produces the world’s most exclusive meat using a process called hibernation
It allows the meat to be stored and cured for up to 15 years with no loss of quality
Alexandre Polmard is a sixth-generation farmer
and butcher in a family that has been producing beef cuts since 1846
the business rose to prominence in the 1990s
after Alexandre’s grandfather and father invented a new and revolutionary meat treatment they dubbed ‘hibernation’
Cold air is blown at speeds of up to 120 kilometers per hour over the meat in a -43 C environment at the farm’s state-of-the-art laboratory in Saint Mihiel and this allows the meat to be cured for over a decade
with one kilogram of 15-year-old hibernated rib steak selling for an eye-watering $3,200
“I use a very special aging process and I am the first butcher in the world to do it,” Alexandre Polmard told TIME Magazine
“I won’t say my beef is the best in the world because every meat is different
To create the world’s most exclusive meat
Polmard begins with Blonde d’Aquitaine cattle which are raised free-range on the Polmard family’s farm to minimize stress
Then comes the hibernation process which allows the meat to mature over much longer periods than usual
Dry-aged beef is typically matured for a few weeks
while the Polmard hibernation makes it possible to mature it for 15 years
Polmard’s hibernated meat is the stuff of legends among restauranteurs
few of which can actually say they serve the world’s most coveted steaks in their establishments
customers have to put their names down months in advance to reserve Polmard beef cuts
but Alexandre only entrusts his vintage meat to a handful of trusted restaurants around the world
He even pays them a visit beforehand to make sure they understand the subtleties of hibernated meat
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opening a new western front against the Germans that led to the liberation of France
But June 1944 was not the only time the term 'D-Day' had been used to specify the day of a major attack. D-Day also signified the opening day of every amphibious assault of World War II
In fact, the earliest known use of the term dates back to World War One. The U.S. Army Center of Military History identifies this distinct origin: "In Field Order Number 9
1918: 'The First Army will attack at H hour on D day with the object of forcing the evacuation of the St
designating the day when an operation is to begin in cases where that date hasn't yet been determined or is kept secret
according to the Center of Military History
The American IV and I Corps attacked from the south in conjunction with the American V Corps from the west in order to close the salient in a pincer movement at the town of Vigneulles
while French troops attacked the tip of the salient
About fifty thousand (50,000) casualties was the percentage normally to be expected and hospitalization was prepared accordingly
if we suffered that many casualties during the brief period involved
would have seized upon the criticism of any Allied official as a basis for condemning our own Commander in Chief
Marshall suggested to General Pershing that they precede their attack with an 18-hour artillery bombardment
aimed at the Germans' barbed wire defenses
Although long bombardments sometimes lasting days were the norm in World War One
Pershing decided to limit the bombardment in this instance to just four hours
in order to retain the element of surprise. The attack began at 5 a.m
most American troops attacking the salient's southern boundary were a day ahead of their scheduled objective
"The German resistance on this part of the front was disorganized by the rapidity of our advance and was soon overcome," Pershing wrote
the Americans had entered Vigneulles from both the southern and western directions
"The salient was closed and our troops were masters of the field," Pershing declared in his account of that moment
The successful offensive resulted in 7,000 casualties on the Allied side
The Americans captured 16,000 prisoners and 450 enemy guns
By Carl Collen2024-08-29T08:18:00+01:00
The Bonduelle Group has announced plans to sell its packaged salad businesses in France and Germany
it noted that it had seen a ”structural decline in salad consumption in France and Germany” over the past ten years
This had been exacerbated by inflation and increased competition from private labels
leading to ”a steady decline in the results of the fresh packaged salad business” in the two countries
Bonduelle outlined to the company’s employees and their representatives several projects designed to protect the company’s long-term future
These included the resizing of Bonduelle Frais France
with a plan to streamline head office structures and cease operations at the Saint Mihiel site
with a search for a buyer; exclusive negotiations with Les Crudettes
for the acquisition of its packaged salad business in France; and exclusive negotiations with Taylor Farms for the acquisition of its packaged salad business in Germany
”These projects are necessary to preserve jobs within the Bonduelle Group’s sites in France and Europe,” it explained
”They will shift focus to Bonduelle’s other business operations to enable the group to continue accelerating its activities in the fresh delicatessen
canned and frozen food markets in these territories.”
Its North American and Italian fresh businesses were not impacted by the projects
operating under different market dynamics and continuing to manage and develop activities in both fresh-cut salad and delicatessen categories
Bonduelle said it was confident in the ability of the LSDH Group and Taylor Farms to turn around the business in their respective geographies
the group confirmed that it was currently reviewing the value of its salad business assets in North America
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Erik Sass is covering the events of the war exactly 100 years after they happened. This is the 318th installment in the series. Read an overview of the war to date here and buy Erik’s new WWI trivia book here
“Something is going to happen,” wrote Katharine Morse
an American volunteering as a canteen worker
“We have been used to seeing the French Army go by … But now
it is the Americans who are passing through… Coming home from the canteen in the evening one hears the heavy rattle that means artillery on the move
and standing by the road-side peering through the darkness one can just discern horses and caissons
First Army launched its biggest American offensive of the war so far
a pincer movement coordinated with French forces to liberate the St
Mihiel salient—the triangular strip of German-occupied territory jutting into free France south of Verdun
Allied commander-in-chief Ferdinand Foch and U.S
commander John “Black Jack” Pershing turned their attention to the St
although there was some disagreement about strategy
Pershing proposed a massive offensive by up to 20 U.S
followed by an immediate attack across the Franco-German frontier to capture Metz
which would deliver a major blow to German morale
Foch countered that this was too ambitious
in part because the Germans almost certainly knew the attack was coming while many U.S
with 13 American divisions and eight French colonial divisions converging on the village of Vigneulles from north and south
forces under French commanders for a general offensive further west
Determined to keep American troops under American commanders
Pershing refused Foch’s broader plan outright
even more ambitious than those previously discussed
After conquering the salient with Foch’s proposed limited operation
First Army would stay together and immediately redeploy 60 miles northwest to launch a new offensive against the Germans in the Meuse-Argonne region
Second Army would concentrate along the frontier for an eventual attack on Metz
Although loose lips among inexperienced doughboys had already given away the coming attack
the Americans still did their best to at least keep the enemy guessing about precisely when and where it would fall
That meant another round of night marches to evade German aerial reconnaissance
typically made by exhausted doughboys in miserable conditions
“The rain was pouring and everyone got drenched
Carried ammunition all night of 10th and 11th until everyone was broken down
Raining and black as pitch each night,” Robert Hanes
“No rations for men or feed for horses was sent up with us so we had to live on what we could pick up for about two days.”
the American soldiers carried a backbreaking amount of equipment
described a doughboy’s typical shelter and kit
In another vain attempt to maintain the element of surprise
the Americans also replicated the recent Allied practice of foregoing a prolonged preliminary bombardment
incredibly intense barrage just before the infantry went “over the top.” At 1 a.m
around 3000 artillery pieces (most of them on loan from the French) opened up with some of the fiercest shelling of the war
firing a stupendous 1.1 million shells by 5 a.m
for an average rate of around 76 shells per second
One awestruck American soldier noted in his diary:
left a similar account of stunning contrasts:
the majority of the German forces occupying the St
who had plenty of warning about the impending attack
managed to withdraw just as the offensive was launched—in many cases retreating within view of the advancing doughboys
Altogether the advancing Americans captured around 13,000 German prisoners
a middling number for a major First World War battle
Mihiel offensive counted as an American victory
but one that fell short of Allied expectations (below
Although only a few hundred French light tanks were available for the St
the advancing infantry were supported by the largest concentration of air power ever assembled to date
At least 1500 Allied planes scoured the skies
and harried German lines of supply and communication to the rear
the most successful American ace of the war
described carrying out a ground attack against the retreating Germans:
Mihiel offensive was a relatively easy “walkover” by the blood-soaked standards of the First World War
it was some American soldiers’ first introduction to battle
and many were clearly horrified by the gruesome sights they encountered
One soldier described the carnage wrought by German defensive shelling of the advancing troops:
Others however found themselves becoming hardened to horrors of war
Lieutenant Phelps Harding noted his acclimation to gruesome sights in a letter to his wife recounting the advance
but many more Boche than Americans,” he wrote
“I was surprised at the indifference I felt toward dead Americans—they seemed a perfectly natural thing to come across
and I felt absolutely no shudder go down my back as I would have had I seen the same thing a year ago.”
Conditions continued to be extremely challenging
as the supply service struggled to keep up with the advancing troops and American troops scrambled to redeploy to the Meuse-Argonne front for the next planned offensive
On September 22 Hanes recorded an excruciatingly slow advance
“The distance was only about seven kilometers but we were on the road about seven hours making it on account of the terrific traffic jams
The rain poured all night and the wind blew a gale
This is the most horrible night I have ever had,” he wrote
Mihiel was another nail in the coffin of German morale
Although the occupying troops had withdrawn successfully under fire
there was no way for the German high command to cover up the plain fact of another retreat before superior enemy forces
both German officers and rank-and-file troops were now eager to be taken prisoner for the short remaining duration of the war
Some likely reasoned that there was no point in sacrificing their lives for a lost cause
“the prisoners as they came back seemed to be very well satisfied
and seemed to be most pleased that they had been captured.”
may have been describing the same surrendering officer recounted by Hanes: “One German major was found with his kit all packed up
he made no effort to escape.” And a German intelligence report from September 1918 noted an informant’s warning
based on conversations with ordinary soldiers
that there was no doubt “these men wanted to find out about the best way to get taken prisoner without any risk and attracting attention
and how to act as a prisoner in order to be treated well.”
The first phase of the misnamed Spanish flu, which emerged in spring 1918
had been extremely virulent but relatively benign
The epidemic killed only a small proportion of those who became ill
far deadlier phase began with simultaneous outbreaks among troops in transit camps in Boston
Sierra Leone—all within a few weeks in early and mid-September
The first report in Boston noted high mortality among wounded soldiers arriving back from Europe for medical treatment in the U.S
It’s unclear what caused the flu epidemic to suddenly become so deadly
but scientists speculate the virus may have undergone a “genetic recombination event,” in which two different strains of the virus infect the same cell and then swap DNA
creating a strain that is even more virulent and dangerous
the flu may have killed as many as 100 million people around the world
While it ravaged combatant and noncombatant nations alike
Contemporary accounts leave a frightening picture of rapid
widespread infection leaving whole communities powerless
an American liaison officer with the French Army
remarked on the incredible speed of the epidemic
it hit the camp all in a heap after dinner,” she recalled
and myself were all laid low between one and six o’clock.” Richard Wade Derby
noted that the flu accounted for the vast majority of hospital admissions: “The evacuations mounted to four or five hundred a day
of which only a fifth were battle casualties.”
The flu was especially devastating for Germany
now at the limits of its manpower and suffering severe shortages of food and fuel
an Englishwoman married to a German aristocrat living in Berlin
the flu epidemic swept through the countryside
Blücher heard the following horrifying detail
reminiscent of medieval Europe’s Black Death:
See the previous installment, or all entries, or read an overview of the war
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The first phase of the misnamed Spanish flu, which emerged in spring 1918
See the previous installment, or all entries, or read an overview of the war
Tuesday, Apr 1, 2025Lt. Harold E Goettler (L) and Lt. Erwin R. Bleckley. (U.S. Air Force)By the time the First Army of the American Expeditionary Forces launched its first major offensive at St. Mihiel on Sept
the world had been at war for nearly four years
set his sights on an even more ambitious advance: The Argonne Forest
that the American “Doughboys” encountered their first serious opposition — the German Fifth Army
During the grueling six-week campaign that ensued, the AEF was provided a degree of innovative air support that included the Army’s first home-manufactured airplane — albeit a license-built British design, the De Havilland DH-4
Reaching the front were only 198 of the aircraft
which had to be supplemented in American squadrons by French-built Salmson 2A2s
Only four airmen were awarded the Medal of Honor during the First World War, with two aviators, 1st Lt. Harold E. Goettler and 2nd Lt. Erwin R. Bleckley
earning the honor during one of the most dramatic battles fought within the Argonne Campaign: that involving the “Lost Battalion.”
Harold Ernest Goettler was born in Chicago
he joined the Signal Enlisted Reserve Corps in July
but transferred in October to the USAS for flight training at the School of Military Aeronautics at the University of Illinois
He graduated in January 1918 and in February he received his second lieutenant’s commission
After further training in the 28th Aero Squadron
he transferred in August to the 50th Aero Squadron
Erwin Russell Bleckley was born in Wichita
and was working as a teller in the Fourth National Bank of Wichita when war broke out
Kansas National Guard and obtained his second lieutenant’s commission on July 5
This unit was activated and redesignated the 130th Field Artillery at Fort Sill
Oklahoma and attached to the 35th Division
Having transferred to the 50th Aero Squadron on Aug
Bleckley began flying missions as an observer pilot with Lt
It did not take long for the pair to be listed among the squadron’s most dedicated and reliable duos
The Argonne offensive encountered difficulties from the start
found themselves cut off by a ravine alongside the Charlevaux road
That mixed component of troops, under the overall command of Maj. Charles W. Whittlesey
became known as the “Lost Battalion,” despite the 77th not exactly being a battalion nor particularly lost
Surrounded by elements of the German 76th Reserve Division
the Doughboys were pinned down by adversaries they actually outnumbered
but who were intimately familiar with the terrain
with machine guns that turned every inch of the ravine into a killing zone
two attempts by the 77th Division to break through to the trapped men were repulsed
out of communication with the AEF and were soon suffering from dwindling ammunition
The following day, Capt. Daniel P. Morse
got a telephone request from the 77th Division to airdrop supplies to Whittlesey’s command
food and medical supplies were rushed to the aerodrome wrapped in blankets
rags and cardboard in an attempt to prevent items from breaking when they hit the ground
a DH-4 tried unsuccessfully to pinpoint the Americans’ location
but as they flew over the ravine they spotted khaki-dressed soldiers waving from their dugouts
George hastily threw out the supply bundles
while Pickrell marked the location on his map
as a French division tried to link up with the “Lost Battalion,” only to be pushed back by German counterattacks
Morse ran an aerial shuttle service in an attempt to supply the besieged troops
Whittlesey’s men had laid out white panels for the aircraft
but he ordered them taken in because they drew enemy fire
trying to trick the Americans into dropping the supplies to them — which happened all too often
as packages fell outside of the 1,800-square-yard area in which the “Lost Battalion” was pinned down
enemy ground fire intensified with each sortie
Two DH-4s were downed behind German lines on Oct
managed to make their way back to the Allied side
With time for one more sortie before darkness fell
dropping several bundles into the Americans’ approximate area
As Goettler came back around at almost treetop height to drop his last few parcels
he and Bleckley were both struck by ground fire
but he managed to reach Allied lines before crashing
French soldiers found Goettler dead in the cockpit
but not before he passed on information to give the Allied artillery more accurate coordinates on the American and German locations
a reinforced 77th Division finally drove the Germans back and re-established contact with the “Lost Battalion” that evening
In the first such operation to be performed by the AEF
the 50th Aero Squadron had airdropped more than 1,200 pounds of supplies in 18 hours
only a fraction of that reached its intended recipients
and the effort cost the squadron two men killed and one wounded
The two airmen who sacrificed their lives in support of their comrades on the ground
were both posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor
with the both aviators’ citations reading that the men “showed the highest possible contempt of personal danger
The United States Army and Marine Corps began arriving in France in 1917 following the nation's declaration of war against Germany in April of the same year
The army formed the largest body of troops and consisted of three different organizations: eight Regular Army divisions
seventeen National Guard divisions and eighteen National Army divisions
formed by men drafted for national service
Most of 1917 was spent training the troops in the US
further training by our French and British allies and then taking over sections of the allied trench line as the units became ready for front line service
The timeline below lists the major operations that the Americans participated in
It begins in late 1917 and early 1918 with small supportive roles to the British Army
as the number of American units increased and were ready for combat
they fought with the French Army in defensive battles that ended the series of German attacks begun in March 1918 that were intended to defeat the allies.American participation in the Champagne-Marne Operation
is an example and is significant because it stopped the final German attack
put them on the defensive and marks the first allied attack that began the campaign that forced the them out of France and Flanders and for them to ask for an armistice in November 1918
American troops continued to serve with British and French armies up until the end of the war as shown in the list of operations
as the US Army grew in size and experience it began to undertake its own major offensives such as the September 12-16
Mihiel Operation and the September 26-November 11
1918 Meuse-Argonne Offensive. Each of these and the months of manning sections of the allied defensive line produced the casualties that Base Hospital 28 and other American Medical Department units were created to treat
where data is available the numbers of casualties resulting from these specific periods of intense fighting are provided
Nurse bathing the eyes of a gassed patient
these statistics do not convey the entire picture of what the Medical Department faced in terms of the numbers of men they would treat
Mihiel Operation resulted in 8,600 casualties
but in this sector between January 8-September 11 and September 17-November 11
1918 there were 18,695 casualties in addition to the 8,600
By the end of the war the American Army suffered 52
1917-The Battle of Cambrai: three regiments of US Army engineers are attached to support the British 3rd Army's attack at Cambrai
1918-The Somme Defense: three regiments of US Army engineers and four aero squadrons are attached to support the British 5th Army's defense against the German Army's ‘Michael Offensive' in northern France
1918-The Lys Operation: three regiments of US Army engineers and one pursuit squadron are attached to support the British Army's defense against the German's ‘Georgette Offensive' in Flanders
1918-The Aisne Defensive Operation: the American 2nd Infantry Division
4th Marine Brigade and smaller units were attached to the French Army for the defense against the German Army's 'Blucher-Yorck Offensive'.May 28-31
1918-The Battle of Cantigny: the American 1st Infantry Division contributes to the French counter-attack resulting in the capture of Cantigny
1918-The Battle of Chateau-Thierry: the American 2nd Infantry Division and 2nd field Artillery Brigade support the French counter-attack that captures Chateau-Thierry
1918-The Battle of Belleau Wood: the American 7th Infantry Regiment
4th Marine Brigade and the engineers of the 2nd and 3rd Infantry Divisions support the French Army by their successful capture and defense of Belleau Wood
1918-The Battle of Montdidier-Noyon: the American 1st Infantry Division contributes to the French counter-attack by their capture of Montdidier-Noyon.June 26-July 3
1918-The Battle of Vaux: the American 2nd Infantry Division support the French counter-attack with the capture of Vaux
1918-The Champagne-Marne Operation: the American 26th
28th and 42nd Infantry Divisions and the 369th Infantry Regiment with the French 6th
5th and 4th Armies successfully defend against the German 'Friedenstrum Offensive' and launch a counter-attack on July 18th
1918-The Aisne-Marne Operation: the American 1st
42nd and 32nd Infantry Divisions are organized into the American I and III Corps that participate with the French 10th
9th and 5th armies in the Franco-American offensive that marks the beginning of the German Army's retreat from France
1918-The Oisne-Aisne Operation: the American III Corps Headquarters
77th Infantry Divisions and the 370th Infantry Regiment are attached to the French 10th
6th and 5th armies and contribute to the French counter-attacks over four months that cause the Germans to retreat and to ask for an armistice
American wounded arrive at a Field Hospital
1918-The Ypres-Lys Operation: the American 27th
37th and 91st Infantry Divisions are attached to the Belgian
French 6th and British 2nd armies in support of the allied offensives in Flanders that forced the retirement of the German Army from Flanders
1918-The Vittorio Veneto: the American 332nd Infantry Regiment
331st Field Hospital and a motor truck train are attached to the British 31st Division in support of the allied counter-attack against the Austro-Hungarian Army in northern Italy
1918-The Somme Offensive: the American 27th
78th and 80th Infantry Divisions are organized as the American II Corps and fought with the British 4th Army in eight engagements in Belgium and in northern France at the Battles of Bellicourt
Mihiel Operation: the American First Army that consisted of the American I
IV and V Corps with the support of the French II Colonial Corps successfully reduced the St Mihiel salient by attacking and forcing the German Army to retreat from the Salient
Men of the 35th Division feeding a wounded German
1918-The Meuse-Argonne Offensive: the American First Army that consisted of the American I
IV and V Corps with the support of the French Fourth Army launches its largest operation that led to the retreat of the German Army and their asking for an armistice ending American operations and the war
American Armies and Battlefields in Europe
Center of Military History United States Army (Washington
The War to End All Wars The American Military Experience in World War I (Madison
Photographic images: National World War I Museum at Liberty Memorial
United States Army In The World War 1917-1919
Military Operations of the American Expeditionary Forces
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Never in Finer Company: The Men of the Great War’s Lost Battalion
In Never in Finer Company
Edward Lengel seeks to tell the story of the Lost Battalion (the 308th Infantry Regiment of the 77th Division) and
explain the wider narrative of America’s brief involvement in World War I
industry and banking began supporting the British and French in that year
the country did not officially join the fight against Germany until 1917
it took an additional fourteen months before there were enough American troops to make a difference
The American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) led two major campaigns in the final third of 1918: the St
Mihiel and the Meuse-Argonne. The 308th was a draftee regiment
due to a lack of experience on the part of both the regimental and divisional commanders
the 308th found itself surrounded by the Germans
The soldiers’ ability to hold out for six days behind enemy lines earned them the name “Lost Battalion” and was seen by many as an example of the American spirit
Lengel focuses on four individuals to tell this story
The first person to appear in the narrative is the war hero Sgt
A conscientious objector from rural Tennessee
York won fame by capturing 132 German soldiers in a single event
The next two individuals are Major George McMurtry
who was originally a member of Theodore Roosevelt’s Rough Riders
McMurtry’s commander in the 308th and the man who led the Lost Battalion during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive
While both men were successful businessmen from New York
Their friendship and ability to work as a team proved critical when the 308th was surrounded
Lengel picks the unlikely character of a hard-living New York sports reporter
Runyon sought to focus the country’s attention on the average soldier instead of the generals
From the opening words of Never in Finer Company
Edward Lengel sows confusion in the reader’s mind
The text’s title directly references the men of the 77th Division’s “Lost Battalion,” but the book opens with the familiar story of Alvin York of the 82nd “All American” Division
where the celebration of the Lost Battalion’s refusal to surrender against overwhelming odds was quickly overshadowed by York’s single-handed feat of valor that saved his unit and led eventually to a major motion picture starring Gary Cooper
Dr. Lengel is an expert on the American Expeditionary Force and the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. His 2008 text, To Conquer Hell
and many of the scenes in Never in Finer Company can be found in a more abbreviated form in his earlier work
Lengel is at his best when developing the narrative of a battle
Both Whittlesey’s successful refusal to surrender and York’s attack illustrate the author’s ability to put the reader in the moment of conflict
Lengel is also a scholar who focuses on details
and he appears to have been inspired by Runyon’s desire to tell an honest story of extraordinary soldiers
he also seeks to share equally what he has learned in his exhaustive research about all the individuals he has studied—from privates to generals
rather than creating a linear narrative that moves chronologically
Lengel goes on for several pages discussing Private Krotoshinsky’s attempt to evade capture on October 8th only to end abruptly
The reader is then forced to wait seven pages through four other narrative threads before learning whether Krotoshinsky succeeded. At other times
Lengel chooses to cover the same event in more than one place in his text
he first discusses the victory parade New York City hosted for the 77th Division beginning on page 268 and then returns to discuss it again from a slightly different perspective on page 281
The recurring challenge of Never in Finer Company is to make a connection among the stories of Whittlesey
Both divisions fought in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive of late 1918
but so did most of the Allied Expeditionary Force
the author argues somewhat successfully that it was the pressure of the 82nd on the German line that allowed American troops to rescue members of the 308th Infantry Regiment trapped behind enemy lines
he is forced to admit York had direct contact with 308th only once
at the dedication of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Armistice Day 1921
when he sat near Charles Whittlesey and George McMurtry
he quickly assumes the role of a supporting character
like Lengel and anyone who did not actually fight in World War I
In the end, Never in Finer Company is an interesting read, but it is not recommended for the lay reader for which it is intended. A novice in World War I and the American role in the conflict would be better served acquiring Lengel’s earlier work. Likewise, this text does not fulfill the expectation of its title, and Robert Laplander’s Finding the Lost Battalion is a more useful source
Lengel is exploring his other historical passion
the late Colonial/Early National period of American History
but it is hoped that he will return again to tackle another topic dealing with World War I
Potter is an Instructor in Warfare Studies with the United States Air Force’s Air University and the Curator for the 116th Regiment Foundation
The views expressed are the author’s and do not represent the official position of the U.S
Have a response or an idea for your own article
Please help spread the word to new readers by sharing it on social media
Header Image: Still image from the 2001 film “The Lost Battalion” (IMDB)
The Making of a Leader: The Formative Years of George C
When reflecting on the achievements of the U.S
it is common to focus solely on the achievements themselves or the way the leaders led after they reached the rank of general officer
While examining the character and leadership qualities of these senior Army leaders is valuable for today’s practitioners
it is even more beneficial to study the experiences
individuals and events that molded them into the leaders they became
In Josiah Bunting III’s The Making of a Leader: The Formative Years of George C
George Marshall’s career before his tenure as Army chief of staff during World War II
events and experiences that contributed to Marshall’s distinction in both military skill and leadership of ordinary people
The book traces Marshall’s journey from his time at Virginia Military Institute
through his early years as a junior officer in the Philippines
his service on staff during World War I and his leadership roles with civilians across the country
One of the strengths of this book is that Bunting explicitly states the benefits Marshall gained through his relationships with his mentors and his assignments
one of the many lessons Marshall gained from his interactions with Gen
commander of the American Expeditionary Forces during World War I
was his ability to accept honest feedback from subordinates
“[Marshall] always singled out Pershing’s willingness to entertain vigorous and forthright criticism
provided it was (however vigorous in expression) disinterested; he never allowed it to prejudice him against the soldier who had spoken out.”
The role of timing and luck is another key theme in this biography
Marshall earned a place at the Infantry and Cavalry School at Fort Leavenworth
the chief of staff of the Army issued guidance that no one under the rank of captain would be accepted
and he began to build his reputation at the school
learned planning on the same maps he would use during World War I and stayed on to cut his teeth as an instructor
The Making of a Leader is an excellent book for junior officers in today’s Army who may not appreciate the importance of staff time or feel discouraged about their career prospects due to not receiving certain assignments or jobs
Marshall’s career paints a different picture
It demonstrates that even the least desirable assignments can offer valuable lessons that will benefit those who are tasked with preparing the Army for future conflicts
Joe Byerly is an armor officer and commander of the 4th Squadron
He is the founder of the website From the Green Notebook and host of the From the Green Notebook podcast
The Battle of Bong Son: Operation Masher/White Wing 1966
It was the largest offensive operation of the Vietnam War to date
taking place just two months after the famous air cavalry action in the Ia Drang Valley
In The Battle of Bong Son: Operation Masher/White Wing 1966
author Kenneth White provides a detailed narrative of the operation and its outcomes
having served 18 months in Vietnam as an infantryman in the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile)’s long-range reconnaissance patrol unit
While the author’s experience gives him a unique perspective on the operation
Drawing on extensive research from first-person accounts and official records
White provides an objective and comprehensive study of the operation and all its complexities
Binh Dinh Province and the Bong Son Plain in the central lowlands along the coast of South Vietnam were communist strongholds in 1966
launched Operation Masher/White Wing to force the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong to abandon their formerly “secure” base areas
thus laying the groundwork for the restoration of Saigon’s control of the population in the rich coastal plain
the operation would employ ground and air assaults
utilizing the firepower and mobility of U.S
After initial preparation and deception actions
Harold “Hal” Moore led a series of airmobile hammer-and-anvil operations against the North Vietnamese Army’s Sao Vang (“Yellow Star”) Division
and South Vietnamese troops were inserted into landing zones around the plain to flush the communists toward strong blocking positions established by the Marines in the northern end of An Lao Valley and the Army of the Republic of Vietnam in the southern end
White notes that the operation was considered a success
resulting in enemy losses of more than 3,000 killed in action
the outcome of the operation proved that a heliborne force like the 1st Cavalry Division had the unique capability to conduct sustained operations against the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong across a wide area of operations
White points out that any success was fleeting
North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops returned to Bong Son and reestablished strong positions in the area
Operation Masher/White Wing proved to be only the beginning of a long and bloody contest for control of Binh Dinh Province
Operation Masher/White Wing set the pattern for many operations that followed
in which allied forces prevailed against enemy forces
only to depart the area once the operation was completed and allowing the enemy to reoccupy the areas just cleared
Therein lay the difficulty with prosecuting clearing operations with no intent to hold those same areas
a problem not unlike that which confronted coalition forces in Iraq and Afghanistan
The Battle of Bong Son is an excellent account of an important operation that had an impact on how the war was fought by U.S
account of the fighting is well constructed and easy to follow
This book is strongly recommended for readers who want a better appreciation of U.S
is professor emeritus of military history at the U.S
He holds a doctorate in history from the University of Kansas and is the author or editor of 20 books
including Abandoning Vietnam: How America Left and South Vietnam Lost Its War and A Raid Too Far: Operation Lam Son 719 and Vietnamization in Laos
Approach to Final Victory: America’s Rainbow Division in the Saint Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne Offensives
It has been more than a century since the end of World War I and the Armistice of Nov
was a decisive factor in the victory of the Allies over the Central Powers
In Approach to Final Victory: America’s Rainbow Division in the Saint Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne Offensives
historian Robert Thompson offers the tale of one unit in the Great War: the famed 42nd Division of America’s Army National Guard and its 164 days in combat that so valiantly contributed to victory
The division’s diverse population of soldiers from 26 states and Washington
gave rise to its nickname the “Rainbow Division” due to a remark by then-Maj
Douglas MacArthur that was picked up by American news media
A division consisting of men from across the nation was a calculated decision by Secretary of War Newton Baker
who wanted a division emblematic of the country to ensure that no single state would bear the total cost of war
Thompson writes that although the performance of the 42nd during the war eventually received deservedly laudatory comments from Allies and the Germans
the initial assessments by American leadership were quite the opposite
Only a minority of the Army General Staff (including MacArthur) had the farsightedness to see that the National Guard would be critical to the war’s promulgation
doubts continued to be held about the division’s effectiveness due to a lack of combat experience
which generated a perception that its troops could only be used as replacements for Regular Army units
Thompson’s extensive research—gleaned from after-action reports
oral accounts and official histories of the division and its regiments—and his passion for accuracy provide an exacting tale of the division’s battles in the St
measured at times in literal feet and yards gained by the division’s combat and supporting units
detailed down to the company and platoon levels
had me referring frequently to the maps accompanying the narrative of the action to get the full picture of the author’s efforts
Thompson also is at times brutally frank in his assessment of Allied and American leadership and staff
coupled with inexperience and a new way of waging war
plus horrific weather and stiff enemy resistance
the Rainbow Division ended up leading in the Saint Mihiel Offensive and making a major contribution in the Meuse-Argonne Campaign
Approach to Final Victory is a compelling story of a great American unit of citizen-soldiers
It will be a welcome addition to any library collection on the Great War
is a civilian strategic planner on the staff of the Office of the Chief of Army Reserve
He retired in 2010 after 33 years of service in the active Army and the U.S
which included military police and armor assignments in the U.S.
Chop that Sh*t Up!: Leadership and Life Lessons Learned While in the Military
It is a no-holds-barred look at life in the post-Cold War U.S
Pinion’s adventure began in the fall of 1990 at Fort Knox
where he received his Initial Entry Training
he received the MOS of cavalry scout and became a member of the New Jersey National Guard
He soon discovered that the military was something he enjoyed
It fit his personality and his strong sense of patriotism
The next fateful step was to return to the recruiting station and begin the process of moving from the National Guard to active duty
He spent the next 28 years and four months of his life as an active-duty soldier
Every chapter in the book is a vignette from Pinion’s life as he progresses from young soldier to combat-tested senior leader
His self-esteem comes through loud and clear
as does his ability to admit when he has made a mistake
His missteps are shared with his teammates as lessons learned during leader development sessions
Pinion served multiple combat deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan
His tours included working with special mission units conducting bold and dangerous missions
He proved to be a remarkable leader who led from the front and ensured that his soldiers were well prepared for every mission
His outstanding leadership did not go unnoticed
He received awards and was promoted and given leadership positions of increasing responsibility
As the months of deployments became years of combat
he began to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder
the sleepless nights and the loss of friends and teammates slowly took their toll
Pinion received the help he needed before it was too late
He was able to advance to the highest rank an NCO can attain: command sergeant major
many soldiers and veterans aren’t as fortunate
and this book just may be in response to his therapist once recommending that he “write it down.” Many
and are fated to suffer from invisible wounds in silence
They live with depression and recurrent nightmares because of their selfless service to the nation
We collectively and individually need to ensure that help is provided
inside glimpse at the Army in peace and war
as well as an intimate look at the Army’s not-so-secret weapon: the NCO corps
The lessons learned by the author during his time in uniform are important and will stand the test of time
Special Forces and Ranger units during his 32 years of active military service
He is the former director of the Association of the U.S
Army’s NCO and Soldier Programs and is an AUSA senior fellow
The AUSA Book Program offers quality books about Army heritage
One of its goals is to foster an understanding of the emerging security environment
This program permits AUSA members to purchase these titles at a discounted rate
Visit AUSA Books Program
Phone: 703-841-4300
Member Services: 1-855-246-6269
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Email: membersupport@ausa.org
© 2025 Association of the United States Army
WWI, Museum, History, U.S. Army
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Jack Beresford is a Newsweek Senior Internet Culture & Trends Reporter
His focus is reporting on trending topics on the Internet
he covers viral stories from around the world on social media
Jack joined Newsweek in 2021 and previously worked at The Irish Post
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either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter
or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources
Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content
A Mother's Day letter written 104 years ago by an American soldier stationed in France during World War I has finally reached his family
Chester Carl Lowe wrote the note to his mother in Seattle from the city of Nantes
in large part due to the 1918 influenza pandemic
Lowe's letter was discovered on eBay by a researcher from the genealogy website MyHeritage
set about trying to piece together what happened to Lowe and whether he had any family members who might want the Mother's Day greeting
It's not clear whether Lowe took part in any major battles during the war
Researchers were able to deduce that he was part of the 4th Infantry Division
which was engaged in a number of major battles
the Meuse-Argonne Offensive and the Meuse-Argonne Offensive (Phase II)
Using military records, the researchers were able to find Lowe's draft record. They had a name and would soon have the beginnings of a family tree. Through their investigations, they were able to ascertain that Lowe returned home to the U.S. in 1920 and picked up work as a mining engineer
his life was cut short in 1928 when he died of tuberculosis
leaving behind his wife and 6-year-old daughter
contributing to the family that exists today
Constance's daughter Jan, Lowe's granddaughter, lives in Oregon and was finally handed the letter meant for Lowe's mother
Tomorrow is Mother's Day but I know I won't have an opportunity to write then so will write today
I got an over Sunday pass and am leaving this afternoon for Le Mans to spend Sunday with Clayton
His regiment is released for embarkation the 15th and this will probably be the last opportunity I will have to see him until both of us are home
I will have been in the army for two years
But sometime this summer I will be out of it
Would gladly go again if such a thing is ever necessary
Have had an opportunity to compare our own country with several of the others
How I would like to step in and surprise you tomorrow
Not an hour of the day goes by but what I think of you
and thoughts of you and the much good advice you have always given me has always been a bright star for me to follow
And I shall always have those little visions and nothing in the world can dim the bright guiding light that it is to me
This is not the type of letter that I would ordinarily write but in each one the same thoughts are ever between the lines
in a Mother's Day letter I think such thoughts should be expressed in words
(Hope they are the proper size for her.) The most love ever
and God bless the dearest little mother in the world
A special video filmed by MyHeritage and shared with Newsweek captured Jan's reaction to reading the 104-year-old letter for the first time
"This is just a treasure for me," she said afterward
"To be able to see the handwriting and read the words that my grandfather
I can never fully thank MyHeritage for making this possible."
told Newsweek the letter's delivery was particularly satisfying "because it is a piece of history that has now been put back in its place."
"The moment we found this very personal letter of a soldier writing to his mother on Mother's Day from the battlefield—hoping to return home soon—we felt that we had to do everything to return it to his descendants," Mandel said
He continued: "It is the kind of treasure that may not have material value
but it has sentimental and mostly historical value
which has now been returned to the soldier's granddaughter
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground
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DELRAN - Stephen Kenney and his son Austin are both firefighters with Delran Fire Company No
they didn't have to go far: The pizza shop next to their home was on fire.
Shelly Kenney rushed to get her other three children and the family pets out of the house.
"When I went downstairs to get everyone out the door
the heat hit me in the face," she said.
Firefighters also quickly realized the intensity of the blaze burning in the apartment above Milanese Pizza on Saint Mihiel Drive.
MAPLE SHADE FIRE: Second elderly victim dies following house fire
MARCAL FIRE: Fire breaks out at one of the remaining buildings
"There was heavy fire on the second floor coming from the back right corner," said Delran Fire Company #2 Battalion Chief Kevin Peak.
The 4:35 a.m. call originally came in as "victims trapped," but the two occupants of a second-floor apartment were already out, Peak said.
One of the two people suffered injuries and was taken to Temple University Hospital, while the other person declined treatment, he said.
Firefighters started working from the outside of the structure as flames shot through the windows.
"We made an aggressive attack on the exterior and knocked down the bulk of the fire," Peak said.
But the fire persisted, and crews had to go inside the building. They were working on the second floor and planned to head to the third-floor attic, where the fire was spreading.
"One of my guys said, 'It feels spongy in the middle of the floor,' I said, 'OK, we're not going,' " Peak said.
Shortly after the firefighters got out of the building, flames started coming through the roof, he said. Crews continued to battle the fire from the outside, and brought it under control by 6:30 a.m.
Most of Delran was still sleeping when the sirens screamed down Chester Avenue just after 4:30 a.m. But Danny Marinella, who works unconventional hours as a pro wrestler, was up watching TV.
"I ran and grabbed the scanner, and heard it was right here," Marinella said.
He went outside and shot Facebook Live video of the fire, providing information for concerned neighbors as they learned about the situation.
It was a cold night, and the sweatshirt Marinella had on came in handy.
"I pulled my sweatshirt over my face," he said. "All the smoke was blowing in my face."
The wind wasn't as strong as it had been on Monday, when South Jersey was under a high wind warning with gusts up to 60 mph.
And the direction of the wind actually helped firefighters trying to contain flames at the scene, Peak said.
"The wind became a factor later on in the fire, mostly because it was icy. But it was blowing toward the fire that was already in the corner, so that helped us out."
The second and third floors of the building sustained heat, smoke and water damage. But the first floor of the building, which houses the pizza shop, only suffered water damage, Peak said. The fire on the first floor was contained to a supply closet, he added.
Firefighters used ample amounts of foam on the Milanese Pizza blaze. It's standard operating procedure with heavy fires, Peak explained.
"All of our front-line trucks carry foam. We use it to try to limit the water damage, and also to soak into areas where rekindling is a possibility."
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
The owners of Milanese Pizza could not immediately be reached for comment. Neighbors said they hope the shop is able to reopen.
"They have great pizza," Shelly Kenney said.
Sheri Berkery: @SheriBerkery; 856-486-2673; sberkery@gannettnj.com
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When the US expeditionary force launched its first independent action
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“Visibility: heavy driving wind and rain during parts of day and night
Roads: very muddy,” said the official bulletin
But otherwise the outlook for the assault on a huge triangle of enemy territory called the Saint-Mihiel salient
It wasn’t just that the German forces which had held the land for nearly all of the war had started a retreat the day before
There was also the pent-up energy of the soldiers waiting to go over the top
and about to unfold was the first independent offensive of the First World War by the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) of General John Pershing
Morale was as high as German morale was low
it was a moment that had been a long time coming
The United States had declared war on Germany in April 1917
but the logistics of sending more than a million men over the Atlantic had been daunting
given command of the AEF by President Woodrow Wilson
wanted them properly trained before seeing battle
While American soldiers had joined some actions in the summer of 1918 (notably at Château-Thierry and in the Second Battle of the Marne)
General Pershing had resisted making his “doughboys” available to fill holes in British and French ranks
This was the day America would at last be asked to prove its mettle in its own right
Wire-cutting crews were sent out before dawn to tackle the barbed wire
Pershing’s strategy of isolating the remaining Germans pincer-fashion
liberating villages one by one and retaking territory that for years had blocked train routes east from France
making it the single largest military undertaking in America’s still young history
Roughly a million shells were fired on German positions in the first four hours
As the foot soldiers and tank formations made gradual advances
teams of horses dragged the heavy guns through the mud to take the barrage forward
But while progress over nearly four days of battle was faster than even General Pershing had hoped
who was later elected to Congress (and who would invent the word “gobbledygook” to describe the jargon he encountered there)
contrasted his own fortunes on the battlefield with those of some of his fellow soldiers
It tore out a piece of my shoulder blade and collarbone and knocked me down
before a Medical Corps man was dressing my wounds
and I saw that the two in the middle had been cut down to a pile of horrid red guts and blood and meat
while the two men on the outside had been cut up somewhat less badly
It reminded me of nothing I had ever seen before
except a Christmas hog butchering back on the Texas farm.”
The successful retaking of the Saint-Mihiel wedge would prove a crucial step towards the final Allied advance that would bring the war to a close
As many as 13,000 German soldiers were taken prisoner
Roughly 7,000 Allied soldiers had been killed or wounded
along with 5,000 casualties for the Germans
General Pershing and his men were quickly deployed further south on the Western Front for the Meuse-Argonne offensive (from 26 September to 11 November) – but not before a chance meeting in the midst of the battle for Saint-Mihiel between two young American officers with fast-growing reputations
They were George Patton and Douglas MacArthur
respectively: men whose places in history would not be set until the Second World War
into which the US was also to be belatedly dragged
Accounts of what transpired at that meeting differ
Perhaps more revealing – both about the character of a future military celebrity and about what it felt like to be at Saint-Mihiel – is a letter that Lt-Col Patton sent to his father
Patton stuck only to the subject of combat
“When the shelling first started I had some doubts about the advisability of sticking my head over the parapet
“This is a very egotistical letter but intersting [sic] as it shows that vanity is stronger than fear and that in war as now waged there is little of the element of fear
it is too well organised and too stupendous.”
The '100 Moments' already published can be seen at: independent.co.uk/greatwar
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
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World War I-era music spills from the special exhibit room at the Airborne and Special Operations Museum
The centerpiece of the room is a display featuring an old Victor-Victrola case that once belonged to Sgt
This case once held a Victor-Victrola that played this same music long ago to Soldiers in the trenches
the 82nd Division in World War I” exhibit is a product of the collaborative efforts of the 82nd Airborne Division War Memorial Museum and ASOM
It features several personal items from notable early members of the 82nd Div.
which help tell the stories of individuals who laid the foundations of the 82nd Airborne legacy
curator 82nd Airborne Division War Memorial Museum
hopes that visitors will be able to connect with the personal stories associated with the items on display
“Visitors will be able to understand a little bit of the (Soldier’s) experiences (and) the individual stories
(because) people can relate to those things,” explained Hollis
He was shot and killed by a German sharpshooter on June 9
On display is a map case that was in his possession at the time of his death
The exhibit also boasts items belonging to one of the most famous of 82nd Div
York received the Congressional Medal of Honor for valor for actions during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive in 1918
Immortalized on the silver screen by Gary Cooper
York assumed command of seven men after heavy casualties
They then attacked and incapacitated a German machinegun nest
York and three men went on to capture four German officers and 128 men
Pershing touted York as “the greatest civilian Soldier of the war.”
A gas mask contributed by a private donor tells another personal story
This artifact belonged to Polish immigrant Pfc
Staskiel joined the 28th Division during the Pancho Villa Expedition and accompanied them into the Meuse-Argonne Offensive while attached to the 82nd Div
During fighting in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive
Staskiel suffered exposure to mustard gas and died from gas-related complications in 1920
hopes that people will take away “an appreciation for what these Soldiers did
(as) they really did think they were going off to make the world safe for democracy.”
fighting alongside the Allied Powers in France
distinguished themselves in two decisive battles — the Saint-Mihiel Offensive
the first major battle undertaken solely by the American military
who later died of wounds sustained during the Saint-Mihiel Offensive
also received the Congressional Medal of Honor for setting an example of courage and duty and establishing the highest standard of morale and confidence to all in his charge
6,488 of which were sustained during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive
As demonstrated in the ASOM special exhibit
in WWI is rich despite being relatively unknown and underrepresented
The ASOM exhibit will be open until the end of August
The following is a segment from Paul Gilkes' cover feature in the November Monthly issue of Coin World
dealing with World War I and the many numismatic collectibles that are related to that war.
the Allies reached agreement to adopt a Victory Medal for soldiers serving in their individual armed forces during the war
The Inter-Allied Military Commission on the Victory Medal
developed the design criteria that would result in the American Victory Medal we know today (and the medals for the other nations)
according to Naval History & Heritage Command
The medals would substantially be the same in design
but with some modifications for individual nations
The various Allied nations issued medals with a common reverse but with different artistic treatments of the obverse subject
The Winged Victory of Samothrace was the theme for the obverse design
with each artist’s approach differing in designing the images for the respective countries
The common reverse depicts a fasces upon a vertical shield
the field inscribed with the names of the Allied nations
The obverse of the U.S. Victory Medal was assigned by the Commission of Fine Arts to sculptor James Earle Fraser
according to So-Called Dollars by Harold E
Medals were struck in bronze — specifically
10 percent zinc — at Art Metal Works in Newark
from dies that were fabricated at the Philadelphia Mint
The medals were awarded to all members of the armed forces who served between April 6
version of the Victory Medal was the most widely distributed American award up to World War II
bronze medals were looped for attachment to a clasped ribbon
to which bars could be attached signifying battles in which the veteran participated
Unlooped examples, struck in copper, are rare. Heritage Auctions sold a Numismatic Guaranty Corp. MS-64 red and brown example of the unlooped medal
HK-902 as attributed in the Hibler-Kappen reference
Heritage sold for $920 a 29-item lot reflecting the World War I military archive of Pfc
along with Kimball’s honorable discharge papers and a newspaper clipping pertaining to coin collecting
a World War I Victory Medal with five bars representing various campaigns in France in which Kimball served; a French Croix de Guerre (Cross of War) medal; Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion medals; and a Silver Star award
was awarded to Kimball for “exceptionally meritorious service and gallant conduct” against the enemy at Marcheville and Riaville Sept
“Under a terrific enemy artillery bombardment lasting for nearly twenty-four hours and under intense machine gun fire and in fierce hand-to-hand conflicts with grenades
these officers and soldiers accomplished their mission and broke up four counter-attacks
Signal Corps.,” the official citation for the military award reads
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