Arlington Centennial Tribute to General Doyen, Raymond and Raymonde October 6, 2018

Arlington Centennial Tribute October 6, 2018

The practice of memory. Stories passed between generations.

So meaningful to share this pilgrimage with my son, Cyrus.
Social media, too, as a prompt for us to gather at this Centennial
and dream the future.

Tears and humility at Arlington surrounded by visitors.
Personal stories of my dad, visits with Doyen's relatives,
reflections as an older person, thankful.
So meaningful all the times Cyrus has shown up & listened.
Love across time.

Unexpectedly moving for unexpected reasons.
Are you ready to do this thing you are asked to do? For one hour?
The new guard is tasked. Everyone else leaves. He is there alone to
act his choice. The Unknown Soldier, known only to God.

Aunt Raymonde Austin Thompson, named for her Uncle,
Major Raymond Austin, killed in action
in France at the end of WWI - Oct 6, 1918

Doyen's gravesite is easy to find from the entrance.
Locate Arlington House on the hill above President's Kennedy's
grave below. 

President Kennedy's gravesite with the eternal flame.
Section 5 is below this to the north.

Doyen shares Section 5, with US Supreme Court leaders.

Oliver Wendell Holmes is marked B on the Visitor's map.
Access Section 5 here, just down from the Kennedy memorial.

Unexpectedly large crowds of visitors.
The trolley wait was almost 2 hrs, but its easy to walk.

The White House at night.
Historic, fragile, smaller than you expect.
A good time to visit the nation's capitol and check in
on these anchors you think you know.

The Lincoln Memorial

The Vietnam War Memorial at night.

The Jefferson Memorial

USMC Brigadier General Charles Doyen,
Second Division, Fourth Brigade
(1859- October 6, 1918)

Major Raymond Austin, First Division
(1889 - October 6, 1918)

"We Feel Like a Lost Soul" - Doyen's famous USMC Fourth Brigade & Pershing's Army

Brigadier General Charles Augustus Doyen
Doyen organized, trained, and led the USMC 5th Regiment & 4th Brigade
until Pershing returned him to Quantico right before the Battle of Belleau Wood.
(Sept 1859 - Oct 6, 1918)
US Naval Academy, 1881

Alice Ruth Doyen Austin & her first child, Jason, Jr. at Bremerton Navy Yard, at Colonel Doyen's.
Seemingly pregnant with second child Claude Fay Austin (Bass), born August 1917.
The US entered WWI on April 6, 1917.
The 5th Regiment USMC was organized under Doyen in June 1917 & immediately sailed for France.
In October 1917 he was appointed Brigadier General to lead the Fourth Brigade of Marines.
He also commanded the US Army Second Division, the first USMC General to do so.
He was returned to the US by Pershing in May 1918 for failing a physical exam.
General Doyen died at Quantico in the Influenza Pandemic on October 6, 1918.
He was 59.
His third grandchild, Raymonde Austin (Thompson) was born on January 4, 1919.
Five more grandchildren followed between 1920-1927.
What grief for Alice Ruth to have her father (USMC 4th Brigade/AEF 2nd Division)
and brother-in-law (AEF First Division) die on the same day - October 6,1918.

Doyen posthumously received the first Navy Distinguished Service Medal.

In the next generation, Jason, Jr. (1915-1996) was a Marine serving in the South Pacific throughout WWII, then in the Korean War. Shown here in Korea with his brother, Marshall McVay Austin (1921-1988)

Aunts Raymonde, Alice, Betsy (w. Emily?), and Uncle Marshall, c. 1960.

My interview this week with historian Harry Waterson* transformed my understanding of General Doyen's legacy. Here's what I have learned so far - please do add to the dialogue here.

There was no Department of Defense until 1945. There was a Department of the Navy and a Department of War. Because the Marines were capable of amphibious missions, they had historically been a division of the Navy and educated at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, founded 1845. But the Marine Corp always had a historic separate identity characterized by exceptional standards and the ability to get any job done. The Marines trace their founding to November 10, 1775. 

The history of the First World War looks different when viewed from the lens of the well-trained and tested Marines and that of General Pershing. In my interview, Waterson described Pershing's ambitions for a unified American Expeditionary Force (AEF) that was to be crucible created out of many state militias and relatively inexperienced troops. It was a point of contention how the Marines, with their separate historic identity and deep-bench of battle-hardened leaders would fit into Pershing's AEF.  

There is an important story to be told about General Pershing's order to send USMC Brigadier General Doyen back to the states in May 1918, relieving him of command of the USMC Fourth Brigade AEF Second Division that Doyen had organized, trained, and led. 

It is the contention of Waterson and others that the Fourth Brigade Marine's success in 1918, including at Belleau Woods, is in part a tribute to Doyen's exceptional leadership. And that Pershing did not want the Marines in the AEF - or maybe it might be that Pershing didn't want the Marines recognized as a distinct group of leaders. (Would love help with sources here. Is this a leadership issue? Ambition issue? What exactly?)

For further background Waterson directed me to George B. Clark's, The Fourth Marine Brigade in World War I. This book begins: "This is the story of the 4th Marine Brigade as part of the Second Division, American Expeditionary Forces, serving in France in 1917 and 1918... This was the original Marine unit in France. The Second Division was a premier unit that saw more action, and captured more ground, plus probably capturing more of the enemy, than any other division in that war, including the vaunted First Division."  (p.1.)

Clark continues:

"One of the most controversial actions during this period was the dismissal of Brig. Gen. Charles Doyen from command of the brigade he had formed, trained, and led. 

Doyen, who had failed his army physical exam, was relieved by U.S. Army General John J. Pershing and sent back to the States, with a modestly worded salutation. It is true that Pershing also refused to keep any officer of the AEF who couldn't meet the exacting physical and mental standards set for them, and many deserved to be sent home. 

This action would have the most profound impact upon relations between George Barnett, commandant of the Marine Corps, and John J. Pershing, head of the American Expeditionary Forces, and upon Army and Marine Corps attitudes toward one another for many years to come. 

The corp saw it as another attempt by Pershing .. to minimize the 4th Brigade's independence and usefulness in France. It was no secret that Pershing was not in favor of accepting any Marines in France and only took what he couldn't refuse because of [political machinations in DC.]. There was a certain level of rancor in the brigade because Doyen was not only well-liked, he was highly regarded professionally. It was he who had pulled together and trained the team who would go on to such fame in the future." (p.5-6)

Doyen posthumously received the first ever Navy Distinguished Service Medal with this citation, quoted by Clark:

"By reason of his abilities and personal efforts, he brought the brigade to the very high state of efficiency which enabled it to successfully resist the German army in the Chateau-Thierry sector and Belleau Woods. The strong efforts on his part for nearly a year undermined his health and necessitated his being invalided back to the United States before having the opportunity to command his brigade in action, but his work was shown by excellent service rendered by the brigade, not only at Belleau Woods, but during the entire campaign when they fought many battles."  (p.6)

More research can be done on the state of Doyen's health, and Waterson has suggested avenues to do this. Waterson points out that almost since arriving in France with the 5th Regiment, Doyen had been tasked not only with combat training but also with non-combat duties and geographically dispersed supply chain issues that taxed Doyen's energies and troops. He quotes a source that said Doyen would have contributed more leadership from the back of an ambulance than being sent to Quantico by Pershing. He thinks Doyen was just exhausted from trying to work constantly at maximum capacity. Could Doyen have been granted a rest leave instead of being sent home? It's an interesting historical puzzle piece to learn more about. What was this really about? I also note that Doyen was 59, and I'd love to know more what the army physical entailed. Further, I note different leadership styles in action. I look forward to reading more about Pershing. Apparently Douglas MacArthur took Pershing to task for being more of an organizational "round pegs in round holes" leader, and not connected to the actual troops on the ground. I just don't know enough about this at this point. Would love help researching this. 

Clark continues his story by proving that Pershing recognized Doyen's exceptional leadership, and also his potential as a post-war rival. 

"Pershing sent a letter to Doyen in which he said, 'Your service has been satisfactory and your command is considered one of the best in France. I have nothing but praise for the service you have rendered in this command.' Pershing cabled home that Doyen 'is an excellent officer, has rendered most valuable service and has brought his Brigade to his efficiency. I very reluctantly return him to the United States."  [This, despite documents showing Doyen and others did everything possible to not have Doyen sent back.] 

General Omar Bundy, divisional commander, recommended that Doyen be promoted to major general with the statement that 'it is a well-recognized fact that the excellent condition of this brigade is due largely' to Doyen." (p.6)

Clark concludes his section by quoting from the April 30, 1918 diary entry of Holland Smith, a fellow Marine lamenting this turn of events with the loss of Doyen's leadership, and the lowered morale:

[General Doyen] "received notice today that he had been found physically disqualified and Gen. Harbord, the Chief of Staff of Ge. Pershing was to relieve him. We are all saddened as we feel this is the first blow. The Brigade is broken-hearted. We feel like a lost soul. May God help us in our humiliation and give us the courage to the best we can to beat the Boche. We prophecy [sic] now that the marines will be withdrawn from France..." (p.6)

The new Army commander, Habord, led the Marines through the deadliest battles in Marine Corp history, and the Brigade excelled in standing by its new leader. As Clark writes:

"Habord led the brigade through the worst and their performance was such that he was later promoted to command the division. According to Habord's memoir, Pershing had told him that he was getting the best brigade in the AEF and 'if it fails I'll know where to place the blame'. It didn't fail. They made him look very good, even though they paid a heavy price to do so." (p.7)

General Doyen photo courtesy of my dad, Doyen's USMC grandson, Jason McVay Austin, Jr. (1915-1996)

Brig. Gen. Charles Augustus Doyen (58) working on defense plans near the front on April 28, 1918.
On April 30th Doyen was informed that he had failed his army physical and that General Pershing was sending him back to the States. Doyen ended up at Quantico, where he was appointed Commandant of the Marine Corps Barracks.
Historians question Pershing's decision to send Doyen, the Fourth Brigade leader, back to the States at this crucial moment. 
What can you add to this story? 

*Many thanks to Harry Waterson for patiently sharing his timeline, detailed research, and historical perspective on General Doyen and the Marines in WWI over the last years. Harry Waterson is a retired television executive and medallic researcher based in the Mid-West. I am happy to put him in touch with anyone interested in his research. See: Harry Waterson, "Timeline for a Hero: Brigadier General Charles A. Doyen, USMC," Journal of the Orders and Medals Society of America (68.2) March/April 2017: 15-20.

Raymond Austin as Photographer & First Division Soldier

Major Raymond Brooks Austin, under a Roman arch in Seicheprey. His letters home note that he took many of the photos in this May 11, 1918 Frank Leslie's Weekly photo-journalism on the famous "First Division".

Major Raymond Brooks Austin (1889-October 6, 1918) was in General Pershing's "Shock Division" that proved the ability of the Army's American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) to overcome the stalemate of trench warfare and deliver a clockwork coordinated attack in the Battle of Cantigny.  The famous "First Division" was organized on June 8, 1917 and is rightly proud of its history. The First Division maintains a Museum, Research Center, and Online Exhibits.  It was a researcher from the First Division Museum who first contacted me with the offer of historic material they had gathered to honor Major Austin at this Centennial.  For more context, I second their advice to read Matthew Davenport's First Over There (based on diaries and letters) to better understand why Raymond's Division and the Battle of Cantigny are legendary in American military history.

Many of Raymond's letters home have been preserved in The First Division Museum Archive. I was able to get copies of these letters thanks to the prompt professional and friendly help given me by their staff, and I want to thank them again. In Raymond's letter home dated June 20, 1918 it is clear that everyone in his hometown has seen the article in the 1918 equivalent of Life Magazine or Instagram. Raymond talks at length about the Battle of Cantigny that has taken place by then, and identifies the people and places in the Frank Leslie article. A photograph of Major Austin is prominent on page 646 and to the right is a photograph he took of a church ruin. I have seen the original snapshots of this scene, and others Raymond took, in the Ohio Wesleyan University Institutional Archives. On page 647, he took the photo in the upper left of a friend of his badly injured by gas and now stateside. Raymond identified himself in the lower photo as the soldier to the left - with the camera. 

I'll close this post with a sample of one of his letters - always addressed to his mom and signed -"Much love".

Where to go to High School?

Jason McVay Austin (1886-1966) at 
Culver Military Academy

Raymond Brooks Austin (1889-Oct 6, 1918)
Culver Military Academy, 1908

Imagine that your father was the Dean of Women in the Gilded Age, and you were one of three boys raised in the Women's College, surrounded by pioneering college-educating women. Your mother was herself a college graduate and staunch advocate for women as witnessed by her 1882 graduation speech on "Woman's Employment". But still, what must it have been like for three boys to be raised in a woman's dorm, with your father (and mother) in charge? This was the world that Jason, Cyrus, and Raymond Austin were born and raised in. Until high school, that is. What must it have been like?

My maternal Grandmother Crow, who went to this same college, used to chuckle at the ways she and her classmates would push the limits after hours until Dean Cyrus Brooks Austin (1851-1924) came paddling down the hall at night in his slippers to reprimand them. They had a nickname for him, based on the sound his slippers made coming patiently, night after night, to keep the peace. It would be a different topic to share the photos of my maternal Grandmother at Monnett Hall at Ohio Wesleyan University (OWU), trying out new things as she also mastered the Latin and German she herself went on to teach. This is the same Grandmother who remarked to me that she went to college on a horse and buggy and lived to watch a man walk on the Moon. Sometimes life is long.

Because of the Austin boys' upbringing in a Women's College Residence (and likely other reasons)  for their High School years the boys went away to Marshall County Indiana, to the Culver Military Academy, founded in 1894. After that, they each returned and graduated from Ohio Wesleyan before each serving in the Artillery in the First World War.  This Saturday October 6, 2018 marks the centennial of Raymond Austin being killed in combat in France, and I feel compelled to find and share stories with the generations who have gone on.

I start with this light-hearted story about where to go to high school, because the benefits and failings of private vs. public school resonates in our family, filled as it is with educators. (Did you know my dad's Grandfather Austin - the Dean of Women - was a Math Professor at Ohio Wesleyan, and his mother's Grandfather Fay was also a Math Professor -- for 36 years at the Naval Academy in both Newport (1861-1865) and mostly Annapolis.)

A generation later my dad, Jason Jr., was sent away to Boarding School for high school for various reasons, and he so strongly disliked the experience that no matter how much I, a generation later, pleaded to leave my public school, my dad refused. This was based in large part on money, but also because of his unshakable visceral dislike of private schools. In dramatic contrast, my dad's brother, Marshall, was sent away to board at the exact same high school and loved it so much that Marshall insisted all of his own daughters go away to Boarding School - no matter how much these girls of yet another generation apparently disliked it. Only my Uncle Marshall's fifth girl, Katherine Austin, found the way to graduate from a public high school - and I welcome her sharing her sense of this family crossroad. It feels like a pendulum. I so disliked my own public school experience that I went out of my way to be sure my own children could have a private school experience, even if, in the end, we got the best of both by moving between the two different environments. Now I look back on those years and reflect on all that is needed to build an adult. The truth is: so much transcends the issue of where to go to High School.

So: what did a Culver Military Academy experience mean for Jason, Raymond, and Cyrus? Were they intending to become career military officer? (Raymond enlisted in 1912 after graduating from OWU in 1911.) Who could tell that World War One would come along to test them in ways this military high school prepared them for in unexpected ways?  Someone would have to do more digging in archives to find the raw material to tell this story more fully. I'd be curious! (Still thinking about all the Marshalls... did you know the Culver boys of 1912 Marshall County wanted to march in DC for the inauguration of President Wilson and Vice President Marshall?)

Meanwhile, Culver shaped the Austin boys into different men. Jason came back and married the daughter of a career military officer, Charles Augustus Doyen. During 1916, Jason and Raymond Austin were both in the Field Artillery and stationed in the Philippines. There, Doyen's daughter gave birth to Jason Jr., and the families were all together. For awhile. The United States entered WWI on April 6, 1917 and on November 1917 Major Raymond Austin sailed to France with the First Division - never to return. Doyen commanded the 5th Regiment of the US Marine Corp when it was organized June 7, 1917; the Marines sailed for France a week later.  On November 11, 1918 the Armistice ended the war to end all wars. Both Major Raymond Austin and Brigadier General Charles Doyen died before then, on Oct 6, 1918. Sometimes life is short. Let's spend some time this week at least, reflecting, remembering, telling the stories on to the next generations.

Stay tuned: tomorrow I interview again one of the military historians who has shared his research on General Doyen with me for almost five years now. The topic is Doyen and the Marines in WWI. Follow this blog for timely updates. Please share with your family, and add Comments.