BROWN, GEORGE
Private, U.S. Army
Headquarters Company, 59th Infantry Regiment, 4th Division, A.E.F.
Date of Action: October 4 - 5,1918
Citation:
The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to George Brown, Private, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Bois-du-Fays, France, October 4 - 5, 1918. As a battalion runner, Private Brown repeatedly exposed himself to intense artillery and machine-gun fire, crossing open spaces in view of the enemy to deliver important messages. He aided largely in maintaining liaison and his courage was an inspiration to those near him.
General Orders 71, W.D., 1919
Home Town: Moundsville, WV
Published by the WAR ACTIVITY COMMITTEE,
Marshall County, West Virginia
November 1919; Second Edition; pages 26-31.
Compiled by R. J. Smith.
Submitted by T. Vernon Anderson.
DECORATIONS
In the engagement of Belleau Woods, June, 1918, which history records as the
turning point of the war, several Marshall County boys were on the firing line. Two of
them were decorated for conspicuous bravery.
After the spring drive of 1918, when the Germans almost separated the English and
French armies, nearly reached the Channel ports; and, by June 1st had opened the way to
Paris, the French poilu lost heart. The French divisions, holding the gateway to Paris,
gave way. They were falling back -- retreating before the sweep of the German army.
The spirit of the French soldiers was broken. In a few days the Boches would be shelling
Paris. Already they were packed in the Soissons-Rheims salient. An advance of a few
miles more and Paris was at the mercy of the Hun.
The American Marines were thrown into the fighting on the road to Paris at this
critical period and at the point where the French army had given way. They held the
Germans, gave the French new heart; and, a few weeks later General Foch began the
offensive that meant the end of the war and victory for the Allies.
On June 1st, 1918, just a handful of Marines, measured as numbers were on the
Western front, were near the Paris-Metz road on which the French were retreating before
the advancing Germans in the flush of their spring drive with final success practically
within their grasp. The Marines were resting after being in the trenches. They belonged
to the Second Division and were only 8,000 strong. These Marines were suddenly loaded on
trucks of every description and sent down the road from Paris, passed the retreating
French poilu; and, as they went by the dispirited French they sang:
Neither the Marines nor the poilu, at first, knew the meaning of this movement.
The Marines felt they were going into action. The retreating French sensed something in
the air; and, before the American Marines reached the point of contact with the
advancing Germans, the French began to reform, to stand, to turn about and the fighting
spirit again surged through their ranks.
Of the 8,000 Marines that went into action singing: "We won't be back till its over,
over here," 6,200 were reported in the casualty list -- but they held the Germans.
The 84th Co. of the 6th regiment of the Second Division, was a part of these 8,000
men, and were near the town of Bouresches on June 8th. Each man was sticking to a hole
he had dug in a little rise of the ground as a protection from the sweep of the German
guns.
Munition trucks had held the right of way, on the road from Paris, since June 1st.
Food fransports, even Red Cross ambulances, were "sidetracked" for munition trucks; but,
these munition trucks could not get to the Marines. German shells had blasted up the
roadway.
The 84th Co. of Marines ran out of munitions. The nearest 'dump' was half a mile
away. Most of the distance in the open under sweep of the hail of German gun fire.
Annihilation was before them. It was either, be cut to pieces by German fire in the
holes dug in the hill, or be mowed down in an effort to get munitions. It was a
situation in which no officer gives command.
FELIX HILL
Felix Hill, Right
Sergeant Felix W. Hill chose to try and save the company. He made one trip to
the munition 'dump' a half mile away, returing with Springfield munition and hand
grenades. A second and a third trip was made by Sergeant Hill and his company of 250
men were saved from annihilation.
On June 28th, Sergeant Hill was decorated with the French Croix de Guerr -- the
French War Cross; also by General Pershing with the Distinguished Service Cross of
the American Army -- which few men wear.
Sergeant Hill was among the few hundred, dirty, ragged, battle-scarred
'Leathernecks' that participated in the Fourth of July celebration in Paris; and, who
were hailed amid the wildest demonstration, not only as the saviors of Paris, but as
the men who had given France a new heart, turned the tide of war and shown the world
the mettle of American soldiers. These tatered Marines, with torn uniforms and lank
faces, who had been without food from three to five days, during the first of June,
while munition trucks held the right of way on the Paris-Metz road, and who had
tackled the whole German army, walked in Paris on carpet of roses. They epitomized
the new fighting spirit that had entered the war and which brought it to a close on
November 11th, five months later.
Sergeant Hill was wounded twice at the engagement near Soissons on July 19th.
The 84th Co. advanced through a wheat field against the Germans in the woods on the
opposite side of the field. Of the 250 men in the company only 16 reached their
objective. Sergeant Hill was one of the 234 who did not 'get there.' A shell struck
in front of him, killing three nearby. A fragment struck him in the left shoulder,
turned him a couple of flip-flops, and when he sprang to his feet a German machinebullet went tearing through his left arm, and he took the count.
Sergeant Felix W. Hill volunteered in August, 1915. He was the first West
Virginia soldier to receive the American Distinguished Service Cross. He is a son
of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas W. Hill, Hickory avenue, Moundsville. Thomas W. Hill is a Civil War veteran.
The other Marshall county boy to be decorated for bravery in the action which
proved to be the turning point of the war, was Raymond White, son of Thomas White,
an employee in the Moundsville Postoffice.
Private Raymond White was a member of the battalion of Marines, each of whom
were decorated with the French Croix de Guerr. He was later given the French
Bouraches, a regimental citation, signifying that his unit had been in action at
least five times.
Private Raymond White was in action on six different fronts, and on five of
these fronts he had the distinction of being used among shock troops.
From Chateau Thierry the Fifth Marines were hurried to Soissons, where they
were used by General Foch in launching the great offensive of July 18th, which
wiped out the Soissons-Rheims salient and kept the Germans on the run until they
finally appealed for the armistice. In this Soissons action the regiment followed
British tanks over the top and did terrible execution among the Germans, at the
same time losing heavily themselves.
With the Rheims-Soissons salient reduced the boys were sent to St. Mihiel,
where in September they helped to wipe out German positions which had withstood
French and British assaults for four years. This work was accomplished so easily
as to be called a military miracle by our allies.
From St. Mihiel until the close of the war the Marines were constantly in
action. They jumped next to the Champagne district where they helped the French,
and from there back to the Argonne-Forest drive which opened in October, and were
engaged on this front when the armistice was signed.
White was gassed three times but was not seriously injured. On November 5th,
he took sick and was ordered to the hospital by his company commander. In December
he was invalidated home with a shipload of wounded, arriving at Newport News on
December 29th, 1918.