Historical Marker Program

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The Battle of Saint Etienne France by the Infantry Division on October 8, 1918

Greer County
Location: Veterans Park 410 N. Main, Granite OK
Material: Aluminum
Topics: Early Statehood, 1907–1941; Government; Military

The 36th Infantry Division was organized by combining the Oklahoma and Texas National Guards. Sixty men that volunteered from Old Greer County were kept together and placed in the 132nd Machine Gun Battalion in that Division. On October 8th, 1918, these men fought on Hill 140 at Saint Etienne France. The Division suffered 1,300 casualties in the first day of fighting, which was the single day highest casualty rate of the war. After three days of heavy fighting, the enemy began to retreat, and one month later, the war came to an end on November 11, 1918.
Fifty-five other men from Old Greer County fought in the same battle with the 141st and 142nd Infantry Regiments of the 36th Division. One of these soldiers, Sergeant Samuel Sampler from Mangum, received the Medal of Honor for his action on Hill 140 as he fought alongside his fellow Doughboys from Southwest Oklahoma. These men were from Granite, Mangum, Blake, Reed, Willow, Duke, Eldorado, Gould, Hollis, Victory, Vinson, Blair, Altus, Elmer, Headrick, Martha, Olustee and Delhi.
This marker is dedicated on the Centennial of this historic World War I battle by American Legion Post 121 from Mangum and the City of Granite.