In Their Words

St. Mihiel: A Push Forward

The spring of 1918 signaled a time of desperation for the German Army on the Western Front. A massive spring offensive undertaken by German forces in 1918 had caught the Allies off guard and forced American units to be put in as reinforcements under the command of their British and French allies. The situation was one that A.E.F commander General John “Blackjack” Pershing had hoped to avoid- the loss of his American forces as replacements for Allied casualties. By summer of 1918, the situation for American forces had changed. They had proven themselves in combat at the Battle of Cantigny in May and helped to put German forces on the defensive during the Soissons offensive in July. The A.E.F was gaining respect in the eyes of their Allies, and the Germans, as a formidable combat force with which to be reckoned.

Despite the continued efforts of Allied Supreme Commander, French Marshal Ferdinand Foch, to split American forces; Pershing demanded and received the organization of an American First Army on August 10, 1918. As part of a greater offensive, the new American First Army was given the task of reducing the St. Mihiel salient. The salient formed a triangular-shaped bulge into Allied lines, comprised of rough ground rising towards the heights above the Meuse River and coming to its apex near the town of St. Mihiel. The rough terrain would be difficult to navigate and made it easy for the Germans to defend. The high strongpoint of Montsec, located along the southern edge of the salient, provided the Germans with an excellent observation point from which to observe the Allied lines and call down artillery fire. Removing the salient was a necessary step before Allied forces could conduct the large offensive planned for October into the heart of the Meuse-Argonne.

General Pershing planned to overrun the German defenders with an overwhelming and superior force. The planned offensive by the American First Army would get underway with a massive, rolling artillery barrage, to begin early on the morning of September 12, 1918. Well-equipped and supported American divisions, fighting as a single all-American army for the first time, jumped off from their trenches at 5:00 a.m. and began to advance towards the salient. The day’s objective’s for the First Division included an advance to the north, towards the German positions near the towns of Nonsard and Lamarche. The American 26th Division would advance towards the south, with the objective of capturing the town of Vigneulles and closing the salient for good. Encountering light resistance, the First Division reached its first day’s objective by 1:00 p.m. and continued to advance. Under the American onslaught, German defenders gave way, preferring to give up ground and retreat in good order rather than fight. By the early morning of September 13, American troops of the 26th Divisions entered the town of Vigneulles. By noon on the second day, elements of the 1st and 26th Division linked together just south of Vigneulles, effectively closing the salient.

American casualties for the two day battle totaled nearly 7,000 killed and wounded, relatively light losses by World War 1 standards. Although the St. Mihiel offensive lasted only two days, it was instrumental in bolstering the morale and confidence of American troops. The battle provided an opportunity for the newly organized American units to work and fight together as an American army, gaining valuable experience they would need for the coming Meuse-Argonne offensive.

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