More on the 53rd Pioneer Infantry Regiment AEF

I have found some information on the 53rd Pioneer Infantry Regiment.

First, the regiment was at the front in combat within 90 days of the majority of their elements donning their uniforms for the first time. (O. W. Coursey - "Who's who in South Dakota: Volume 3" - Page 70)

They were used in the Advance during the Muese-Argonne Offensive. They had three platoons of the 2nd Battalion within the lead battalion advancing in the American column. (Robert Laplander - "Finding the Lost Battalion: Beyond the Rumors, Myths and Legend of America's Famous WW1 Epic")

In addition, once the Lost Battalion was found, the 53rd PI was used to inter their dead. (Thomas M Johnson & Fletcher Pratt - "The Lost Battalion")

The History of the 82nd Division tells that an entire battalion of the 53rd was detailed to bury the American dead from the Muese-Argonne Offensive. (James J Cooke - "The All Americans at War: The 82nd Division in the Great War, 1917-1918")

There is also a very good description of what the role of the few platoons of the 53rd were doing at the van of the attack (http://www.longwood.k12.ny.us/history/upton/302eng/craw8.htm).

Hopefully, I will have more details soon.