Belleau Wood, Battle of
Belleau Wood, Battle of (1918).Belleau Wood was a significant U.S. action of World War I, attack by a Marine brigade of the U.S. Second Division in woods west of Château Thierry, France. Having participated in stopping the German offensive on the Marne River, the Marines were eager to attack. The brigade was tasked to clear the woods and retake the nearby town of Boursches. Beginning on 6 June and attacking in linear formations, with poor artillery fire support coordination, the Marines immediately began taking heavy casualties; they then shifted to short rushes by small groups, engaging in hand‐to‐hand fighting in a maze of woods, and heavy undergrowth. Several German counterattacks were beaten off, and the Marines advanced into raking machine‐gun fire and well‐adjusted artillery. “Come on, you sonsabitches, do you want to live forever?” shouted Sgt. Dan Daly, leading his Marines into the woods—and into...
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