WW I Sep. 26-Nov.11: Meuse-Argonne Offensive

SEPTEMBER 26-NOVEMBER 11, 1918

THE MEUSE-ARGONNE OFFENSIVE

Up until then, the largest U.S. field army (1st and 2nd Armies)  ever assembled -- more than 1.2 million men in 23 divisions (or elements of).

The first phase of the offensive ended October 3; Phase 2 October 30.  The final phase was the first eleven days of November.

Sedan is captured.

U.S. casualties:  26,277 KIA and 95,786 WIA in 47 days.

Th End Is Near.  --Cooter

Second Battle of the Marne July 18 to August 6, 1918: Began 100 Years Ago

The previous post mentioned this battle as the Aisne-Marne Offensive.

This was the last major German offensive on the Western Front during World War I.  The attack failed when an Allied counterattack, supported by several hundred tanks, overwhelmed the Germans on their right flank, inflicting many casualties.

The German defeat marked the beginning of the relentless Allied advance that resulting in the Armistice with  Germany about 100 days later.

There were, on the Allied side, 44 French, 8 American, 4 British and 2 Italian divisions,408 heavy guns, 360 field batteries and 346 tanks,

German strength:  52 divisions, 609 heavy guns and 1,047 field batteries

CASUALTIES:

France:  95,165 dead or wounded
Britain:  16,552 dead or wounded
USA:  12,00 dead or wounded
Italy:  9,00 dead or wounded

GERMAN CASUALTIES:

139,000 dead or wounded, 29,367 captured, 793 guns lost

Some Jawdropping Numbers.  --DaCoot

The Rainbow Division-- Part 3: World War I

In 1918, the Rainbow Division participated in four major operations:  Champagne-Marne, Aisne-Marne, Battle of Saint Mihel and the Meuse-Argonne Offensive.

In total, the division saw 264 days of combat in France.

During this time, they suffered 14,683 casualties:  2,058 killed in action and 12,625 wounded in action.

Commanders included Major General W.A. Mann, Brigadier general Charles T. Menoher, Major General Charles D. Rhodes and Brigadier General Douglas MacArthur.

--Cooter

World War I Chronology, 100 Years Ago This Month

SEPTEMBER 5, 1917

FIRST AEF WIA ON FRONT

Two members of the 11th Engineers of teh American Expeditionary Force (AEF) are wounded in action (WIA) by German shellfire at Gouzeaucourt --  the first Americans wounded while serving with a United States on the front lines of battle.

--Cooter