Middlesex Township near Carlisle in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Machine Gun Post
Each division in the American Expeditionary Forces had three machine gun battalions. Each infantry regiment contained a machine gun company. Throughout the war, the AEF's heavy machine guns consisted of the American Browning M1917 Machine Gun, the French Hotchkiss Mle1914 Machine Gun, and the British Vickers Machine Gun.
The stability and relative accuracy of heavy machine gun fire made it possible (and it was often done) to put a sheaf of fire a few feet over our heads as we were making an attack. Many of our lives were saved that way by partly smothering the enemies' power or resistance. Machine guns were used by both sides in putting indirect fire on places where enemy personnel might or might not be at the time, such as trails or places where cover was not available. Along the front, especially at night, machine guns chattered periodically from Switzerland to the North Sea.
Mechanic Donald D. Kyler, Company G, 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Division
[Captions:]
Hotchkiss Machine Gun section in action against German positions, Villers-Tournelle, France, May 20, 1918.
Hotchkiss firing on the practice range, Gondrecourt, France 1918.
Hotchkiss Machine Gunner takes aim on German positions, Villers-Tournelle, France, May
this page online
Selection of machine gun types used by American Forces in France. From left to right: Hotchkiss, Browning and Vickers with tripod mounts.
Erected by United States Army War College; United States Army Heritage and Education Center.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, World I. A significant historical date for this entry is May 20, 1918.
Location. 40° 12.387′ N, 77° 9.483′ W. Marker is near Carlisle, Pennsylvania, in Cumberland County. It is in Middlesex Township. Marker can be reached from Army Heritage Trail south of Soldiers Drive, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 95 Soldiers Dr, Carlisle PA 17013, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. No Man's Land (here, next to this marker); Splinter Proof (here, next to this marker); Sniper's Nest (a few steps from this marker); The Mortar Pit (a few steps from this marker); The Front (a few steps from this marker); Command Post (a few steps from this marker); Meet Mechanic Donald D. Kyler (a few steps from this marker); Aid Station (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Carlisle.
Credits. This page was last revised on December 18, 2023. It was originally submitted on March 1, 2023, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 65 times since then and 13 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on March 1, 2023, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
