and moved to our new camp just out of town on the way to Pontanezen Barracks. We stayed there doing troop escort and Military Police duty until about mid-October then made a 40 and 8 ride up to San’ Dizier and then hiked and caught rides up to Dombasle, located about 15 or 20 miles from Verdun. Continue Reading »

• Troopers Tales , World War I 1917-1919
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TacomaDave May 27th, 2008

The regiment, less the first squadron and E Troop, left Genicart, near Bordeaux, in southern France, by train on April 11, 1918, for Gondrecourt. While en route for this place, Troops F, G, H, I, K, and L were detached, leaving only Headquarters, Supply, Machine Gun, and M Troops to arrive at that place. All except Troop M remained here in the Toul Sector from April 14-24. On the 23rd Troop M was sent to the south of France to secure horses. The Headquarters, Supply, and Machine Gun Troops entrained the next day for Valdahon, where they arrived on the 25th and were utilized to manage a remount depot. This camp, situated about twenty miles from the Swiss border, was also an artillery range.

Troops F and G arrived at Baccarat in the Toul Sector April 14. They were attached to the Forty-Second Division as a reserve with orders to be ready to go into the trenches when called for. While in this sector, they were billeted in the town of Badmenil. After remaining here until May 7, they joined the regiment at Valdahon.

Upon leaving Camp Genicart, Troops H and I were sent to Souilly in the Toul Sector, where they arrived April 14 and were attached as divisional cavalry of the Second Division. Horses were obtained on the 18th and mounted training started at once. Troop H left to rejoin the regiment at Valdahon on May 6, and Troop I left May 1 for Selles sur Cher where it remained on remount duty until July 29, when it was again ordered to the front.

After the regiment left Bordeaux April 11, it traveled together to La-Sur-Tille, where the train divided, Troops K and L, under Major Charles B. Amory, going to Toul, as they were to be attached to the Twenty-Sixth Division. The two troops proceeded from there on a narrow gauge railway to Menil la Tour, which was the advance base of the Twenty-Sixth Division. At Tours the men witnessed the shooting down of German airplanes and at Menil la Tour the artillery at the front could be plainly heard. They were loaded in trucks at this place and proceeded along a camouflaged road for eight miles to the village of Jouy sous les Cotes, where they reported to the Fifty-Second Brigade, Twenty-Sixth Division. As the men had neither gas masks nor steel helmets, these were issued at once, since the area was under sporadic artillery fire. It was decided to train the men of the two troops as bombers, since no horses as yet had been obtained. The training in throwing the grenades took place in a field which was concealed from the Germans by a wood. When the enemy airplanes were attracted to this vicinity by the activity, the men ceased training and fled among the trees. After two weeks of intensive training, the two troops were ready to enter the trenches and were told to await instructions. Continue Reading »

• World War I 1917-1919
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TacomaDave May 26th, 2008

During the period from November 3 to 8, one platoon of Troop C, under Sergeant McDonough, was attached to the Seventy-Seventh Division, and one platoon, under First Lieutenant Fred C. Thomas, was sent to the Eightieth Division. These two platoons aided the advance of the infantry by locating the enemy machine gun nests and parties which were “digging in”. Sergeant McDonough’s platoon lost three horses killed, and Lieutenant Thomas’ platoon lost two horses killed and two men wounded. As a result of the fine work at this time Lieutenant Thomas, Sergeant Charles South, and Private Samuel Naylor were recommended for the Distinguished Service Cross. Meantime, the rest of the troop moved on to Brizancy continuing military police work, and was here when the Armistice was signed.

Troop G arrived at Valdahon May 8, near the Swiss border, where it was on duty with the regimental headquarters running a remount depot until July 10. On this date it was transferred to Epinal to take charge of the remount station for the Seventh Army Corps, arriving there on the 12th. While at this place the Germans bombed the town six times, causing numerous casualties to the population, but none of the soldiers was injured. The troop was complimented by the Commanding General, Seventh Army Corps, and the French Commandant of the district for the fine work of the men in fighting fires set by incendiary bombs and in recovering bodies of civilians from the ruins. The danger was increased for the reason that the German fliers often fired machine guns at the men while they carried on the rescue work. At the time of the Armistice, the troop was under orders to join the offensive in the Argonne. Continue Reading »

• World War I 1917-1919
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TacomaDave May 25th, 2008

Headquarters First Division,
American Expeditionary Forces,
France, 19 September, 1918.

GENERAL ORDERS
No. 58

The Division Commander cites the following organizations for distinguished conduct during the operations against the St. Mihiel Salient on September 12-13, 1918:

Detachment, Second Cavalry,
(attached to First Division.)
For conspicuous and tireless devotion to duty in harassing the enemy and procuring valuable information during the advance of September 12-13, 1918.

By command of Major General Summerall:
S. G. THORNTON,
Captain, U.S.A.,
Division Adjutant Continue Reading »

• World War I 1917-1919
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TacomaDave May 24th, 2008

By Captain Stephen H. Sherrill

On July 29th the Troop entrained for Dommartin-en-Goele, to join the 3rd Army Corps, and detrained at Chateau Thierry on August 1st. That afternoon we marched to Gland on the other side of the Marne and went into camp there. The following morning the Troop Commander reported to Major General Bullard, the Corps Commander, at Mont St. Pierre. General Bullard asked if the men and animals were ready to proceed at once to the front and join the French cavalry, at Coulonges. When the troop was called together and told what was before them, every man let out a yell.

By the time the troop arrived in Coulonges, it was dark, the road beyond was being heavily shelled, and no one knew where the French Colonel had his C.P. On either side of the road on the march up we had passed by dead Germans and Americans, and so by the time we reached Coulonges – which had been evacuated by the Boche only the night before – we commenced to feel that we were really at the front. There was nothing to do but go into camp. A site was selected, tents pitched in a narrow railway cut, and the horses picketed in an orchard nearby. Before the tents were really pitched, it commenced to rain – the hardest, I believe that it ever has rained. Everyone crawled into his dog tent but did not sleep that night. Jerry started at once to send some of his big ones over and he kept it up all night. They fell too near us for comfort too, but there was nothing to do but stay and hope for the best. I don’t think any of us will ever forget that night, our first under fire.

Morning and the end of the rain came at last. The French Colonel was found and the troop proceeded, under his orders, still further toward the front in pursuit of the fleeing Huns who were on the run. We arrived at Les-Pres-Fermes (Death Valley) about four p.m. and were reported to Major Nadot of the 10th French Cavalry. We were to do patrolling along with his cavalry-men, he said, and wanted some non-commissioned officers at once, to go out with one of his patrols.

Sergeant Wood, Private 1st Class Drapalik and Private Rupprecht were ordered to go. This work continued as long as the French Cavalry remained in the sector. These men are the most reckless and dare-devil people in the French Army, I am sure; their work was wonderful and their casualties not heavy. The Troop remained in the Valley two nights, and they were exciting ones. The Valley was filled with batteries of field artillery as was the hill behind us. We were, therefore, subject to a continuous enemy fire all night long. Gas alarms were frequent, too. On the evening of the 5th, the Troop marched a few kilometers to a piece of woods and made camp for the night. Next morning another march, with the French, to the Arcis-le-Ponsart woods. Our men continued to patrol with the French until they left the area on the 7th. Continue Reading »

• World War I 1917-1919
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TacomaDave May 23rd, 2008

The regimental headquarters and the Supply Troop entrained at Gievres September 18 and arrived at Ligny on the 20th. They made a march over roads crowded with troops going to the Argonne front and arrived at Camp Mallery, Rarecourt, on the 23rd, where they found Troops B, D, F, and H camouflaged in a wood. During the Argonne drive, the regimental headquarters and the Supply Troop were attached to the First Army Corps. They were usually in close contact with the troops mentioned above, which made up the Provisional Squadron. Until October 8 the duty at Rarecourt consisted of traffic control. They moved to Vraincourt on this date and remained until the 18th, when they returned to Camp Mallery. On November 4 they marched forward again with the big drive and reached Apremont November 11.

Troops of the Regiment which took part in the St. Mihiel offensive were A, B, C, D, F, H, and M, but they did not operate as a unit. We have followed the fortunes of Troops A, C, and M and will now take up the others.

Troop B performed remount duty at Gievres, the large S.O.S. base, from August 7-22. It was en route to Camp Jeanne d’ Arc, near Toul, until the 27th. Here it joined Troops D, F, and H to form the Provisional Squadron, and trained mounted under the command of Lieutenant Colonel O. P. M. Hazzard.

The Second Cavalry Troops took their mounted equipment with them to France and never allowed it to leave them during the time they were there. Whenever horses could be obtained, they were always ready for mounted training. The normal armament consisted of the caliber .30 Springfield rifle, Colt’s automatic pistol, caliber .45, and the saber, which had a straight blade. When training started at Camp Jeanne d’ Arc for the St. Mihiel offensive, the four troops fired combat exercises dismounted with the rifle and mounted with the pistol. General Joseph T. Dickman, the former regimental commander, and now the commander of the Fourth Army Corps, caused the troops to experiment with the new Browning automatic rifle. Each troop finally went into action with one gun. It was carried, along with 2,500 rounds of ammunition, by a set of fours, and these were always able to keep up with the remainder of the troop. Hand grenades were issued and all noncommissioned officers instructed in how to handle them. Continue Reading »

• World War I 1917-1919
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TacomaDave May 22nd, 2008

By Captain Ernest N. Harmon

The strength of the squadron at this time, September 8th, 1918, was fourteen officers and four hundred and four enlisted men. The squadron had no staff or demolition outfit; it was simply four line troops under the command of the senior Captain who had only one and a half years of commissioned service. On September 8th Lieutenant Colonel O. P. M. Hazzard took over command. On September 9th orders came detaching Troop “B” from the squadron and ordering the troop to proceed to Menil-la-Tour for courier and liaison duty with the 1st, 42nd, and 89th Divisions. The troop arrived at Menil-la-Tour on the 10th. From this point detachments were sent to the headquarters of the 1st, 42nd and 89th Divisions under the command of N.C.O.’s. These detachments performed hard and perilous duty on the roads, keeping traffic open and carrying messages under harassing shell fire from the enemy. On the 13th the headquarters of the troop was established at St. Benoit. This position which was in advance of the 42nd Division Artillery position was heavily shelled during the night. On the 14th the troop headquarters moved to Pannes.

Pannes had been a German supply base and large quantities of stores were taken by the troop, including an abundance of potatoes, cornmeal, and some American made Ivory soap and evaporated milk.

On the 15th the troop sent out the usual patrols and detachments. The troop continued on this work until the 19th when it received orders to march to Rarecourt-en-Argonne.

On September 9th orders also came for the remainder of the squadron to proceed by night marching to a certain wood called Rangeval Forest, about ten kilometers behind the front line trenches. The distance to be covered was about thirty kilometers. The night was dark, the roads were full of traffic and no one was familiar with the roads.

The first march we made toward the front on the evening of September 9th taught us many lessons and many new ideas as to march discipline at night when hostile aeroplanes are hovering about. The formation taken was a column of troops on either side of the road with a distance of fifty yards between platoons. This formation naturally caused the command to be strung out greatly with the result that upon our first halt, by the time order to halt had reached the rear of the column the head was ready to resume the march. This of course had to be corrected by better liaison from front to rear. The night was pitch dark and no noises or whistles were allowed. These precautions were unnecessary at that distance from the lines, but we were to approach closer and it was necessary to start early and impress the men. No smoking was allowed as the spark from a cigarette has often revealed to a low flying plane the whereabouts of a body of troops on the road causing them to be bombed or machine gunned. The roads were choked with traffic and it was necessary to get the horses well off the roads during the halts. Marching at night, while apparently not fatiguing to the horses, was greatly fatiguing to the men and constant watch had to be kept by all N.C.O.’s and officers to prevent slouching in the saddle and straggling. On the way from Toul to a position in rear of the lines there were many interesting and startling sights and sounds. We passed beside narrow gauge railroad trains hauling ammunition and men. Every now and then the sky in our direct front was illuminated by star shells and a constant shower of very light signals seemed to be in the air all the time. Twice we heard the sinister interrupted hum of “Boche” planes, and it was not necessary to caution silence and all lights out. It began to rain in torrents about 2 a.m. We reached our camp, a grove of trees about one and a half miles behind the front line at 4 a.m. Between flashes of lightning we strung lariat lines from tree to tree and tied our horses, removing the equipment in the blank darkness and piling it on the ground in rear of the horses. Everyone was weary and miserably wet and cold yet all dropped down in the rain and slept. Our wagons and kitchens lost the way but finally reached our camp about 8 a.m. when breakfast was soon after served. Everyone had to remain under cover of the wood and the smoke from our kitchens was well screened from aerial observation. Our horses lost many shoes extra fitted were carried and the blacksmiths were kept busy getting the animals in shape for the coming “D” day. “D” was the code letter of the day of the attack, and “H” was the hour of commencement of the attack. Continue Reading »

• World War I 1917-1919
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