September 17, 1918 – Full diary entry:

“Got ready to leave.

We were reserve troops in this greatest American action, The St. Mihiel Drive.

Left the woods near Pompaii.”

I’m glad it was apparent to Robert and his fellow soldiers just what a big deal this was. The first major offensive planned and executed by an American army on European soil, it was a huge success and resulted in far fewer casualties than even the most optimistic forecasts.

Pompey was and is an industrial town, located at the the junction of the Moselle and Meurthe Rivers. As shown in the map below, Robert had entered the Foret de Haye from the south, near Neuves-Maisons, and exited at the northeast.

Where was Robert today? See the timeline.