The fighting for Belleau Wood ran from 1 to 26 June 1918, during the German spring offensive in France. On 6 June the American Marines attacked, and suffered more casualties that day than on any other in their history until Tarawa.
Part of the spring offensive
The battle was fought near the Marne River by the U.S. 2nd Division, made up of a Marine brigade and the Army's 3rd Infantry Brigade, with French support, against German units. On 6 June the Marine Brigade attacked across open fields toward the German machine guns, and suffered more casualties than on any other day in its history, a record not beaten until Tarawa.1
The wood is cleared
It took the 2nd Division twenty days and six attacks to push the Germans out, and the wood was finally secured on 26 June. According to John Rickard of HistoryOfWar.org, the Americans suffered 9,777 casualties, including 1,811 dead; German casualties are unknown, but around 1,600 prisoners were taken.2
Our article on the Battle of Belleau Wood covers the attacks in detail. › Battle of Belleau Wood, 1918
Also on this day
- 1794: Glorious First of June. Far out in the Atlantic, Admiral Howe's British fleet fought the French fleet of Villaret de Joyeuse, which was shielding a vital grain convoy from America.
