A pile of family history!

[Moeca]

So my boys and I have been lucky enough to be entrusted with this pile of family history! This would be my great-grandmothers brother I believe.
The helmet we were given sometime back. The gas mask and BAR belt were found when cleaning out my dads uncles place. Gas mask is marked with his name. BAR belt isn't named but was with the gas mask so maybe!

It seems he was a Marine attached to a Army unit when shipped over seas for WW1 like so many others. My boys are researching things trying to find information.
Stuff like this is always neat but when it's got a family tie it is so much more!

With Memorial Day coming I'd like say thank you to all that served and are serving!

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[Moeca]

Leave it to me to upload the pic twice! As the great Homer word say "dooop".

 

[cooper]

Awesome , keep up the good work.
Kids need to grasp how much and who sacrificed all .
LIFE LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF
HAPPINESS

 

[Kruel J]

Leave it to me to upload the pic twice! As the great Homer word say "dooop".

Fixed. And very cool!

 

[CamoDeafie]

There would be markings on the backside of the BAR belt. These are all cool items! as an aside, the BAR belt shown isn't WW1 but of a WW2 vintage going from the shade its in.. if it doesn't have a metal and leather cuff for the BAR butt to go in, and a double pistol mag pouch, then its a M1937 belt or around that era

 

[Howard1955]

Very nice family treasures you have there.

My wife's grandfather was in the Seabees, and we have some things that belonged to him. This helmet was his. Apparently it was common for the men to paint their helmets.

 

[Moeca]

Yeah I miss spoke on the BAR belt it's actually a 3 mag shoulder bag. Need to look it over more. Think assigned to assistant gunners. But believe your right as it being ww2 or interwar.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

During WWI the 5th and 6th Marine Regiments were attached to the 2nd US Infantry Division. ( Army )
Some of the battles they fought in were :
Belleau Wood
Soissons
Blanc Mont
Meuse Campaign
Occupation of Germany

Neat find and nice pieces of family history.
Andy

 

[IOM]

As the Marines dug in, a French officer suggested that they withdrawal. To this Captain Lloyd Williams of the 5th Marines famously replied, "Retreat? Hell, we just got here." Two days later elements of the German 347th Division from Army Group Crown Prince occupied the forest. With their attack at Chateau-Thierry stalling, the Germans launched a major assault on June 4. Supported by machine guns and artillery, the Marines were able to hold, effectively ending the German offensive in Aisne.


Marines Move Forward

The following day, the commander of the French XXI Corps ordered Harbord's 4th Marine Brigade to retake Belleau Wood. On the morning of June 6, the Marines advanced, capturing Hill 142 to the west of the wood with support from the French 167th Division (Map). Twelve hours later, they frontally assaulted the forest itself. To do so, the Marines had to cross a wheat field under heavy German machine gun fire. With his men pinned down, Gunnery Sergeant Dan Daly called "Come on ya sons-of-bubblegumes, ya want to live forever?" and got them on the move again. When night fell, only a small section of forest had been captured.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

To excellent books on the 5th and 6th Marine Regiments in WWI , by Marines who were there are :
Fix Bayonets by Capt. John W. Thomason Jr.
And
His Time in Hell A Texas Marine in France by Warren R. Jackson
Andy

 

[IOM]

In the history of the Congressional Medal of Honor, the United States Highest award "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty", only 19 men have been awarded the medal twice. Among them is Marine Sergeant Major Daniel Daly, one of only two marines to receive the Medal of Honor Twice for separate acts of heroism and nominated for a third.

Daly was born in Glen Cove, Long Island, New York, on 11 November 1873. He was slight of stature, only 5' 6" in height and weighing 132 lbs, yet enjoyed an early reputation as a fighter, a reputation he would prove more than deserved.

Daly was part of the U.S. Embassy Guard in Peking when the Boxer Rebellion broke out in 1900. In one of the most memorable acts of that war, the Boxers surrounded the compound of the foreign legations in Peking and laid siege to it for 55 days. At one point, when German Marines of the German embassy were forced back, Daly by himself took a position in a bastion on the Tarter Wall and remained there throughout the night. Subjected to sniper fire and numerous attacks, when relieved in the morning Private Daly was still holding his position with the bodies of numerous attackers surrounding his position attesting to his bravery. For this he was awarded his first Medal of Honor.

"Had one squad failed, not one man of the party would have lived to tell the tale. Gunnery Sergeant Daly, 15th Company, during the operations was the most conspicuous figure among the enlisted men."

Fifteen years later found now Gunnery Sergeant Daly in Haiti fighting against the Cacos. The reconnaissance company of 38 men that Daly belonged to was ambushed by over 400 of the enemy while attempting to ford a river at night. Among the casualties was the mule carrying the company's machine gun. After getting his men to a good position, Daly returned, alone and under enemy fire, to the river and searched for the gun. He found it, and was able to bring the gun and its ammunition back to the Marine position. Daly then took command of one part of a three pronged assault on the rebel position, killing 75 rebels and scattering the rest. As one of the two officers present noted, "Had one squad failed, not one man of the party would have lived to tell the tale. Gunnery Sergeant Daly, 15th Company, during the operations was the most conspicuous figure among the enlisted men." Daly was awarded his second Medal of Honor.

However Daly was not finished yet, there was yet the incident for which he is perhaps best remembered in the Marines for. In June 1918 at the battle of Belleau Wood in World War I the Marines were pinned down under heavy artillery barrage and pinned down. At one point the now 44 year old Daly, led a counter-attack with a battle cry that has become Marines lore "Come on, you sons of B——, do you want to live forever?!" Later in the battle, Daly single handedly eliminated a machine gun nest with nothing more than his 45 pistol and grenades. In the course of the battle he was wounded three times.

Daly being presented the Medaille Militaire
Daly was recommended for a third Medal of Honor and the NY Times reported it as a certainty. However, petty bureaucratic politics came into play and a capricious decision was made that the Medal of Honor could only be awarded twice no matter how deserving subsequent acts of valor were. Daly's third Medal of Honor was denied solely on this technicality, instead he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the Navy Cross and France's Médaille Militaire. Perhaps the greatest tribute was paid by General Smedley D. Butler, the other Marine to win two Congressional Medals of Honor, who called Daly "The fightinest Marine I ever knew." Offered promotion several times, Daly once remarked "I would rather be an outstanding sergeant than just another officer".

 

[CamoDeafie]

Yeah I miss spoke on the BAR belt it's actually a 3 mag shoulder bag. Need to look it over more. Think assigned to assistant gunners. But believe your right as it being ww2 or interwar.

If its a 3 mag bag, then it might indeed be from 1918. I am not aware of them being made and issued during WW2 as the 6 pocket M1937 BAR belt replaced the kits

 

[Moeca]

So a few better pics of the bandoleer. Now too find a right side to match.
Asked my expert 16 yr old that's done most of the research! Gord was Army 2nd infantry not Marines it appears. Was at Belleau Wood but not sure of much more.
We a have the info in the one pic but like so much from this time it's a crap shoot to find info. But awesome to see my boys get into this and research. The oldest loves history and military so the connection is great.
Even got a Rock Island 1903 and bayonet that came from the same estate. Sure it isn't his issue gun but looks the part and we can imagine.

 

[CamoDeafie]

That is definitely made in 1918. Issued at that time, or interwar era before M1937 gear, I don't know. Cool bandolier though! As a note, it should hold 3 to 6 M14 magazines