mes written high in
the roster of heroes. Americans have always been pioneers and history
makers, and they are making history now.

With the approach of cold weather, and following months of intensive
training under the direction of French and English soldiers, the
American expeditionary forces began actual participation in the great
world war as a unit. Previously their achievements were principally in
connection with the French aviation corps and ambulance sections.

SINKING OF FIRST AMERICAN WAR BOAT.

The first untoward incident involving America's forces on land or sea
was the sinking of the transport Antilles on October 27, 1917, by a
German submarine, when 67 men--officers, seamen and soldiers--were lost.
The vessel was returning from a French port after having landed troops
and supplies. This was the first loss sustained by the United States,
and the event brought home the seriousness of the country's
participation in the war as no previous event had done.

Almost immediately following this the world awoke one morning to learn
that silently and unheralded the American soldiers had marched from
their quarters in a French village to the "front" and in a slough of mud
had entered the trenches, and for the first time in history United
States troops launched shells against the forces of Germany.

The initial shot was fired by artillerists at the break of day on
October 24, and America was formally made an active agent in the horrors
of warfare on "No Man's Land." Ten days later the brave Americans,
occupying a position in the trenches for instruction, early on the
morning of Saturday, November 3, received their baptism of fire, and in
the cause of Democracy 3 soldiers were killed, 5 wounded and 12 captured
by the Boche forces.

Cut off from the main line of the Allied forces, the Americans were
stormed under the protection of a heavy barrage fire by a German raiding
party and engaged in a desperate hand-to-hand encounter. The 20
Americans, with several French instructors, according to official
report, were pitted against 210 picked Germans. A rain of shells from
Boche guns was laid back of the American section so that there was no
retreat. The lieutenant in command made a heroic attempt to reach the
main fighting line, but was caught in the barrage fire and rendered
unconscious from shell-shock.

Previously American scouts had captured a German prisoner--a mail
runner; Lieutenant de Vere H. Harden, of the S