|
The
Caesar Krauss
|
|
He was a member of the National Army from September 30, 1917, until his honorable discharge on June 7, 1919. As he was from Maryland at the time of his enlistment, he became a member of the 79th Division in Colonel Claude Sweezey's 313th Infantry Regiment ("Baltimore's Own"). His basic training was completed during the particularly harsh winter of 1917 - 1918 at Fort Meade, Md., where he earned corporal stripes and was assigned to the 4th Platoon of M Company (3rd Battalion). It is likely that his Russian military service resulted in his promotion to corporal in the A.E.F.. As we are all aware, America's Army, at the onset of the war, was willing and very |
|
enthusiastic, but was short of was real military experience. Grandfather's military background would have been easily recognized and appreciated.
The
313th embarked for France on July 8, 1918 aboard the luxury liner SS
Leviathan, which had been converted into a troopship, resplendent in
dazzling camouflage. The transatlantic crossing took six days. On the
division's arrival in Brest, France, the doughboys were given combat
training by experienced Allied veterans, which lasted until early September.
 |
On September 7, 1918 the 313th, attached to the 79th Division, was committed to the inferno. They proceeded to the front, traveling along the well worn "Sacred Way". The 313th relieved the 371st Infantry Regiment, American Black troops assigned to the French Army. On September 13th, the regiment took part in their first defensive action. The 79th went onto the offensive on September 25th with the assignment to capture the towns of Montfaucon and Nantillòis. This action was the first phase of the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, which involved simultaneous attacks by four army groups; the Americans, the Belgians, the French, and the British. My grandfather's photo album, one of his |
most prized possessions, contains many pictures of the ground his unit covered during the offensive. There are photos of Montfaucon Woods, in which M Company captured its first German prisoners. There are also photos of the destroyed church in Montfaucon, which is essentially unchanged to this day. The town was totally rebuilt a mile from its original location during the Great War.
When I visited Montfaucon in 1985, I found the ruins to be as the pictures taken in 1918. The album also contained pictures of the Chateau Montfaucon, which was used by the German Crown Prince as an observation post during the battle of Verdun.
By the end of September, the 313th reached Nantillòis. Their struggle was intense and casualties had been high. M Company had lost two sergeants, three corporals and thirteen privates.
Most of the month of October was spent in defensive positions around Nantillòis. On October 27th, the 79th Division was once again ordered to take up the offensive. The 313th Infantry Regiment was to launch an attack on November 6th, but their sector was being subjected to an intense artillery bombardment of high explosives and shrapnel. They stayed in that position till the end of the war.
My mother remembers that every year, the week before Armistice Day, grandfather took the day off from work. When she questioned him about this, he told her that he had been in a terrible battle and did not expect to survive. He prayed to God that if he saw fit to spare his life he would honor the occasion as a Sabbath day. To our knowledge, grandfather never worked on that day again.
Caesar Krauss died on his 58th birthday when I was only thirty months old. He was a member of the Choptank Masonic Lodge and he was buried with full military honors in the Baltimore National Cemetery.
The
Ceasar Krauss Great War Memorial Site near Newville, PA is my lasting
tribute to my grandfather and his comrades, as well as to his allies
and adversaries. It is my intention that site will provide a "living"
tribute to be used by Great War historical interpreters and enthusiasts
forever.
| home | gwa news | gwa units | schedule | authenticity| photos | directions | contact us| links |