[Mollypitcher1]

When told to retreat by a French officer, Lloyd Williams replied, “Retreat Hell! We just got here!

The Marines fought for almost a month but secured the woods. After their victory, the French General declared the Wood to be known hereafter as “The Wood of the United States Marines.” Each year there is a magnificent ceremony there.
The cemetery is impressive and Memorial Chapel quite lovely.
I had the pleasure of visiting Belleau last August.

[Brad from Tennessee]

After the battle, the French renamed the wood “Bois de la Brigade de Marine” (”Wood of the Marine Brigade”) in honor of the marines’ tenacity. The French government also later awarded the 4th Brigade the Croix de guerre. An official German report classified the marines as “vigorous, self-confident, and remarkable marksmen...”[21] General Pershing—commander of the AEF—even said, “The deadliest weapon in the world is a United States Marine and his rifle.”[22] Pershing also said “the Battle of Belleau Wood was for the U.S. the biggest battle since Appomattox and the most considerable engagement American troops had ever had with a foreign enemy.”[21]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Belleau_Wood

Battle Of Belleau Wood

By EDGAR A. GUEST

IT was thick with Prussian troopers, it was foul with German guns;

Every tree that cast a shadow was a sheltering place for Huns.

Death was guarding every roadway, death was watching every field,

And behind each rise of terrain was a rapid-fire concealed

But Uncle Sam's Marines had orders: “Drive the Boche from where they're hid.

For the honor of Old Glory, take the woods!” and so they did.

I fancy none will tell it as the story should be told—

None will ever do full justice to those Yankee troopers bold.

How they crawled upon their stomachs through the fields of golden wheat

With the bullets spitting at them in that awful battle heat.

It's a tale too big for writing; it's beyond the voice or pen,

But it glows among the splendor of the bravest deeds men.

It's recorded as a battle, but I fancy it will live,

As the brightest gem of courage human struggles have to give.

Inch by inch, they crawled to victory toward the flaming mounts of guns;

Inch by inch, they crawled to grapple with the barricaded Huns

On through fields that death was sweeping with a murderous fire, they went

Till the Teuton line was vanquished and the German strength was spent.

Ebbed and flowed the tides of battle as they've seldom done before;

Slowly, surely, moved the Yankees against all the odds of war.

For the honor of the fallen, for the glory of the dead,

The living line of courage kept the faith and moved ahead.

‘They'd been ordered not to falter, and when night came on they stood

With Old Glory proudly flying o'er the trees of Belleau Wood.

Circa 1922