NEW copy, trade PAPERBACK. (Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, 2006). Photographs, maps, appendices, notes, bibliography, index, 253 pp.

In 1927, at the request of his superiors, John W. Thomason, Jr., set out to chronicle the history of the U.S. Army 2nd Division, particularly during the bloody action of 1918. A proven writer with a solid military background through his service in the Marine Corps and at thta time two successful books under his belt, Thomason was a natural choice to write this important document. The project ran into trouble, however, when Thomason made unflattering discoveries regarding command decisions of both Army and Marine officers. His subsequent removal from the project (at his own request) left the document permanently incomplete.

Here is Thomason’s manuscript, faithfully reproduced. The work of editor George Clark is deliberately limited to matters of spelling and consistency, with Clark’s comments (clearly set apart from Thomason’s work) present only when necessary for clarification. Clark also includes a short biography of Thomason and a brief historical sketch of the 2nd Division to place the action within the framework of the war as a whole. Illustrations include Thomason’s own maps and drawings originally intended to accompany the work.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preface
Editor’s Introduction
Some German Divisional Records

1. Robert d’Espagne to Chaumont-en-Vexin
2. Chemin des Dames
3. Chaumont-en-Vexin to Montreuil: 27 May–1 June
4. 1 June—Deployment
5. Plan of Employment, 31 May–1 June
~~ Chateau Thierry
~~ Belleau—Belleau Wood—Physical
~~ Torcy—Bussiares—Tactical
6. IV Reserve Corps (German): Movements, 27 May–1 June
~~ 23rd Infantry—2 June
7. IV Reserve Corps (German): 2 June
8. 2nd Division and French XXI Corps d’Armée: 3–5 June
~~ 3 June
~~ 5 June
~~ 2nd Division—Midnight, 5–6 June
9. IV Reserve Corps (German)
~~ 4 June
~~ 5 June; Condition of 10th Division
10. 4th Brigade Field Order #1—Hill 142
~~ French XXI C.A. 81/P.C.
~~ Attack on Hill 142, 6 June
~~ 45th Company—7 June
11. First Attack on the Bois de Belleau
~~ pm 6 June
~~ 7 June
12. 3rd Brigade—6 June
~~ 23rd Infantry
~~ 9th Infantry
13. Relief of 10th and 197th Divisions, 7–9 June
14. Bouresches and Bois de Belleau
~~ 2nd Attack on Bois de Belleau by 3/6 on 8 June
~~ 3rd Attack on Bois de Belleau
~~ 4th Attack on Bois de Belleau—2/5 Marines
15. 237th and 28th Divisions (German): 10–11 June
16. 5th Attack on the Bois de Belleau, 12 June—2/5
~~ Attack on Bouresches, 12–13 June
~~ Gas Attack, 13 June
~~ 13 June
~~ 17th Company of 1/5 in the Bois de Belleau: 13–16 June
17. Relief of the 4th Brigade by the 7th Infantry
~~ 7th Infantry Regiment in Bois de Belleau
18. Final Attacks in the Bois de Belleau by 3/5
~~ Note on Attack of 25 June
~~ Note on 87th Division Prior to 23 June
~~ Gassing of 3rd Brigade 183 ~~ Regimental Sectors, 4th Brigade
19. 4th Brigade, 25 June–5 July
20. Vaux: XXI CA, 12 June
~~ Notes on 5th M. G. Bn. in Vaux Operation
~~ 2nd Trench Mortar Battery
~~ 4th Machine Gun Battalion
~~ 3rd Brigade Regimental Sectors
21. Relief of Second Division, 3–10 July

Casualties
He Takes the War Too Seriously

Appendix I: Biography of John W. Thomason, Jr.
Appendix II: Brief History of the 2nd Division, 1917–1919
Suggested Reading
Index

$40.00