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It was a pretty wise stunt, this practice work; but it seemed that the higher authorities couldn't decide which division they wanted us to work with. We were just getting lined up nicely with the 82nd when they changed us to the 5th. We then began practice work with them and were getting the co-operation well organized when, two days before the attack, we were assigned to the 2nd Division. It was too lat then to have any more practice work. Everything was moving into position. The big show was ready to start. Tanks and Artillery were going forward. Ammunition had already been put in place. Everything was moving. ___ quickly and rapidly, To quote "The Stars and Stripes" for September 20th., it was "a big bouncing young army, armed to the teeth and the teeth themselves glistening in a supremely confident grin ..... The Army, poised for its first blow, was just so many million pounds of confidence. The were set for the task they thought might be easy, but which they were determined to fulfill no matter how hard it should prove". I would often stand by the roadside and watch our American heavy artillery go by. I thought there was no prettier sight on earth than watching a group of 155 mm Longs, pulled by caterpiller tractor, go waddling up the road to their positions, where they were to hurl death and destruction into the unsuspecting Boche.

Erwin and I had been groomed, trained and coached for the hell-busting infantry liaison. Lt. Hartigan, then Operations Officer of the Squadron, had picked us for the job. We were to fly the first Infantry Liaison of the First Aero Squadron, First Observation Group, with the First Army Corps, in the first offensive of the First American Army. We were to work with the famous Second Division, the Division with the Marine Brigade in it. I had a Brother and five or six old school mates in the Marines. I had visited them while they were in reserve. When they started moving into position I bade them farewell and hearty God's speed. It is a peculiar sensation to tell a brother good-bye on the eve of abattle. I told them I would be with them when they went over the top and to keep their eyes open for a white-nosed Salmson No. 8, carrying the Ameri-Flag painted on the side of the fuselage as our squadron insignia. 

The day dawned; the day that was to decide, not the fate of the Nobobs, but the fate of the Boche in the St. Mihiel sector. We had waited patiently for "D" day and "H" hour. On the night of September 11th, we received notice that the next morning, September 12th, and 5 o'clock, things would jar loose. I didn't sleep much that night, I was restless. I knew not what the next day would bring forth, nor what it held in store for us. Erwin and I were to take the first mission. We were "lead off" men.

There was a standing order out that an infantry liaison plane would fly no lower than 600 meters, as it was almost sure to be shot down by ground machine gun fire. But we intended to fly a good deal lower than that. We intended to fly through our own barrage. We intended to fly anywhere from 50 to 400 meters. Our comrade doughboys were going to fly over the top, and we intended to follow them through hell if necessary. We intended to tell the Boche machine gunners to go straight to purgatory. We were going to stick with our doughboys through thick and thin, I had a Brother and five or six former school mates in the Second Division, and Erwin and I were going to stay with them till the cows come home.

About two o'clock in the morning of September 12th our artillery opened up and such an opening! I didn't know there was so much artillery in the world. We must have had guns piledon [[piled on]] top of each other the buildings on our aviation field trembled as if by earth-quake. I didn't sleep any more that night.

Shortly after daylight we were all set. Old No. 8 had been rolled out of the hangar and was standing on the starting line, with her nose in the air as if scenting the sky for weather conditions. The mechanics put a little more gas in the tank to make sure that it was full, and patted her affectionately on the cheeks as they gave her a final inspection. I checked my pistol ammunition (pyrotechnic signals): looked over my map boards and code cards; and tested the tension on the main spring of my guns. One of the radio