New Marine monument honors 4th Brigade's sacrifice at Belleau Wood

Every day on his way to work, Bill Maloney of Kildeer drives past the small park on Ballard Road in Des Plaines, where his eyes inevitably drift over to the large stone monument standing alone.

Unlike many, Maloney knows what it is: a monument honoring the soldiers and Marines who gave their lives at the bloody Battle of Belleau Wood, fought nearly 91 years ago in France. Maloney's grandfather, a Marine, was killed in that battle.

On Tuesday, as he made his usual drive, Maloney saw something that made him pull over: A group of uniformed Marines and a crowd of other people surrounding the old monument.

A second monument was dedicated Tuesday in that small wooded park at Ballard and Rand roads near the Des Plaines River.

The new monument honors the U.S. Marines who fought in the Battle of Belleau Wood, France. The battle lasted most of the month of June 1918 and cost U.S. forces more than 9,000 killed and wounded.

"We're sort of correcting history, here," said John Colas of Long Grove, a retired Marine captain now with the Northwest Suburban Detachment of the Marine Corps League.

The first monument, erected in the years following the end of World War I, honors the U.S. Army 2nd Division that fought at Belleau Wood. The 4th Marine Brigade was part of the 2nd Division.

And while it was the Marine brigade that actually won the battle for the Allies, nothing on the monument reflects that, Colas added.

"If that battle of Belleau Wood had not been won, then the Allies would not have won World War I," Colas said. "This battle is generally credited with saving Paris from the advancement of the German Army."

It came at a terrible cost: On the first day of battle the Marines had more casualties than on any other day in their 143-year history. The French government later awarded the 4th Brigade the Croix de Guerre.

The guest of honor at Tuesday's dedication was Nancy Rundle, whose father, Marine Cpl. Edwin C. Ludwig, fought at Belleau Wood and was cited for gallantry in action while serving as a battalion runner.

Rundle was presented the folded U.S. Marine flag used to cover the rock and plaque before the unveiling.

The 20-minute memorial service, organized as part of Marine Corps Week in Chicago, included guest speaker Marine Corps Major Matthew Tracy of the Chicago recruiting office, a color guard and a bugler from the Marine Barracks in Washington D.C.

• Daily Herald Staff Writer Madhu Krishnamurthy contributed to this report.