RAINBOW (42d) DIVISION, The. For a number of years before the World War dis cussions have periodically taken place in our newspapers whether our national guard was sufficiently efficient to be of real use to the nation. Ile Rainbow (42d) Division seems to be a very decisive answer and emphatically in the positive. For valor and effectiveness in the battlefields of France the ranks of the Rainbow Division take second place to none. Under authority of the Act of 18 May 1917, the 42d Division was organized in compliance with memorandum of the chief of staff for the adjutant-general of the army dated August 1917. At its inception it contained :•:7 officers and 26,265 men. The division was made up of national guard troops drawn from all over the United States. It was composed as follows: Division headquarters and headquarters troop; 83d infantry'brigade (165th, 166th infantry regiments and 1%th machine gun battalion) ; 84th infantry brigade (167th, 168th in fantry regiments and 151st machine gun bat talion) ; 67th artillery brigade (149th, 150th and 151st artillery regiments, 117th trench mortar battery) ; 149th division machine gun battalion, motorized; 117th engineer regiment; 117th engineer train; 117th field signal battalion; 117th train headquarters and military police; 117th supply train; 117th ammunition train; 117th samtary train. These newly-created Federal units were made up from the following national guard troops: 4th regiment infantry (Alabama) ; 1st separate battalion engineers (California) ; field hospital company No. 1 (Colorado) ; field hospital No. 1 (District of Columbia) ; Companies B, C and F, 2d infantry (Georgia) ; 1st field artillery (Illinois) ; 1st regiment field artillery (Indiana) ; 3d infantry (Iowa) ; 1st ammunition train (Kansas) •, 1st separate troop (Louisiana) ; 1st ambulance company (Michigan) ; 1st field artillery (Minne sota) ; battalion signal corps (Missouri) ; field hospital company No. 1 (Nebraska) ; ambulance company No. 1 (New Jersey) ; 69th infantry (New York) ; engineer train (North Caro hna) • 4th infantry (Ohio) ; ambulance com pany No. 1 (Oklahoma) ; field hospital company (Oregon) ; 3d battalion of 4th infantry (Penn sylvania) ; 1st battalion engineers (South Caro lina) ; ambulance company No. 1 (Tennessee) ; supply train (Texas) ; 1st and 2d companies, coast artillery (Virginia) ; Companies A, F and G of 2d infantry (Wisconsin).
The headquarters of the division was or ganized at Camp Mills, Long Island, where it functioned for a short period. Major-General Wm. A. Mann was in command till 14 Dec. 1917, when he was succeeded by Gen. Charles T. Menoher.
Considerable doubt was expressed by some experts as to the outcome of such an un precedented fusion of citizens of such diver sity of States into one body of fighting men, the fear of dissensions among them from local jealousies and differences of viewpoints. But the officers tell of the very pride of locality of origin made a rivalry to the Westerners to out shine the Easterners, while the South and far North joined in the determination to uphold the fame of their sections of the States. And the emulation engendered a flame of patriotism on the field of battle that allowed no obstacle to delay the brave division's advance. The insignia of the division, worn during battle, was a rainbow superimposed on a field of black carried on the left shoulder. Certainly a perfect symbol of the complex makeup of the unit, ana the blending of the prismatic many-colored rays was admirably exemplified in the concord displayed by its members. Twenty-six different States and the District of Columbia were represented at first but later replacements brought in members (by volun tary enlistment or by draft) from nearly every other State in the Union.
The first units sailed for France from Hoboken, the first ship being the Covington, on 18 Oct. 1917. The last units arrived in France on 7 Dec. 1917. Being already partly trained by their membership in the national guard, the term of their final practice before taking an active part in the fighting line was short. And by 27 March 1918 we are told that after ((just completing a month's tour at the in the trenches they were assigned to occupy a sector on their own account near Baccarat. Here they maintained their front (about 15 kilometers) for three months in con stant contact with the attacking Germans and suffering an average of 14 casualties per day, artillery and patrol activities on both sides be ing fierce in May. After the first few weeks No Man's Land in front of the combatants had become controlled by the 42d after having been dominated by the Germans till the Amer icans' arrival, and already Huns were being made prisoners. The division was withdrawn from this sector 21 June; and transferred to a position east of Rheims after having (as Com mander Menoher later informed them in a congratulatory speech) continuously as a division in the trenches for a longer time than any American division.)) They were also the first American division to hold a division sector. And all this without previous experi ence in actual warfare. On their new front in the Champagne sector, under General Gouraud of the 4th French army and as part of the 21st French corps, a fierce attack in force of the Germans on the 15th July was repulsed. On the following day a terrific bombardment was followed by an infantry attack of the enemy which gained no ground but met a loss to the Germans of 27 prisoners and some machine guns, not to mention many dead left behind on their retreat. This brilliant work called for congratulations from the French commander, and, it appears, the Kaiser was present in this sector to see his 25 picked divi Molts break through here and make their last drive on Paris. It has been estimated that altogether 5,500 cannon had been in action dur ing the engagement. The 167th infantry and the French mortar battery (Tennessee) were conspicuous for bravery in the action. No prisoners and none missing figured in the casualties. The French mortar battery ran out of ammunition, but Captain Gill in command offered his services to the French chief in pref erence to retiring, for which gallant act he was later decorated by General Gouraud. In the last week of July the Rainbow Division, the German advance being checked, was with drawn to the Chateau Thierry section to relieve exhausted divisions who had been resisting the drive of the army of the Crown Prince. They first encountered the enemy at Trugny and drove forward toward the river Ourcq, which, on the 27th, they attempted to cross, but were driven back by heavy artillery fire. On the 28th they forced the passage; by 9 o'clock in the morning reaching their objectives of the day from Hill 212, later taking Sering es-et-Nesles, Nesles and Sergy in the face of the most desperate resistance by machine gun fire and machine gun attacks from airplanes extending back as far as Foret de Fere, as well as accurately directed artillery fire. So obstinate was the enemy's resistance that Sergy, for instance, changed hands no less than nine times before being definitely occupied by the 42d Division. The Rainbows' brave action elicited the compliments of the commander of the French corps for its speedy work that °enabled the French division on the right to advance.) From a prisoner it was learned that it was the 4th German Guards Division and the 201st Division that the Rainbows crumpled up so badly. And the day's report to head quarters includes in its recital the words: °The command is in good condition and, having con solidated its lines, is preparing to advance as soon as orders are received)) In spite of the fearful machine gun fire maintained by the enemy the 42d Division was moving forward by 1 August, but its advance on the 3d was slopped in line of Mareuil-Endole Coulanges by machine guns, its opposing force being identified as the 1st Guard Division. The
communique of the 5th states concerning the action of 2 August: °Shortly after day break our troops commenced their advance on the right of our line. Our only fresh troops, the 117th engineers, acting as infantry, pushed over Hill 212, which had been the scene of bloody combats during the last few days. As this regiment neared Bois de la Pissotte they were halted by machine gun fire from the southern edge of the woods. The 167th and 168th infantry were also halted by machine gun fire from the southern edge of the same woods and from Les Bonshommes and the woods to the north of it. On our left the 165th in fantry and the 166th infantry, the latter in liaison with the French divisions to the west of us, pressed through the Foret de Nesles and up the open field to the west of the Foret. The 165th infantry on reaching the road Mareuil-en Dole-les Bonshommes Ferme was halted by the enemy's artillery fire in the woods. Meanwhile, the Bois de la Pissotte and les Bonshommes Ferule had been flanked and the enemy's machine gunners put to flight so that the troops on our right were able to advance abreast of those on our left. Our artillery fol lowed the infantry advance and to-night all our regiments and one regiment of the 155th have crossed the Ourcq and are advancing slowly. Our most advanced elements, the 117th engineers, occupied Chery-Chartreuve at dawn on August After this unbroken spell of terrific fighting the 42d obtained a well earned and necessary rest for a short period. But already by 12 September the gallant division and its replacements were called on for forced night marches to aid in the great effort that was to bring about the reduction of the Saint Mihiel salient. The communique for 22 September tells us: We made two highly suc cessful raids on Haumont and Marinbois farm, capturing 25 prisoners belonging to two enemy divisions. Aviation and artillery activities on both sides, enemy's artillery putting down bar age on our raiding party. Our casualties, four men killed, 15 wounded." Concerning the brilliant action of the Rainbow Division in the Saint Mihiel attack Commander Menoher says it was incorporated in the centre of the 4th army corps and: Our men ucie instructed to deliver the main blow in the direction of the heights overlooking the Madine River.° Gen eral Menoher thus graphically describes the wonderful activities of the Rainbow Division at the battle of Saint Mihiel: °The 42d took every objective in accordance with the plan of the army commander. They advanced 14 kilometers in 28 hours, and forward elements pushed five kilometers further, or 19 kilom eters beyond their original starting point. They took more than 1,000 prisoners from nine enemy divisions, seven villages and 42 square kilometers of territory were captured by the division, and large supplies of food, clothing, ammunition, guns and engineering material were seized.° The Rainbow Division's prowess was soon again called for after the extinction of the Saint Mihiel salient for it was called on before the middle of October to take its promi nent place in the Meuse-Argonne front. Start ing active aggression west of Montfaucon its advance was phenomenal and best described by its commander thus: °Some very desperate band-to-hand fighting took place in the woods of the Argonne. Men even fought with their bare hands, and from tree to tree in Indian fashion, yelling at the top of their voices. Major Ross's battalion of the 168th infantry (Iowa regiment) particularly distinguished it self here. Both he and General MacArthur were cited for extraordinary gallantry in action. The 42d took Hill 288, La Tuilerie Farm and the C6te de Chatillon, and as the result broke squarely across the Kriemhilde Stellung, the last line of defense of the Hinden burg line, clearing the way for the advance beyond Saint Georges and Landres at Saint Georges. Marching and fighting day and night, the men of the Rainbow thrust through the advancing lines of the first army. They drove the enemy across the Meuse. They captured the heights dominating the river before Sedan and reached in the enemy line the furthest point attained by any American troops. The advance of the division to the outskirts of Sedan was probably one of the most rapid ever made against opposition. The men were pushed day and night to the limit of endurance, but they responded here as they had always when called upon for extreme effort. They made 24 kilometers in 28 hours; this was done through the most difficult country and in about the nastiest weather I ever saw in my life.' In his farewell address to his devoted division when, on 7 November, he left them, the gen eral gave some of the remarkable facts con cerning the exploits of the Rainbow Division in the following résumé: Since 12 September you have taken over 1,200 prisoners; you have freed 25 French villages; you have recovered over 150 square kilometers of French territory, and you have captured great supplies of enemy munitions and material. Whatever may come in the future, the men of this division will have the proud consciousness that they have thus far fought wherever the American flag has flown most gloriously in this war. In the determining battle before Chalons, in the bloody drive from Chateau-Thierry to the Vesle, in the blotting out of the Saint Mihiel salient, and in the advance to Sedan you have played a splendid and leading part.* General Menoher left his command on 7 November to become director of the air service. He received two French medals, Commander of the Legion of Honor and Croix de Guerre with palm.
The final personnel of the 42d Division consisted of the following officers: Maj.-Gen. C. A. F. Flagler, commander; Col. Wm. N. Hughes, chief of staff ; Maj. James E. Thomas, adjutant; Lieut.-Col. E J. Moran, division inspector; Maj. James Crossley, division judge-advocate; Capt. F. B. Verney, assistant provost marshal; Lieut.-Col. George F. Graham, division quartermaster; Col. David S. Fairchild, division surgeon; Col. John M. Johnson, division engineer; Maj. John A. Wheeler, division ordnance officer Lieut.-Col Ruby D. Garrett, division signal officer.
The insignia of the division, which was worn on the left shoulder during battle, is a rainbow, superimposed on a field of black. In acknowl edgment of its valor and great services during the World War the Rainbow (42d) Division has received no less than 205 distinguished service crosses.
On 20 November (after the armistice) the division was incorporated with the 3d corps and entered Germany with the occupation troops 2 December. It was stationed at Abrweiler after 18 December. In April 1919 the division started entraining for its home journey and on arrival dispersed to its many home quarters. The entire list of casualties of the 42d Division as published by the War De partment to 10 January consisted of 1,702 killed in action; 7 died of wounds; 440 miss ing in action; 86 prisoners; a total of 2,950, not including field signal battalions and trains.