The Battle of Belleau Wood. The Allies strike. June 6, 1918. "Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?"

Bain News Service photograph of U.S. Marines in France, June 6, 1918.  Note that these "Soldiers of the Sea", assigned to the U.S. 2nd Division, are wearing a stripped down uniform and are marching without their service coats, something that in June 1918 you will would not be likely to find in regards to soldiers of the U.S. Army.  The Marine Corps expanded for World War One, but even more than the Army it contained a high percentage of pre war enlistees, many who were rather salty.

At 0345 on this day in 1918, the Allies went on the offensive at Belleau Wood.  Once again, the battle was featuring nighttime fighting.

The Marines Brigade assaulted Hill 142 with the French supporting their left flank.  The Marines unfortunately had not scouted Hill 142 and accordingly a German infantry regiment was present that was not expected.  Marine Corps looses were massive but as tended to be the case for fresh American troops entering action for the first time, they advanced anyhow in spite of nearly a complete loss of their officer corps.  By the end of the day they had repelled a German counterattack and held Hill 142.

During the German counterattack Marine Gunnery Sergeant Ernest A. Janson won the Congressional Medal of Honor.  His citation reads:

The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor (Army Award) to Gunnery Sergeant Charles F. Hoffman, United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism while serving with the 49th Company, 5th Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, A.E.F. in action at Chateau-Thierry, France, 6 June 1918. Immediately after the company to which he belonged had reached its objective on Hill 142, several hostile counterattacks were launched against the line before the new position had been consolidated. Gunnery Sergeant Hoffman was attempting to organize a position on the north slope of the hill when he saw 12 of the enemy, armed with five light machineguns, crawling toward his group. Giving the alarm, he rushed the hostile detachment, bayoneted the two leaders, and forced the others to flee, abandoning their guns. His quick action, initiative, and courage drove the enemy from a position from which they could have swept the hill with machinegun fire and forced the withdrawal of our troops.

 Ernest A. Janson.

On the same day the Marines entered the Wood itself and took it in a late day assault.  Again, the advance was made under massive fire and resulted in massive casualties.  During the advance Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant Dan Daily, a recipient of a prior Congressional Medals of Honor for action in the Boxer Rebellion, urged his men forward with the memorable question  "Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?"  He won his second Medal of Honor for this engagement.

 Dan Daly

Fighting in the Wood became hand to hand.  By the end of the day both the Germans and the Marines held positions in the woods.