Commanding Fire: An Officer's Life in the 151st Machine Gun Battalion, 42nd Rainbow Division During World War I Hardcover – Import, 1 May 2014

It was 1930 when Nellis Parkinson finished writing out his experiences as a lieutenant in an American machine gun battalion in the First World War, and he set it aside. Decades later, his grandson discovered, edited, and annotated the text. As nations mark the 100th anniversary of "the Great War," we now have this dramatic and vibrant account to help recover the memories.Parkinson joined the 151st Machine Gun Battalion in the famous 42nd Infantry Division, the "Rainbow Division," assigned to the brigade commanded by Douglas MacArthur. Parkinson's memoir covers training with the French Army at the front and joining the Division in the cauldrons of the Battle of the Ourcq River, St. Mihiel, and the Meuse-Argonne offensive. Its final chapter relates service in the Army of Occupation in Germany.Infantry professionals will learn from Parkinson how machine guns supported offense and defense in environments marked by intense artillery and gas bombardment. They will be interested to learn how the battalion's commander, Major Cooper D. Winn, persuaded General MacArthur to end the practice of dividing machine gun companies among individual attacking infantry formations. He grouped all the battalion's machine guns together. As the 84th Infantry Brigade attacked Cote de Chatillon on October 16, 1918, 60 Hotchkiss machine guns (each tended by an eight-man squad) fired nearly a million rounds in 45 minutes.The book is even more valuable, however, for its first-hand look at the combat environment of the American Expeditionary Forces and the challenges of leadership. Mud. Rain. Marches. Mules. Gas. Men carrying 52-pound machine guns, 40-pound tripods, or 56 pounds of ammunition. Rotting animal and human corpses. Rats. Lice. Keeping the food and ammunition coming. "Slum." Smokes. Mail. Burial details. Mickey mouse. And above all, personal example, leadership, and inspiration. There's a fine sprinkling of lighter notes, like the story of how asparagus became the "official vegetable" of the Parkinson family.When I taught cadets, I told them to read memoirs of great commanders, of course, but since cadets will be lieutenants and captains before they become colonels and generals, I said seeking out the accounts of previous young officers can be more immediately helpful. This is indeed a good book for cadets and lieutenants to read.An example: In France, a training company arrived on the range without its "bubble" gun levels. One man would need to run 40 minutes to obtain them. Parkinson volunteered. "At Fort Sheridan, those officers who were making themselves conspicuous seemed to get the higher commissions. Those of us who assumed that the Captain would call on us when he wanted to hear from us got the lower assignments. . . . I resolved that I would not do much of it, but at my opportunity, I would do it a few times very decidedly. This was one occasion, and apparently it worked, because I received one of the most favorable assignments after the school closed."The book is uncommonly well illustrated, but as with every military history, it needs even more maps. Set aside more than 70 years ago, it now speaks for that great past generation of American warriors who turned the tide of the First World War.-30-

Loved this book. My grandfather also served with the 42nd, he was assigned to the sister BN 150th Machinegun. I have been researching his involvement and actions and information is hard to come by for his unit. This book confirmed some of my research and filled in a some gray areas where I didn't have precise information. I've been reading a lot of books on the AEF and this one was one of my favorites. I'm ordering two more for my brothers.

Amazing detail of people and places of the 151st Machinegun BN during WW1. Good read.

A very personal and detailed first hand account of being on the front lines in WW1.I found my great grandfathers name in 3 places in this book, unfortunately being gassed on June 18, 1918.He survived and returned home to the USA. Fantastic memories and connection the Rainbow 42nd..