The United States Marine Corps in the World War

by Edwin North McClellan; United States. Marine Corps

COMPOSITE REGIMENT, THIRD ARMY.

The company of Marines and battalion commander (major) and staff, forming a part of the Composite Regiment, Third Army, returned to the United States on board the Leviathan on September 8, 1919, and were returned to the naval service in September, 1919.

The colonel commanding the Composite Regiment in a letter dated September 21, 1919, commended the battalion commander and staff, the commanding officer of the company, and “the lieutenants for their loyalty and attention to details, and noncommissioned officers and men for their soldierly appearance, high standard of morale, and discipline,” concluding with these words:

The Composite Regiment paraded as escort to the general of the Army, in London, Paris, New York, and Washington, D. C. The regiment has been favorably commended. This is entirely due to the loyalty, energy, and attention to duty of the officers and individual soldiers in the regiment; and in this the Marine Corps representatives deserve a large share.

SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN BATTALION.

With the return of the above Marine organizations, all Marines of the American Expeditionary Forces were out of Europe with the exception of a few individuals, and the Fifteenth Separate Battalion, consisting of 26 officers and about 700 enlisted men, which was retained for duty in France for possible operations in connection with the Schleswig-Holstein plebiscite.

This battalion, under command of Maj. Charles F. B. Price, was organized at Pontanezen Camp, Brest, in July, 1919, from personnel of the Fourth and Fifth Brigades and the Twelfth Separate Battalion. The battalion designation was changed on August 15 from “Provisional Battalion, U. S. Marines,” to the “Fifteenth Separate Battalion.”

The Battalion rendered honors to Gen. Pershing on September 1, 1919, upon his departure from France at Brest and on the same day was inspected by Marshal Foch, who commended the Battalion on its splendid appearance.

Leaving Brest on the Mercury, September 3, 1919, the Battalion six days later arrived at Bordeaux to take part in the ceremony of laying a foundation for a monument commemorating the entrance of the United States into the World War, at Pointe de Grave, near Bordeaux, France. It then returned to Brest and in December went on board the Henderson, then at that port. The Henderson, with the Battalion on board, sailed from Brest, arriving at Philadelphia on December 23, 1919, after a 16-day trip. On December 30, 1919, the battalion arrived at Quantico, Va.