Without minimizing in any way the splendid actions of the Twenty-sixth Division at Seicheprey and Xivray in April 1918, or the brilliant exploit of the First Division at Cantigny on May 28, 1918, the fact remains that the Second Division, including the Marine Brigade, was the first American division to get a chance to play an important part on the western front, and how well it repelled this dangerous thrust of the Germans along the Paris-Metz highway is too well known to be dwelt upon at length in this brief history.
The fighting of the Second Division in the Chateau-Thierry sector was divided into two parts, one a magnificently stubborn defensive lasting a week and the other a vicious offensive. The defensive fighting of the Second Division between May 31 and June 5, 1918, was part of the major operation called by the Americans the Aisne defensive. Without discussing at this time the tactical or strategical significance of the work of the Second Division in the Aisne defensive, suffice to say that its psychological effect upon the morale of the Allies was tremendous and has been recognized in practically every writing worthy of consideration up to the present date.
The close of the Aisne defensive on June 5, 1918, found the line of the Second Division well established at that point of the Marne salient nearest Paris, but not including Hill 142, Bois de Belleau, Bouresches, or Vaux, and the Germans were in possession of Chateau-Thierry on the right of the Second Division, and continued to hold that town until about July 17, 1918.
On June 6, 1918, the Second Division snatched the initiative from the Germans and started an offensive on its front which did not end until July 1, 1918. The Marine Brigade captured Hill 142 and Bouresches on June 6, 1918, and in the words of Gen. Pershing, “sturdily held its ground against the enemy’s best guard divisions,” and completely cleared Bois de Belleau of the enemy on June 26, 1918, a major of Marines sending in his famous message: “Woods now U. S. Marine Corps’ entirely.” The American commander in chief in his first report calls this fighting “the battle of Belleau Wood” and states, “our men proved their superiority, and gained a strong tactical position with far greater loss to the enemy than to ourselves.” In his final report he states: “The enemy having been halted, the Second Division commenced a series of vigorous attacks on June 4, which resulted in the capture of Belleau Woods [on June 26] after very severe fighting. The village of Bouresches was taken soon after [on June 6] and on July 1 Vaux was captured. In these operations the Second Division met with most desperate resistance by Germany’s best troops.” On July 1, 1918, the Third Brigade captured Vaux. The Artillery, Engineers, and the other elements of the Second Division assisted materially in these successes, while the Seventh regiment of the Third Division was in Belleau Wood for a few days about the middle of June.
During these 31 days of constant fighting, the last 26 of which has been defined by general headquarters of the American Expeditionary Forces as a “local engagement,” the Second Division suffered 1,811 battle deaths (of which approximately 1,062 were Marines) and suffered additional casualties amounting to 7,252 (of which approximately 3,615 were Marines). It was that fighting and those 9,063 casualties that first made the name Chateau-Thierry famous.
The achievements of the Fourth Brigade of Marines in the Chateau-Thierry sector was twice recognized by the French. The first, which changed the name of the Bois de Belleau, was a beautiful tribute spontaneously made to the successes and to the losses of the Fourth Brigade of Marines, and shows the deep effect that the retaking of Belleau Wood and other near-by positions from the Germans had on the feelings of the French and the morale of the Allies. Official maps were immediately modified to conform with the provisions of the order, the plan directeur used in later operations bearing the name “Bois de la Brigade de Marine.” The French also used this new name in their orders, as illustrated by an ordre général dated August 9, 1918, signed by the commanding general of the Sixth French Army, reading in part as follows:
Avant la grande offensive du 18 Juillet, les troupes américaines faisant partie de la VIe Armée française se sont distinguées en enlevant à l’ennemi le Bois de la Brigade De Marine et le village de Vaux, en arretant son offensive sur la Marine et à Fossoy.
The order changing the name of Bois de Belleau reads as follows:
VIº Armée, Etat-Major,
au Q. G. A., le 30 Juin, 1918.
6930/2.]