Battle of Belleau Wood - 105th Anniversary
This month (June 1-26) we honor the 105 Anniversary (1918) of the Battle of Belleau Wood.
It was World War I, during the German spring offensive, near the Mame River in France. The battle was fought between the U.S. 2nd (under the command of Major General Omar Bundy) and 3rd Divisions along with French and British forces against an assortment of German units including elements from the 237th, 10th, 197th, 87th, and 28th Divisions.
This battle forever became a key component in the history, lore, and mythology of the Marine Corps. It was here where the Marines were not only given the name ‘Devil Dogs’, but where the Marines who were outnumbered and poorly supported by the French forces to which they were attached — almost single-handedly prevented Paris’ capture by a German army intent on destroying the French capital.
We got our nickname ‘Devil Dogs’ from official German reports which called the Marines at Belleau Wood Teufel Hunden. It has been said that this nickname came about from Marines being ordered to take a hill occupied by German forces while wearing gas masks as a precaution against German mustard gas. While the Marines fought their way up the hill, the heat caused them to sweat profusely, foam at the mouth, and turned their eyes bloodshot, and at some points, the hill was so steep it caused the Marines to climb up it on all fours. From the Germans’ vantage point, they witnessed a pack of tenacious, growling figures wearing gas masks, with bloodshot eyes and mouth foam seeping from the sides, advancing up the hill, sometimes on all fours, killing everything in their way. As the legend goes, the German soldiers, upon seeing this spectacle, began to yell that they were being attacked by “dogs from hell.”
After the war, the area was renamed to ‘Bois de la Brigade de Marine’ (Marine Brigade Woods) to commemorate the Marines of the 4th Marine Brigade who stopped the Germans from entering Paris.
Located on the estate of the count of Belleau across the road from Aisne-Marne American Cemetery just outside the town of Belleau, France, sits Devil Dog Fountain, which is a pilgrimage site for Marines and Marine Corps veterans. I hope someday, to visit and drink from the sacred fountain. Those that take a drink do so in the belief those who drink from it will receive strength and protection in battles to come. It’s also done to remember the Marines who fought there and those who never came home.
***Note*** You must be a U.S. Marine in order to get the key from the groundskeeper. This privilege is reserved for U.S. Marines.
Sources:
Marine Times
Marines
The Importance of the Battle of Belleau Wood
