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[[underline]]THE TOUL SECTOR[[/underline]]

The Toul Sector had been chosen as the place for American Units to bridge the gap between training in schools and actual war conditions. In this area "stabilization" had arrived between two strongly fortified antagonists. Since the early days of the war it had been a "quiet" sector and it so remained until the St. Mihiel operation on September 12.

As the various units began to arrive from the S. O. S. in the Spring of 1918, they were organized, equipped and trained in the minor operations carried out in this part of the line, with the atmosphere and many of the conditions of active warfare.

The earlier corps observation, pursuit, day bombardment, army observation squadrons and balloon companies all obtained through the opportunities to learn the details of their work and the application of principles and methods, practical experience and high morale without paying the ordinarily heavy price. From this they graduated to the sterner work of the Marne, the Vesle, St. Mihiel and the Argonne Meuse. The organizations formed later in the summer had this same advantage by

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