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John Conrad
Weitz, Jr. – born June 20, 1887
John Conrad Weitz, Jr. – born
June 20, 1887 and died on October 3, 1918 in France while serving with the
American Expeditionary Force of World War One. He was a Marine Corporal in
6th Regiment which was part of the 4th Marine Brigade attached to the Army
2nd Division. John's remains were returned
to Walla Walla, Washington in September 1921 and he was laid to rest there
in the Mountain View Cemetery (grave
2, lot 4, block 60). His older sister Katherine (1882 - 1954) and her
husband Walter Scott Irwin (1881 - 1946) are also now buried there on either
side of him.
World War 1 got its start in June
1914 when Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria was assassinated at Sarajevo.
Americans, however, did not enter the war until after April of 1917 when the
United States officially declared war on Germany. The first American fighting
contingent entered France on June 25, 1917 and by November 1918 (about 6 weeks
after Conrad died) the War was over. In total, 4,355,000 American men had
been mobilized, 126,000 were killed, another 234,300 were wounded, and 4,526
were captured or missing in action. In total over 8.5 million men on all sides
lost their lives in this terrible and senseless conflict.
As "Shock Troops" of the AEF, the Fourth Brigade of Marines, were
given some of the toughest assignments in the battle for France. This Brigade
with a total of 258 officers and 8,211 enlisted men, fought in eight battle
operations and suffered approximately 12,000 casualties
Following is a summary of the eight battle operations in which the 4th Brigade
participated:
Toulon sector, Verdun: From March 15 to May 13, 1918.
Aisne defensive, in the Chateau-Thierry sector: From May 31 to June 5, 1918.
Chateau-Thierry sector (capture of Hill 142, Bouresches, Belleau
Wood): From June 6 to July 9, 1918.
Aisne-Marne (Soissons) offensive: From July 18 to July 19, 1918.
Marbache sector, near Pont-a-Mousson on the Moselle River: From August 9 to
August 16, 1918.
St. Mihiel offensive, in the vicinity of Thiaucourt, Xammes, and Jaulny: From
September 12 to September 16, 1918
Meuse-Argonne(Champagne) including the capture of Blanc
Mont Ridge and St. Etienne: From October 1 to October 10, 1918.
Meuse-Argonne (including crossing of the Meuse River): From
November 1 to November 11, 1918.
In June of 1918, at a place called Belleau
Wood the 4th Marine Brigade made history and distinguished itself
in an attack that was one of the bravest of all time. Belleau Wood was a forested
area heavily fortified by the Germans with a seemingly impenetrable wall of
machine guns. The Marines went forward against this impregnable fortress without
benefit of artillery; with nothing more than rifles, bayonets, and their indomitable
courage. One Marine, a Gunnery Sergeant named Daniel Daly, went down in history
when he rallied the troops by shouting, "Come on, you Leathernecks, do
you wanta live forever?" Their losses were staggering, but after two
very bloody weeks of fighting, General Pershing received the message, "Entire
woods captured by United States Marines." The Government of France was
so enamored by this feat, that they officially changed the name of the area
to "Bois de la Brigade du Marine" or Woods of the Marine Brigade.
In September 1918, to assist in breaking through the powerful German defenses
in the Champagne sector, the Second Division, including the Marine 4th Brigade,
was temporarily placed at the disposal of the Fourth French Army under General
Gouraud.
On September 27, 1918, French Major Geneneral John A. Lejeune and Geneneral
Gouraud met to discuss the situation at the front. Together they decided that
the key to all of the German defenses in the sector was Blanc
Mont Ridge. If the ridge could by taken, the German forces would be forced
to retreat along the whole front. Knowing they could do it, the 2nd Division
was assigned the dangerous task of taking Blanc Mont Ridge.
On September 28, 1918, the 4th Brigade was moved by bus and marching to the
Souain-Suippes area. Brigade headquarters were then established at Suippes.
On October 1, 1918, the 4th Brigade along with the rest of the 2nd Division
were marched to the front lines near Somme-Py. On the nights of October 1-2,
1918, they relieved elements of a French Division. At this time, brigade headquarters
were once again re-located to a position in the trenches that was about 2
1/2 kilometers south of Somme-Py.
On the morning of October 3, 1918, the day that Corporal John Conrad Weitz
died, the 2nd Division and it's 4th Marine Brigade seized in a single
assault the strongly entrenched German positions between Blanc Mont Ridge
and Medeah Ferme. Their victory ultimately freed Rheims and forced the entire
German Army between that city and the Argonne Forest to retreat 30 kilometers
to the Aisne river.
About six weeks after the assault on Blanc Mont Ridge, the Germans surrendered
and the war was over. Of the approximately 30,000 Marines that had been sent
overseas to join the AEF, about 2,500 died in action or as a result of their
wounds.
Capturing
Blanc Mont Ridge (pictures and and detailed story of the battle)
The
Great War 1914 - 1918
The
Great War In Numbers
The
Great War Society
Very
Important Sites on the Great War
Copyright©2004
by Doug Meharry. All rights reserved.
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