October 2d we left the reserve and assumed a support position. On that
day the forces in the line drove forward, but in the execution of the
advance Companies E, H, I, K, L, and M of the 308th Infantry and Company
K of the 307th Infantry found themselves trapped by the enemy on a hill
north of the Bois de la Buironne. These units were the only ones to
reach their objective but by thus advancing ahead of their flanks, they
gave the enemy an opportunity to surround them. In this hazardous
position they struggled as the "Lost" Battalion.
[Illustration: _U. S. Official Photo_
_Grim Business in the Argonne_
_A Unit of the 307th Infantry Waiting Orders to "Mop Up"_]
We went forward to their relief on October 4th, but were held back by
the effective machine-gun fire of the enemy. Next day we again strove to
extricate the besieged battalion, but again we failed. Certain enemy
machine guns were so placed that their hail of death was impassable.
They seemed an insurmountable obstacle in the path of the entire 307th
Infantry. The men of Company B knew that the machine-gun positions of
the enemy must be taken. There was nothing, at that moment, that counted
more than the capture of these positions. So on October 6th we attacked,
giving no thought to risk. We did what we thought would have been
impossible before we knew that it had to be done. Persistently we
attacked in the face of the enemy fire and as the German resistance
gradually weakened, we took the heretofore impregnable positions. Seven
of our men were that day cited for exceptional bravery.
On October 7th our division organized a concerted attack on the German
lines. We realized the awful plight of the "Lost" Battalion and all day
we fought against the enemy machine-gun nests. One by one they were
silenced, and at 5:00 P.M. Company B, alone of all the division,
succeeded in reaching and saving the "Lost" Battalion. The Germans were
driven beyond the hill and once more the line was straightened out.