Corporal Einar A Johnson
Einar Arthur Johnson was born on December 11th, 1897 in Worcester, Massachusetts to Catherine and Micheal Johnson. Not much is known about his early life, except that he immediately enlisted in the Massachusetts National Guard after high school on April 27th, 1915. Private Johnson was assigned to Company C, 2nd Massachusetts Infantry, which was based in his home city. It is unclear what his motives of joining the army were, but his decision would take him on a journey of becoming a seasoned combat veteran. After spending over a year in the National Guard, that journey would begin. On June 18th, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson ordered the mobilization of the entire National Guard due to the increasing tensions between the US, Mexico, and Mexican rebels which had attacked US towns and civilians. Once the order to mobilize was received the next morning, the Worcester companies quickly made their way to the State Armory to await marching orders. A sudden order such as this caused a good deal of confusion, but nevertheless, on June 21st, Private Johnson and the regiment boarded trains bound for the border.
Mexican Border The men passed through El Paso on July 1st, and then arrived in Columbus, New Mexico on July 2nd, and were immediately assigned to the Punitive Expedition commanded by General Pershing. Private Johnson and the Massachusetts Infantry guarded the base of supply in the city, meaning constant drills, police duty, guard duty, rifle practice, and basic education, but the men were very proud of being the only National Guard regiment attached to this expedition. On September 29th, word reached the regiment that they would be going home shortly, causing cheers and an hour long celebratory parade through the streets of the town. Equipment was packed and checked to leave at a moments notice, and a week later, that order was received. For their time at the border, the 2nd Massachusetts Infantry was personally commended by General Pershing, who wrote that “The discipline of the regiment from the beginning has been excellent. The officers, without exception, were serious, earnest and persevering in all their duties...The enlisted men, with very few exceptions, were enthusiastic and untiring in their efforts to faithfully perform their duties and carry out the orders they received. Under the circumstances of their entry into the service, with no field experience and with fifty percent of their men wholly untrained, the results attained within the short period they served on the frontier were very satisfactory...With from six to nine months more instruction and experience the regiment would have been second to none in the National Guard.” |
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Not long after returning to Worcester, the United States finally entered World War One, which had been raging since 1914, and during the regiment’s time at the border. Pfc Johnson’s Company C, 2nd Massachusetts Infantry was called into federal service on March 25th, 1917. In typical army fashion, their first action as a federal force was to do guard duty around the state, with Johnson’s detachment guarding the Metropolitan Water Works in Clinton, Massachusetts until July 3rd, 1917. By order of the War Department on August 5th, members of the National Guard were automatically discharged from state service and became an entirely Federal force. This decision was extremely unpopular, as many regiments were renamed and members scattered to different units, damaging the esprit de corps and traditions of such organizations. Due to this order, the 2nd Massachusetts Infantry was selected to form the basis of the new 104th Infantry Regiment, with Pfc Johnson’s unit becoming Company C of the new regiment. The men left their home city and converged on Camp Bartlett to meet their new comrades of the 104th Infantry, 26th Infantry Division and began training for overseas deployment. On October 4th, 1917, the regiment left for Montreal, Canada by train, and then left aboard the S.S. Scotian the next day. After briefly stopping in Liverpool, Pfc Johnson’s regiment finally arrived in France on October 29th and settled in Harreville. The regiment would undergo rigorous training to prepare them for the combat that lay ahead, led first by the 151st French Infantry and then by British instructors.
Chemin des Dames
After four months, the regiment finally received orders to move out and left on February 6th, 1918 for the town of Terny-Sorny located four miles from the front line of the Chemin des Dames Sector. Arriving on the 9th, Pfc Johnson and the men could hear the constant roar of artillery and machine gun fire, and wondered when it would be their turn on the line. Their answer came ten days later, when the regiment was ordered to man the front line at Quincy Wood, with Johnson’s company digging trenches quietly and under the cover of darkness in No Man's Land and sending out patrols. On the 24th, C Company relieved B Company on the line, and during their four day stay, repelled a few German patrols with no casualties. While their first experience of combat was relatively uneventful, it was clear that such luck would not continue for long. After leaving the line, the regiment was quartered in caves near Laffaux while awaiting further orders. On March 6th, Pfc Johnson returned to the line, and experienced heavy shelling for the next few days, with growing concern that an attack was imminent. Thankfully, an attack never came and the regiment was relieved by the French on March 19th for assignment elsewhere, but not before being personally commended by the commander of the 151st French Infantry, who stated “The 104th Infantry… has given proof, in a subsector constantly bombed by shells of all calibers and by many poison shells, of the highest military qualities and coolness, courage and splendid discipline.”
Aisne-Marne Offensive
After a brief nine day rest, the regiment was once again mobilized to help defend against a massive German offensive launched during that period. On April 1st, Pfc Johnson and the regiment relieved a section of the 1st Infantry Division in the Toul Sector near St Mihiel. This sector was considered a quiet one, as it had not changed since 1915 and only minor skirmishes had occurred since then. This was not to be the case. On April 10th, a massive barrage of enemy artillery and small arms fire opened up on the American and French lines in what was to become the battle of Apremont. The attack was focused on the 3rd Battalion’s position, and the Germans had managed to capture a network of abandoned trenches and harass the line over the next few days with patrols and artillery. C Company was moved into No Man’s Land each night to cover the battalion’s flank, and after multiple counterattacks, the Germans were driven back, and C Company was again sent to the rear with the rest of the regiment to act as division reserve. While in the rear, the 104th Infantry Regiment was ordered to Boucq on April 28th, where French General Passaga addressed the regiment: “I am proud to decorate the flag of a regiment which has shown such fortitude and courage” with the Croix de Guerre for their actions at Apremont, becoming the first unit of the US Army in history to be awarded a decoration from a foreign government. Pfc Johnson’s battalion would move out shortly after to the town of Bouconville on May 3rd and continued to be relocated throughout the front line sectors for weeks, where they would conduct frequent patrols to probe the German lines until being relieved on June 3rd.
On the Defensive in Champagne-Marne
After nearly a month, the 26th Infantry Division was mobilized to the Pas-Fini Sector to take part in the Champagne-Marne Defensive. C Company relieved an element of the 6th Marine Regiment in Belleau Wood on July 5th, and the carnage surrounding their position was a grim reminder of the bloody battle that occurred only a few weeks prior. Pfc Johnson’s company was once again fortunate that their first stay in Belleau yielded no casualties by the time they were relieved on the 10th. Once the German attacks in the sector had been driven back, the American’s quickly made offensive preparations, and the 104th Infantry was placed back in Belleau. Their first advance towards the enemy began on July 20th, when Pfc Johnson’s battalion pushed forward to occupy positions near a crucial railroad, during which they suffered heavy casualties from enemy shelling. C Company’s luck had run out, with five dead and dozens wounded, including Pfc Johnson. Nevertheless, they reached their objective and advanced far across the Soissons-Chateau-Thierry highway until being halted again by enemy artillery. At dawn, the regiment pushed towards Epieds and Trugny. The town was heavily garrisoned with Germans, and American attacks were beaten back with heavy casualties, and on July 24th, the 104th Infantry was relieved from the line. Although their brigade had suffered thousands of casualties, the men of the 104th Infantry had helped halt the last great drive of the German army which threw them back to the Marne.
St Mihiel
During their month of rest and refit, Johnson and many other wounded men rejoined the unit and their numbers slowly grew back to fighting strength. On August 27th, the 104th Infantry Regiment was mobilized to the Tryon Sector once more to participate in the St. Mihiel Offensive, a massive, all American attack to break through the German lines at the St. Mihiel salient. On September 12th, a huge artillery barrage announced the beginning of the battle, with Corporal Johnson’s 1st Battalion at the head of the attack, going over the top and rapidly advancing through enemy machine gun and artillery fire. After encountering pockets of stiff resistance, they eventually reached their objective on the first day. By the 13th, the Germans were in full retreat from the combined American assault and Corporal Johnson’s company entered the town of St. Maurice to the cheers of the remaining French civilians. The regiment was relieved two days later and moved to Fresnes where they held a section of the front line. While the St. Mihiel Offensive was a massive success, planning was already underway for a final attack, dubbed the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, meant to completely crush the German line and end the war.
Meuse-Argonne
On September 29th, Corporal Johnson’s 104th Infantry Regiment and the rest of the division began moving out to support the drive which had begun a few days prior with some difficulties. After marching through the war torn landscape, the regiment relieved the 114th Infantry near Cote d’ Oie at the front line and began moving forward to the Bois de Haumont under shell fire. Their assigned area was devoid of any protection from enemy shelling, and the wind directed remnants of gas directly towards them, causing a great number of men to become sick. The Germans directly in front of the regiment were strongly entrenched, and many attacks by Companies A, D, and E were beaten back. After more than a week, Corporal Johnson and Company C were relieved on the 22nd. The company had been reduced to around one hundred men, compared to the two hundred and eighty who entered the line in the Meuse Argonne, but were moved anyway to the Bois de Belleu on the 29th. The area had just been captured by the 102nd Infantry days prior and was still bitterly shelled by the Germans, keeping the men largely in their foxholes.
Moving near Haumont after a few days, the regiment remained there setting up outposts, patrolling, and keeping an eye on the German line until November 9th, when they began advancing towards Hill 324. As Corporal Johnson and Company C made their way to the top, three German machine gunners suddenly ambushed the men, causing multiple casualties until the rest of the company was brought up to silence it the next day. November 10th saw the regiment advancing on the town of Ville de Chaumont. When they had made it two hundred yards past the hill, the Germans began firing a deadly crossfire of bullets through the open field, and if it hadn’t been for a layer of fog, the battalion would have been nearly wiped out. Many men were wounded and killed before they were forced to pull back to their previous positions. The next night, Corporal Johnson and the men of C Company were greeted with the news of the Armistice, but were too exhausted to cheer and rejoice. Rest was more important than celebrations, but all were glad that the war had finally come to an end. After spending four more months in France for occupation duties, Corporal Johnson boarded the Mount Vernon on March 27th, 1919 and returned home to Worcester, Massachusetts after a year and a half overseas and four grueling campaigns. After his discharge on April 28th, Einar married Hildur Anderson and worked at American Steel and Wire company until his death on May 11th, 1959.
Chemin des Dames
After four months, the regiment finally received orders to move out and left on February 6th, 1918 for the town of Terny-Sorny located four miles from the front line of the Chemin des Dames Sector. Arriving on the 9th, Pfc Johnson and the men could hear the constant roar of artillery and machine gun fire, and wondered when it would be their turn on the line. Their answer came ten days later, when the regiment was ordered to man the front line at Quincy Wood, with Johnson’s company digging trenches quietly and under the cover of darkness in No Man's Land and sending out patrols. On the 24th, C Company relieved B Company on the line, and during their four day stay, repelled a few German patrols with no casualties. While their first experience of combat was relatively uneventful, it was clear that such luck would not continue for long. After leaving the line, the regiment was quartered in caves near Laffaux while awaiting further orders. On March 6th, Pfc Johnson returned to the line, and experienced heavy shelling for the next few days, with growing concern that an attack was imminent. Thankfully, an attack never came and the regiment was relieved by the French on March 19th for assignment elsewhere, but not before being personally commended by the commander of the 151st French Infantry, who stated “The 104th Infantry… has given proof, in a subsector constantly bombed by shells of all calibers and by many poison shells, of the highest military qualities and coolness, courage and splendid discipline.”
Aisne-Marne Offensive
After a brief nine day rest, the regiment was once again mobilized to help defend against a massive German offensive launched during that period. On April 1st, Pfc Johnson and the regiment relieved a section of the 1st Infantry Division in the Toul Sector near St Mihiel. This sector was considered a quiet one, as it had not changed since 1915 and only minor skirmishes had occurred since then. This was not to be the case. On April 10th, a massive barrage of enemy artillery and small arms fire opened up on the American and French lines in what was to become the battle of Apremont. The attack was focused on the 3rd Battalion’s position, and the Germans had managed to capture a network of abandoned trenches and harass the line over the next few days with patrols and artillery. C Company was moved into No Man’s Land each night to cover the battalion’s flank, and after multiple counterattacks, the Germans were driven back, and C Company was again sent to the rear with the rest of the regiment to act as division reserve. While in the rear, the 104th Infantry Regiment was ordered to Boucq on April 28th, where French General Passaga addressed the regiment: “I am proud to decorate the flag of a regiment which has shown such fortitude and courage” with the Croix de Guerre for their actions at Apremont, becoming the first unit of the US Army in history to be awarded a decoration from a foreign government. Pfc Johnson’s battalion would move out shortly after to the town of Bouconville on May 3rd and continued to be relocated throughout the front line sectors for weeks, where they would conduct frequent patrols to probe the German lines until being relieved on June 3rd.
On the Defensive in Champagne-Marne
After nearly a month, the 26th Infantry Division was mobilized to the Pas-Fini Sector to take part in the Champagne-Marne Defensive. C Company relieved an element of the 6th Marine Regiment in Belleau Wood on July 5th, and the carnage surrounding their position was a grim reminder of the bloody battle that occurred only a few weeks prior. Pfc Johnson’s company was once again fortunate that their first stay in Belleau yielded no casualties by the time they were relieved on the 10th. Once the German attacks in the sector had been driven back, the American’s quickly made offensive preparations, and the 104th Infantry was placed back in Belleau. Their first advance towards the enemy began on July 20th, when Pfc Johnson’s battalion pushed forward to occupy positions near a crucial railroad, during which they suffered heavy casualties from enemy shelling. C Company’s luck had run out, with five dead and dozens wounded, including Pfc Johnson. Nevertheless, they reached their objective and advanced far across the Soissons-Chateau-Thierry highway until being halted again by enemy artillery. At dawn, the regiment pushed towards Epieds and Trugny. The town was heavily garrisoned with Germans, and American attacks were beaten back with heavy casualties, and on July 24th, the 104th Infantry was relieved from the line. Although their brigade had suffered thousands of casualties, the men of the 104th Infantry had helped halt the last great drive of the German army which threw them back to the Marne.
St Mihiel
During their month of rest and refit, Johnson and many other wounded men rejoined the unit and their numbers slowly grew back to fighting strength. On August 27th, the 104th Infantry Regiment was mobilized to the Tryon Sector once more to participate in the St. Mihiel Offensive, a massive, all American attack to break through the German lines at the St. Mihiel salient. On September 12th, a huge artillery barrage announced the beginning of the battle, with Corporal Johnson’s 1st Battalion at the head of the attack, going over the top and rapidly advancing through enemy machine gun and artillery fire. After encountering pockets of stiff resistance, they eventually reached their objective on the first day. By the 13th, the Germans were in full retreat from the combined American assault and Corporal Johnson’s company entered the town of St. Maurice to the cheers of the remaining French civilians. The regiment was relieved two days later and moved to Fresnes where they held a section of the front line. While the St. Mihiel Offensive was a massive success, planning was already underway for a final attack, dubbed the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, meant to completely crush the German line and end the war.
Meuse-Argonne
On September 29th, Corporal Johnson’s 104th Infantry Regiment and the rest of the division began moving out to support the drive which had begun a few days prior with some difficulties. After marching through the war torn landscape, the regiment relieved the 114th Infantry near Cote d’ Oie at the front line and began moving forward to the Bois de Haumont under shell fire. Their assigned area was devoid of any protection from enemy shelling, and the wind directed remnants of gas directly towards them, causing a great number of men to become sick. The Germans directly in front of the regiment were strongly entrenched, and many attacks by Companies A, D, and E were beaten back. After more than a week, Corporal Johnson and Company C were relieved on the 22nd. The company had been reduced to around one hundred men, compared to the two hundred and eighty who entered the line in the Meuse Argonne, but were moved anyway to the Bois de Belleu on the 29th. The area had just been captured by the 102nd Infantry days prior and was still bitterly shelled by the Germans, keeping the men largely in their foxholes.
Moving near Haumont after a few days, the regiment remained there setting up outposts, patrolling, and keeping an eye on the German line until November 9th, when they began advancing towards Hill 324. As Corporal Johnson and Company C made their way to the top, three German machine gunners suddenly ambushed the men, causing multiple casualties until the rest of the company was brought up to silence it the next day. November 10th saw the regiment advancing on the town of Ville de Chaumont. When they had made it two hundred yards past the hill, the Germans began firing a deadly crossfire of bullets through the open field, and if it hadn’t been for a layer of fog, the battalion would have been nearly wiped out. Many men were wounded and killed before they were forced to pull back to their previous positions. The next night, Corporal Johnson and the men of C Company were greeted with the news of the Armistice, but were too exhausted to cheer and rejoice. Rest was more important than celebrations, but all were glad that the war had finally come to an end. After spending four more months in France for occupation duties, Corporal Johnson boarded the Mount Vernon on March 27th, 1919 and returned home to Worcester, Massachusetts after a year and a half overseas and four grueling campaigns. After his discharge on April 28th, Einar married Hildur Anderson and worked at American Steel and Wire company until his death on May 11th, 1959.