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THE FOURTH BRIGADE OF MARINES. The Fourth Brigade of United States Marines was composed of the Fifth and Sixth Regiments of Marines, and the Sixth Machine Gun Battalion of Marines. The companies forming the battalions were as follows: FIFTH REGIMIENT. First Battalion. 17th (A) Company. 49th (B) Company. 66th (C) Company. 67th (D) Company. Second Battalion. 18th (E) Company. 43d (F) Company. 51st (G) Company. 55th (H) Company. Third Battalion. 16th (1) Company. 20th (K) Company. 45th (L) Company. 47th (M) Company. 8th Machine Gun Company. Supply Company. Headquarters Company. SIXTH REGIMENT. First Battalion. 74th (A) Company. 75th (B) Company. 76th (C) Company. 95th (D) Company. Second Battalion. 78th (E) Company. 79th (F) Company. 80th (G) Company. 96th (H) Company. Third Battalion. 82nd (I) Company. 83rd (K) Company. 84th (L) Company. 97th (M) Company. 73d Machine Gun Company. Supply Company. Headquarters Company. SIXTH MACHINE GUN BATTALION. 15th (A) Company. 77th (C) Company. 23d (B) Company. 81st (D) Company. ~~~~~~~~~ From June 27, 1917, to the middle of September, 1917, the Fifth Regiment was a unit of the First Division of Regulars. Although the Fifth Regiment was the only organization of Marines in France at the time, the Fourth Brigade of Marines was formed on October 23, 1917, when Col. Charles A. Doyen cabled acceptance of his appointment as Brigadier General. From October 26, 1917, to August 8, 1919, the Fourth Brigade was a part of the Second Division of Regulars, except from October 20-23, 1918, when the Brigade was provisionally at the disposal of the Ninth French Army Corps, in the vicinity of Leffincourt. On August 8, 1919, the brigade was transferred back to the naval service. On May 29, 1917, in accordance with directions issued by the President, the Secretary of the Navy directed the Major General Commandant" to organize a force of Marines to be known as the Fifth Regiment of Marines for service with the Army as a part of the first expedition to proceed to France in the near future." 'the Fifth Regiment was accordingly organized at the navy yard, Philadelphia, Pa., on June 7, 1917, with Col. Charles A. Doyen in command, and Maj. Harry R. Lay, as adjutant. Gen. Pershing and his staff, accompanied by two Marine officers, preceded the first expedition to France, sailing late in May, 1917, from the United States. 'The final report of the American commander in chief includes the following: The offer by the Navy Department of one regiment of Marines to be reorganized as Infantry was accepted by the Secretary of War, and it became temporarily a part of the First Division. On June 14, 1917, the first expedition of American troops left the United States for France and the Fifth Regiment of Marines embarked on the naval transports Henderson and Hancock, and the auxiliary cruiser De Kalb ( former Printz Eitel Friedrich), formed approximately one-fifth of it. 'the fourth group, including the Hancock, did not sail until June 17, 1917. 'fhe orders received by the convoy commander on the day prior to sailing read in part: "A military expedition is to be embarked on the above-named transports, augmented by a regiment of Marines embarked in naval vessels, for transportation to a destination already communicated."~ McClellan, Maj Edwin N., USMC, The United States Marine Corps in the World War (Washington:
Government Printing Office, 1920).
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The 5th Marines leave for France with the 1st Division, AEF. | |
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Day by Day with
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