5th Infantry Division Town Liberation Monument
Details:
At the back of the park, behind the bus stop. (The monument was formerly located in front of the town hall) Monument
From the World War 1.com Website about the Battle of Frapelle:
On August 17, 1918, at 4.04 a.m., the 6th Infantry Regiment of the 5th Division attacked Frapelle after 10 minutes of bombarding of the German lines. The mission consisted in seizing Frapelle and Hill 451, north of the village. The Regiment was helped by two platoons of the 7th Engineers Regiment, the 13th Machine Gun Battalion, 36 artillery batteries and a detachment of the 99th American Aero Squadron that came from Dogneville, near Epinal.
At 4.06 a.m., the Germans shelled the American trenches but the 5th Division assault was not stopped. At 6.30 a.m., the village of Frapelle was liberated after four years of German occupation. The Germans immediately started a massive bombardment of the Americans, which lasted for three days and nights. The men of the Red DiamondDivision organized their positions, built new trenches and set new wires. A German counterattack failed on August 18 and, by August 20, the American positions were completely consolidated.
Monument Text:
The inscription on the brass plaque is written in English and reads:
FRAPELLE,
captured by the
5th U.S. Div, Aug. 17th, 1918 marking
the first offensive operation of this Div.
This was also the first operation undertaken
by American troops on the Vosges Front.
Commemorates:
Units:
5th Infantry Division
6th Infantry Regiment, 5th Infantry Division
7th Engineer Regiment
99th Aero Squadron
American Expeditionary Forces (AEF)
Wars:
WWI
Other images :
