94 years ago a 31 year-old PFC Charley Powers Company K 9th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade 2nd Division gave his life for his fellow soldier during the first day of the Battle of Soissons 18 July 1918. He left a widow and 6 children back home in Tennessee; the family received word that he had died while going out and rescue his fellow soldiers wounded during an attack and were laying exposed to enemy machine gun fire. His oldest son, Enloe age 10 , was responsible for helping his mother raise his siblings and though he spent the rest of his life working at manual jobs in the fields and later on road crew for the state was fiercely proud of his fathers sacrifice made for his fellow soldier and his nation. Enloe passed away 10 years ago so I bring PFC Charlie Powers death, one of hundred that day, so long ago on the field of battle in France to your attention so you may pause and reflect on the price paid then and still today for our freedoms.

Charley Powers rest today in French soil with his fellow Doughboys: Soldiers, Sailors and Marines of the 2nd Division in Oise-Aisne American Cemetery. I want to thank forum member Squad leader for this photo of Charley's grave.

 

Rest In Peace Forever Young Soldier :salute:

 

De Oppresso Liber

Strength and Honor

John

John,

 

Many thanks for remembering and honoring him.

 

RIP Charley Powers. :salute:

 

Dan.

Thank you John for remembering his and his family's sacrifice. May he Rest in Peace.

These two days of the SOISSONS drive were a real bloodshed for the second Division.

Some of the best soldiers of the Division gave their life near Vierzy, Parcy Tigny

Lt Macon Overton

Pvt Cox & Correy ( USMC) and more

 

But this offensive is considered as to be the turn of the WWI, since this moment, the German army never regain an inch of the french soil.

 

Read the superb book on the subject

SOISSONS 1918

Douglas V Johnson & Rolfe L Hillman Jr

Texas A&M University press

isbn o-89096-893-4

 

Regards

Teufelhund