77th
Division ORGANIZATION AND TRAINING IN THE
UNITED STATES, AUG 5,1917- FINAL TRAINING AND OPERATIONS, APR 15-NOV 11, 1918 Apr 15-June 5, Training with the British in Picardy and Artois. Apr 15-May 4, Div less Arty, 302d Sup Tn, and 308th F Hosp) moves to the Eperlecques and Recques Training Areas, where it is attached to the Br 39th Div (Br Second Army) for training. [Apr 15-June 12, Div is under the administrative control of the II Corps.] May 7,152d FA Brig and 302dAm Tn move to Camp de Souge for training. May 13, 154th Inf Brig moves to the vicinity of Couturelle and trains with the Br 2d and Br 42d Divs (Br Third Army) with a view to its employment along the support line between Marieux and Pas, east of Doullens, in case of hostile attack. June 6, Div (less Arty, Sup Tn, and 308th F Hosp) moves to entraining stations, the 153d Inf Brig, from the Br Second Army, marching to vicinity of Hesdin, the 154th Inf Brig, from the Br Third Army, marching to vicinity of Longpre-les-Corps-Saints. June 9, Div (less detached units) moves to the vicinity of Rambervillers. in the Vosges in the area of the Fr Eighth Army. [June 12-21, Div is under the administrative control of the I Corps.] June 14, 302d Sup Tn rejoins. June 19, Div (less Arty and 308th F Hosp) moves to the Baccarat Sector. June 21-July 15, Div participates in the occupation of the Baccarat Sector (Lorraine). June 21, troops of the 77th Div, affiliated with the Fr 61st Div, enter the front line of the sector, which includes the subsectors of Badonviller, Ste-Pole, Montigny and La Blette, and extends from a point 2-1/2 km northeast of Pierre-Percee, through Neuviller-les-Badonviller and Ancerviller, to a point on the Vezouse River 1-1/2 km northeast of Herbeviller. On this date the command of the sector passes from the 42d Div to the Fr 61st Div; local actions follow. [June 21-Aug 8, Div is under the administrative control of the IV Corps.] June 24, 308th F Hosp rejoins. July 8-18, 152d FA Brig and 302d Am Tn rejoin. July 16-Aug 4, Div occupies the Baccarat Sector (Lorraine). July 16, 77th Div assumes command of the Baccarat Sector and the Fr 61st Div begins to withdraw. Aug 4, 37th Div relieves the 77th Div. Aug 6, Div moves from the vicinity of Charmes to the vicinity of Fere-en-Tardenois in the zone of the Fr Sixth Army. Aug 11, Div move toward the front. Aug 12-17, Div occupies the Vesle Sector (Champagne). Aug 12, Div relieves the 4th Div and part of the Fr 62d Div in the Vesle Sector from the Chateau du Diable, along the railroad north of the Vesle River, the slopes east and north of St-Thibaut, to the railroad north of la Graviere; 28th Div on right, Fr 62d Div (Fr XI Corps) on left. Night Aug 13/14, the Div extends its front to the western edge of Fismettes, relieving troops of the 28th Div. Aug 15, Fr 164th Div is on the left. Aug 18, the sector occupation merges into the Oise-Aisne Operation. Aug 18-Sept 16, Div participates in the Oise-Aisne Operation. Aug 18-Sept 3, the Fr Sixth Army attacks the enemy positions north of the Vesle River. The Div establishes bridgeheads north of the river near the Chateau du Diable and Bazoches. Aug 21, Div occupies Tannerie, and, on Aug 22, captures the Chateau du Diable. Aug 27, 2d Bn 306th Inf raids Bazoches from the southwest, and retires to its original position before a hostile counterattack. Night Sept 2/3, Div extends its sector toward the right to include Fismes. Night Sept 3/4, the enemy begins his withdrawal to prepared positions north of the Aisne. Sept 4, Div advances, crosses the Vesle, and reaches an east and west line from Grotte to les Terres -Noires, southwest of Perles. Sept 5, Div captures Merval and Serval and, further west, reaches a line from Barbonval (excl) to Pierre Laroche, captures Longueval, and occupies les Champs-Ste-Macre. Sept 6, Div reaches a line from a point east of la Butte do Bourmont to Villers-en-Prayeres (incl), thence along the road connecting Villers-en-Prayeres and Vieil-Arcy, to the Ruines-du-Tordoir (excl); patrols cross the Aisne Canal. Night Sept 7/8, Fr 62d Div relieves the 28th Div on the right; Fr 164th Div (Fr III Corps) is on the left. Sept 7-14, several attacks gain some ground in the direction of Glennes and Revillon and also toward the Aisne. Night Sept 11/12, the sector is reduced when the Fr 164th Div relieves the 306th Inf west of the Bois de Mauchamp. Nights of Sept 14/15 and 15/16, the Italian 8th Div relieves the Div. Sept 16, the command passes to the Italian 8th Div, and the 77th Div moves, via Epernay and Chalons-sur-Marne, to the area of the Fr Second Army near Givry-en-Argonne. Sept 19, Div (less Arty and trains) moves to the vicinity of Le Neufour, Florent, and Les Islettes. Nights Sept 19/20 and 20/21, Div (less Arty and trains) relieves the Fr 120th Div in the Foret d'Argonne. Sept 21-25, Div occupies the Foret d'Argonne Sector (Lorraine). The Div reorganizes this sector which extends from Pierre-Croisee, through Courtechaussee and Le Four de Paris, to 1 km north of La Harazee. Night Sept 23/24, the artillery and trains enter the sector. Sept 26-Nov 11, Div participates
in the Meuse-Argonne Operation. Sept 26, Div, on
the left of the I Corps, attacks toward Grandpre and
advances about 2 km; the 28th Div is on the right; the
368th Inf (92d Div), as part of a Franco-American liaison
detachment of the Groupement Durand between the First and
Fr Fourth Armies, is on the left. Sept 27-Oct 1, a series
of attacks through the Bois de la Grurie establishes a
line from a point southwest of le Chene Tondu, through
the Bois de la Naza, to 1 km east of Binarville. Sept 30,
Fr 1st Dismounted Cavalry Div (Fr XXXVIII Corps, Fr
Fourth Army) is on the left. Oct 2, the left of the Div
attacks; the 1st Bn 308th Inf, assisted by elements of
the 307th Inf and 306th MG Bn, penetrates the enemy
position between the Bois de laBuironne and the Moulin de
Charlevaux, but is surrounded. Oct 7, Div advances and
reestablishes connection with this battalion. Oct 8, Div
reaches the Rau des Noues in the Bois de Chatel, and the
front now extends from 2-km southwest of Chetel-Chehery
to Etang de Poligny. Oct 9, Div pursues the retreating
enemy, passes through the Bois des Quatrains and Bois de
Langon, and reaches a line from 1 1/4 km south of La
Besogne to the south slope of Hill 209; 82dDivon right.
Oct 10, the enemy retreats to positions north of the Aire
River; the Div pursues and reaches a line from Mareq
(excl), through the southern limits of Chevieres, to 1 km
south of Grand- pre; Fr 71st Div (Fr XXXVIII Corps, Fr
Fourth Army) on the left. Oct .11-13, local actions
occur. Oct 14, Div captures St-Juvin. Oct 15, Div changes
direction from the north to the northwest, and the left
of the Div closes in on the Aire River. Night Oct 15/16,
78th Div begins the relief of the 77th Div. Oct 16, 1st
Bn 307th Inf enters Grandpre, but units of the 78th Div
complete its occupation. Oct 16-30, Div is concentrated
near Pylone and Camp de Bouzon in corps reserve;
rehabilitation. Oct 31-Nov 1, elements of the Div reenter
the front line and relieve part of the 82d Div from the
Ravin aux Pierres to the northwestern slope of C6te 182
north of St-Juvin. Nov 1, Div attacks north and reaches
the high ground along the road 1 km east of
Champigneulle, and, on the left, to beyond the Agron
River astride the road from Champigneulle to St-Juvin;
80th Div on right, 78th Div on left. Night Nov 1/2, the
enemy withdraws to the north. Nov 2, Div pursues,
captures Champigneulle, and passes through Verpel,
Thenorgues, and Harricourt. Nov 3, it passes through
Autruche, Fontenoy, and St-Pierremont, and on Nov 4,
occupies Oches. Nov 5, Div occupies La Berliere, Stonne
and La Besace; its front now extends from La Besace
(incl), to south edge o Bois de Raucourt, thence along
the road to les- Huttes -d'Ogny Fme; 42d Div is now on
the left. Nov 6, Div resumes the pursuit northeast in the
direction of the Meuse, establishes connection with the
1st Div (V Corps), which replaced the 80th Div on the
right, and reaches the heights of the Meuse between Bois
de Pourron and Chamblage Fme, with patrols at
Villers-devant-Mouzon and Remilly-sur-Meuse. Nov 7, Div
holds the line of the Meuse from Rouffy to
Reniffly-sur-Meuse, and advances its right to crest of
Mont-de-Brune and east slope of Hill 275; 2d Div (V
Corps) on right. Nov 8, Div front is now along the Meuse
from opposite Mouzon to Remilly-sur-Meuse. Nov 9-10, Div
relieves the 42d Div, occupies the entire corps front,
and establishes connection with the Fr 150th Inf (Fr 40th
Div, Fr. IX Corps, Fr Fourth Army) east of Pont-Maugis.
Nov 10-11, Div holds the line of the Meuse from Mouzon
(excl) to Pont -Maugis (excl). |