Engagements of the American Expeditionary Forces in France ( Gen. John J. Pershing , commanding ) in which he participated included St. Mihiel ( 12-21 September 1918 ) , trench and tank combat against German defensive positions in northeast France , hampered by driving rain , mounting mud , and overstretched supply lines ; Meuse-Argonne ( 26 September 1918 – 11 November 1918 ) frontal assaults village to village on the Western Front and through the Argonne Forest ; and , post-Armistice , the general defense duty recognized as " Defensive Sector . " For his service Rennie was awarded the Victory Medal with Service Clasps . Even in active duty in an artillery crew , Rennie was obsessed by the writing bug . His wartime journals contain multiple references to a beginning freelance journalism career , with submissions of poems , short stories , and articles to magazines and newspapers . Rennie was honorably discharged after return to the U.S. in May 1919
Victory Medal
World War I Victory Medal (United States)
Rutherford "Rud" Rennie