I. Construction of the ammunition dump, Neuvilly, and railhead construction between Neuvilly and Varennes and between Apremont, railroad repair work at March and St. Juvin, construction of Varennes and Charpentry.

J. Railhead details and roadwork at Aubreville, and road work at Varennes and Charpentry.
K. Road and railhead work at Aubreville, and roadwork at Varennes.

The outlying companies were continually in immediate sight of the sausage balloons and witnessed many an air battle. Raids were frequent.

A concentration had been ordered at Varennes, November 18, and several companies had taken up their home at Camp Mahout. To carry out the salvage program, a re-distribution of the men over the Argonne-Meuse area had to be done, immediately.

The area assigned to the 805th Pioneer Infantry extended from Boult-aux-Bois,almost due south to a point one kilometer west of Les Islettes; then to Aubreville and Avocourt and Esnes; then to Montfaucon via Bethincourt and Cuisy; then southwest through Romagne, Gesnes and Exermont to the main road just south of Fleville; and then north to Boultaux-Bois through Fleville, St. juvin, Grand Pre' and Briquenay.

The area comprises all the Argonne forest, from clermont--north and the Varnnes-Malacourt-Montfaucon-Ramagne sections. More than five hundred square miles of battlefield was included.

A list of the articles to be salvaged would require a page. Chiefly, they were Allied and enemy weapons and cannon, web and leather equipment, clothing and blankets, rolling stock, avaition, electrical, and engineer equipment. It was a gigantic task and did not near completion until the first week in March when more than 3,000 French carloads had been shipped.

For several weeks, truck transportation was scarce and work was slow. The work consisted largely of getting material to roadsides

As companies of the 805th neared the completion of their areas, the soldiers were put to work at the railheads. At the railheads, they helped load the salvage they had gathered and also the salvage that other organizations of the area had brought. At this point, the regiment sent the salvage on it's way


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jmLinzy@hotmail.com
January, 1998

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