Taking Belleau Wood, the final bloody effort and the lives of 3 men involved

[devildog34]

After the futile efforts by the 7th Infantry to reduce the final German positions in the northern edge of Belleau Wood, the 3rd battalion 5th Marines was sent back in to attempt the daunting task. Among the ranks of the battalion on June 22, 1918 were completely different faces than those who departed the training area around Chaumont-en-Vexin nearly a month earlier. The battalion had suffered horrendous casualties on the 6th of June during the first attack on Belleau Wood. They suffered heavy casualties in holding the capture village of Bouresches from June 10th through the 14th. Once again the battalion was to be thrown into the caldron. Supporting the efforts of the Army's 7th Infantry in taking the woods from June 16 until predawn on the 22nd, the 6th MG battalion continuously rotated units in and out of the woods. They were supplemented by guns of the 4th and 5th MG battalions of the 3rd Brigade. On the 22nd of June while 3/5 assessed the situation in the northern edge and began to plan the following day's attack the 15th Machine gun company supplemented in holding the front and had since the 15th. Days without warm food and very little water under consistent and sporadic shell fire, the company had suffered 4 killed including the Company Co. Captain Harlan Major on the evening of the 15th. On the 22nd of June the company suffered 1 killed and 3 wounded by shell fire. Among the wounded that day was 30 year old Private Edward Joseph Maher, a city fireman from Grand Rapids, Michigan. Maher was wounded by a gunshot wound that lacerated the lower 1/3 of the right thigh. The wound was severe enough that he never returned to duty with the battalion. On September 22, 1932 he applied for the purple heart which was granted October 27, 1918. He died October 19, 1957 at the age of 69. He is buried in St. Andrew's Cemetery in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I was fortunate enough to obtain his Purple Heart years ago when those things could be sold on a certain auction site. There was no information other than what I obtained from the muster rolls that I had copied from the microfilm years before ancestry had them. Needless to say it was a sleeper. A few weeks ago it was discovered that a friend and fellow forum member had this man's dog tag. Apparently Maher fashioned his tag into a pin afixed with his Aisne Bar which was converted into a medallion with a pinback attachment. He was obviously proud of his service as he should have been. God speed Pvt. Maher you're sacrifice is remembered here.

[devildog34]

Closeup of the engraving

[devildog34]

His medallion fashioned from his dog tag and victory medal Aisne clasp.

[devildog34]

Reverse of the medallion

[devildog34]

His enlistment card

[devildog34]

Clinical evaluation. The term GSW (gun shot wound) does not necessarily meant a bullet wound. I found a memo in RG 127 last summer from the medical survey of wounds suffered by Marines in WWI stating that GSW can mean any type of projectile or missile in addition to bullets.

[devildog34]

Approval of his application of the purple heart.

[devildog34]

Another young man whose life undoubtedly took a drastic turn on this day 94 years ago was 27 year old Sergeant Carl William Vencil, a railroad fireman from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He enlisted 2 weeks after America entered the war. Assigned to the 16th Company 3rd Bn 5th Marines in June 1917, Vencil arrived in France with the first detachment of the 5th to sail. During the battalion's stay in the line near Verdun he was gassed April 20, 1918 while assisting in the repelling of a German attack on the town of Eix. At Belleau Wood, while the battalion participated in the reduction of Hill 142 (45th Co. attempted to support 1/5's flank that morning) and the 20th, 45th and 47th Companies attacked Belleau Wood, the 16th was ordered to remain in position. On the 10th when 3/5 relieved 2/6 in Bouresches, Vencil was there. When the battalion resumed positions in the northern part of the woods on the 21st of June, 3/5 was ordered to attack German machine gun positions along the northern fringe of the woods roughly behind where the chapel sits today for the Aisne-Marne Cemetery. At about 7pm the attack began with the 16th Company on the left supported by elements of the 47th Co. The enemy emplacments were so well concealed and dug in that the advancing grenadiers could not locate them until only a few yards away. The enemy positions put out a horrific volume of fire that entire groups of grenadiers were cut down before they could locate the enemy. Vencil was badly wounded that evening when a burst from a machine gun struck him in the left hand and left shoulder. He was evacuated and never returned to duty. On March 29, 1938 he applied for the Purple Heart which was granted May 5, 1938. Here is his medal group. No explination for the France bar as the only bar with the victory medal but this is how it came. He was obviously proud to where these as there is evidence that they were polished years ago. His marksman badge is named to him. His good conduct numbered 22836 is verified in his file. The Croix de Guerre is likely self awarded as there was so much confusion over the GdG and the fourragerre.

[devildog34]

Back of the medals. The saftey pin on the Croix de Guerre is an interesting feature and how this group was received.

[devildog34]

Closeup of the engraving of the PH.

[manayunkman]

Great little group with a real life story.

 

M

[devildog34]

application and approval letters for the PH.

[devildog34]

Carl's enlistment card

[BigJohn#3RD]

Another young man whose life undoubtedly took a drastic turn on this day 94 years ago was 27 year old Sergeant Carl William Vencil, a railroad fireman from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He enlisted 2 weeks after America entered the war. Assigned to the 16th Company 3rd Bn 5th Marines in June 1917, Vencil arrived in France with the first detachment of the 5th to sail. During the battalion's stay in the line near Verdun he was gassed April 20, 1918 while assisting in the repelling of a German attack on the town of Eix. At Belleau Wood, while the battalion participated in the reduction of Hill 142 (45th Co. attempted to support 1/5's flank that morning) and the 20th, 45th and 47th Companies attacked Belleau Wood, the 16th was ordered to remain in position. On the 10th when 3/5 relieved 2/6 in Bouresches, Vencil was there. When the battalion resumed positions in the northern part of the woods on the 21st of June, 3/5 was ordered to attack German machine gun positions along the northern fringe of the woods roughly behind where the chapel sits today for the Aisne-Marne Cemetery. At about 7pm the attack began with the 16th Company on the left supported by elements of the 47th Co. The enemy emplacments were so well concealed and dug in that the advancing grenadiers could not locate them until only a few yards away. The enemy positions put out a horrific volume of fire that entire groups of grenadiers were cut down before they could locate the enemy. Vencil was badly wounded that evening when a burst from a machine gun struck him in the left hand and left shoulder. He was evacuated and never returned to duty. On March 29, 1938 he applied for the Purple Heart which was granted May 5, 1938. Here is his medal group. No explination for the France bar as the only bar with the victory medal but this is how it came. He was obviously proud to where these as there is evidence that they were polished years ago. His marksman badge is named to him. His good conduct numbered 22836 is verified in his file. The Croix de Guerre is likely self awarded as there was so much confusion over the GdG and the fourragerre.

D2

It looks like SGT Vencil was pretty pound of his silver discharge button as well all the detail being rubbed away. Well done SGT Vencil RIP :salute:

John

[devildog34]

On the afternoon that 3/5 attacked the northwestern corner of Belleau Wood they sent out grenadiers and scouts to locate the exact spot of the well-concealed machine gun positions. Several men were killed by the withering machine gun fire. Before the day ended, the company suffered 16 killed and 70 wounded. Among the dead 9 Marines are still carried as missing in action. These men were buried sometime that night or the next day. These burial parties had to carry out this duty under heavy artillery fire and the appropriate means of marking and identifying the graves was not able to be done.

The missing are:

Corporal Raymond E. Bliven

Corporal Harry Hillix

Corporal Benjamin F. Turner

Private Ernest L. Buchheister

Private George E. Cleveland

Private Hugh Fackrell

Private Joseph W. Korskey

Private Eric D. Quinn

Private Henry C. Snider

 

One of these Marines was 21 year-old Benjamin Franklin Turner, a salesman from Waco, Texas. Corporal Turner was evidently killed by a gunshot wound but the location of burial was unknown. He was likely one of the 9 men buried under heavy shell fire that night or the following day. A memo from the company commander verfies the conditions under which these burials took place. Pictured below is the documents awarded to Turner's mother Lizzie Turner back in Waco, TX who received news of her son's death 22 days later. 94 years later the resting place of Corporal Benjamin Turner is known but to god.

Semper Fi

[devildog34]

His AEF memorial certificate that would not fit on the scanner

[devildog34]

Here is a photo of Turner from his file

[devildog34]

Here is Turner's enlistment card

[devildog34]

Here is a copy of the telegraph dispatch notifying Lizzie Turner of her son's death.

[devildog34]

Here is a photo of Benjamin's heart broken mother. This picture came from here Gold Star Mother's Pilgrimage passport in the 1930s

[devildog34]

Turner's dog tag was discovered on the northern edge of Belleau Wood but it does not indicate that it was a clue as to where he was buried and is still carried as MIA but is likely among those buried at the Aisne-Marne cemetery in Belleau Wood.

[devildog34]

Memo from 16th Company commander Robert Yowell explaining the conditions under which the 16th Co. burials took place.

[Popo367]

Kevin, great posting.......here is another photo of Turner. (same as the first)

[bobgee]

Another great posting, Kevin. Semper Fi.......Bob

[trenchbuff]

Excellent posting and super research job Kevin! I have seen a couple 4th Brigade groups with France only bars on the victory medal. In fact I have a 17th Co. 1/5 group with one. I know the Navy only awarded one bar on the victory medal, unlike the multiple bars issued by the Army, so maybe it's possible that some Marines were issued victory medals using Navy rules? Just a thought.