The
United States declared war on
Germany on 6 April 1917, and the United States Congress passed the
Selective Service Act on 18 May of that year to allow the United States to raise an army through the draft. The 1st Battalion, Field Artillery was officially reorganized as part of the Michigan National Guard on 26 June 1917 with its headquarters federally recognized at Lansing, Michigan on 5 July 1917. The National Guard of Michigan and
Wisconsin were called into federal service on 15 July 1917. The
United States War Department designated the National Guard troops of Michigan and
Wisconsin to form the 32nd Infantry Division on 18 July 1917 with
Camp MacArthur in
Waco, Texas selected as the location for the training. Shortly thereafter, the 1st Battalion, Field Artillery was drafted into federal service on 5 August 1917. On 25 August 1917, the
57th Field Artillery Brigade was organized. On 23 September 1917, the 1st Battalion, Field Artillery was reorganized as the 1st Battalion, 119th Field Artillery as part of the newly formed 57th Field Artillery Brigade. The 119th Field Artillery absorbed the Headquarters and Supply companies of the 31st Michigan Infantry. Most of the new personnel for the 119th Field Artillery came from the 1st Battalion Field Artillery and 1st Squadron Cavalry of the 31st Michigan Infantry. Colonel Chester B. McCormick was appointed as the first commander of the 119th Field Artillery on 22 September 1917 and systematic training began a week later on 29 September. The 1st Battalion, 119th Field Artillery relocated to
Camp Merritt,
New Jersey on 2 January 1918. From Camp Merritt, the troops marched for over an hour to
Alpine Landing and then took a two-hour ferry boat ride to the
port of Hoboken, New Jersey for embarkation to the European continent. The 119th Field Artillery set sail on 26 February 1918 and arrived at
Liverpool, England on 6 March 1918. After a short stay in a rest camp, the 119th Field Artillery proceeded to
Le Havre, France with the
5th Infantry Division to complete their transatlantic journey. The 119th Field Artillery detached from the 32nd Infantry Division and arrived at the French artillery school at
Camp Coetquidan on 13 March 1918, to master the technique of field artillery. The 119th Field Artillery remained at Camp Coetquidan until 3 June 1918. After leaving Camp Coetquidan, the 119th Field Artillery was sent to join the
26th Infantry Division in the
Toul-
Boucq Sector. The soldiers of the 119th Field Artillery fired their first salvo in World War I on 11 June 1918. Five days later, at 3:20 on 16 June 1918 near the village of
Xivray-et-Marvoisin, the 119th Field Artillery opened fire on about 400 to 500 German troops who attempted to enter the village from the west and southwest. Despite suffering their first casualties of the war, the 119th Field Artillery rendered very valuable service with their fire and helped prevent the Germans from entering the village. On 25 June 1918, the 119th Field Artillery rejoined the 32nd Infantry Division in the
Alsace region of France near the villages of
Largitzen and
Aspach-le-Haut. On 22 July 1918, the 119th Field Artillery, as a part of the 32nd Infantry Division was absorbed into General
Charles Mangin's
French Tenth Army. Beginning on 22 July 1918, the soldiers of the 119th Field Artillery, with new horses and inexperienced drivers, were forced to march over 360 kilometers (224 miles) for five days from the Alsace region to just west of the town of
Chateau Thierry. Due to the shortage of artillery harnesses, the soldiers of the 119th Field Artillery were compelled to drag 16 American
caissons loaded with ammunition the entire distance. In order to save the horses, all the soldiers except the drivers walked and carried a full pack for which they had no previous training. On 27 July 1918 the 119th Field Artillery arrived near the town of
Pont-Sainte-Maxence and the village of
Bethisy-Saint-Martin and then proceeded to move towards Chateau-Thierry, and then into the Foret de Fere (Fere Forest) near the village of
Jaulgonne.
Aisne–Marne counter-offensive '' during World War I. Here the cannon is being fired by soldiers of the 6th Field Artillery. On the evening of 29 July 1918, the 119th Field Artillery arrived in the
Picardy region of
France, west of Chateau-Thierry, as part of the 32nd Infantry Division which relieved the American
3rd Infantry Division on the front line which stretched from
Roncheres to
Fere-en-Tardenois. This was the beginning of the
Aisne–Marne counter-offensive also known as the Second Battle of the Marne. At 14:10 on 30 July 1918, the 119th Field Artillery commenced a full barrage of fire directed at the Bois de Grimpettes (Grimpettes Woods) just south of the village of
Cierges. Twenty minutes later, at 14:30, the 119th Field Artillery switched to a
creeping barrage to allow infantry units from the 32nd Infantry Division to follow close behind the line of artillery fire. Artillery fire continued throughout the day and into the night. On 31 July 1918, the 32nd Infantry Division stormed and captured Cierges and a ridge one kilometer (5/8-mile) east of the village of
Sergy with the support of continuous fire from the 119th Field Artillery. After hard fighting, the 32nd Infantry Division advanced a mile, broke into two important positions in the new German line of resistance, and captured them. Reddy Farm and Hill 230 were both captured on 1 August 1918, with the support of very active fire from the 119th Field Artillery. Rapid advancements were made on 2 and 3 August. By 10:30 on 3 August 1918, the leading elements of the 32nd Infantry Division had advanced to one-half kilometer (just over 1/4-mile) southwest of the village of
Saint-Gilles where they captured Resson Farm. In just a matter of two days the 32nd Infantry Division had advanced from Reddy Farm and captured the villages of Villome and
Dravegny, arriving on the outskirts of Saint-Gilles with active fire from the 119th Field Artillery. On the evening of 3 August 1918, advance elements of the 32nd Infantry Division attempted to cross the
Vesle River but the attempt failed due to artillery fire from two
77's and strong machine-gun fire from the German troops on the opposite bank of the river. On 4 August 1918, the 32nd Infantry Division entered the town of
Fismes, on the south bank of the Vesle River but did not fully occupy and capture Fismes until 6 August 1918. The 119th Field Artillery pounded the north bank of the Vesle River from 3 August 1918 through 6 August 1918 in an attempt to help the 32nd Infantry Division construct bridges to cross the river; however the German machine-gun and artillery fire was too strong to allow American troops to approach the river without sustaining heavy casualties. Despite having several artillery pieces destroyed by German counter-battery fire, the 119th Field Artillery had helped the 32nd Infantry Division drive the
Germans back negating the gains they had made during their
Spring Offensive. The 32nd Infantry Division had marched 19 kilometers (11.875 miles) in just over seven days, capturing significant territory. The Germans were finally able to hold their ground and stop the allied advance on 6 August 1918 bringing an end to the Aisne–Marne counter-offensive.
Oise–Aisne offensive By 7 August 1918, the 28th Infantry Division occupied the town of Fismes, relieving the 32nd Infantry Division but the 119th Field Artillery remained in place to assist the 28th Infantry Division in further advances. Over the next two days, the 119th Field Artillery continued to pound the village of
Fismettes which is directly across the Vesle River from the town of Fismes. This allowed the 28th Infantry Division to send four companies across the Vesle River on 8 August 1918 to establish bridgeheads on the north bank and occupy the southern and eastern parts of Fismettes. During the early morning of 9 August 1918, the 28th Infantry Division advanced one battalion across the Vesle River and captured Fismette establishing outposts occupying the heights to the north of the village. The 119th Field Artillery used well-placed barrages to repulse two counterattacks by the Germans at 16:00 and at 22:45. On 10 August 1918, the 119th Field Artillery commenced box barrages to prevent the Germans from escaping the plateau between the Vesle and
Aisne Rivers. The 28th Infantry Division sent out small aggressive patrols under the cover of the artillery barrages to feel out the German line and to allow for broadening of the bridgeheads. Patrols continued to be sent out through 12 August 1918, supported by artillery fire from the 119th Field Artillery to determine if the Germans held the north bank of the Vesle River in force. On 13 August 1918, the 119th Field Artillery came under the command of the
77th Infantry Division and remained in place directing artillery fire along the north bank of the Vesle River. By 15 August 1918, the patrols all reported that the north bank of the Vesle was held in sufficient force by the Germans to require a major operation. That operation would be known as the
Oise–
Aisne offensive. On 21 August 1918, the 119th Field artillery, directed advance fire, assisting in the capture of the village of Tannerie by a company from the 77th Infantry Division . The 32nd Infantry Division was personally selected by General Charles Mangin to assist the French Tenth Army in a flank attack on the German front lines and on the evening of 24 August 1918, the 119th Field Artillery was billeted in the town of
Neuilly-Saint-Front on their way to rejoin the 32nd Infantry Division. The soldiers of the 119th Field Artillery Regiment marched 140 kilometers (87 miles) over four days and by 28 August 1918, had rejoined the 32nd Infantry Division in the front line west of the village of
Juvigny. On 27 August 1918, orders were received to immediately commence destructive artillery fire on the wire entanglements, trenches and important points of the German lines, up to the limits of the range of the heavy artillery. The 119th Field Artillery was ordered to harass the Germans day and night with both continued and irregular artillery fire to disorganize their defenses in preparation for forthcoming attacks. The artillery fire was to continue through the evening of 28 August 1918 and not allow the Germans any respite, disrupting communications all along the front and rear lines and as deep into German territory as the artillery would allow. On 28 August 1918, the 32nd Infantry Division attacked and by 29 August, it had advanced to within one kilometer (5/8-mile) of Juvigny. During the evening of 29 August 1918, the Germans pulled their troops back from their left flank. In response, orders were sent on 30 August 1918, to the 32nd Infantry Division to attack and capture the village of Juvigny. The 119th Field Artillery was directed to concentrate its artillery fire east of Juvigny. Even with their fallback, the Germans had left several strongly fortified outposts along the line and the village of Juvigny was strongly held by the Germans. The 32nd Infantry Division quickly overcame the German's advance posts but was slowed down by well-placed German machine guns near the village of Juvigny. The Germans attempted a counterattack but were foiled by a two-pronged attack from the west and the south by the 32nd Infantry Division. By nightfall, the Americans had captured the village of Juvigny and had breached the German front lines between two German army corps. The capture of Juvigny by the American 32nd Infantry Division contributed greatly to the success of attacks the next day by other elements of the French XXX Corps. Commander Colonel Chester McCormick, commander of the 119th Field Artillery Regiment, wrote the following in a letter to his soldiers in recounting the battle near Juvingy. :
"I consider the selection and occupation of position in and about Juvigny on the night of September 2nd, one of the most noteworthy features of our career as without any daylight reconnaissance, the battalions moved out into the unknown country after dark and were in position serving their guns near the village of Juvigny before daylight." Due to the rapid advance of the 32nd Infantry Division during the night of 30 August 1918, they were tasked with capturing a ridge 300 meters (984 feet) east of the village of
Terny-Sorny. On 31 August 1918, the 119th Field Artillery bombarded the Germans for four hours, from 12:00 to 16:00, in preparation for a resumed attack by the 32nd Infantry Division. A rolling artillery barrage commenced at 15:55 and at 16:00 the 32nd Infantry Division began its advance eastward from Juvigny. The Germans put up stiff resistance at Beaumont Farm and shelled the Americans left flank with mortars. The Americans continued to drive through the German lines and captured the
Bethancourt-
Terny Road. By 18:45 the lead troops of the 32nd Infantry Division had entered the village of Terny-Sorny and by 21:30 the ridge to the east of the village had been taken. The aggressive tactics by the 32nd Infantry Division, and its units, allowed it to capture the plateau around the village of Terny where the Allies could concentrate fire on the village of
Laffaux. If the Allies were able to capture Laffaux, the Germans would be forced to abandon the line along the Vesle River. During the evening of 1 September 1918, the 32nd Infantry Division was relieved from the front line by the
1st Moroccan Infantry Division and the French 66th Infantry Division. On 2 September 1918, the 119th Field Artillery was placed under the command of the 1st Moroccan Infantry Division through 6 September 1918 to assist their advance towards the village of
Vauxaillon and then onwards towards a hill east of the village of
Quincy-Basse. The officers and enlisted men of the 119th Field Artillery gained the respect of The French Artillery Commander of the 1st Moroccan Division due to the prevalence of their determined spirit despite the challenge of the battle. On 6 September 1918, the 119th Field Artillery was relieved from the front lines for much-needed rest and reequipping. On 7 September 1918, the 119th Field Artillery completed movement to the rear at the village of
Chelles and was held in reserve for the French Tenth Army. This was the end of their involvement in the Oise–Aisne offensive. On 9 September 1918, the 119th Field Artillery moved with the 32nd Infantry Division to the vicinity of the town of
Joinville for training.
Military decorations The 32nd Infantry Division was under the control of the French Tenth Army almost since they had arrived in France. The commander of the French Tenth Army, General Charles Mangin, awarded all four infantry regiments, all three artillery regiments and all three machine gun battalions of the 32nd Infantry Division with a Croix de Guerre for distinguishing themselves in battle. In recognition of their military successes during the Aisne–Marne and Oise–Aisne offensives, the 119th Field Artillery was awarded the Croix de Guerre with a silver star. The streamer is embroidered "AISNE–MARNE and OISE–AISNE". The Headquarters Battery of the 119th Field Artillery was awarded an extra Croix de Guerre with Palm (two orders of precedence higher than Croix de Guerre with a silver star) for their exceptional planning during the Oise–Aisne offensive. The streamer is embroidered "OISE–AISNE".
Meuse–Argonne offensive In preparation of the
Meuse–Argonne offensive, (one part of a massive campaign known as the
Hundred Days Offensive) and under orders from General John Pershing, commander-in-chief of the
American Expeditionary Forces, all movement of troops were to be performed with the utmost secrecy under the cover of darkness without lights. On 16 September 1918, the soldiers of the 119th Field Artillery began a seven-night march through the mud and rain from the town of
Joinville to the vicinity of the village of
Avocourt to join the
79th Infantry Division. The long marches were a severe test on the morale of the soldiers of the 119th Field Artillery and by the time they arrived near Avocourt on 24 September 1918, the horses towing the artillery were weak and exhausted.
General Petain, the État-major des armées, (
Chief of the Defence Staff) ordered the Meuse–Argonne offensive would commence on 26 September 1918. The place in the front line where the 79th Infantry Division was set to make its attack was in the same area where a half million soldiers from the French and German Armies had perished in the
Battle of Verdun in 1916. At 23:30, on 25 September 1918, the 119th Field Artillery commenced harassing and interdiction fire at the German front lines. At 2:30, on 26 September 1918, the 119th Field Artillery participated in a three-hour artillery barrage of German positions in preparation for the initial infantry assault. At 5:30, under the protection of a rolling barrage from the 119th Field Artillery, the 79th Infantry Division attacked and advanced toward the village of
Montfaucon. The advance of the 79th Infantry Division was hindered by machine-gun fire during the entire afternoon stalling their advance. The resistance by the Germans in the vicinity of Montfaucon was so deadly that the 79th Infantry Division had to wait for the 119th Field Artillery before they could advance further. The guns of the 119th Field Artillery were delayed in advancing due to the poor conditions of the roads over an area that used to be "
No Man's Land" and the congestion on those roads that could be utilized. By the end of the day the 79th Infantry Division had captured the villages of Haucourt and
Malancourt and reached a line one—half kilometer (just over 1/4-mile) north of Malancourt and along the northeastern edge of the Bois de Cuisy (Cuisy Woods). On 27 September 1918, the 79th Infantry Division was eventually able to capture Montfaucon and establish a line one-half kilometer (just over 1/4-mile) northwest of the village. On 28 September 1918, the 79th Infantry Division advanced further and captured the village of
Nantillois. The advance of the 119th Field Artillery continued with the forward movement of the 79th Infantry Division but the hauling of the artillery and supplies was hampered again by the conditions of the roads. On 29 September 1918, the 79th Infantry Division resumed the attack but was finally forced into a defensive position along a ridge 300 m northwest of the village of Nantillois. Commander Colonel Chester McCormick wrote the following in his letter to his soldiers in regards to the start of the Meuse–Argonne offensive. :
"Here the batteries suffered one of the most trying ordeals of their experience in the war. Occupying what [was an] impossible position in the face of terrible destructive fire of the enemy with its toll of death, you, without flinching, again demonstrated, as on the Marne, that indomitable dogged spirit of true artillery and stuck to your guns." On 30 September 1918, the 119th Division was transferred to the command of the 3rd Infantry Division while they waited for their own artillery due to the conditions of the roads. Orders from the
American First Army Headquarters instructed all artillery batteries to use Number 5 Shell (a lethal gas mixture of phosgene and smoke) west of the
Meuse River on favorable targets and under favorable weather. The 3rd Infantry Division attacked on 4 October 1918 and advanced one kilometer (5/8-mile) along the entire front, supported by rolling barrages from the 119th Field artillery. On 6 October 1918, the artillery for the 3rd Infantry Division finally arrived and the 119th Field Artillery was transferred back to the sector of the 32nd Infantry Division. With assistance from the 119th Field Artillery, the 32nd Infantry Division was able to smash its way forward and break through the 8 miles deep
Hindenburg Line which had resisted numerous Allied breakthrough attempts ever since the
Battle of Arras in April 1917. Beginning on 9 October 1918, the 32nd Infantry Division advanced north and captured the villages of
Gesnes, Cote Dame Marie,
Romagne-sous-Montfaucon and
Bantheville. By 19 October 1918, the 32nd Infantry Division advanced their line one—half kilometer (just over 1/4-mile) north of Romagne-sous-Montfaucon completing the breakthrough of the Hindenburg Line. On 20 October 1918, the
89th Infantry Division relieved the 32nd Infantry Division from the front line. The 119th Field Artillery stayed in place to support the 89th Infantry Division. On 20 October 1918, the 89th Infantry Division cleared the enemy from the woods around the village of Bantheville despite a fierce resistance by the Germans and established a defensive line along the northern and western edges of the woods. The 89th Infantry Division spent several days consolidating their position and did not attack again until 1 November 1918. On that day, the 119th Field Artillery launched one of the best organized and most dominant artillery attacks delivered on the western front assisting the 89th Infantry Division in smashing through the German defenses gaining 11 kilometers (6.8 miles) of territory, cutting German communications into Belgium and breaking the backbone of the German resistance. Over the next several days, the 89th Infantry Division advanced rapidly and captured the villages of
Remonville,
Barricourt,
Tailly,
Nouart,
Beauclair, and
Beaufort-en-Argonne. On 3 November 1918, the 119th Field Artillery was relieved from the front lines to rejoin the 32nd Infantry Division for some much-needed rest, recuperation and re-equipping. After five months of near-continuous fighting, the 119th Field Artillery had assisted in smashing the way for seven American infantry divisions, the French Tenth Army and the 1st Moroccan Infantry Division, recovering a total of 70 kilometers (43 miles) of French territory. The soldiers of the 119th Field Artillery were tired and worn mentally from the exposure and exhaustion; however, their regiment had been finally rendered immobile from the loss of horses. Of the 1,459 horses the 119th Field Artillery received during the war, only 327 survived with the rest either being killed, wounded or lost from all causes. An 11:00 on 11 November 1918, the
armistice that ended World War I went into effect. Commander Colonel McCormick's letter to his soldiers concluded with the following poignant message. :''"You may well feel proud of the distinguished service you have rendered. The record of the regiment stands out brilliantly, equaled by few, if any. Although our casualties have been heavy as compared with other regiments of artillery, considering the hazardous service rendered I consider we have been extremely fortunate but more so to good discipline and judgment of both officers and men. The missions entrusted to you have been ably performed with a spirit of cheerfulness and steadfast self-sacrifice and devotion to duty, serving under conditions of extreme hardship and danger, you have acquitted yourselves in a highly gratifying and satisfactory manner. During the long marches covering over one thousand kilometers, and periods of exposure and hunger, you have accepted all as a matter of duty, even to your conduct and behavior in the rear areas after the armistice where the mental stress was worse than front line combat, you seemed always imbued with that indomitable spirit of "Let's Go."'' :
Let us pause in reverence to our immortal dead who by their courageous sacrifice have permitted us to return victorious in honor. May their souls rest in peace. It has indeed been an honor to command you. I thank you for your loyal support and congratulate you upon your success." ==Interwar Period 1919–1941==