Part of Series
In this unique history of the “Lost Battalion” of World War I, Alan D. Gaff tells for the first time the story of the 77th Division from the perspective of the soldiers in the ranks. On October 2, 1918, Maj. Charles W. Whittlesey led the 77th Division in a successful attack on German defenses in the Argonne Forest of northeastern France. His unit, comprised of men of a wide mix of ethnic backgrounds from New York City and the western states, was not a battalion nor was it ever “lost,” but once a newspaper editor applied the term “lost battalion” to the episode, it stuck. Gaff draws from new, unimpeachable sources—such as sworn testimony by soldiers who survived the ordeal—to correct the myths and legends and to reveal what really happened in the Argonne Forest during early October 1918.
Author
I am an historian and author. My latest book, "Field of Corpses: Arthur St. Clair and the Death of an American Army" is out now. Other recent books include the bestselling "Lou Gehrig: The Lost Memoir," "Amid the Ruins: Damon Runyon: World War I Reports from the Trenches," and "From the Halls of the Montezumas: Mexican War Dispatches from James L. Freaner." Some of my other books are "Bayonets in the Wilderness," "Blood in the Argonne," "On Many A Bloody Field," "Ordered West," and "A Corporal's Story." I am also the President of Historical Investigations, a company specializing in historical and genealogical research. Be sure to follow me on Good Reads and other social media for blog posts, updates, and other information about history and writing.
