Private Henry J Kiesel
Henry Joseph Kiesel was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania on May 11th, 1890 to Andrew Kisel, an immigrant from Hungary, and Annie Zwadil, a Bohemian immigrant. When Andrew came to America, his last name of “Hisel” was misunderstood as “Kisel” which later turned into “Kiesel.” Henry was soon joined by two brothers, making him the eldest child. After attending school, he was employed as a machinist by S.G Barker & Son in his home town of Scranton. Although World War One had been raging since he had been in school, the United States joined the war late in 1917. Henry was handed a draft notice shortly after, and was not officially drafted into the army until May 28th, 1918. Due to the need for replacements to go to artillery units, Private Kiesel was rapidly trained as an artilleryman and after only two months, disembarked aboard the Minnekadhda on July 21st, 1918 with the 16th Battery Automatic Replacement Draft. Once Henry landed in France in early August, he was quickly transferred to Battery A, 120th Field Artillery Regiment, 32nd Infantry Division.
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Fismes
The regiment was equipped with French 75’ artillery pieces and had just entered the line in the Fismes sector to support attacks by the 32nd Division. The division was relieved after suffering 2,000 casualties during the first two days by the French Foreign Legion, but not before rightfully earning the nickname, “Les Terribles” after the French observed their determination to flush out the enemy in the face of tremendous casualties. The 120th Field Artillery remained in the sector to continue supporting attacks on the town, which would change hands five times until it was fully captured on August 22nd. Newly arrived Private Kiesel experienced the closing days of his unit’s time near Fismes as they supported the French Foreign Legion, eventually being relieved on August 17th, 1918 and redirected for the Oise-Aisne Offensive the very next day.
Oise-Aisne Drive
On August 27th, the rest of the 32nd Division relieved the French units in the vicinity, and an attack was launched the following day to capture the railroad tracks near the town of Juvigny, their main objective. The rest of the 10th French Army, in which Private Kiesel’s division was part of, launched an all out attack to break through the German line on the 29th. The 120th Field Artillery softened up the line the previous night and fired a rolling barrage to support the advancing infantry. Unfortunately the Germans were prepared and inflicted heavy casualties on the advancing units, causing little ground to be gained until the French on the right flank were able to break through a weak point in the line on the 30th of August, causing the town to be nearly surrounded and captured after heavy fighting. To strengthen the new line, yet another attack was ordered on the 31st, with the Private Kiesel and the division artillery bombarding the German lines for four hours prior to the attack. One prisoner stated that “they had thought the Americans had a machine gun that sprayed 75 mm shells.”
Although heavy casualties were encountered once more, the attack succeeded in breaking the line and advancing to the Terny-Sorny-Betancourt road where the advance stopped. When the 32nd Infantry Division was relieved from the line on the night of September 1st-2nd, Kiesel’s 120th Field Artillery remained in the sector to support the line and fired gas shells for the first time. For their actions in the attack, French General Mangin decorated all four infantry, all three artillery regiments, and all three machine gun battalions of the 32nd Division with the Croix de Guerre with Palm, the only National Guard units decorated with the highest order of the award during WWI. Private Kiesel’s unit rejoined the division at Joinville on September 10th as they rested and received replacements for their next battle.
Meuse-Argonne
On September 26th, the 120th Field Artillery was moved to support the Meuse Argonne Offensive with the goal of smashing through the German lines and ending the war. That morning, the Americans let loose a massive artillery barrage to begin the attack, with infantry units going over the top shortly after. The attack was largely successful, but some divisions were thrown back by the German defensive positions. Private Kiesel and his artillery unit continued to support offensive operations in the sector as their division arrived on the 30th of September, and when it attacked and broke through the Hindenburg Line on October 14th and captured Cote Dame de Marie. Even after their division retired from the front, the 120th Artillery continued firing on the German positions until the armistice was called on November 11th, 1918, ending the war. Although hostilities ended, Kiesel ventured into Germany for occupational duties, eventually being transferred to Company A, 316th Machine Gun Battalion on May 16th and left Europe with that unit aboard the Manchuria on June 8th, 1919. After returning to the US, Private Kiesel was honorably discharged on June 28th, a little over a year since he was drafted. Henry settled back in Scranton and worked for Kiesel Insurance Agency run by his brother Joseph. He unfortunately passed away from a long illness on November 27th, 1954 and is buried in Holy Family Cemetery.
The regiment was equipped with French 75’ artillery pieces and had just entered the line in the Fismes sector to support attacks by the 32nd Division. The division was relieved after suffering 2,000 casualties during the first two days by the French Foreign Legion, but not before rightfully earning the nickname, “Les Terribles” after the French observed their determination to flush out the enemy in the face of tremendous casualties. The 120th Field Artillery remained in the sector to continue supporting attacks on the town, which would change hands five times until it was fully captured on August 22nd. Newly arrived Private Kiesel experienced the closing days of his unit’s time near Fismes as they supported the French Foreign Legion, eventually being relieved on August 17th, 1918 and redirected for the Oise-Aisne Offensive the very next day.
Oise-Aisne Drive
On August 27th, the rest of the 32nd Division relieved the French units in the vicinity, and an attack was launched the following day to capture the railroad tracks near the town of Juvigny, their main objective. The rest of the 10th French Army, in which Private Kiesel’s division was part of, launched an all out attack to break through the German line on the 29th. The 120th Field Artillery softened up the line the previous night and fired a rolling barrage to support the advancing infantry. Unfortunately the Germans were prepared and inflicted heavy casualties on the advancing units, causing little ground to be gained until the French on the right flank were able to break through a weak point in the line on the 30th of August, causing the town to be nearly surrounded and captured after heavy fighting. To strengthen the new line, yet another attack was ordered on the 31st, with the Private Kiesel and the division artillery bombarding the German lines for four hours prior to the attack. One prisoner stated that “they had thought the Americans had a machine gun that sprayed 75 mm shells.”
Although heavy casualties were encountered once more, the attack succeeded in breaking the line and advancing to the Terny-Sorny-Betancourt road where the advance stopped. When the 32nd Infantry Division was relieved from the line on the night of September 1st-2nd, Kiesel’s 120th Field Artillery remained in the sector to support the line and fired gas shells for the first time. For their actions in the attack, French General Mangin decorated all four infantry, all three artillery regiments, and all three machine gun battalions of the 32nd Division with the Croix de Guerre with Palm, the only National Guard units decorated with the highest order of the award during WWI. Private Kiesel’s unit rejoined the division at Joinville on September 10th as they rested and received replacements for their next battle.
Meuse-Argonne
On September 26th, the 120th Field Artillery was moved to support the Meuse Argonne Offensive with the goal of smashing through the German lines and ending the war. That morning, the Americans let loose a massive artillery barrage to begin the attack, with infantry units going over the top shortly after. The attack was largely successful, but some divisions were thrown back by the German defensive positions. Private Kiesel and his artillery unit continued to support offensive operations in the sector as their division arrived on the 30th of September, and when it attacked and broke through the Hindenburg Line on October 14th and captured Cote Dame de Marie. Even after their division retired from the front, the 120th Artillery continued firing on the German positions until the armistice was called on November 11th, 1918, ending the war. Although hostilities ended, Kiesel ventured into Germany for occupational duties, eventually being transferred to Company A, 316th Machine Gun Battalion on May 16th and left Europe with that unit aboard the Manchuria on June 8th, 1919. After returning to the US, Private Kiesel was honorably discharged on June 28th, a little over a year since he was drafted. Henry settled back in Scranton and worked for Kiesel Insurance Agency run by his brother Joseph. He unfortunately passed away from a long illness on November 27th, 1954 and is buried in Holy Family Cemetery.