The capture of Blanc Mont Ridge by Captain George Harding
Image: The Naval History & Heritage Command
USMC US Army 2nd Infantry Division
Distinguished Service Cross
Navy Cross
Victory Medal w/Silver Star Purple Heart
Carl H. Stensson was born on 13 July 1893 in Framingham. His family lived on Pleasant Street.Both of his parents (Andrew and Christine) were born in Sweden.Carl worked on a local farm until enlisting in the Marine Corps in 1918.He completed boot camp at Parris Island,South Carolina in May of 1918.Carl arrived in France on or about 26 August 1918.He was assigned to the 18th Company,2nd Battalion of the 5th Marine Regiment (the 5th Marines).Eventually,the 5th Marines would be attached to the US Army’s 2nd Infantry Division (2nd ID) as part of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF).The iconic Army General John J. Pershing commanded the AEF. Major General John A. Lejeune, USMC,was the first Marine to command a division when he took command of the 2nd ID on 28 July 1918.He remained in that position until 15 July 1919.He would later become the 13th Commandant of the Marine Corps.
Major General John A. Lejeune,USMC (note 2nd ID patch)
Image: Wikipedia
The Meuse-Argonne Offensive was a part of the final Allied offensive of World War I.It was fought from 26 September until 11 November 1918,when the Armistice was signed.It was the largest operation of the AEF in World War I, with over a million Americans participating.It resulted in over 26,000 “leathernecks” and “doughboys” being killed in action (KIA) and over 120,000 total casualties.The Battle of Blanc Mont Ridge, near St. Etienne took place during the offensive.The ridge was 200 feet high.This costly engagement lasted from 03 to 09 October.On the 4th of October alone,the Marines suffered 1,097 casualties.
On 03 October 1918,Private Stensson’s 18th Company was fighting the Germans on a heavily defended section of the ridge.On that day,he was serving as a stretcher-bearer.He and his partner were continuously removing casualties from the battlefield, frequently under heavy enemy fire.On one trip,his assistant stretcher-bearer was wounded on a road that was being swept by enemy machine-gun fire. In what has been described as a feat of “great heroism and utter disregard for personal danger,”Carl attempted to rescue his partner who lay wounded on the exposed road in the killing zone.Private Stensson was killed in this self-sacrificing attempt.For this exceptional bravery,the Army posthumously honored him with the Distinguished Service Cross. This was possible because the 5th Marines were attached to the Army’s 2nd ID.Because he was a member of the Marine Corps, which is a Navy component,he was also awarded the Navy Cross. Later,he was again posthumously given a Silver Star Citation for his WWI Victory Medal. At that time,the Silver Star Medal did not exist (was not established as an individual medal until 19 July 1932).The Citation and Star for the ribbon was its equivalent.Carl was buried in France with many of his Marine brothers.His body was returned to the US in 1921.His final resting place is in Edgell Grove Cemetery in Framingham.
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