Grouping to Major General Robert Alexander Commander of the 77th Infantry Division It was the first American division composed of draftees to arrive in France in World War I, landing in April 1918; overall, it was the seventh of 42 divisions to reach the Western Front. The division fought in the Battle of Château-Thierry on 18 July 1918 and later in the Meuse–Argonne offensive, the largest battle in the history of the United States Army, from late September until the Armistice with Germany on November 11, 1918. During its service in France, the 77th Division sustained 10,194 casualties: of these 1,486 men were killed and another 8,708 were wounded. Major General Robert Alexander (October 17, 1863 – August 25, 1941) was a senior United States Army officer. He served in World War I, where he commanded the 77th Infantry Division, in which the famous Lost Battalion served, on the Western Front in 1918. Robert Alexander was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on October 17, 1863. His parents were Judge and Mrs. William Alexander. His father had been Justice of the Circuit Court of Baltimore City and the Court of Appeals of the State of Maryland. Alexander studied law in the offices of J. B. and Edwin H. Brown in Centreville, Maryland. He attained admission to the bar, but decided against a legal career, instead enlisting in the United States Army’s 4th Infantry Regiment as a private on April 7, 1886. In 1887, he became the first sergeant of his company, and in 1889 received a promotion to second lieutenant. As he rose through the ranks he took part in the American Indian Wars, served in Puerto Rico during the Spanish–American War. He was with the 11th Infantry in 1901 when it was ordered to the Philippines during the Philippine–American War, and he served at Carigara on the island of Leyte. In 1902, he took part in combat against Filipino insurgents on Leyte and Samar, and in one engagement he was wounded by a bolo. During the Pancho Villa Expedition, Alexander served on the Texas–Mexico. At some point he attended both the United States Army War College and the United States Army Command and General Staff College. When the United States joined the Allied forces in World War I, Alexander proved his valor and was able to rise through the ranks. He was also given the responsibility of inspector general in the Zone of Communications from November 1917 to February 1918. Alexander was promoted to brigadier general in February 1918 and then to major general in August 1918. From the headquarters of the 77th Division in France, Alexander was one of the officers who reported on the Lost Battalion incident. A group of around 500 soldiers, in nine companies, had disappeared after going into the Argonne Forest expecting American and French Allied troops to meet them. This had followed an American attack on German forces and, with Major Charles White Whittlesey leading the group, the men found that the French troops had been stalled. As a result, the battalion was cut off by the Germans who surprised them and suffered large losses with only 197 men coming out of the ravine. In the report he states: “General Order Number 30: I desire to publish to the command an official recognition of the valor and extraordinary heroism in action of the officers and enlisted men of the following organizations: Companies A, B, C, E, G, H 308th Infantry Company K 307th Infantry Companies C, D 306th Machine Gun Btln. These organizations, or detachments therefrom, comprised the approximate force of 550 men under command of Major Charles W. Whittlesey, which was cut off from the remainder of the Seventy-Seventh Division and surrounded by a superior number of the enemy near Charlevaux, in the Forest d’Argonne, from the morning of October 3, 1918, to the night of October 7, 1918. Without food for more than one hundred hours, harassed continuously by machine gun, rifle, trench mortar and grenade fire, Major Whittlesey’s command, with undaunted spirit and magnificent courage, successfully met and repulsed daily violent attacks by the enemy. They held the position which had been reached by supreme efforts, under orders received for an advance, until communication was re-established with friendly troops. When relief finally came, approximately 194 officers and men were able to walk out of the position. Officers and men killed numbered 107. On the fourth day a written proposition to surrender received from the Germans was treated with the contempt which it deserved. The officers and men of these organizations during these five days of isolation continually gave unquestionable proof of extraordinary heroism and demonstrated the high standard and ideals of the United States Army. Robert Alexander, Major General, US Army Commanding” April 15, 1919 In France, he commanded the 41st Division, 63rd Infantry Brigade, and the 77th Division.[1] He commanded the 77th from August 1918 onwards, including during the Meuse–Argonne offensive, where he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) in October for heroism at Grandpré, Ardennes. The medal’s citation reads: The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Major General Robert Alexander, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 77th Division, A.E.F., near Grand Pre, France, 11 October 1918. During the advance in the Argonne Forest and at a time when his forces were fatigued by the stress of battle and a long period of active front-line service, Major General Alexander visited the units in the front line, cheering and encouraging them to greater efforts. Unmindful of the severe fire to which he was subjected, he continued until he had inspected each group. His utter disregard of danger and inspiring example resulted in the crossing of the Aire and the capture of Grand Pre and St. Juvin.[4] He was also awarded the Croix de Guerre (France), two citations and was made a Commander of the Legion of Honor…

An incredible pocket litter of a Paratrooper… All items photographed belonged to pfc Charles W. Main who was in the Headquarters Company of the 82nd Airborne Division. Interestingly, he was in Berlin in 1945 and was issued a multilingual pass for free movement in Berlin. It comes with his original Parachute Infantry Side Cap Insignia as pictured.  I have not seen many WWII US Pocket Litter Groupings like this come up often. He is listed on find a grave: He was born June 9, 1921, in Tipton, Indiana, to Arthur D. & Theresa (Landseadel) Main. On August 31, 1941, he married Elizabeth Ann Nicholson and she died January 31, 2006. He worked as a tool engineer at General Motors, retiring in 1972. Charles was a past member of the Masons in Anderson and the Tipton Elks. He was a member of the first golf team at Tipton High School. He served in the U.S. Army 82nd Airborne during WWII and received the Purple Heart. According to research main was enlisted in 1943. See below for his details from his enlistment. Name Charles W Main Race White Marital Status Married Rank Private Birth Year 1921 Nativity State or Country Indiana Citizenship Citizen Education 4 years of high school Civil Occupation Semiskilled filers, grinders, buffers, and polishers (metal) Enlistment Date 9 Dec 1943 Enlistment Place Indianapolis, Indiana Service Number 35900568