Officer's AEF Service Coat. 344th Tank Battn. N.P. Weed

[jagjetta]

Shoot...it is nearly December and I haven't made good on my 2016 resolution to publish more about the items I collect! SO, in haste, I have prepared a bit of a story about Newell Phipps Weed. I became the caretaker of one of his tunics several years ago. Like many collectors, I just gathered notes and threw them into an (electronic) file. Well, here goes my attempt to compile those notes:

TRADED HIS SADDLE FOR AN IRON MOUNT

Newell Phipps Weed was born on September 23, 1892, in Brooklyn, New York, Educated at Phillips Academy, in Andover, Massachusetts, Weed graduated in 1913, and took up residence in Montclair, New Jersey, where he joined the State’s national guard, serving in the cavalry. By May 1917, he had risen to the rank of Second Lieutenant (provisional) and was assigned for duty with the 3^rd Cavalry (Regular Army). In July of the same year, he passed an examination to be commissioned in the regular army as a lieutenant.

 

Weed was still in the ranks of the 3^rd Cavalry when, in March 1918, he was personally recruited by George Patton who was struggling to find both officers and men for his fledgling AEF Tank Corps. Agreeing to serve with the tanks, Patton sent Weed to France for schooling in the specialized duties of a tank officer. Before Weed would be admitted to tank school, however, he had to pass an examination on gas engines—something about which he knew very little. He later recalled all that was available for study was a small book published by “some oil company.” Regardless, Weed passed his exam and was admitted to the Light Tank School at Langres, France. At the time, the school, however, had no tanks—just two Hotchkiss 8mm machine guns and two 37mm cannons.

 

Within three weeks, however, the French military delivered ten 6-ton Renault 2-man tanks. Patton recalled, “No one but me had ever driven one…” Patton added, his new tanks would be “all be oiled up and we will start active business making drivers.” The officers and enlisted men had a great deal of training ahead of them.

 

By June 6, Patton had sufficient officers and men to organize a second light tank battalion. Assuming the helm of this second battalion, he relinquished command of the 1^st Light Tank Battalion to Captain Joseph W. Viner, who had served as the Tank School’s chief instructor. Weed was promoted to Captain and given command of Company B in the 1^st Battalion. Viner’s 1^st Battalion and Patton’s 2^nd Battalion underwent intensive training in combined tank-infantry tactics.

 

Now using 25 French-provided Renault tanks for training, the Tank Corps continued to go through growing pains. Two days after Patton created the 2^nd Light Tank Battalion, the War Department decreed a new numbering scheme, renaming the 1^st as the 326^th Tank Battalion and the 2^nd as the 327^th.

 

By-mid August, Patton could now count 900 men and 50 fully qualified officers (Weed being one of them). Though they still had just 25 tanks, the “Treat ‘em Rough” boys (as tankers liked to refer to themselves), were itching for a fight.

 

Renault FT tanks of the 326th and 327th Battalions on the night before the attack at St. Mihiel.

 

Their first chance would come in September during the Meuse-Argonne campaign. Bolstered by more tanks, the 326^th (now under the command of Sereno Brett) would support the 1^st Infantry Division’s attack on September 12. All were on edge. Fifteen minutes before H-Hour when he attack would launch, Captain Weed chewed out Lt. Tayor, "Rush like hell down the line and tell the 'blankety-blank' drivers to get their 'blankety-blank tanks cranked up and be ready to start!" Regardless, the attack didn’t go quite as planned. Failing to link up with the infantry, the 326^th tanks barely faced any enemy. Indeed, the entire 1^st Tank Brigade’s role in the battle was not that noticeable, sustaining only five enlisted men killed, and four officers and another 15 enlisted wounded.

 

This minor performance, however, would be eclipsed just twelve days later. With the two battalions numbered as the 344^th and 345^th, Patton’s brigade was ordered to support the 35^th Infantry Division. On the eve of battle, the 344^th fielded 69 Renault tanks—Captain Newell Weed commanding more than twenty of them.

 

At 5:30 AM—“H hour”—on September 26, amidst heavy fog, whistles blew, infantry emerged from the trenches, and the tanks rolled closely behind. Immediately, the poor visibility became a huge factor. The small Renaults couldn’t keep contact with the infantry. In fact, as the fog lifted, the enemy intensified its artillery fire, further confusing the potential tank-infantry operation. Across the 35^th Division’s area, the links between the tanks and infantry broke apart.

 

Frustrated, Patton abandoned his headquarters to “lead from the front.” When he arrived, he found the 35th Division infantrymen in disarray. Through a display that included personal bravery, shouting, and swearing, Patton was able to reestablish order among the foot soldiers. But rescuing his tanks was another matter. The American-driven Renaults had become desperately intermingled and collectively stuck with two battalions of French Schneider tanks and several reserve infantry companies. The Germans opened fire on this logjam, knocking out some of the tanks and forcing the infantry to take cover.

 

“To Hell with them - they can't hit me,” snapped Patton as he jumped up and stormed across the open to where his tanks were stuck in the muddy trench works. Bellowing in a rage, he ordered the infantry to get up and dig them out. Those who did not immediately obey, discovered it was more dangerous to stay under cover than to brave the enemy shells. “I think I killed one man here who would not work so I hit him over the head with a shovel,” Patton later wrote.

 

“It was exciting,” Patton recalled, “…they shot at us all the time but I got mad and walked on the parapet... at last we got five tanks across and I started them forward and yelled and cussed and waved my stick and said, “Come on!”

 

Inspired by Patton’s actions, Captain Weed, along with other company commanders and platoon leaders, dismounted their tanks to lead the vehicles on foot. With one of his runners, Weed got out about 300 yards in front of his tanks and the infantry they were supporting! After losing sight of his tanks, he sent his runner off in one direction to find them, while he continued to search for a clear path through the wire and shell craters to guide the vehicles. A burst of machine gun fire sent Weed diving into a trench for cover. Recovering his wits, he looked up to see twelve German soldiers, several pointing their rifles at him.

 

Continued next post...

[jagjetta]

Captain Newell Phipps Weed, 344th Tank Battalion and

recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross.

 

Realizing they had just “captured” an officer, the Germans promptly disarmed Weed of his pistol before setting off for the rear with their “trophy.” After walking just a short distance, one of Weed’s tanks arrived on the scene. The Germans ordered Weed to be silent and not move. He ignored their threats and was able to signal the tank that advanced on the trench, sweeping it with machine gun fire. Weed recalled, “The Boche dropped their booty and took to their heels!” Weed picked up his pistol and resumed his advance on the Germans, only to be shocked by the concussion of a German shell.

 

After being sent to the rear, he slipped out of the ambulance and walked the three miles back to where he found a tank to board. He succeeded in taking out a German machine gun nest by riding over it and crushing the gunners. Having inhaled poisonous gas at this time, Weed recalled the, “effect was such that I had to keep my tongue in the roof of my mouth constantly.”

 

He returned to the dugout of the post commander around 7:30 PM and flung himself down on his bunk, declaring, “Hell—I wouldn’t have given three cents for my life today!”

 

Tailor-made tunic once belonging to DSC-recipient,

Captain Newell Phipps Weed

 

 

It is hard to imagine how Weed felt or the amount of self-control he had to exhibit after being captured and led to the rear (only to slip back to command a tank in combat!). The U.S. Army, however, did evaluate his commitment, and awarded him the Distinguished Service Cross. His citation reads:

 

During the operations on the Foret de Argonne, Captain Weed advanced alone some 300 hundred yards ahead of the tanks and infantry through heavy machinegun fire in order to reconnoiter a passage for his command. Examining German trenches he was surprised by German infantrymen and was being conducted to the rear when he heard one of his tanks. In spite if the fact that he was unarmed and the Germans threatened his life if he moved, he signaled the tank and made his escape.

[cutiger83]

WOW! This is an amazing story and uniform. Thank you so much for posting this story....Kat

[ryanduggerr]

This is an amazing story and a great uniform to go with it

[Tennessee]

This is a great example of why I have collected identified WWI groups with a passion since 1981-it's all about the stuff and the stories!! Thanks for sharing both with us in this amazing group of Cpt. Weed's!! Hopefully , we can fan the flames of interest as the Great War Centennial approaches.

 

David

[David D]

Incredible story about a hell of an officer! Thanks for sharing!

[MTracey]

I am glad someone posted today or I never would have read this story. Fantastic officer and great research...