The Lost Battalion: Lawyer Charles Whittlesey and Cher Ami in the Argonne

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!

Major Charles W. Whittlesey was a polished East Coast lawyer commanding the 1st Battalion of the 308th Infantry in the 77th Division, the Metropolitan Division of poor and immigrant New Yorkers trained at Camp Upton on Long Island. In October 1918 they attacked into the Argonne Forest, ground the Germans had fortified for four years with trench networks, pre-sighted artillery and barbed wire hidden in streams, under orders to hold every gain and treat any retreat order as enemy deception. Whittlesey took his objective, but the units on his flanks were thrown back, and more than 500 men were cut off in a pocket on Hill 198.

Whittlesey banned further breakout attempts after Captain Holderman's costly try and dug in. On October 4 American artillery, misreading their position, shelled the trapped men, and the last pigeon, Cher Ami, was shot down, rose again and carried the message 25 miles in 25 minutes to stop it. The Germans then attacked, and later sent a captured 18-year-old with a written demand for surrender, which Whittlesey simply ignored. Private Abraham Krotoshinsky slipped through enemy lines to guide the relief force in.

Runner George W. Quinn was killed carrying a request for mortar support after taking down three enemy soldiers.
The men reused bandages taken from the dead and crawled under fire to reach water.
German fake signal panels tricked Allied planes into dropping supplies into German positions.
Of roughly 554 men who went in, only 194 came out unhurt.
Whittlesey received the Medal of Honor and served as a pallbearer for the Unknown Soldier.

Det här avsnittet är hämtat från ett öppet RSS-flöde och publiceras inte av Podme. Det kan innehålla reklam.

Avsnitt(16184)

The Art of Adult Friendship: Why Quality Matters More Than Quantity

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!In this episode of pplpod, we explore how our understanding of friendship changes as we grow old...

9 Nov 18min

Summer Explained: The Science, History, and Traditions of the Warmest Season

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!In this episode of pplpod, we explore summer, the season most closely associated with sunshine, ...

7 Nov 18min

Sir Patrick Stewart: From Shakespeare to Star Trek, the Life and Legacy of a Legend

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!In this episode of pplpod, we explore the extraordinary life of Sir Patrick Stewart, the acclaim...

7 Nov 49min

Larry David: The Genius of Social Awkwardness, Seinfeld, and Curb Your Enthusiasm

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!In this episode of pplpod, we explore the life and career of Larry David, the comedian, writer, ...

6 Nov 38min

Why Australian Shepherds Aren't From Australia

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!In this episode of pplpod, we explore the history of the Australian Shepherd, an intelligent, en...

5 Nov 45min

Labrador Retriever: From Newfoundland Fishing Dogs to Modern-Day Heroes

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!In this episode of pplpod, we explore the remarkable history of the Labrador Retriever, one of t...

4 Nov 53min

Discovering Ireland: A Journey Through History, Culture, and the Wild Atlantic Way

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!In this episode of pplpod, we explore Ireland through the philosophy of slow travel: go slower, ...

3 Nov 48min

Willie Hutch: An Overnight I'll Be There Lyric and The Mack's Soundtrack

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!William McKinley Hutchins was born in Los Angeles in December 1944 and raised in Dallas, where h...

2 Nov 21min