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THE GEORGE S. ROBB CENTRE FOR THE STUDY OF THE GREAT WAR AT PARK UNIVERSITY Â VOLUME 1, NO. 2
CAPTAIN ROBERT S. MARX Statement on Social Justice Beginning Stages of Demobilization War Dogs Valor magazine is sponsored by the Robert R. McCormick Foundation
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CONTENTS There's no expiration on valor. 3 Message from Interim President Smeed 4 Message from Director Westcott 5 Statement on Social Justice 6 National Hispanic Heritage Month 7 National Native American Heritage Month 8 First Division Museum Launches Travel Program 9 Captain Robert S. Marx 19 Adopt-A-Book Program 20 Beginning Stages of Demobilization 21 War Dogs 22 Research Updates 23 Sponsorships 24 Contacts
9 Captain Robert S. Marx 357th Infantry Regiment, 90th Division, U.S. Army VALOR MAGAZINE | 2
MESSAGE FROM INTERIM PRESIDENT SMEED
Park University's longstanding relationship with the United States armed forces has impacted not only our development as a University, but the relationships we have with each generation of veteran students and alumni. From the Park Global Warrior Center, a resource center for servicemembers and veterans transitioning in and out of the military, to the George S. Robb Centre for the Study of the Great War, home of the Valor Medals Review Project and Task Force, Park University is proud to be an institution that serves our nation. During World War I, the call to serve had 140 Park students and alumni serving in the military. Their stories are similar to our students today.
One such student was Emilio Acosta. Writing one of my predecessors on April 26, 1917, from San German, Puerto Rico, he stated "Park College is an institution where poor youth may secure a liberal education. I am a young man of poor parents, who with a great many difficulties have struggled to complete a high school course. It is my ambition not to be satisfied with such a fair education, but to push on until I can get a more thorough preparation." I am proud to say he entered Park in the fall of 1917. Toward the conclusion of his first year, the U.S. entered WWI. Acosta enlisted on April 25, 1918, and served as the bugler in Company D, 356th Infantry, 89th Division. Following his discharge in 1919, he returned to Park. Graduating in 1922,
Acosta began his teaching career at Chanute (Kan.) High School (1922-25), a school I attended during my sophomore year and in the town where some of my relatives have lived for many years and over several generations. He then attended the University of Illinois (1925-27, earning a Master of Arts degree). Following graduation he commenced a 38-year career at the University of North Dakota (1927-65). The call of military service again saw Acosta serving his nation during WWII (1942-47) at the age of 47. Acosta's story embodies the spirit of Park's educational mission of serving military servicemembers no matter where they are in their careers. Shane Smeed Interim President Park University VALOR MAGAZINE Â | Â 3
MESSAGE FROM DIRECTOR WESTCOTT Placing our research in current perspective
The year 2020 has been challenging and heartbreaking for our global society. I express deepest regards if you have been effected by the COVID-19 pandemic. While the Robb Centre team has dealt with the closure of archives and museums, which continues to restrict our access to information, we have been blessed with all the support and assistance of archivists and museum staff around the United States that have provided information and materials once they reopened. These dedicated individuals have furnished additional insight into a whole group of servicemembers under review and I extend profound gratitude.
I would be remiss, as the year concludes, not to reflect on those individuals or groups that have been part of our research, fundraising and support. First, to all the servicemember descendants. The pleasure that I have of our conversations and communications is the most rewarding component of this project. Listening to your stories and reflections humanize the research that narrates the life and valor of these servicemembers. Second, our partners and sponsors. Your financial support furnishes the foundation to the research and outreach that is performed in order to recount the life and actions of these servicemembers. The past year
has brought new partnerships and sponsorships, and I look forward to telling our stories to additional individuals, organizations and foundations over the next year. Third, to the entire Park University family, from advancement, communications, executive staff, interns and technology. Your support and dedication has been instrumental in the success of the George S. Robb Centre and Valor Medals Review Project over this year. I, nor the Robb Centre team, could not have accomplished our tasks this past year without you. Finally, to our friends. We have engaged in numerous ZOOM meetings and I thank you for your continued leadership and support. VALOR MAGAZINE Â | Â 4
STATEMENT ON SOCIAL JUSTICE The purest characterization of social justice resides in the belief of fairness and impartiality between the individual and society. Though social justice commonly examines a multiplicity of societal factions (for example geographical, economic, sociological, political and cultural) within a framework of just versus unjust, the George S. Robb Centre for the Study of the Great War at Park University repeatedly uncovers the unrelenting malice of sociological-cultural racism and antisemitism of the early 20th-century, which is tied to a longer history. Tasked with the profound charge of narrating the lives and actions of servicemembers of African American, Asian American, Hispanic American, Jewish American and Native American background, the Robb Centre team regularly observes acts of bigotry and deceitfulness. On or off the battlefield, those who proved they could break from their race’s stereotyped inferiorities were paraded for the masses as exemplars —diminishing their value as individuals and diversity in language, culture, and religion— and expected to conform to the expectancies fostered upon them by white elitists. Several of our servicemembers, upon returning home, were able to use their military achievements to their advantage in disregarding determined roles they historically portrayed in society. Regrettably, the remainder of our veterans were forced to abandon their recent freedom from stereotyping for survival in the Jim Crow "He could not help but wonder in as he seteyes forth . . . South or "uncivilized" West, where contributions to the War and larger society lacked credence the when he would see that home again and what experiences wouldserved meet withare in the mean time of their neighbors. However, there remains a national obligation to ensure that allhewho judged but he could not help but feel that what ever they not only by their character, but also by their actions. might be he would move equal to them. He must
move equal to them for his home folks sent him forth with expectations and full confidence that he would be a real soldier and home folks are under no circumstances to be disappointed."
Regardless of the final outcome —the potential nomination and awarding of the Medal of Honor— the George S. Robb Centre’s greatest responsibility is to tell the stories of veterans who have been ignored, diminished and cheated by their military service for over a century. Our fight for social justice on behalf of these men stands on the ideal that their strains for fairness —no matter how harsh or painful to recount — deserve examination in the most candid light. As a nation, we are strengthened and healed by addressing these slights to our veterans’ memories and their families. Allowing a historical narrative to remain that exaggerates the good and ignores the bad is no longer acceptable; we can be better today and in the future for having taken action. Therefore, the Robb Centre team is committed to giving a voice to those who were not allowed one and amplifying those who were punished for using it.
The George S. Robb Centre for the Study of the Great War at Park University is honored to be the home of the Valor Medals Review Project, in which the valorous actions of minority servicemembers will receive the attention —and ideally, the highest military honor— they deserve.
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Established under Public Law 90-498 in 1968 as National Hispanic Heritage Week, President Lyndon B. Johnson and Congress wished to convey an appreciation and draw national attention to Hispanic American citizens and their generations of impact on American culture. Nearly 20 years later, said Public Law was amended under 100-402 to create a “31-day period (of observance) beginning on September 15th and ending on October 15th,” extending the potential for not only regional and state-wide celebrations of Hispanic Americans, but creating a greater opportunity for national tributes of impactful individuals of every field. The annual month of recognition has since garnered regular ceremonial proclamations, ranging from representatives, senators and presidents, to Foundations and Historical Societies, and to our youngest minds through educational programs implemented in classrooms around the country. Park University's George S. Robb Centre for the Study of the Great War team is extremely proud to be working on such a diverse and rich group of Hispanic American veterans who qualify for research under the Valor Medals Review. It is too often we find gaping holes in historic studies lacking credit to Hispanic servicemembers, most notably in the finding that Medal of Honor recipient David Barkley Cantu concealed his Mexican heritage to avoid being placed in a segregated unit; as of 1989, making him the only recognized Hispanic Medal of Honor receiver from World War I. Representing the United States Army, Navy and Marine Corps, our servicemembers stand in every corner of the country and beyond -from Mexico to Puerto Rico to Massachusetts, we are beyond grateful to the families and research groups who have assisted in our task. Though our research is far from over, we are honored to have been given the opportunity to recognize those who have not been given proper acknowledgement, over 100 years post-action, of their service.
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NATIONAL NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH Established under Public Law 99-471 in October 1986, American Indian Week was proclaimed as a commemoration of American Indian culture between November 23-30 of the year. In the years following, two other weeks in the fall involving the celebration of American Indian citizens were passed, Public Law 100-450 (1988) and Public Law 101-188 (1989) altered the original November week to September, then established the week of December 3-9 of 1989 as ‘National American Indian Heritage Week’. Long overdue, these weeks designated the first official periods of reflection toward individuals of Native heritage. Swiftly following, Public Law 101-343 authorized President George H.W. Bush the ability to proclaim November 1990 National American Indian Heritage Month. Now an annual occurrence, the month of November is exclusively reserved via presidential proclamation for national, state, local and organizational tributes; in honoring American Indian and Alaska Native history, each generation will have an opportunity to learn about our nation’s first peoples. The George S. Robb Centre for the Study of the Great War at Park University currently has 22 individuals of Native descent approved for investigation under the Valor Medals Review Project; representing the United States Army and United States Marine Corps, these servicemembers come from 12 tribes and nations within eight states. Many of the veterans we have the pleasure of researching truly persevered under the prejudicial conformities of the time- serving in the armed forces before they were even considered national citizens under the Snyder-Indian Citizenship Act in 1924. We are extremely grateful to the individuals and associations who have assisted with our task and are hopeful to identify more servicemembers that qualify for review in the future. We are honored to have been given the opportunity to discuss American Indian and Alaska Native servicemembers, their dedication to service, and valorous actions on and off the battlefield, more than 100 years post-War.
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FIRST DIVISION MUSEUM LAUNCHES TRAVEL PROGRAM The First Division Museum at Cantigny Park has introduced “Footsteps of the First,” a small-group travel program combining cultural exploration and military history in partnership with Academic Travel Abroad. The new program offers powerful learning opportunities packaged with the lure of comfortable, hasslefree overseas travel. Destinations will include battlegrounds, museums, cemeteries, monuments and other venues important to the history of the U.S. Army’s illustrious 1st Infantry Division, to which the First Division Museum is dedicated —with a solid mix of local culture weaved into the trip. “We believe ‘Footsteps of the First’ is an ideal way to leverage the expertise of our museum professionals and extend the First Division Museum’s reach,” said Krewasky A. Salter, who joined the museum in 2019 as executive director and previously served as a Smithsonian Journeys expert. “This is an exciting new direction for us and something we are uniquely qualified to do. Having worked with ATA before, I am confident we’ve secured the professional travel planning that’s essential to an outstanding experience. ATA and our selected expert for this inaugural 'Footsteps of the First’ will collectively offer an enlighten and memorable experience.” Salter envisions the First Division Museum hosting a trip annually or every 18 months. “Footsteps of the First” is intended for audience enrichment, engagement and public outreach; the program does not benefit the museum financially. Our initial “Footsteps” destination is Western Europe, September 5-16, 2021. With First Division Museum historian Jacquelyn Gillaspie serving as expert guide, travelers (limited to 25) will explore sites where the “Big Red One” made history during World War II, leading the way to Allied success. “The trip will be educational, but also deeply meaningful for all of us who believe in freedom and want to experience the places where so many brave soldiers made the ultimate sacrifice to protect it,” said Gillaspie. “Some days, we’ll literally be standing on hallowed ground." Highlights of the 12-day journey include Omaha Beach in Normandy; the city of Aachen, Germany; the Hürtgen Forest; and several key Battle of the Bulge sites. Impressive war cemeteries, monuments, cathedrals and museums are on the itinerary, too, many located in spectacular settings. “Footsteps of the First” offers well-rounded travel, with time set aside for enjoying local attractions and culture. The trip begins and ends in Paris. Along the way, travelers will enjoy special dining experiences, 4star accommodations and ground transportation via luxury motor coach. A full itinerary, travel details and pricing are posted online at FDMuseum.org. Reservations are now being accepted.
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CAPTAIN ROBERT S. MARX Robert Sylvan Marx was born to William (1860-1915) and Rose (Loewenstein, 1861-1933) Marx on 28 January 1889 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Though both William's and Roses' parents were born and raised in Ohio, their respective families hailed from towns in Germany only 340 miles apart, and immigrated to the United States within years of each other in the 1840s. William and Rose were both raised in steady, middle-class environments in greater Cincinnati. William’s father, Solomon, worked as a shoe cobbler and seller; Rose’s father, Julius, as a wholesale clothing merchant. The couple were bound to meet eventually, as they lived only a few blocks from each other in downtown Cincinnati, William on West 9th St., Rose on East 3rd St., just North of the Ohio River. Married in 1883, the couple lived first at 509 W. 9th Street, but soon moved to 855 Lexington Ave., a neighborhood of modest stone apartments and homes, many of which still stand. Over the next 20 years, the couple hosted several of their aging relatives and in-laws, at one point housing Rose’s mother, Bertha, later her sister, Louise, along the while employing one or two women to keep house. The Marx family lived a relatively comfortable life, William’s relationship with local politicians and leaders allowed him a seat on several organizations, including on the Cincinnati Board of Health in 1906. By this time, Robert Marx graduated from Walnut Hills High School, and he was prominent among his classmates as a skilled debater and orator, obviously eager to pursue his teenage ambitions of becoming “judge of the Supreme Court.” Marx attended the University of Cincinnati, graduating in 1909 with a rather robust list of accomplishments: varsity football player, debate team member and awardwinner, Democratic Club, and The Cincinnatian newspaper editorial board. [1] Marx showed not only athletic and academic talent, but ambition incomparable to his peers. In 1910, he took and passed with ease the Ohio State Bar examination, leading to his employment with Warrington, Paxton, and Seasongood, a prominent law firm with famous clients, operating out of the Cincinnati Citizens Bank building. The 1910s brought, arguably, some of the most defining moments of Marx’s life starting in 1915. Operating out of his parent’s home and a studio off of 6th and Main streets, Marx opened his personal attorney services to the public. In March that same year, his father died at the age of 55. This period of grief, a serious blow to the family, did not appear to slow Marx down significantly. Not only did he continue his practice, he also attended and graduated from the U.S. Navy’s Volunteer Naval Training Crew in 1916, and in preparation of America’s entry into the World War I, served as chairman of the Enrollment Committee for the Military Training Camp(s) Association of Southern Ohio. Prior to his own enlistment in 1917, Marx served as president of the Jewish Social Settlement Organization, director of the United Social Charities of Cincinnati, trustee of the Helen S. Trounstine Research Foundation (named after a close friend who had died in 1916), and a member of the National Economic League, among other Cincinnati-area organizations.
University of Cincinnati, Robert Sylvan Marx Senior Yearbook Photo, 1909:
Robert Sylvan Marx, 1921 (Unknown 1921).
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On 11 May 1917, Marx entered Officer’s Training Camp at Fort Benjamin Harrison in Lawrence, Ind., earning his commission as a second lieutenant. He was sent to Camp Travis, Texas, and Fort Sill, Okla. to serve as an instructor of physical training and trench warfare.
http://www.indianamilitary.org/FtHarrison/Aerial%20Views/BigView.jpg
https://www.loc.gov/item/2007664184/
In February 1918, then 1st Lt. Marx was assigned to Company L, 357th Infantry Regiment, 90th Division and promoted to captain 1 June. Less than a month later, Marx and his company left New York City, on 20 June 1918 aboard the U.S. Army Transport Ship Harrisburg, arriving in Brest, France, 26 June 1918. [2]
https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/h/harrisburg.html
Captain Marx and his company traveled first to the Villars-en-Haye sector 21 August 1918, where they would participate in the St. Mihiel Offensive on 12 September 1918. “In preparing for the attack of September 12th other units were being squeezed into the line and the various units in the line had to side-step in order to allow this. Every precaution had to be taken to disguise the fact that new troops were being brought into the line and that an attack was impending. Owing to this fact the battalions of the regiment could not be moved until almost the time of starting of our artillery preparation at one hour, morning of the 12th. The night was spent in cutting wire, which was done not only in front of the jump-off line for the regiment but in sectors that were eventually to be occupied by other units, from which units it was very important that no prisoners be captured. The battalions were moved under serious difficulties, but everything was in position at H hour”. [3] Marx served as operations officer .
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throughout the Farm Sebastopol Offensive 26 September 1918, and Meuse Argonne Offensive 21 October to 10 November 1918, until he was placed in command of 3rd Battalion, 357th Infantry Regiment, on 10 November 1918. Farm Sebastopol Raids (24-26 September 1918): On 24 September 1918, the American IV Corps issued orders which directed all of its division to conduct raids at the same hour of attack for the American First Army between the Meuse River and Argonne Forest at 0530 hours. [4] The purpose of the raids were to support the attack west of the Meuse River, where each division was directed to take German outpost lines to recede their main line of resistance. The area to be raided by the 90th Division was bounded on the east by the town of Preny, on the North by the Pagny-sur-Moselle – Ferme Sebastopol road, and on the west of a narrow-gauge railroad located South of Ferme Sebastopol. [5]
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90th Division - Villers-en-Haye Sector, August 21-September 11, 1918 - St. Mihiel Offensive, September 12-16, 1918 - Puvenelle Sector, September 17-October 10, 1918 (17.4MB). University of Texas at Austin. Accessed December 14, 2020. https://legacy.lib.utexas.edu/maps/historical/ww1/index.html
On 25 September 1918, the 90th Division ordered the Zone of Action to be separated into sections for each of its brigades (179th and 180th Infantry Brigades), where one battalion of each brigade would commence in raids of German positions following a six-hour artillery preparation. The 180th Infantry Brigade created a provisional battalion of troops from the 359th and 360th Infantry Regiments for the raids in their Zone of Action, while the 179th Infantry Brigade used its 358th Infantry Regiment to conduct raids in its Zone of Action. [6] The raids were accompanied by a rolling artillery barrage and the raiding parties were directed to leave between the vertical grid lines 70.5 and 72. The raiding parties were to move in a northward direction, where the 180th Infantry Brigade was to turn east along the valley south of Bois de Beaume-Haie and circle the town of Preny. During this time, the 179th Infantry Brigade was to move left and return along the narrow-gauge railroad located South of Ferme Sebastopol. [7] Both raids advanced at 0530 on 26 September 1918 where they came under heavy German artillery and encountered strong hostile detachments. Hand-to-hand fighting ensued and the raiding parties were
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driven back to Bois des Rappes with the Germans aggressively following. The Germans occupied the road west of Preny in strong numbers and threatened a counterattack. However, no further action took place and the 90th Division held positions until the morning of 27 September 1918. [8]
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90th Division - Villers-en-Haye Sector, August 21-September 11, 1918 - St. Mihiel Offensive, September 12-16, 1918 - Puvenelle Sector, September 17-October 10, 1918 (17.4MB). University of Texas at Austin. Accessed December 14, 2020. https://legacy.lib.utexas.edu/maps/historical/ww1/index.html.
Attack on Baalon and surrounding area (9-10 November 1918): The 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 357th Infantry Regiment had sent patrols out around 1159 on 8 November 1918 where they located German positions in Bois de Lion and Mouzay. However, there was no activity on the front during the night of 8 November/morning of 9 November 1918. [9] During the patrol, the III Corps issued orders to pursue the Germans in the event of their withdrawal and the 90th Division was sent to patrol east of the river for German positions while simultaneously securing crossings north of Sassey-sur-Meuse. The 90th Division was to force crossings between Sassey and Stenay then advance to the northeast. [10] At 0100 on 9 November 1918, the 90th Division directed the 179th Infantry Brigade to vigorously patrol in attempts to secure contact with the Germans in order to determine if the Germans had withdrawn. [11] Information was obtained that the Germans were withdrawing and orders were made to cross the river at once. [12] The general direction for the advance was to be northeast toward Baalon to Montmedy. Later in the day, around 1300, the 90th Division ordered the 179th Infantry Brigade that a rapid advance toward the northeast would be made and the 179th Infantry Brigade held ready for immediate pursuit. An hour later, the 179th Infantry Brigade received field order that detailed the boundaries and direction of the pursuit, with the crossing to be made at Sassey. [13] The overall objective of the 179th Infantry Brigade was to break through any hostile detachments to fully develop the German’s principal positions before the main body of the 90th Division came into the zone of German artillery. The 357th Infantry Regiment was to take the wooded heights west and south of
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Baalon, and assisted the 358th in taking Stenay. The 358th Infantry Regiment was to take Stenay and the heights northeast of the town while maintaining a flank guard of one battalion on Cote 205 for liaison with the 89th Division located to the left of the 90th Division, and hold until the heights of Baalon were taken. [14]
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90th Division - Meuse-Argonne Offensive,October 17-November 11, 1918 (26MB). University of Texas at Austin. Accessed December 14, 2020. https://legacy.lib.utexas.edu/maps/historical/ww1/index.html
At 0325 on 9 November 1918, the 179th Infantry Brigade ordered its 358th Infantry Regiment to keep one battalion on Cote 205 while its other two battalions followed the 357th Infantry Regiment across the Meuse at Sassey. The 1st Battalion of the 357th Infantry was directed to advance on Baalon by way of Mouzay with the 2nd Battalion to follow. The 3rd Battalion of the 357th Infantry Regiment was ordered to effect combat liaison with the 5th Division along the Lion-devant-Dun – Mouzay Road. [15] At 1745, the 357th Infantry Regiment received revised instructions that stated they were to disregard the original instructions of temporarily delaying at Baalon to assist the 358th Infantry Regiment and instead move toward Montmedy after taking Baalon. The 357th Infantry Regiment was serving as the advanced guard for the 90th Division with the 1st Battalion in front, followed by the 3rd Battalion, with 2nd Battalion in the rear. [16] By 1700, the 357th Infantry Regiment cleared the Sassey bridge and advanced in a northward direction. [17] At midnight of 9 November 1918, the 357th Infantry Regiment (excluding the 1st Battalion located in Mouzay) moved north on the road to Mouzay. [18] The 358th Infantry Regiment was located in the rear of the 357th Infantry Regiment on the road toward Mouzay, excluding its elements on the west bank of the Meuse River near Cote 205. None of the troops of the 179th Infantry Brigade were located in the frontline during the night as the 5th Division was located in front of their positions. [19]
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During the night of 9 November/morning of 10 November 1918, the 1st Battalion of the 357th Infantry Regiment was ordered to remain near Mouzay and the mission of taking Baalon was given to 3rd Battalion with 2nd Battalion in support. However, due to serious casualties of officers sustained, the advance of the 3rd Battalion was delayed. [20]
By dawn of 10 November 1918, the middle portion of Bois du Chenois had been gained. The 3rd Battalion managed to get a patrol into Baalon around 0945, but had been pushed out by 1000, and all attempts to re-enter the town thereafter were repulsed. [21] The Germans had left two companies, supported with machine guns, to cover their retreat. The two German companies inflicted a costly number of casualties. [22] At 1030, a 90-minute artillery barrage was arranged on Baalon and the surrounding area. The attack plan was rearranged and the 2nd Battalion of the 357th Infantry Regiment was to now advance through the ravines to take La Jardinelle Farm, then advance on Baalon from the northwest where the 3rd Battalion would renew its attack on Baalon. [23]
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90th Division - Meuse-Argonne Offensive,October 17-November 11, 1918 (26MB). University of Texas at Austin. Accessed December 14, 2020. https://legacy.lib.utexas.edu/maps/historical/ww1/index.html
At 1440, the 2nd Battalion had captured La Jardinelle Farm and prepared to advance toward Baalon over ridge 232.1 when orders had been received to hold its position on the high ground overlooking the town. In the evening, the 90th Division issued field orders for the 179th Infantry Brigade to hold its position, and later charged with pressing German lines along the north boundary of the division between Stenay and Baalon for the following day. The 1st Battalion, 360th Infantry Regiment had
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relieved 3rd Battalion, 357th Infantry Regiment around 2000 and the 3rd Battalion marched to Chateau Charmois for rest. The remainder of the 357th Infantry Regiment remained in position until after the Armistice. [24] On 11 November 1918, the 357th Infantry Regiment continued holding the lines of the previous day until its 2nd Battalion entered the town of Baalon. German detachments still occupied parts of the town until the armistice became effective at 1100. [25]
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90th Division - Meuse-Argonne Offensive,October 17-November 11, 1918 (26MB). University of Texas at Austin. Accessed December 14, 2020. https://legacy.lib.utexas.edu/maps/historical/ww1/index.html
Marx received the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions on 10 November 1918, “The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Captain (Infantry) Robert S. Marx, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 357th Infantry Regiment, 90th Division, A.E.F., in front of Baalons, France, 10 November 1918. Having been sent to make a reconnaissance and if found necessary to take command of the 3d Battalion, 357th Infantry, the advance of which had just been checked with severe losses, Captain Marx displayed the highest quality of courage and leadership in the face of a murderous artillery and machine-gun fire by immediately reorganizing the battalion and after a personal reconnaissance directing the assault line, which resulted in the taking of the enemy position. During the attack Captain Marx was severely wounded. His brave example greatly inspired his men."
Marx, accidentally claimed as dead, [27] recuperated in good time, and with a group of other "walking patients" left Brest, France on 8 February 1919, aboard the U.S. Army Transport Ship Rotterdam [28], arriving in Hoboken, N.J., on 17 February.
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After an honorable discharge in April, Marx did not hesitate to rejoin Cincinnati society, His law practice once again ran full steam ahead, and by fall of 1919, he successfully won a judgeship with the Superior Court of Ohio, known then as a fairly liberal Democrat. It was within this same year that Marx and several friends, whilst convening for the holidays in December, sparked conversations about the potential of a group dedicated to the support of veterans who needed continued support after becoming wounded or ill during their service. This idea soon became the Disabled American Veterans Association, officially founded on 25 September 1920, a social welfare organization tasked with offering logistical assistance to servicemembers receiving veterans’ benefits intended originally for veterans of the Great War, but quickly expanded with the outbreak of World War II. With Marx serving as the DAV’s first national commander, his legacy was secured in this organization which remains strong in its 101 years of service to each generation of servicemembers. Just before taking his seat on the Ohio Superior Court, Marx was encouraged to join James Cox and Franklin Roosevelt on their 1920 campaign for the U.S. presidency. Though Cox would later lose to Warren Harding, the tour was a very public opportunity for Marx to make new acquaintances for his own personal ambitions. After his term of service expired in 1925, Marx found himself back in private practice, this time with Nichols, Morrill, Wood and Ginter, corporate lawyers who saw some of the nation’s largest transactions. Leading into the Great Depression of 1929 and the Detroit Banking Crisis of 1933, Marx was at the helm of the greatest cases of the century. It was in this position that he began discussion among colleagues of no-fault automobile insurance (other times known as personal injury protection coverage), a concept in which individuals involved in an accident (with particular level of injury or suffering) could receive monetary relief from a collection of funds not distributed by first-party private insurance, regardless of the involved parties’ potential negligence. The apparent eagerness for variety in expertise only bolstered Marx’s reputation gaining him expertise in stock assessment, bank failures, divorce/alimony and personal injury. There seemed nothing that the “Judge” could not do. More prominent than his record, however, was apparently his (at times) vivacious and aggressive courtroom personality. A personal account written about Marx by Charles Westheimer in 1974 is perhaps one of the most captivating, if not entertaining narratives consulted on this (in Robert L. Levi’s words,) "titan’ of a man,"' [29] “The Adjectives used by people who knew Robert Marx are interesting for their insight and also reflect a certain removed puzzle about him as a man. Independent. Lonely. Combative. Aggressive. Moody. Eminent. A very close friend characterized his personality as ‘spicy’… Again: loyal, honorable, sincere.” [30] In July of 1933, then-72-year-old Rose Marx passed away, the last of Marx’s family; he had lost his longtime confidant, hostess and most ardent supporter. The following years, Marx formed his own firm of Marx, Levi, Thill, Wiseman and Rollins, whose prominence and professionalism would attract the attention of clients of corporate and personal wealth with some of the more demanding affairs of the time. Marx himself saw the inside of the U.S. Supreme Court numerous times, making him an ideal choice to educate some of the nation’s brightest minds at the University of Cincinnati, where for a period of several years in the 1950s, he taught a course dedicated to training law students with aspirations of becoming trial lawyers. The notion of retirement was obviously not inspiring to Marx, who, despite a long standing staunch physical fitness routine and no regular consumer of alcohol or tobacco, had suffered one or two heart attacks in his 50s and 60s. He had, by all accounts, lived a full and exciting life up until the end, where on his estate in Charlevoix, Mich., he died of a heart attack in bed, 6 September 1960, at the age of 71 years. He was buried with his parents at Walnut Hills Jewish Cemetery in Cincinnati.
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NOTES [1] The Cincinnatian. 1909. Cincinnati: University of Cincinnati. [2] Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General, 1774-1985, RG 92. 1917-1919. "Manifest. ." Lists of Incoming and Outgoing Passengers, 1917-1938. . College Park: National Archives.
[3] Major George Wythe, History of the 357th Infantry Regiment, 90th Infantry Division in World War I. (n.c.: 90th Division Association, 1920). [4] Richard Shawn Faulkner, Meuse-Argonne 26 September-11 November 1918 (Washington, D.C.: Center of Military History, United States Army, 2018), 22.; 90th Division, Summary of Operations in the World War (Washington: U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1944), 17. [5] 90th Division, Summary of Operations in the World War (Washington: U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1944), 17. [6] 90th Division, Summary of Operations in the World War (Washington: U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1944), 17-18. [7] Ibid. [8] 90th Division, Summary of Operations in the World War (Washington: U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1944), 18. [9] 90th Division, Summary of Operations in the World War (Washington: U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1944), 41. [10] 90th Division, Summary of Operations in the World War (Washington: U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1944), 4142. [11] 90th Division, Summary of Operations in the World War (Washington: U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1944), 42. [12] George Von Roeder, Regimental History of the 357th Infantry (Ferdinand Nickl Buchdruckerei, 1946), 7. [13] 90th Division, Summary of Operations in the World War (Washington: U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1944), 42. [14] Ibid. [15] 90th Division, Summary of Operations in the World War (Washington: U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1944), 4243. [16] George Von Roeder, Regimental History of the 357th Infantry (Ferdinand Nickl Buchdruckerei, 1946), 7. [17] 90th Division, Summary of Operations in the World War (Washington: U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1944), 43. [18] Ibid. [19] Ibid. [20] Ibid.
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NOTES [21] 90th Division, Summary of Operations in the World War (Washington: U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1944), 4344. [22] George Von Roeder, Regimental History of the 357th Infantry (Ferdinand Nickl Buchdruckerei, 1946), 7. [23] 90th Division, Summary of Operations in the World War (Washington: U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1944), 44. [24] 90th Division, Summary of Operations in the World War (Washington: U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1944), 45. [25] 90th Division, Summary of Operations in the World War (Washington: U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1944), 46. [27] The Buffalo Times (September 24, 1920) “Roosevelt Speaker, Wounded 14 Times, Should Be ‘Dead’”. The Buffalo Times, 1. [28] Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General, 1774-1985, RG 92. 1917-1919. "Manifest. ." Lists of Incoming and Outgoing Passengers, 1917-1938. . College Park: National Archives. [29] Robert L. Levi, 2013. "Michigan Lawyers in History: Judge Robert S. Marx." Michigan Bar Journal, 2013. [30] Chalres I. Westheimer, Biography of Robert S. Marx. (Cincinnati: Cincinnati Museum Library, 1974).
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ADOPT-A-BOOK PROGRAM
Thomas Jefferson once commented that "Books constitute capital. A library book lasts as long as a house, for hundreds of years. It is not, then, an article of mere consumption but fairly of capital, and often in the case of professional men, setting out in life, it is their only capital." Researching the lives of servicemembers, military unit histories, official government publications and general World War I history encompasses the necessity of past and present scholarship. The Robb Centre's team invites our friends and supporters to consider donating needed resources through our “Adopt-A-Book Program.” We have calculated that the average resource cost is $50. Donors will be recognized by a special designed book plaque placed inside the front cover. Certain selections purchased will be featured on the Robb Centre Facebook page and Twitter account. A monthly display of selections will be exhibited in the Robb Centre and listed in forthcoming Robb Centre News newsletters and the Valor magazine. The library is named after Cpl. Howard Russell Votaw. Born on August 12, 1891, to Lyman and Olive Buchanan Votaw, Howard was the youngest of three children. Raised in the small town of Neoga, Ill., his parents operated a profitable furniture business and were active in local affairs, including the Neoga Presbyterian Church. After graduating in a class of nine from Neoga High School in 1908, Votaw attended Park College in Parkville, Mo., graduating in 1912. He then lived in Chicago, with his aunt, working at one time as a traveling salesman, later for Darling & Co., U.S. Stockyards in Chicago. Howard enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps on July 28, 1917, as a private with the 120th Company, 1st Replacement Battalion, stationed at the U.S. Marine Corps Barracks in Quantico, Va.; by fall of 1918, he was a corporal with the 97th Company, 6th Regiment, AEF in France. Cpl. Votaw fell in the Argonne Forest, Argonne, France, on October 4, 1918; his body was returned to the U.S. and buried in Neoga Memorial Cemetery in 1921. The Neoga American Legion Post 458 is named for Cpl. Votaw, as well as Cpl. Ralph Swank, who was also killed in action in France during WWI. Donations may be completed online at http://advancing.park.edu/valormedals. Please note in the “Leave a comment” box Adopt-a-Book. The Robb Centre team greatly appreciates your support.
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Beginning Stages of Demobilization At the time that American troops were setting up an occupation force in Germany, most were eager to return home. The political sentiment in Washington, D.C., seemed to confirm that desire, and so demobilization of American troops in Europe was made a top priority during that winter of 1918-19. But it was an immense task. During the U.S. involvement in the latter half of the war, the number of American servicemembers in Europe had swelled to 4.4 million, with 2 million in the American Expeditionary Force alone. [1] And unlike in previous American wars where many servicemembers remained in expanded territories to seek economic gain, most all of the servicemembers in Europe wished to return home as soon as possible. The problems of demobilization were further complicated by the influenza pandemic of 1918, incorrect recordkeeping, widespread and uncoordinated demobilization centers and a lack of skilled personnel in demobilization centers, ports of debarkation, supply depots and hospitals. Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels summarized the difficulty the U.S. was facing: “Only those who have gone through this process appreciate the fact that the difficulties of this going to peace are more complex and troublesome than going to war.” [2] The situation was unprecedented and the U. S. was largely unprepared. The planning for demobilization began only one month before the armistice was signed. As Secretary of War Newton D. Baker explained months later, ". . . the collapse of the Central Powers came more quickly than even the best-informed military experts believed possible." [3] The top priority was expediency. After much deliberation, the U. S. military decided on a demobilization scheme for conscripted servicemembers by units. Each servicemember would be discharged after a physical examination and a settlement of all military records and accounts. Upon return to the U. S., they would receive their pay and a $60 bonus, a uniform and a train ticket home. . In December 1918, the process of demobilization began. Commander William S. Sims, assisted by Assistant Secretary of the Navy Franklin Delano Roosevelt, organized the debarking of AEF forces on several naval vessels. [4] The process would not officially be completed until January 1920. Historian Frederic L. Paxson described the process of demobilization as follows: "There were moments in the history of mobilization in which the government of the United States looked like a madhouse; during demobilization there was lacking even the madhouse in which the crazy might be incarcerated. They were at large." [5] Nonetheless, this difficult experience with demobilization would prove a valuable lesson in the aftermath of the Second World War. Notes [1] Gearoid Barry, "Demobilization" New Articles RSS, International Encyclopedia of the First World War, accessed 4 December 2018, encyclopedia.1914-1918-online.net/article/demobilization. [2] "Post-War: Demobilization" History.navy.mil, Naval History and Heritage Command, www.history.navy.mil/research/publications/documentary-histories/wwi/post-war-demobilization-at.html. [3] Letter Secretary of War to Senator James A. Reed, 3 April 1919. No subject. C of S File 370 (Demobilization), Case 163. National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C. [4] "Post-War: Demobilization" History.navy.mil, Naval History and Heritage Command, www.history.navy.mil/research/publications/documentary-histories/wwi/post-war-demobilization-at.html. [5] "Demobilization and Its Difficult Aftermath" OpenStax College, US History. OpenStax CNX. http://cnx.org/contents/a7ba2tb8-89254987-b182-5f4429d48daa@6.2.
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War Dogs More often than not, our work with the Valor Medals Review leads us down paths of information either unexpectedly or unwelcomingly. Nonetheless, we are constantly reminded as to how lucky we are to be in a time with access to such an abundance of information. A subject that tends to be a favorite is the legacy of War Dogs, the precursor to large-scale programs through the American armed services. Several organizations rallied in Germany and France to supply dogs of a dozen breeds for the war effort. "Mercy Dogs," messenger teams and Red Cross medical support dogs worked tirelessly on and off the battlefield to perform duties that servicemembers could not. Though American forces tended to borrow French and British canine troops in-field, the assistance of "Scotty" Allan and Esther Darling of Alaska established an elite group of mushers who could expertly navigate French mountainsides as an alternate communication route. At least half a dozen dogs on the Alaskan teams received the French Croix de Guerre with Palm, an honor bestowed by the French Republic to both foreign and domestic heroes. The British later developed an award specifically for animals in their service, like the PDSA-Dickin Medal (People's Dispensary for Sick Animals, a British veterinary charity), instituted in 1943. From pulling wounded men out of machine gunfire range, to tracking those who had fallen in the deep forests of France, the greatest role these dogs could fulfill was in comforting men who could not make it off the line in time to reach medical support staff. Trained to identify different degrees of wounds and distress signals, many of these dogs acted as scouts, nurses and hunters simultaneously, as their particular hearing and smelling senses could pick up nuances that their handlers could not. Not only were they a wonderful resource in the field when assisting medical personnel, they were reliable and skilled in the combat atmosphere, loyal to their company until the very end. The Americans came out of the War with a few stories of their own, most famously through the 26th “Yankee” Division in adopting Stubby, a Boston terrier, as their mascot after he was smuggled into France by Cpl. J. Robert Conroy of Connecticut. Not only did Stubby become adept at listening for overhead artillery shells in anticipation of a mustard gas attack, he also tracked, leading to the capture of, a German spy loitering around American trenches in the fall of 1918. Given the honorary rank of sergeant, Stubby became the most decorated canine of the War, and was celebrated by Gen. John J. Pershing and three presidents when back in the United States. The George S. Robb Centre celebrates these War Dogs and their poignant commitment to service. We also wish to convey our deepest appreciation for the dozens of organizations active in the rescue and rehabilitation of military service animals across the United States.
Source: American Red Cross Tag. The National World War I Museum and Memorial Archives and Special Collections. 2016.127.23. The National World War I Museum, Kansas City, Missouri
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RESEARCH UPDATES Associate Director Ashlyn Weber and Senior Military Analyst Joshua Weston Over the past several months, the George S. Robb Centre for the Study of the Great War has completed work on the 92nd and 93rd divisional histories, individual engagement templates and individual personal narratives for the Valor Medals Review. As we reached the end of the year, we reflected greatly on the strides in research each of us have made under stressful circumstances. We are extremely proud of the mobility and grace our team members have shown over the last few months of transition. The Robb Centre staff has researched more than 100 individuals over the past six months. As a result, we have come across a plethora of new information. Although there is much more research to be completed, the information we have gathered has the potential to revise history that was once commonly thought to be accurate. As we progress on our exciting journey, we continue to establish relationships with local and national bodies while our research becomes more expansive and detailed. The new year has exciting opportunities to expand our research with the staff of the First Division Museum at Cantigny Park in Wheaton, Ill. The partnership with the First Division Museum shall provide connection to the foremost researchers related to the service of the First Division. In addition to our expanded opportunities with the First Division Museum, outreach is currently underway related to other national, regional, and local museums and archives that hold smaller collections of individual servicemembers.
Dr. Krewasky Salter (center), executive director of the First Division Museum, visits with Robb Centre staff Ashlyn Weber and Joshua Weston
The George S. Robb Centre for the Study of the Great Ward expresses its deepest gratitude to Tanner Wieser, Park University senior political science major, who spent the fall semester interning in the Robb Center. He assisted on a number of projects related to the Valor Medals Review and the history of Park University students and alumni that served in World War I.
We wish you a great 2021 and we look forward to updating you monthly and bi-annually on our research and progress. VALOR MAGAZINE Â | Â 22
SPONSORSHIPS Nathan Marticke, Chief Advancement Officer
Research Investors The George S. Robb Centre for the Study of the Great War invites research investors to join the Valor Medals Review effort to properly recognize our servicemembers. While the research is supported by legislation (S. 1218/H.R. 2249) signed within the National Defense Authorization Act on December 20, 2019, no federal appropriations are funding the project.
To discuss investing in the project, please contact: Nathan Marticke, Chief Advancement Officer Park University (816)-584-6844 nathan.marticke@park.edu Give Today! advancing.park.edu/valormedals Strategic Partners Partners are critical to advancing the mission of the Valor Medals Review. Endorsement, research support or other non-financial support of the successful completion of the Valor Medals Review is invited. The American Legion Army Aviation Association of America AMSUS, the Society of Federal Health Professionals Association of the United States Navy Commissioned Officers Association of the US Public Health Services, Inc. Congressional Black Caucus Veterans Braintrust Fleet Reserve Association Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America Jewish War Veterans of the USA Marine Corps League Military Officers Association of America Military Order of the Purple Heart Naval Enlisted Reserve Association Reserve Officers Association Service Women's Action Network The Military Chaplains Association of the USA Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors The Retired Enlisted Association USCG Chief Petty Officers Association US Army Warrant Officers Association Vietnam Veterans of America Wounded Warrior Project
To discuss becoming a strategic partner, please contact: Dr. Timothy Westcott, Director, George S. Robb Centre for the Study of the Great War at Park University (816)-584-6364 or tim.westcott@park.edu
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CONTACTS
Dr. Timothy Westcott Director Park University 8700 NW River Park Drive, CMB 117 Parkville, MO 64152 Email: tim.westcott@park.edu Telephone: (816)-584-6890 Website: https://gsr.park.edu Facebook: George S Robb Centre for the Study of the Great War LinkedIn: George S Robb Centre at Park University Twitter: @CentreRobb YouTube Channel: George S Robb Centre
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