CITATIONS OF MARINE ORGANIZATIONS—DAYS IN FRANCE—ARTILLERY
CAPTURED—PRISONERS CAPTURED—KILOMETERS ADVANCED—DECORATIONS AWARDED.
CITATIONS IN FRENCH ARMY ORDERS.
The French Army recognized the splendid work of the Fifth and Sixth
Regiments of Marines by citing them three times in Army orders for
achievements in the Chateau-Thierry sector, the Aisne-Marne, and
the Meuse-Argonne (Champagne). The Sixth Machine Gun Battalion
was similarly cited for its work in the Chateau-Thierry sector
and the Aisne-Marne, and the Fourth Brigade for its work in the
Chateau-Thierry sector.
Information was received in January, 1920, that the War Department
had accepted the award of the French fourragère in the colors of the
ribbon of the Croix de Guerre for several Army organizations and the
three units of the Fourth Brigade.
Prior to this date the only American organizations which had received
permission to accept or wear the French fourragère were three
sections of the ambulance service and one aero squadron, all of which
were temporary organizations and have now been demobilized.
DAYS IN FRANCE.
A Marine Corps unit arrived in France with the first expedition of
American troops. From June 26, 1917, to November 11, 1918, Marines
were in Europe with the American Expeditionary Forces a total of 504
days, of which 66 days were in active sectors and 71 in quiet sectors.
ARTILLERY CAPTURED BY SECOND DIVISION.
The commanding general, Second Division, under date of December
30, 1918, reported to General Headquarters, American Expeditionary
Forces, the following data with reference to artillery and machine
guns captured:
----------------+----------+----------+--------+-------+--------
Sector. | Heavy | Light | Trench |Machine|Antitank
|artillery.|artillery.|mortars.| guns. | guns.
----------------+----------+----------+--------+-------+--------
Verdun | .. | .. | .. | .. | ..
Chateau-Thierry | .. | [5] | 12 | 119 | ..
Soissons | 9 | 66 | 2 | 200 | ..
Marbache sector | .. | .. | .. | .. | ..
St. Mihiel | 60 | 61 | .. | 122 | ..
Blanc Mont | 5 | 37 | 27 | 409 | 8
Meuse-Argonne | .. | [6]105 | 17 | 500 | ..
+----------+----------+--------+-------+--------
Total | 74 | 269 | 58 | 1,350 | 8
----------------+----------+----------+--------+-------+--------
[5] A small number of light artillery was captured, but no count made.
[6] On account of the rapid advance, for a total of about 29
kilometers, during which time these guns, in position and along
the roads, were overrun and left behind, it was impossible to make
an accurate check of them, and therefore the figures report guns
both heavy and light. They were taken from reports of subordinate
commanders made at the time. Rifles were not counted.
PRISONERS CAPTURED.
The Second Division captured 12,026 prisoners, which is 19.07
per cent of the total prisoners captured by the entire American
Expeditionary Forces.
KILOMETERS ADVANCED.
The Second Division advanced 60 kilometers against the enemy.
DECORATIONS AWARDED MARINES.
The following number of decorations were awarded Marines during the
war:
Medals of honor (Army) 5
Distinguished-service medals (Army) 8
Distinguished-service crosses (Army) 363
Distinguished-service order (British) 1
Croix de guerre (French) 1,237
Legion of honor (French) 19
Medaille militaire (French) 10
Belgian decorations 10
Chinese decorations 1
Italian decorations 9
Montenegrin decorations 4
Portuguese decorations 1
-----
Total 1,668
The above number of Distinguished-service crosses (Army) awarded
includes 42 awarded to Navy Medical Corps personnel, 2 to Y. M. C. A.
personnel, and 2 to French officers serving with Marines.
The above number of Croix de guerre (French) awarded includes 82
awarded to Navy Medical Corps and Navy Dental Corps personnel, and 3
to Navy Chaplains serving with Marines.
One Navy Chaplain was awarded a Legion of Honor (French), but this is
not included in the above.