In this article Father Francis Duffy (1874 - 1932) of the 165th Infantry (formerly the NY Fighting 69th) describes how his regiment was ripped to shreds during the course of two poorly planned offensives:
"Our attack [on the Hindenburg Line] had to be made over open ground... It was the warfare of 1916 and 1917 over again - everybody knows from the numerous French and British accounts of such action that it can be accomplished only by tremendous artillery preparation, and that even then gains must be made at a great loss of infantry."
More about Father Duffy can be read here...
