A portrait of Captain William J. Cullen who was my grandfather Frank G. S. Erickson's company commanding officer during the Meuse Argonne Offensive in September of 1918. Though more specifically during the Lost Battalion period in early October of 1918.

The portrait of Cullen and the hand-written text on the back of the card (also below) is dated March 1st, 1919. It was written by Cullen at Company Headquarters of the 308th Infantry of the 77th Division in Cheville, France. A beautifully written note to Frank in appreciation of his service in October of 1918 during the aforementioned period of the Lost Battalion.

It reads:

Company H - 308th Infantry
77th Division
American Expeditionary Force

Cheville, France
March 1, 1919

To Private 1st Class Frank G. S. Erickson
My loyal and efficient runner whose heroic and gallant conduct is especially remembered during the period October 2 - 8, 1918 when this company was cut off and surrounded by the enemy in the Forest Argonne. A good soldier and a real man.

with my best wishes
William J. Cullen
Captain 308th Infantry
AEF

Frank joined the American Expeditionary Force in 1917 and entered training first at Camp Lewis near Tacoma, Washington. In the late Spring of 1918 he and Company H traveled by train to Camp Kearney near San Diego for additional firearms training. From there they traveled to Camp Upton in Long Island NY. On August 8th they left from the Brooklyn Harbor heading to Liverpool, England.

Frank was a member of the 308th Infantry - 77th Division and was a rifleman and runner with Company H. By October 8th, 1918, Frank was a very fortunate surviving member of the famed 'Lost Battalion.' It was a period of his life that he would never forget.

The 'Lost Battalion,' the name given to the nine companies of the United States 77th Division of the American Expeditionary Force, consisted of 554 men that were surrounded by German forces in the Argonne Forest in France between October 2nd through the 8th of 1918.

Roughly 197 were killed in battle and approximately 150 went missing in action and or were taken prisoner. Only 194 remaining men walked out alive.

The Meuse-Argonne Offensive, also known as the Battle of the Argonne Forest, was a major part of the final Allied offensive of World War I that stretched along the entire Western Front. It was fought from September 26, 1918, until the Armistice on November 11th, 1918, a total of 47 days.

The Meuse-Argonne Offensive was the largest in United States military history, involving 1.2 million American soldiers, and was one of a series of Allied attacks known as the Hundred Days Offensive, which brought the war to an end. The battle cost 28,000 German lives and 26,277 American lives, making it the largest and bloodiest operation of World War I for the American Expeditionary Force (AEF), which was commanded by General John J. Pershing.

Frank stayed in touch with Cullen after the war and between the two attended many reunions of the survivors of the Lost Battalion. A set of reunion ribbons that Frank kept are below.

I am fortunate for having the many historic photographs, citations, western and military memorabilia that my grandfather Frank, grandmother Clara and father Ernest Anders kept safe through flood and time. I am especially proud to be able to share their archives here.