October 1918 – The Western Front
Company L in the Meuse-Argonne Campaign
Operating near Sergeant York and the Harlem Hellfighters
During October 1918, Company L was engaged in heavy combat on the Western Front during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive—the largest and deadliest campaign fought by American forces in World War I.
While famous actions such as Sergeant Alvin C. York’s Medal of Honor engagement took place nearby, Company L endured its own sustained fighting under intense artillery, machine-gun, and poison gas fire. Together, these experiences illustrate the scale and human cost of the final Allied push toward victory.
Map 1: The Meuse-Argonne Offensive – Early October 1918. Note: All images, in larger size, open in new window or tab. RED indicates Company L Operating Areas.
Above Map of northeastern France showing the overall area of the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, September–November 1918.
Timeline: September 26 – November 11, 1918
September 26, 1918 – The Meuse-Argonne Offensive begins. Early October – Fighting intensifies across forests, hills, and fortified German positions.
October 6–12 – Company L, Sergeant York’s unit, and the Harlem Hellfighters fight simultaneously in nearby sectors.
November 11, 1918 – The Armistice ends the fighting on the Western Front.
Company L’s Proximity to Sergeant Alvin C. York’s Action
Company L was positioned approximately eight miles northeast of where Sergeant Alvin C. York of the 328th Infantry Regiment, 82nd Division, carried out his legendary action on October 8, 1918, near Châtel-Chéhéry in the Argonne Forest. Timeline: October 6–12, 1918.
Map 2: Map of Operation Areas: Sergeant York and Company L- October 1918.
Relative positions of Company L and Sergeant Alvin C. York’s engagement during early October 1918.
Above: Relative positions of Company L and Sergeant Alvin C. York’s operations during early October 1918.
October 6 – Company L enters combat near Bois de Fays.
October 8 – Sergeant York’s Medal of Honor action takes place.
Sergeant Alvin C. York’s Engagement
The primary objective of York’s battalion on the morning of October 8 was the seizure of a Decauville narrow-gauge railroad, a critical supply route for German forces in the Argonne Forest. York’s unit was ordered to seize the railroad north of Châtel-Chéhéry, requiring an advance across a narrow valley and the capture of heavily defended Hill 223. Leading a small detachment of seven remaining men, Sergeant York captured 132 German soldiers, including four officers. His actions resulted in the deaths of approximately 25 enemy soldiers and the silencing of 32 machine-gun positions. For this extraordinary feat, York was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.
Company L Operations: Bois de Fays and Bois de Maulamont (Bois is French for “forest”)
While Sergeant York was engaged in combat to the southwest, Company L was fighting its own brutal battle approximately eight miles to the northeast, in the Bois de Fays and Bois de Maulamont, from October 6 to October 12, 1918. Company L occupied a salient position in the line, with enemy forces on both flanks and firmly entrenched in the Bois de Maulamont directly to the north. The unit was subjected to intense artillery and machine-gun fire from the front and both flanks, with a significant percentage of incoming shells containing poison gas. Ordered into the front line, Company L continued its attack through October 11. The objective was reached at approximately 3:30 p.m., after which the line was consolidated and held until the battalion was relieved.
Map 3. Position of Company L: BoisdeFays 
Detailed Report Synopsis of Company L Operations
Casualties Sustained by Company L during early October 1918
Killed in Action (KIA):
Sgt. Hudson; Privates Anagnostopoulos, Quillen, Rabinowitz, Ramsey, Rice, Rinehart.
Wounded or gassed: Captain Wise; Privates Arthur, Bloom, Brown, Byron, Chaffee, Davis, DeBasio, DiCarlo, Drulard, Fay, Fink, Galvin, Graham, Hansen, Harbaugh, Kozielski, Kroll, Lindemann, Malone, McQuarter, Nesbitt, Nyeng, Owens, Parsons, Payne, Perkinson, Petermeir, Poston, Prehn, Rosenbloom, Reynolds, Ricci, Rice, Rinehart, Ringer, Roach, Sileqicz, Timberius, Turnwall, Von Ahen, Vopava, Waldo, Weinberg, Wendler, Williams, Wooten, Zahrandt; Privates First Class Carroll; Corporals DeBlasi, Elsner, Johnson, Sterios, White; Sergeant Wallace. Additional soldiers, not listed, were exposed to gas; not all gassing casualties were formally documented as wounds.
The Harlem Hellfighters in October 1918
At the same time Company L was engaged in combat, the 369th Infantry Regiment, known as the Harlem Hellfighters, was operating approximately 25 miles to the west under French command. After capturing the town of Séchault on September 29, the regiment continued advancing through difficult terrain until October 6, when it was relieved after sustaining casualties approaching 50 percent of its combat strength.
Map 4: Harlem Hellfighters’ Operations Near Séchault
Above left side of map indicated by star: Operational area of the Harlem Hellfighters during late September and early October 1918. October 6 – The Harlem Hellfighters are relieved near Séchault after heavy casualties.
Suggested Media and Publications for Further Study
To gain additional insight into Company L’s experiences and the broader context of the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, the following resources are recommended:
Documentary: A Golden Cross to Bear: A Story of the 33rd Division in World War I An Emmy Award–winning series that follows the 33rd Division during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, emphasizing the division’s heavy combat and exposure to gas warfare.
• Film: The Lost Battalion (2001). A dramatization of an American unit trapped behind enemy lines in the Argonne Forest, depicting conditions similar to those faced by Company L.
• Documentary: They Shall Not Grow Old (2018). Directed by Peter Jackson, this restored and colorized documentary offers an immersive portrayal of World War I soldiers’ front-line experiences.
Film: Sergeant York (1941) A classic cinematic portrayal of Alvin C. York’s Medal of Honor–earning actions during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive.
• Film: 1917. A dramatic interpretation of trench warfare and the randomness ofsurvival during World War I, inspired by firsthand veteran accounts.
Documentary: The Harlem Hellfighters: Unsung Heroes (2024). A History Channel documentary chronicling the valor and sacrifices ofthe 369th Infantry Regiment.
Literature: All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque. A seminal anti-war novel rooted in the author’s experiences as a German soldier, offering a powerful perspective on the shared suffering of World War I combatants.
Literature: The Guns of August: The Pulitzer Prize-Winning Classic About the Outbreak of World War I. By Barbara W. Tuchman.
2022
1930
MOVIES: All Quiet on the Western Front (especially the 2022 German-language version and the classic 1930 film).
Podcast: Hardcore History – Blueprint for Armageddon by Dan Carlin comprehensive, six-part audio history exploring the causes, conduct, and consequences of World War I through vivid storytelling and primary sources.