January 24, 1918 - After arriving at League Island, Philadelphia to prepare for their role as part of the 4th Brigade, American Expeditionary Force, Second Battalion of the Sixth Regiment sailed on USS HENDERSON from New York. They would arrived at St. Nazaire, France, on February 6. The Second Battalion would participate in virtually every key battles the Marine Corps was engaged in during the fighting in 1918; Chateau Thierry, Belleau Wood, Soissons, St. Mihiel, the Meuse-Argonne, and Blanc Mont Ridge.
They would ultimate be one of several authorized to wear t
he French Fourragere. During World War I, the French Government awarded decorations for especially meritorious conduct in action to 156 American units varying in size from a section to a brigade. These decorations were: the Fourragere and the Croix de Guerre (Cross of War) with various combinations of palms, gilt, silver, and bronze star devices. The unit twice decorated with the Croix de Guerre with Palms was entitled to a braided and knotted cord, known as the Fourragere, in the green and red colours of the Croix de Guerre. The Fourragere becomes part of the uniform of the unit so cited, authorizing all members of the organization to wear the decoration on the left shoulder of the uniform as long as they remain members of the organization.