157th Infantry Division (France)

157th Infantry Division was an infantry division of the French Army during the First World War. One source says it was known as the Red Hand Division from a device on its color.[1] Two segregated African American regiments, integrated the division in WWI under the command of Général Mariano Goybet[2] and received the French Croix de Guerre. Freddie Stowers of the 371st Infantry Regiment was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.[3] The 372nd Infantry Regiment was composed of segregated National Guard units as well as draftees.[4] Corporal Clarence Van Allen won the Médaille militaire.[5]

Flag of the French 157th Infantry Division commanded by General Goybet American flag section commemorating the service of the 371st Infantry Regiment (United States) and 372nd Infantry Regiment (United States) in the division.

Commanders

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Mariano Goybet

Général Mariano Goybet received the Distinguished Service Medal (U.S. Army) (1924).[6]

Order of battle

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First World War

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1915

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April 28 – September 23

September 27 – October 10

October 10, 1915 – January 18, 1916

  • Withdrawal from the front and transported by rail in the area of Belfort; rest.
  • From October 29, rested and went towards Montbéliard and Héricourt.
  • From December 26, worked on defensive organization while going towards Delle and Saint-Hippolyte.

1916

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January 18 – May 30

May 30, 1916 - March 19, 1917

1917

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March 19 – April 9

  • Withdrawal from the front, moved towards Arches, through Mélisey, le Thillot and Rupt.
  • From March 23, rest and instruction at the camp of Arches.

April 9 – June 16

  • Moved towards the area of Belfort, through Remiremont, le Thillot and Montreux-Château; occupation of an area between the Swiss border and the Rhone-Rhine Canal.

June 16 – July 6

  • Withdrawal from the battle; transported by rail from Belfort, to the area of Épernay; rest and instruction.

July 6 – November 20

  • Moved towards Reims, and, from July 9, occupation of an area between Courcy and Loivre.

November 20 – December 9

  • Withdrawal from the front ; rested near Damery.

December 9, 1917 – May 21, 1918

  • Occupation of an area between Courcy and southern Godat, spread out to the right, March 31, 1918, until near Cavaliers de Courcy.

1918

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May 21–27

  • Withdrawal from the front ; moved in stages towards the area of Fismes; rest et instruction, then moved toward the front.

May 27 – June 4

June 4–10

  • Moved in stages towards Villenauxe; rest and instruction.

June 10 – July 13

  • Transported in trucks to the area of Clermont-en-Argonne, then occupation of an area between l'Aire and the woods of Avocourt.

July 13–16

  • Withdrawal from the front; rested near the farm of Grange-le-Comte.

July 16 - September 14

September 14–26

September 26 – October 8

October 8 – November 11

  • Withdrawal from the front and rested near Valmy.
  • From October 11, transported by rail towards Bruyères.
  • From October 13, occupation of an area between the high valley of la Weiss and la Fave.

Annexations

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  • Cut off from April 1915 to March 1916
  • 34th Army Corps, from March 1916 to November 1918

Second Army

June 10 – September 14, 1918

Fourth Army

September 26 – October 11, 1915
June 8–10, 1918
September 14 - October 11, 1918

Fifth Army

June 18, 1917 – March 29, 1918

Sixth Army

September 1–26, 1915
March 29 – June 8, 1918

Seventh Army

October 11, 1915 – June 18, 1917
October 11 – November 11, 1918

Citation for the men of 157th Division

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The following order was issued to the 157th Division following the campaign in the Champagne region:[4]


P. C. October 8, 1918.

"157th Division.

"Staff.

General Order No. 234

"In transmitting to you with legitimate pride the thanks and congratulations of the General Garnier-Duplessis, allow me, my dear friends of all ranks, Americans and French, to thank you from the bottom of my heart as a chief and a soldier for the expression of gratitude for the glory which you have lent our good 157th Division. I had full confidence in you but you have surpassed my hopes.

"During these nine days of hard fighting you have progressed nine kilometers through powerful organized defenses, taken nearly 600 prisoners, 15 guns of different calibres, 20 minenwerfers, and nearly 150 machine guns, secured an enormous amount of engineering material, an important supply of artillery ammunition, brought down by your fire three enemy aeroplanes.

"THE RED HAND", sign of the Division, thanks to you, became a bloody hand which took the Boche by the throat and made him cry for mercy. You have well avenged our glorious dead.

Signed General Goybet

References

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  1. ^ Scott, Emmet J. Scott's Official History of the American Negro in the World War (Reprint ed.). Forgotten Books. p. 357.
  2. ^ "Mariano Goybet". The Hall of Valor Project.
  3. ^ "Freddie Stowers,Corporal, United States Army". Retrieved October 5, 2010.
  4. ^ a b Emmett J. Scott (1919). Scott's Official History of the American Negro in the World War: Chapter XVII The Record of the 372nd. Homewood Press.
  5. ^ Phoenix Tribune (July 12, 1919). "Highest Honor France Confers Enlisted Man Goes To Black Soldier". Phoenix Tribune. Phoenix, Arizona: Tribune Pub. Co. p. 1. OCLC 35642959. Retrieved July 12, 2019.
  6. ^ "Mariano Goybet". The Hall of Valor Project..