Photo By Master Sgt. Douglas Roles | CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait – Lt. Col. Garry Hahn, 28th Infantry Division chief of...... read more read more
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By 1st Lt. James Kane and Sgt. 1st Class Doug Roles
28th Infantry Division, Task Force Spartan Public Affairs
CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait – The 28th Infantry Division is celebrating 100 years of being known as the “Iron Division.” The 28th is America’s oldest continuously-serving division and dates its start to March 12, 1879. It earned the “Iron” moniker in World War I - on July 15, 1918 - when Gen. John Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Force, referred to the resolve of the division’s soldiers.
To mark the centennial, Lt. Col. Garry Hahn, 28th Infantry Division chief of assessment, recently presented an overview of the actions of the 109th Infantry Regiment, and other division units, during the German offensive on Reims, France. The 109th tenaciously held its ground and stopped the German “Victory Offensive.” The 109th’s line became the high-water mark of the German advance.
On the second day of the fight, a telephone message received from division headquarters stated that Gen. Pershing, when informed of the heroic stand made by the 109th Infantry in its first contact with the enemy, remarked: “Why, they are iron men!”
28th Infantry Division “Iron Division”
By 1st Lt. James Kane
In response to World War I, the 28th Infantry Division was mobilized for federal service on July 14, 1917. On May 14, 1918 the first Soldiers from the division landed at the docks in Calais, France and began training with the British. On July 14, ahead of an expected German offensive, the division was moving forward, with most of it committed to the second line of defense south of the Marne River and east of Chateau-Thierry. As the division took up defensive positions, the Germans commenced their attack, which became the Battle of Chateau-Thierry.
Companies B and C of the 110th Infantry had been ordered to the Marne River, to strengthen the French line out of fear that the Germans would start a drive towards Paris. At about midnight on July 15, the enemy began an offensive barrage of artillery and small arms, which continued approximately six hours. Again and again the enemy attempted to cross the Marne. Division automatic rifle squads received orders to open fire on the enemy, which in darkness had gathered on the opposite side of the river. After intense machine gun fire, the enemy retired from this front and made no further attempt to cross at this position. Around the same time, Company B’s Third Platoon had been sent to the front line to relieve a sister platoon in another position. The German troops proceeded to cross the river and our men drove back repeated efforts of the Germans to force their way up the bank of the Marne. The French, however, retreated and failed to notify the Americans on either side of this movement. Consequently the Germans, following along the line of least resistance, gave up their efforts to cross the positions where the Americans were stationed and crossed at points whence the French had fled. In a short time, Company B found Germans on all sides. Some were fighting on the flank, some with their backs to the Marne, but the front line held fast. The total effect of the stand was unknown until daybreak, when large numbers of the enemy were found dead along the river bank.
Companies L and M of the 109th Infantry had also been ordered to the front lines where they were amongst French units. During the German offensive on the 15th around 5:00 am, the barrage had centered on the trench lines, and by 7:00 am French troops were retiring. L and M companies were now surrounded. Despite the overwhelming odds, the two companies held their ground and inflicted heavy casualties. The 109th engaged in rifle, artillery, and machine gun fire with the Germans, and at 8:00 a.m. the remaining soldiers from L and M companies withdrew and fought their way back to the front line of the 109th. The brunt of the German offensive now fell on the 109th and the other units of the 28th.
On July 15th, 2nd Battalion of the 111th Infantry Regiment, under the command of Captain W.R. Dunlap, was ordered to proceed to Bois d'Aigremont. Positions were taken up in trenches, where the men were subjected to intense shell fire in which gas, shrapnel and high explosives were used. On receipt of information that the enemy proposed to attack American positions at 4:00 pm on the 16th, the Second Battalion was directed to counterattack and clear an entire sector to the Marne River running north and south. The first wave, consisting of Company G and Company E, went forward at 2:00 pm by crawling in thin lines through wheat fields toward their objective, the Metz-Paris road, which was to be reached by 4:00 pm. One platoon of Company G worked its way along the ravine running in a northeasterly direction toward Crezanzy, the objective - which was accomplished - being to clear and hold the town. At 4:00 pm the artillery laid down a heavy barrage, under cover of which the first wave crossed the Metz-Paris road, clearing the woods to the railroad, where positions were taken up. Another platoon advanced to a point from which good observation of the river was had, remaining there until dark, when combat patrols moved forward securing Metz and the south bank of the river to the dam. These positions were held by the 111th until July 20th when it was relieved by the 7th and 38th Infantries.
When the German assault collided with the main force of the 28th, the fighting became bitter hand-to-hand combat. The 28th repelled the German forces and decisively defeated their enemy. After the battle, General John Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Force, visited the battlefield and declared that the 28th soldiers were "Men of Iron" and named the 28th Infantry Division as his "Iron Division."
| Date Taken: | 07.13.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 07.14.2018 08:01 |
| Story ID: | 284258 |
| Location: | KW |
| Web Views: | 251 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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