PRIVATE SAMUEL GLUCKSMAN UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS

Samuel Glucksman was born to Sol Glucksman and an unknown mother on June 23, 1887 in Lviv, L’vivsk’ka, Ukraine, (then known as Lemburg, Austria; [from 1773-1918] and ruled by Austria under Poland Lemburg was briefly capital of the Kingdom of Galacia) Glucksman emigrated to Montreal, Canada in April 1905, and soon made his way into New York via the New York City Railroad to gain his American citizenship

Glucksman settled, briefly, in Seattle, where he attended school at a vocational Catholic institution until the mid-1910s. He lived in Chicago, Illinois between 1911-17; on December 15, 1911, Glucksman enlisted in the U.S. Army, and served with the Coast Artillery Corps until December 14, 1914. On May 3, 1917 he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Private Glucksman was inducted into service in July 1917 and assigned to 78th Company, 6th Marine Corps, 2nd Division at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va. and trained at the Marine Corps Rifle Range in Winthrop, Md. Private Glucksman and the 2nd Battalion left for Brest, France in the fall of 1917.

In March 1918, the 6th Marines were brought to the front just south of Verdun, France. They would see action in Chateau-Thierry, Belleau Wood, St. Mihiel Salient, Meuse Argonne, and Blanc Mont Ridge, the latter- where Pvt Glucksman received the Distinguished Service Cross, Navy Cross, Croix de Guerre with Gilt Star, and Silver Star Medal.

ENGAGEMENT INFORMATION:

(Note: This is a condensed report)

ATTACHMENT: 78th [E] Company, 2nd Battalion, 6th Regiment (Marines), 4th Marine Brigade, 2nd Division, A E F (American Expeditionary Forces) Attached to the French Fourth Army, French XXI Corps

ENGAGEMENT DATE(S): 3 October 1918

ENGAGEMENT LOCATION: Blanc Mont, France. Near (Town of Saint-Etienne-a-Arnes, Machault Township, Vouziers District, Ardennes Department, Champagne-Ardenne Region, Grand Est)

LONGITUDE: ~49°28’47.33”

LATITUDE: ~4°53’90.81”

WEATHER: 11°C (51.8°F) Windy and Cloudy Low visibility due to morning haze

“The dry summer had begun to transition to fall. The temperatures during the first 10 days of October were in the high 60s, dropping into the 50s during the night. The mornings were accented by fog and a light mist that offered some concealment until it cleared by midmorning. In general, the weather was temperate, with clear observation for most of the 12 hours of daylight ”

TERRAIN: Chalky soil Mountainous (via the use of “Massif”) and long sloping hills Forest with pine trees Series of chalk escarpments into ridgelines Elevation of Blanc Mont (Ridge) was 200m, Hilly, flattened terrain (near the Arnes river) Farrow fields overgrown with wild grass, woods cut for construction materials, scrub pine growth in large forested pockets ground littered with corpses Trenches full of dead soldiers Destroyed towns, pulverized soil, debris of battle littered the ground (bodies, weapons, partly buried horses), intense odors of rotting bodies.

“Farrow fields overgrown with wild grass afforded wide open fields of fire Much of the woods had been cut for construction materials in the previous years, but scrub pine had grown back in large forested pockets on Blanc Mont Ridge and the few knolls north of it The ridge and its reverse slopes were obscured by a young forest of trees about 3m in height ”

Background: The Champagne Region

The Champagne region is on the Northeast of the Paris basin of chalky soil with a series of escarpments that transformed into ridgelines The region cradled intricate German trench networks that were built in 1914 with the German Third Army im

The Meuse-Argonne (Champagne) Offensive:

“General Headquarters, American Expeditionary Forces, ruled that the Second Division, including the Fourth Brigade of Marines, participated in only four major operations, the Aisne defensive (May 31 to June 5, 1918); the Aisne-Marne offensive (July 18 and 19, 1918); the St. Mihiel Offensive (Sept. 12 to 16, 1918); and the MeuseArgonne offensive (Oct. 1 to 10, 1918), and Nov. 1 to 10, 1918). The operations which resulted in the capture of Blanc Mont and St. Etienne were construed to be included in the Meuse-Argonne offensive despite the fact that the operations were a part of the operations of the Fourth French Army, far to the west of the western limit of the American Meuse-Argonne sector and further that the work of the Second Division was continued by another American division…”

The Meuse-Argonne (Champagne) Offensive began on Sept. 26, 1918 and was the largest operation the American Expeditionary Forces participated in during World War I. Overall, the Meuse-Argonne campaign would be the final effort of the Great War, with the most punishing area of the enemy lines being at Blanc Mont Ridge, located in the French Sector.

Blanc Mont/Blanc Mont Ridge:

“If this ridge can be taken, the Germans will be obliged to retreat along the whole front ” -General Henri J Gouraud, Commander, French Fourth Army

Blanc Mont, translated to “White Mountain” was a part of the Hindenburg Line Blanc Mont was located west of where the American Expeditionary Forces were fighting and is located near the city of Rheims Blanc Mont Ridge was defended by two German divisions and elements of six others The attacker of Blanc Mont Ridge would have to cross miles of open terrain subject to artillery observation and machine gun fire. Blanc Mont was held by the Germans since their invasion of France in 1914 and consisted of high ground where the Germans could easily observe the terrain, including Rheims and other towns/villages in the area. The French had been unsuccessful in trying to retake the ridge since 1914, and every attempt by French forces resulted in severe losses. French forces became exhausted and frustrated given their losses and inability to recapture the ridge.

Blanc Mont Ridge was the middle ridge between three ridges that ran east-west, facing the attack of the 2nd Division, and was the key to the German third line of defense. Blanc Mont Ridge is crescent shaped, with Blanc Mont ending the right side of the ridge and Hill 210 being the end of the ridge on the left.

The German XII Corps concept of defense was organized along three fortified lines:

The second main line of resistance just north of Sommepy

The third main line located along Blanc Mont Ridge

The fourth main line located in the area of Saint-Etienne

Each line consisted of several parallel trenches, underground bunkers, and strongpoints

Behind the Blanc Mont range were several crucial railway junctions that the Germans needed to retain as the next defensible terrain was located 30 kilometers behind Blanc Mont

Engagement:

After fighting at Belleau Wood, the 2nd Division was pulled of the line on 20 July 1918. They had a total of 1,150 Marines leaving the wood, after losing 1,300 Marines in a single day (June 6, 1918). The Division was set aside in a relatively peaceful area known as the Marbache Sector, and few losses had occurred during August and September. Troop movements prior to the engagement at Blanc Mont Ridge were done before dawn due to tactical consideration and concealment.

The 2nd Division received orders to attack Blanc Mont on Oct. 1. However, the orders needed to be translated. In the Orders, the Marine Brigade were directed to advance from the low ridge near the right side of Sommepy. The Infantry Brigade were directed to jump off from a line beyond the far edge of the wood (to its left and front). The direction of the advance was directly against the eastern end of Blanc Mont Ridge, as well as along it. The 2nd Division’s zone of attack crossed three east-west ridges with German defenses overlooking said ridges and the middle ridge being the most dominant for the Germans.

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“By direction of the President, under the provisions of the act of Congress approved July 9, 1918 (Bul. No. 43, W.D., 1918), Private Samuel Glucksman (MCSN: 85903), United States Marine Corps, is cited by the Commanding General, SECOND Division, American Expeditionary Forces, for gallantry in action and a silver star may be placed upon the ribbon of the Victory Medals awarded him. Private Glucksman distinguished himself while serving with the 78th Company, Sixth Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, American Expeditionary Forces at Blanc Mont, France, 1 - 10 October 1918.”

Private Glucksman later received the Purple Heart for the injuries he obtained on Oct 3 Private Glucksman returned to the U S in early 1919 and briefly stationed with 95th Company, 6th Marines before he was honorably discharged on May 20, 1919, and made a sergeant on sight He later stated,

“Although I did not believe this country should enter the War, when we did get into it I believed it my duty to enlist and I shipped over right away I did not do anything more than my duty and I am afraid everybody is too good to me I have been treated very fine by everybody and if another war was declared tomorrow I would certainly enlist if they would have me ”

Glucksman moved to Washington, D.C. post-discharge, and worked as a miner. By 1930, he had moved to Deep Creek, Va., and worked as a laborer at the Norfolk, Va. Naval Shipyard. It was around this time that Glucksman most likely met Bessie Allean Kemp Roman (1895-1969), a “Yeomanette” in World War I, who lived only eight miles from him in Portsmouth with her husband, brother, and sister. Bessie was granted a divorce from her husband, James L. Roman (1894-?), due to desertion in August 1935.

Glucksman and Bessie Kemp Roman were married on June 1936 by a Presbyterian minister, settling at Glucksman’s home at 9 Gillis Road, Portsmouth. In the early 1940s, the couple moved to St. Petersburg, Pinellas, Fla., becoming active in a number of social and military organizations, including the American Legion and Legion of Valor. Glucksman died at St. Petersburg General Hospital on 14 June 1947 of an unknown cause; he is buried in Arlington National Cemetery (Va.).

Addition: The only indication of why Glucksman left Austria is that it was the result of moral disagreements with his family; “His mother and father live in Lemburg, Austria, although he has not heard from them for many years and he is confident his cousins served in the Austrian army opposing him.”

On another note, Glucksman participated in correspondence with the American Jewish Committee-Jewish Welfare Board for several years, but is married by a Presbyterian preacher and buried with a Latin cross on his headstone Because Glucksman self-states as Jewish on his Jewish Welfare Board Questionnaire, he qualifies for review under the Valor Medals Review