Nov. 1st: At 2:30 A. M. the barrage preparatory to the launching of the second phase of the Meuse-Argonne opened. The sky behind us was a flickering, gleaming red. The roar was as of myriad drums rolling almost in unison, and the air overhead seemed almost alive with whistling visiting cards to the departing Jerry. The effect of this on the men who had heard little but shells coming in their direction was tremendous. The men walked about the hills whistling and singing and the erstwhile quiet forest was alive with conjectures as to what was happening when the winged death that was flying overhead arrived at its destination. After the firing had ceased there was extreme quietness and there was no activity during the night. Nov. 2nd: The company was held in readiness throughout the day, and after mess in the evening packs were slung and the Battalion moved out. It began to rain just at the start, and the path we followed in the pitch black forest was steep and slippery. We progressed slowly over the plain between la Noua le Coq and the Aire River and entered the shell-torn town of Grand Pre. Passing through the ruins along the Kron Printz Strasse, we went north to the road fork between Grand Pre and Ferme des Loges. Here the company was detached from the Battalion, Lt. Conroy was placed in command and we waited for trucks to enable us to overtake the now flying enemy. Trucks were boarded about 11:00 P. M. and we bumped over the shell-torn road in the general direction of Germany, until our way was blocked by a mine hole not yet repaired. We debussed and hiked to Briquenay, where we found the 312th Infantry had the situation in hand and with the exception of about twenty men who formed an ammunition detail for the 309th Machine Gun Battalion, we turned into some German billets about 2:30 A. M. The infantry advance up to this time had been so swift that the artillery had been unable to catch up to us, having set up their guns three times without firing a shot. Nov. 3rd: During the day the 2nd Battalion passed through Briquenay and we were held there. Most of the time was spent in improvising meals and exploring the debris left by the enemy in his hasty flight. Toward evening about 200 American airplanes in combat formation flew over going north. Lt. Conroy returned to Battalion Headquarters. About 5:00 P. M. the rest of the Battalion moved out and through a misunderstanding the company was left behind. When our plight was discovered we set out for Germond, and after passing a Battalion of the 308th Infantry on the road arrived just in time to get the last available billets. Germond at that time held the four Regimental P. C.’s of our division, one of the 77th and somewhere in the neighborhood of 2,000 troops.