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Family
histories can be difficult to sort out, My Grandmother told me that my
grandfather fought in the battle of Belleau Wood, and that he served in
the 42nd Division, I knew that he arrived in France too late
to participate in the Battle of Belleau Wood, and I had papers that
showed that he served in the 26th Division, it took years to
find enough documents to come to a good understanding of the true
history of my grandfather (Bob) and his brother (Will).? When I found a
copy of a letter that my great grandfather had written to his United
States Senator Geo F. Chamberlain, I learned that Bob was serving in the
41st Division, so family oral history had made a simple
mistake of a numerical nature, I later found out that the 41st
Division was broken up on it’s arrival in
France
and used as a replacement Division, explaining how Bob served in a
division raised in the eastern part of the United States. The story of
The Battle of Belleau Wood was a little more difficult, but when I was
able to compare the 26th division’s history with the date
that my grandfather was wounded, I discovered that his company was at
the edge of a small wood named Belleu Bois. Nearly every locality has a
Beautiful Wood.
Bob
and Will Adams were two of four brothers raised on an
Oregon
cattle ranch. When the
US
entered the war, they joined the Oregon National Guard. Bob was posted
and trained with Company L 162nd Infantry 41st Division. Will
was accepted for training with the Air Service, but as he found he was
not an aviator, he transferred to the 104th engineers which
was part of the 29th Division, made up of National Guardsmen
from
New Jersey
,
Maryland
,
Delaware
,
Virginia
and The District of Columbia. This was quite a change from a western
cattle ranch for both of the boys.
Robert
S. Adams shortly after arriving in
France
.
Bob
arrived in
France
in the spring of 1918, as his father was communicating with his
US
Senator, trying to get both boys transferred to the cavalry as they were
both excellent horsemen, and it was noted that Bob did not like to walk.
Shortly there after, Bob was transferred to Company A of the 101st
Infantry 26th Division, as a replacement. It was apparent
that his father’s letter to his Senator was of little help. The 26th
Division, Yankee Division, was made up of National Guardsmen from the
New England
states, so now both boys were serving with boys from the other end of
the nation. Bob had a little difficulty getting his family to use his
new address, and did not receive any mail for a time.
Robert
S. Adams (Bob) on the right with three friends during a break from
fighting
There
were frequent notes sent from
France
by both brothers, most did not really tell much, as they had to pass
censor, but Will wrote home on the 15th of October 1918,
telling of meeting with his brother during the early part of the
Meuse-Argonne Offensive. Will’s unit was behind the infantry fixing
roads as the Germans retreated. They were under shell fire from the
Germans, and our artillery was firing over their heads at the Germans.
He writes that sleep was nearly impossible, but when he was able to get
a little sleep, Bob’s regiment passed through on their way to the
front. When Will woke, a buddy informed him that his brother’s unit
had recently passed through. Bob’s Regiment was in the first wave and
went over the top at daylight. Will left his company as soon as he could
(without permission) and headed toward the front. When Will got to
headquarters, there was a ration detail there, and they told him that it
was impossible to get to where Bob was, although Bob was safe. The had
been trying to get rations up to them for two days, but due to heavy
shell fire, they could not get rations in or wounded out. Will took a
chance and accompanied the ration detail forward. Two aircraft flew over
and trained their guns on them, with bullets flying everywhere, but none
of the detail was hit. Next they endured a three hour barrage from
German artillery, miraculously escaping without injury. Will wrote of
encountering gas, and having to wear his mask for awhile, moving forward
as soon as the barrage stopped. They jumped from shell hole to shell
hole under German star shells, finally arriving at the front line trench
where Bob’s outfit was. Will was surprised that the trench was a
shallow 18 inches deep. Will learned that Bob was at the very front, and
he was told that he could not get there. One of the men went across no
man’s land to tell Bob that his brother was there, but he was tired
and he did not believe him. When the fellow returned, he told Will about
where Bob’s shell hole was, and Will went forward, accidentally
falling into the shell hole where Bob was. There was never such a
meeting of brothers, they visited for about forty minutes and endured a
machine gun barrage. They expected a counter attack, but it did not
come. Will was unarmed, as he had carried rations up with him. The cook
from Bob’s outfit was with Will, and he lead Will to the rear. They
were shelled going back, and had some good strong gas, taking shelter in
an old German dug out.
Will
wrote that Bob was feeling fine, as cool as if he was at home in a
rocking chair,
Will gave great credit to the American infantryman, both officer and
private, as they are both the same at the front, and told his father
that the Germans were whipped, and pushed past their strong places of
defense. Bob and Will’s units were pulled back at the same time, and
Will did not think that Bob’s regiment would go forward again, as he
had been over the top three times, and he figured that Bob’s outfit
had done their bit.
Less
than a week later, Bob was wounded in the chin on the edge of Belleu
Bois on the 27th of October 1918. Bob was not happy that he
was sent back to the aid station to be treated, he often spoke of the
large number of wounded left hands seen at the aid station. Records are
spotty, and I do not know if Bob made it back to the front after he was
wounded, he made it back to the
US
by the spring of 1919, about the same time that his father received a
letter from the War Department informing him that his son had been
wounded in action.
Corporal
Robert S. Adams on his return to the
US
, with two service stripes, one wound stripe, and discharge stripe and
the insignia of the 26th Division on his left shoulder, very
happy to be home before prohibition becomes law.
Will
arrived back in the
US
at about the same time as Bob, and he had to wait until the Army could
fill a company of engineers to be transferred to the west coast where he
could be discharged.
Bob went on to ranch in
Oregon
, where he raised a family, Will married a young girl from
France
, but because he had contracted the mumps in
France
, they were unable to have children.
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