During the fighting on the Aisne front one American company pushed out far ahead and lost touch with the neighboring companies on either side. Their zeal in chasing the Germans was leading them into danger of being enfiladed by machine gun fire from the flanks. A major stormed up to the captain.

“Why the hell don’t you hold your men back?” he yelled.

“How the hell can I told ’em back when the whole German army can’t?”