“During Aug 20, the 90th sat on a “Balcony of Death” extending from Bon Menil through Chambois,
pouring death into the Germans running the murderous gauntlet The frantic enemy was initiated by the guns of
the 358th at Ste-Eugenie-Bon Menil, pummeled by the 359th at Chambois, mauled by the 3rd Bn of the 358th
northeast of the town.”
“If the infantry is Queen of Battle, then artillery is King. And Chambois, which afforded perfect
observation was a dish fit for any king. Our artillery chewed up and swallowed the three-mile valley. Frequently,
during the afternoon of Aug 20, fire ceased to permit wholesale surrender of Germans.”
And men of Ordnance were spectators at this tremendous feat, their duties taking them frequently to
hill-tops in the vicinity. Here they could pick out distant points of concentrated enemy installations in the valley
below. Minutes later they would see our artillery zero in and destroy them, calmly, methodically, point after
point like an expert rifleman knocking off targets in a shooting gallery.
The company remained in the vicinity of Chailloue for eleven days during which a refitting inspection of
all artillery pieces in the infantry regiments, plus a percentage of small arms and automotive was made and all
necessary maintenance, repairs and evacuation were accomplished prior to the Division’s move to a new sector.
On the 26th of August, the company moved with the Division to the vicinity of Recloses, a distance of
157 miles. No unusual occurrences took place during the trip. The following day the company crossed the Seine
River and moved to the vicinity of Nargis. The greater part of the 28th, 29th and 30th of August was spent on
the road moving with the Division from Nargis to Le Venzie to Fontenelle en Brie and finally to Chenay.
Chenay, about two miles northwest of Rheims, offered an excellent view of the great cathedral from the
high ground inside the company bivouac area. The area which had apparently been used as a headquarters by
Luftwaffe personnel took in three palatial homes. The C.P. was set up in one of the houses and about half the
company billeted themselves throughout the various rooms. Directly across the road from the C.P. was another
French residence with facilities for bath and shower. The Mayor of Chenay opened the house, and the entire
company
enjoyed the luxury of a hot shower or bath – its second since landing in France.
Here the people were exceedingly friendly and many invitations to dinner and church were extended the
company. All men that could be spared were allowed to accept the invitations. This, an unusually heavy mail call
and church services by Chaplain Clemens helped immensely to boost morale. Payday and an opportunity to
send Xmas gifts to friends and relatives through the Army Exchange Service added to the general gaiety of this
happy section.
Movement was slowed to practically a standstill because of lack of gasoline. But on the 5th of
September the vital fluid was flown in to a nearby airport. Once again the 90th Division was on the move,
advancing a full one hundred miles, passing through Verdun and the Argonne Forest, to the vicinity of Etain.
On the night of the 8th, the company was ready to roll again. At the last moment, word was received to
hold up the movement until morning. That night the Division received a heavy counterattack in the vicinity of the
area to which the company was to have moved. Ordnance men heaved a sigh of relief and were grateful for an
“on the ball” Military intelligence, The attack was repulsed and on the 10th, the company rolled on to Lixieres.
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