Devil dogs in Belleau Wood

When I came to France, I had three places I wanted to visit: Paris, Normandy and Versailles. Faeth had a list of battle sites I hadn’t even heard of. One of them was Belleau Wood. The second day we were with Geoff and Jennifer, they took us to this site. Though I’d never heard of it before this summer, I’m really glad we managed to visit. In fact, it was one of the coolest places in France we went to see.

Belleau Wood is sort of a pilgrimage spot for U.S. Marines. Why? Because during the intense WWI battle that occurred there, Marines earned their famous “Devil Dog” nickname. After German forces pushed through French lines to march towards Paris, Marines rushed to stop the enemy’s advance. Four Marine Corps regiments squared off against five divisions of German troops. The battle lasted from June 1-June 26, 1918, resulting in nearly 2,000 Marine casualties and another 8,000 Marines wounded. After fighting in wheat fields, the Marines chased the Germans into Belleau Wood, attacking the wood six times before finally routing the enemy and securing U.S. victory. Fighters were reduced to bayonet and hand-to-hand combat, struggling through machine gun fire and mustard gas. One Marine Corps officer reportedly encouraged his troops by shouting, “Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?” After almost four weeks of fighting, the Marines finally emerged victorious in one of the bloodiest and most intense battles of WWI.

This monument also commemorates the battle

To commemorate their allies’ valor and determination, the French renamed Belleau Wood “Bois de la Brigade de Marine” (Wood of the Marine Brigade). Legend has it that German forces also walked away with a healthy respect for Marine Corps spirit, calling them “devil dogs,” a nickname that Marines have worn with pride ever since.

Faeth and I were able to visit these very woods, in addition to the U.S. cemetery established nearby. But first, we visited the famous “Devil Dog” fountain. This fountain, which unsurprisingly has a bulldog head as the fount, supposedly adds 10 years of life to any Marine who drinks from it. Since I plan on going into the Air Force, I guess it won’t work for me, but Faeth wants to be a Marine, so hopefully she gained a 10 year bonus. She also brought some back for our dad, who served in the Marine Corps 20 years ago. (The way he hurts himself, he could use all the help he can get!)

We'll have to wait and see if it works...

Then we visited the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery and Memorial. About 2,300 men and women are buried there, and a “Wall of the Missing” commemorates another 1,060 whose bodies were never recovered. Among these Americans is Weedon Osborne, one of only three dental officers who received the Medal of Honor. He was a Navy officer who was killed in the Battle of Belleau Wood as he dragged wounded fighters to safety.

After we saw the cemetery, we walked into the woods where the battle had taken place nearly 100 years ago. We could see craters left by shells and the remains of trenches where U.S. forces ducked under enemy fire. Walking through these woods, I tried to imagine what it was like to be a U.S. Marine fighting for my country a hundred years ago: the woods filled with smoke and mustard gas, the smell of gunpowder and blood, the sound of machine gun fire and the screams of dying men… What was it like, not seeing 10 feet in front of you but advancing anyway? What was it like to see your comrades mowed down? What was it like to feel blind terror rip through your heart but stamp it down and move forward when your officer commanded? What was it like to kill someone with a bayonet or with your bare hands?

Faeth tried her hand at the "Marine Corps crawl" in one of the trenches

I can’t imagine the horrors these U.S. fighters endured during that bloody battle; all I can do is be thankful for their incredible courage and fortitude. Without the men of the USMC, we would not have won WWI or WWII or any war. Because of them, I know our country is safe. I think they’re loyal to the point of fanaticism, driven to the point of ruthlessness and brave to the point of recklessness. I’m unspeakably proud of my dad for serving as a Marine and, though I’m worried for her, I’m unspeakably proud of my little sister for joining too. The men and women of the United States Marine Corps are the greatest heroes our country has.

I leave you now with a quote from Clifton B. Cates, a Marine 1^st Lt. in Belleau Wood:

“I have only two men out of my company and 20 out of some other company. We need support, but it is almost suicide to try to get it here as we are swept by machine gun fire and a constant barrage is on us. I have no one on my left and only a few on my right. I will hold.”