Devil Dogs

With little coordination and notice to the attacking forces, the marines struck at Belleau Wood at 1700 hours. Major Ben Berry's 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, crossed wheat fields and struck at the Woods waist. A creeping barrage was supposed to …

1918-06-06

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With little coordination and notice to the attacking forces, the marines struck at Belleau Wood at 1700 hours. Major Ben Berry's 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, crossed wheat fields and struck at the Woods waist. A creeping barrage was supposed to lead them in, but the timing was off. Ahead in the tree line were Germans of the 461 Regiment, 237 lnfanterie-Division. The Marines couldn't be sure what they were facing. Some reports said the Wood was deserted, while others warned of a strong German presence. When the German offensive had slowed and halted in early June, Major Bischoff installed a heavy resistance line stocked with plenty of machine guns. Defenders set up cross fires and dug in around heavy boulders. They were ready and waiting. In the assault, Sergeant Dan Daly yelled at his men who were ducking down in the wheat fields, “come on you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?" Somehow they got up and went in, three brutal weeks would go by before the "Teufelhunde [Devil Dogs]”, as the Germans called them, could claim the woodland.

Belleau Wood, France

The Battle of Belleau Wood (1–26 June 1918) occurred during the German spring offensive in World War I, near the Marne River in France. The battle was fought between the U.S. 2nd (under the command of Major General Omar Bundy) and 3rd Divisions along with French and British forces against an assortment of German units including elements from the 237th, 10th, 197th, 87th, and 28th Divisions. The battle has become a key component of the lore of the United States Marine Corps.

Wikipedia: Battle of Belleau Wood

German

American