World War I Notes
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WORLD WAR I NOTES
Particularly on the 89th Division, AEF (W.S. Morgan's unit)
Historical Sketch of German Area Occupied by 89th Division
Printed by Jacob Lintz, Trier, Germany, 1919
The portion of land alloted to the 89th Division for occupation encompassed about 1,000 square miles just east of Luxembourg, north of the Moselle--the principal tributary of the Rhine. The area is known by Germas as "Vorder Eifel," and is famous for its winemaking. The vineyards cling to the region's steep mountainsides.
The town of Kyllburg has a population of 1,100. But, at the height of its regional influence in 1784, its population was more than twice that number.
The Rhine River region of Germany was known as the "richest jewel in the crown of Prussia," and the American soldiers were surprised by the abundance of food and other supplies that could not be found anywhere else in the occupied country--or, even back in France.
Important dates in the history of Kyllburg
800 - Frankish settlement, surrounded on 3 sides by a bend in the Kyll River, about 45 miles north of Trier.
1239 - Archbishop Theoderick of Wied began construction of a mansion on a steep hill. The gate and watch tower still survive.
1256 - The archbishop's vacation home was completed.
1276 - Archbishop Henry II of Vistigen began construction of a Gothic church.
1802 - Congress of Vienna made Kyllburg part of Kresi Bitburg-Prum.
1856 - Made a regional governmental center under Prussian rule.
1956 - Became part of the new state of Rheinland-Palentinate.
Arthur S. Tozar Historical Center
The 89th Division was prepared for overseas service at Camp Mills on Long Island, and shipped out of New York City. The last of the troops arrived in France on July 10, 1918.
Upon arrival, the division was ordered to the Reymel training area in Haute-Marne. They remained there until August 5, 1918, when they moved by bus to the Toul front to man a line between the northeast coern of the Bois de Bauchot and the middle of the Etang de Vorgevaux.
On September 12, 1918, the division participated in the St. Mihiel Offensive as the right division of the 4th Army Corps. They advanced 21 kilometers against the Germans and captured the towns of Beney, Essey, Boullionville, Pannes, and Xammes. They were eventually relieved by the fresh troops of the 37th Division, and were bussed to Recicourt to join the 1st Army Reserve on October 7, 1918.
They were not able to rest long, because on October 12, 1918, the 89th was attached to the 5th Army Corps in the Argonne Offensive, behind the 32nd Division. On October 20, 1918, they formed a line along the Sommerance-Romagne Road, just north of the German defenses at Kreimhilde, and launched an attack on November 1st. They fought their way across the Meuse River north of Stenay by the time the Armistice was signed that ended the war.
On November 24, 1918, the division was attached to the 7th Corps of the 3rd Army and marched to Germany. They were assigned to occupy an area bounded by Kreise-Prum, Bitburg, Trier, and Saarburg. Their headquarters was established at the town of Kyllburg.
On May 19, 1919, the 89th Division finally sailed for home, debarking in New York City.
Successive commanders of the division during the war were William M. Wright, Leonard Wood, and Frank L. Winn. An ironic play on their names was later seen as a prediction of the conflict: Wright, Wood, Winn became "right would win."
An added irony was the division's badge insignia was the letter W, which was not only the initial of every one of its commanders. It was also said to stand for the unit's nickname of the "Mid-West" Division, because the W could be inverted to become an M. Most of the troops were from Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska.
Rosters of Wounded ang Gassed, 89th "Midwest" Division, U.S. Army, American Expeditionary Forces, World War I (1917-1919)
by Scott K. Williams, Florissant, Missouri, 2001.
Medics of the 314th Sanitary Train (89th Division) treated the wounded at Bouillonville in the St. Mihiel sector on September 20, 1918. They subsequently established a field hospital at Bernecourt by September 24, 1918. When treating troops who had been gassed by the enemy, stretcher bearers wore special mittens to protect their hands from gas-infected clothing.
The Romance of Military Insignia
by Col. Robert E. Wyllie
The National Geographic Magazine
Volume 36, Number 6, December 1919
The 89th "Midwest" Division wore an insignia with the letter "W" on a background of different colors that identified individual units, as follow:
177th Infantry Brigade - sky blue background
353rd Infantry Regiment
354th Infantry Regiment
341st Machine Gun Battalion (half sky blue/half scarlet)
178th Infantry Brigade - navy blue background
355th Infantry Regiment
356th Infantry Regiment
342nd Machine Gun Battalion (half navy blue/half scarlet)
164th Field Artillery - scarlet background
340th Artillery Regiment
341st Artillery Regiment
342nd Artillery Regiment
314th Trench Mortar Battery
Engineers - scarlet background edged with white.
Signal Battalion - orange background
Supply Train - purple background edged with white.
Sanitary Train - white background with red cross.
Division Headquarters - no colored background.
History of the 89th Division, 1917-1919
by Lt. Col. George H. English of the 353rd Infantry Regiment
Smith-Brooks Printing Company, Denver, Colorado, 1920
Soon after arriving in occupied Germany, General Winn organized an athletics program including football, basketball, indoor baseball, and soccer. In the Spring of 1919, he also established a league of regimental teams. Athletic equipment was donated by the YMCA.
The Division's football team were champions of the American Expeditionary Forces. It was organized January 25, 1919, by Capt. Paul Withington on a small field at Malburg, a small village near Division Headquarters at Kyllburg.
February 14, 1919, the team beath the 90th Division at Wittlich with a score of 6-0. The 89th was in striking distance of the end zone time after time, but the 90th's tightening defense ans slippery field prevented them from scoring more than one touchdown. The 90th almost spoiled their victory with a strong drive at the end of the game, but during the last few minutes man an illegal substitution and were penalized half the length of the field. So, victory was snatched out of the jaws of defeat.
February 20, 1919, the team won a more decisive victory over the Headquarters of the 3rd Army at Coblenz, with a score of 30-0.
February 27, 1919, also at Coblenz, Coach Withington faced-off against his former Harvard classmate Hamilton Fish and his 4th Division team. A crowd of about 10,000 spectators showed up, and were entertained by a pre-game show performed by Eddie Rickenbacker's famous Aeroplane Circus. They were awed by the aviators' display of tailspins and nose dives, and by an observation balloon bearing a huge American flag that was floated over the playing field. The 89th Divison won again, 14-0, earning a spot in the AEF Championship Tournament in Paris.
The team's former adversaries were generous in defeat, sending their best coaches to help prepare the 89th for the big tournament. Seven teams traveled to Paris, and had to make it thru three rounds to win the championship.
March 14, 1919, the 89th easily defeated the St. Nazaire team at the Paris Velodrome, with a score of 13-0.
March 22, 1919, they won again, 17-3, in a game played against the Intermediate Section SOS at the Auteuil Velodrome.
March 29, 1919 was the date of the championship game against the 36th Division at the Velodrome at Parc des Princes. 15,000 specatators, including General Pershing himself, watched as the two best teams in the Army battled for position on the muddy field. Half time found the 89th behind by a score of 6-0, and they endured a scorching talk from their coaches. Then, General Winn spoke to the men in more inspirational tones. And, they went on to a come-from-behind victory of 14-6.
General Pershing came down from the stands to personally congratulate the victors on the field, and they were awarded a leave of absence to the resort region of Nice until April 15, 1919. At the end of their leave, they enjoyed a triumphal return to Division Headquartes at Kyllburg, passing beneath a series of arches erected by their comrades and fans over the road from Malburg. Then, they enjoyed a fireworks display over the town square, and a ballroom reception, dance, and presentation of trophies by General Winn.