Pvt RALPH E. SCHALLER, USMC

Pvt. Jeremiah W. Stapp, USMC, 286425. Pvt Stapp is listed History of the Sixth Machine Gun Battalion as being assigned as a replacement to the 81st Company, 6th Machine Gun Battalion, on 20 October, 1918. He was most likely one of 150 replacements received by the battalion while at Camp L'Ermitage to replenish men lost during the battle for Blanc Mont.

The photograph below, showing three Marines resting on a machine gun cart, is captioned: Donau, Stapp, Schaller- Chaumont, 1917. Pvt Jeremiah W. Stapp was assigned as a replacement to 81st Company at the same time as Schaller. The full identity of "Donau" is undetermined. Evidently these three Marines were among the original Marines sent over as part of the 1st Division, AEF, in July 1917. Chaumont was the location of Pershing's headquarters. A number of Marines from this original contingent were used throughout the rest of the war on provost duty throughout northern France and England, and that was evidently the fate of these three until they were eventually required as replacements in the front lines.

After the above information appeared on this site, the following additional information was provided by Gilles Lagin, Belleau Wood Museum, Marigny-en-Orxois, France: "Ralph E. Schaller was a corporal (received his warrant June 1918). He enlisted April,28, 1917. For the date June 1 he is listed as sick in Base Hospital No. 15 (GO 100 does not apply). On June 30 Schaller was reduced to the grade of private for neglect of duty.Reduction slated to take effect on July 1, 1918. Auth CO. 7th Co. USMC..........."

Gilles goes on to explain the nature of 7th Company: "The 7th Company USMC was attached to General Headquarters, A.E.F., at Chaumont, probably from sometime in 1917. They were probably used on guard duty at Chaumont Headquarters. No Marines from this company were sent forward as replacements in fighting units before October 1918, (losses were heavy at Blanc Mont for the 6th MGB, with 123 wounded and 26 killed). In all probability, many of the 7th Company men were never attached to Marine Corps fighting units. Additionally, there were four Marine Corps replacement battalions which arrived in France at different times for the purpose of providing replacements to Marine Corps combat units. These battalions were stationed in the rear, and only a certain percentage of the men in these units made it into combat zones before the Armistice."

Donau, Stapp, Schaller- Chaumont, 1917.

Thanks to Capt Mike Manifor USMC for this photograph.