Oliver Daniel Bernier

He was a sergeant ( platoon leader ) in the 16th Company of the 3rd Battalion , 5th Marines regiment, 4th Brigade from the 2ndDivision AEF

His serial number was 118246, he enlisted in the Marines on September 4,1915.

He served in the Battle of Belleau Wood where he was awarded the Navy Cross,the Distingued Service Cross, Silver Star Citations and French Croix de Guerre..............for action on June 6,1918.

Text of his citation is following : " He exposed himself to a very heavy concentrated machine gun and riffle fire by rushing forward alone & breaking downa strong wire fence, which would have delayed his menand cause them undue exposure to the enemy fire. This act of extraordinary heroism was directly responsible for the saving of the lives of many of his men.

He was a sergeant at that time but was promoted to 2nd Lt. His officer serial number was 01956. He was honorably discharged as First Lieutenant on August 16, 1919.

Address of his father was :Oliver F. Bernier, 1225 West Belden Avenue, Syracuse , New york.

So,concerning action of the 3rd battalion ( composed by the 45th, 47th, 20th, & 16th companies ) of the 5th Marines at Belleau wood on June6, 1918.

At 5.00 PM, the 3rd battalion jumped -off with an almost perfect skirmish line ( accross an open wheatfield which run about 700 meters before to reach Belleau Wood, wheat was just about 50 centimeters deep, and German were entrenched in Belleau Wood along the edge of the wood with lot of machine- gun) . The 16th was kept in reserve . On the left was the 45th company, in the center the 20th, and then the 47th company on right flank . Deadly machine gun fire from the woods was encountered in crossing the open country west of the northern half of Belleau Wood. Major Berry which was the Battallion commander was in ever worse shape himself, losing much of his right arm, and his command was devastated . The 3rd battalion retired in some disorder, with additionnal losses, to where their jump-off point had been.........

That day two platoons from the 16th company were attached to the 20th company during the attack, Oliver Daniel Bernier was the Platoon leader of one of them.........It was a terrific day for the USMC, in only one day they lost 900 men wounded or died, and the battle for the possesssion of Belleau Wood was only ending by end of June.............The USMC had more than 1000 Marines killed in action at Belleau Wood and about 4500 wounded.............!!

So, still now the ground is exactly the same, wheatfield is always the same and edges of Belleau Wood are the same........The trenches are still there, Belleau Wood is now an American property, It was given by the French Governemt after the War and was renamed officialy just by end of the Battle " Bois de La Brigade De Marines ", do you have already visited France and especially that area where I live.....??

I will give you all indications about publications on the battle of Belleau Wood or 3rd Battalion of the 5th Marines, please visit the web site following where you could find a lot of photos and infos on the site of Belleau Wood and Marines in WW1, also about the museum dedicated to the Marine Brigade that I'm to realize here near Belleau wood...........

www.Scuttlebuttsmallchow.com then Marine Corps Historical Galleries, then WW, then all about Belleau ,and also Belleau Wood museum and meet Gilles Lagin ( me!)..................

The cemetery and Belleau Wood were very hit lastly by the terrific windstorm that we had on December, 26, 1999, you will find a page that I realized with a friend of mine in the US about that::

www.Scuttlebuttsmallchow/bwdamage.html

I also send attached a picture taken just from the place where was jumping -off your grandfather, on June 6,1918 at 5.00.............very far on the photo is Belleau Wood edge which was the objective..............and I attached another photo from the fox-holes ( at first plan in the picture, the square hole in the ground) where they started and ame back after that assault............and also last a map of the Marine attack on Belleau Wood on June6, 1918, you could see on that map the position of Major Berry battalion 3/5, then position of the 16th company in reserve ( Capt. Yowell ) and the dirction taken by your grandfather and his platoon along the 20th company ( Capt. Platt )