05/29/2026
: Battle of Belleau Wood Hero, Major Edward B. Cole
Edward Ball Cole was born in 1879 in Boston, Massachusetts. He attended Harvard University and graduated in 1902. He was appointed as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps on 22 April 1904.
In the fall of 1916, Captain Cole undertook temporary duty assignments to research the use of machine guns and tactics. He was appointed to the War Department's newly created Machine Gun Board; an impressive honor for such a young officer. Serving at Headquarters Marine Corps in the spring of 1917, he toured and studied the U.S. Springfield Arsenal, Savage Arms Company and championed the Marine Corps’ adoption of the Lewis machine gun.
As an instructor, Cole literally “wrote the book” for Marines’ use of machine guns. His Field Book for Machine Gunners created meticulous tables of organization and equipment for machine gun units and explained the proper employment of the weapons on a modern battlefield. Remarkably, he also found time to invent the Cole Cart. Inspired by a design used by German Naval infantry, Cole's invention stowed the Lewis gun, along with its ammunition and supporting accoutrements, to be carried into battle by a team of Marine
machine gunners.
In the fall of 1917, Major Cole was assigned to Quantico, Virginia and commanded the
1st Machine Gun Battalion. When they arrived in France in January 1918, Cole's
battalion was re-designated as the 6th Machine Gun Battalion and assigned to the 4th
Brigade. Cole's Marines and the rest of 2d Division (A.E.F.) trained heavily in the coming
months, until they received orders in May to move to the Chateau-Thierry sector. There
the battalion took up defensive positions and employed long range “battery fire” on
German forces. When the Marines went on the offensive on 6 June, elements of Cole's
battalion joined the assault. The attack was chaotic and some machine gun units
became disorganized and required his personal direction. On 10 June, he was leading a
party of Marines in the assault on a German machine gun nest. There he, “displayed
extraordinary heroism in organizing positions, rallying his men, and disposing of his
guns, continuing to expose himself fearlessly until he fell…” Major Cole was wounded
when an enemy gr***de exploded and shrapnel tore through both arms, both legs, and
his face. He was soon evacuated to the rear but had lost a tremendous amount of
blood. After two blood transfusions, the doctors thought he may make a full recovery
(minus his right hand). However, this recovery was not to be, and Major Edward B. Cole
died on 18 June 1918.
Cole's heroism did not go unnoticed. General Orders #40 specifically called out his
heroism and fearless sacrifice. He was posthumously awarded the Army Distinguished
Service Cross and the French Legion of Honor.
📸 Second image: This collection was accepted at the museum on 19 May 2026. It is highlighted by Cole's original Special Full Dress Officer coat, Full Dress Cap, and sword belt.
📸 Third image: The dress coat retains his captain's ornate rank sewn to the sleeve cuffs. The Full- Dress uniform is particularly attractive due to its excellent condition and the wonderfully undamaged dress cap. The uniforms are documented to have been worn by Cole in several pre-war portraits.
📸 Fourth image: A copy of his Field Book for Machine Gunners is dedicated to his two young boys. The artifact collection is accepted because of its connection to an exceptionally talented, rising young Marine officer, who was tragically killed during the Battle of Belleau Wood.
