2 – 7 OCTOBER 1918 – BATTLE OF THE "LOST BATTALION" #WWI

On 2 October, the First Army continued its attack in the Argonne Forest, a critical part of the titanic Meuse-Argonne Offensive at the end of World War I.

The 77th Division, advancing on the left flank of the I Army Corps, had made little progress except in the zone of the 308th Infantry Regiment.

A motley array of elements from that regiment led by Major Charles Whittlesey were ordered to advance without heed to the progress of the units on their flanks, eventually finding themselves half a mile ahead of their comrades-in-arms.

German troops quickly surrounded the American position, cutting off communications and resupply to the miniature salient by the morning of 3 October.

For five harrowing days, the men of what became known as the "Lost Battalion" suffered intense bombardment (including misdirected "friendly fire") and repeated infantry assaults.

The Lost Battalion held their position against incredible odds, coping with nonexistent rations (food supplies were exhausted on the second day) and alarmingly low stockpiles of ammunition as they staved off the German assault.

Maintaining communication through the valiant efforts of the carrier pigeon Cher Ami, the Lost Battalion held out until the desperate hammer-blows of the 77th Division could shatter the German encirclement.

On 7 October, the Lost Battalion was finally relieved; only about one third of the 600 men who entered the battle five days before were able to walk out of the position.

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A great story about a little bit of 'humanity' during a terrible war.

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