In late May of 1918 a massive German offensive smashed though the British and French lines. The Germans were now bearing down on Paris. The Marines were ordered to march toward Belleau Wood. An old hunting preserve, Belleau Wood covered about a square mile. In the heavy undergrowth the Germans created an ideal defense with a regiment armed with both light and heavy machine guns.

On June 6, the 3rd Battalion 5th Marines (3/5), commanded by Major Benjamin S. Berry advanced from the west into Belleau Wood as part of the Allied effort to take the village of Bouresches. As the first waves of Marines made their frontal assault, in a well-disciplined line, they had to go through a meadow of murderous machine gun fire. Almost immediately, Major Berry was wounded in his forearm. Marines attacked the woods six more times before the Germans were successfully expelled.

After the battle the wood was renamed “Bois de la Brigade de Marine” (“Wood of the Marine Brigade”) in honor of the tenacity of the Marines, by the French. An official German report classified the Marines as “vigorous, self-confident, and remarkable marksmen….

News reached P.M.C. that Major Benjamin S. Berry, ‘02, had been awarded the Croix de Guerre for bravery during the battle of Belleau Wood. On May 27, Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels presented a gold sword to Major Berry in recognition of his splendid service in France. The inscription on the sword reads: “From P.M.C. to Benjamin S. Berry, Major, United States Marine Corps, for bravery and distinguished service in the World War, 1917-18.” Later, Major Berry received the Distinguished Service Cross.

Born in Iowa in 1860, George Herbert Webb attended the public schools of Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania Military College. He graduated in 1880 with a degree in Civil Engineering and started his career as a surveyor with the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. Beginning in 1889, he spent the next two years building a railroad in Chile. He then worked in Peru as the chief engineer of the Transandine Railway, a remarkable project which built a railroad through the Andes. He returned to the United States and by 1905 was made chief engineer of the Michigan Central Railway. He omit planned and rebuilt the Third Avenue rail yard in Detroit and in 1913, completed the new Michigan Central Depot.

In 1917, he left the Michigan Central Railway and was commissioned a lieutenant-colonel in the 16th Regiment of Engineers (Railway). The 16th was organized and trained within the city limits and was Michigan’s only volunteer regiment. Among the 687 members of the 16th Regiment were some of the best skilled tradesmen from Detroit. Shortly after World War 1 was declared, the Regiment was ordered to proceed to France. They arrived on August 27, 1917. For the next 21 months, they were in constant service. Along with the other Engineer Regiments of the American Expeditionary Forces, the 16th was assigned to building the infrastructure needed for the success of AEF. Its accomplishments included designing and building the Nevers Cutoff, allowing supply trains to bypass Paris, and repairing the supply line between Verdun and Dan-sur-Meuse during the AEF offensive in the Meuse-Argonne region.

After the Armistice, the Regiment continued its work for some time. On May 5, 1919, it arrived home at the Michigan Central Depot. They paraded through Detroit the next day, and was mustered out of service the following day.

In July, 1919, Colonel Webb was awarded the Army’s Distinguished Service Medal for:

“exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services … with the execution of some of the largest construction enterprises in France. Confronted by difficulties of labor, material, and equipment, he set about his task with ceaseless energy, and by his resourcefulness, initiative, and skill he overcame all obstacles and completed these difficult projects with great success.”

After his discharge, Colonel Webb resumed his job as chief engineer of the Michigan Central Railway. He passed away in 1921 while living in Newton Lower Falls, near Boston.

Prior to the Spanish-American War, newspaper owners like William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer, often sensationalized reports of Spanish atrocities against Cuban rebels. After the sinking of the Maine the national enthusiasm for war even extended to PMC. Although many cadets wanted to join the service, President Charles Hyatt convinced most to remain. While nearly seventy graduates responded to the call to service in 1898, two members of the senior class of 1898 also answered the call. Both Cadet Lieutenant Ezra H. Ripple, Jr. and Cadet Raymond W. Hardenbergh enlisted in the 13th Regiment of the Pennsylvania National Guard in May prior to Commencement. Although they both had left PMC and had entered the service, they received their degrees in civil engineering.

Ezra H. Ripple enlisted as a private in Company D, and joined the regiment at Camp Hastings for training. At the time of muster, the 13th Pennsylvania consisted of thirty-six officers and 604 enlisted men. In May, the 13th Pennsylvania was ordered to Camp Alger, near Dunn Loring, Virginia, where it became part of the 2nd Army Corps, First Division. The 13th Pennsylvania remained in the new camp until August, when it was ordered back to Pennsylvania’s new Camp Meade, located near Middletown. Since the Spanish-American War ended on August 13, the 13th Pennsylvania did not see action.

Until 1900, Ripple was a mine surveyor, but decided to study law and entered the law department of the University of Pennsylvania and graduated in 1904. In 1905 he was admitted to the Lackawanna bar. In 1916 he commanded the 13th Pennsylvania during the Mexican Border Campaign. During World War I he was drafted into service and was attached to Headquarters, 55th Infantry Brigade, 28th Infantry Division.

Raymond W. Hardenberg enlisted as a private in Company E of the 13th Pennsylvania, and joined the regiment at Camp Hastings. From the 13th Pennsylvania he joined the Army Corps of Engineers under Col. Edgar Jadwin in Cuba and was appointed a Second Llieutenant in the regular army. He then participated in the Philippine Insurrection, and during World War I he served as brigade adjutant with the 159th Brigade, 80th Division A.E.F.

Hardenberg is best known, however, as the trustee of “Rags”, the war dog and mascot of the 1st Infantry Division. Rags was a mixed breed terrier discovered in Paris by Sergeant James Donovan. He trained Rags to carry messages from the front lines to the 7th Field Artillery and Rags would return with a reply. Rags achieved great notoriety and celebrity when he saved many lives during the Meuse-Argonne Campaign by delivering a vital message despite being bombed, gassed and partially blinded. A severely wounded Donovan and Rags made their way back to the U.S. and Fort Sheridan, IL, where gas victims were being treated. In early 1919, Donovan died, but Rags soon became the post’s dog. The following year, Major Hardenbergh arrived at Fort Sheridan and the family soon adopted Rags. In 1924, Hardenbergh was transferred to Governor’s Island in New York Harbor, home of the 1st Division, with whom Rags had served in World War I. Rags soon became something of a celebrity in Manhattan. In 1934, Hardenbergh was transferred to the War Department. In 1936, Rags died. He was buried with full military honors and a monument to him was erected at the Aspen Hill memorial park and animal sanctuary in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Colonel Hardenbergh died on Feb. 3, 1949

After his Commencement in 1885, George M. Studebaker returned to Indiana. He joined his father’s wagon and carriage business, the Studebaker Wagon Company, and married Ada Lantz. He also joined the 3rd Regiment of the Indiana National Guard.

Between 1895 and 1898, Cuba and the Philippine Islands revolted against Spain. The Cuban revolt had many supporters among the American people and in response to the popular outcry, President William McKinley sent the Battleship Maine to Havana. Its mission was to provide a naval presence there but on the night of February 5th, the Maine was exploded and sunk. A reluctant McKinley reacted to the public demands and Congress approved the President’s request for a declaration of war on April 10.

The 157th Regiment of Infantry, Indiana National Guard, which was known as the “Studebaker Tigers,” was formed from volunteers from the 3rd Regiment. Studebaker, the youngest colonel in the service of the country at the time, was the commander. Immediately following McKinley’s war message, Colonel Studebaker telegrammed Indiana Governor James Goodrich, offering the services of the regiment.

The `157th Regiment was the first organization of volunteers to be mustered into the Volunteer Service for the Spanish-American War. The regiment reported to Camp George H. Thomas at Chattanooga National Military Park, Chickamauga in Georgia. Due to the slow process of examining and passing the physical exam, the regiment was accepted by the United States Army after some delay. The regiment moved to Port Tampa City (FL) where it remained until it was ordered to return to Indianapolis for muster out of service.

Studebaker returned to work at the Studebaker Wagon Company, which entered the car business in 1902. Two years later, Studebaker brought out its first gasoline automobile—a two-cylinder, 16-horsepower touring car. In 1911, the company purchased the Everitt-Metzger-Flanders Co. of Detroit and formed the Studebaker Corp.

Studebaker returned to work at the Studebaker Wagon Company, which entered the car business in 1902. Two years later, Studebaker brought out its first gasoline automobile—a two-cylinder, 16-horsepower touring car. In 1911, the company purchased the Everitt-Metzger-Flanders Co. of Detroit and formed the Studebaker Corp.

The parents of John W. Loveland were descendants of English gentry and were successful merchants in the Scranton, PA, area. After completing his early education, he entered Pennsylvania Military College, from which he was graduated in 1887 as a Civil Engineer. He continued his studies as a Post-Graduate at Yale University in 1888, and afterward attended Columbia Law School. He then studied in the offices of well-known New York patent lawyers. Loveland was admitted to the New York Bar in 1891 and the United States Supreme Court in 1892. He then opened the firm Loveland & Billings and earned an enviable reputation as a patent lawyer.

At the start of the Spanish-American War, President McKinley mustered in 3 regiments of volunteer cavalry (known as the Rough Riders). Shortly thereafter Loveland enlisted in Troop A, U.S. Volunteer Cavalry. In late July Troop A embarked for Puerto Rico and arrived at Port Ponce on August 6th. Due to the difficult accommodations and poor food many soldiers fell ill while waiting for orders to advance. Loveland was among those stricken ill. Upon his return from Puerto Rico, Loveland resumed his practice and in 1901, joined the New Jersey National Guard. He was promoted rapidly and by 1912 was the Adjutant of the 5th Infantry.

Loveland had always been a loyal and active member of the PMC Alumni Association. In 1887 he was elected President of the Eastern Alumni Association and served in that role continuously until 1907. During his tenure, Loveland oversaw the building of the Alumni Lodge, an on-campus home for alumni where they could hold their annual banquet and enjoy “song, story, reminiscence, good cheer, wit, humor, refreshment and rejuvenation.” He also accomplished the unification of the Eastern and Western Divisions of the Alumni Association.

He was re-elected to that office during the years 1919-1924. The Hollow Square, a tradition of Commencement Ceremonies for the next half century, was organized by Loveland.

Loveland died in Washington, D.C. in 1944. He was buried in Forty Fort Cemetery in Pennsylvania.