The Lost Battalion (2001 film)

The Lost Battalion
Home video release cover art
Directed by	Russell Mulcahy
Produced by	David Craig (supervising producer) David Gerber (executive producer) Avi Levy Tom Reeve Romain Schroeder Michael Weisbarth
Screenplay by	James Carabatsos
Starring	Rick Schroder Michael Brandon
Music by	Richard Marvin
Cinematography	Jonathan Freeman
Edited by	William Stitch
Production company	A&E Home Video David Gerber Productions Fox Television Studios
Distributed by	A&E Television Networks (US & Canada) 20th Century Fox Television (International)
Release date	December 2, 2001 (television) January 29, 2002 (home video)
Running time	92 minutes
Country	US
Language	English German

David Gerber Productions

A&E Television Networks (US & Canada)

The Lost Battalion is a true 2001 made-for-television film about the Lost Battalion of World War I, which was cut off and surrounded by German forces in the Argonne Forest during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive of 1918. The film was directed by Russell Mulcahy, written by James Carabatsos, and starred Rick Schroder as Major Charles Whittlesey. The film was shot in Luxembourg. It is an A&E Original Movie, premiering on the network in 2001. It is also played on A&E's sister networks such as The History Channel. It was released on home video in January 2002.

The movie follows the events and hardships suffered by the nine companies, roughly 550 men, of the United States Army 77th Infantry Division ("Statue of Liberty") that had been completely cut off and surrounded by German forces a short distance away in the Argonne Forest. The force was led by Maj. Charles W. Whittlesey, who was disparagingly described as a "New York lawyer" by his commanders. The battalion was part of what was supposed to be a three-pronged attack through the German lines. The battalion believed another American force was on its right flank and a French force on its left, not knowing that they had both retreated. The battalion lost contact with headquarters. Whittlesey sent several runners to headquarters, but none of them returned. He ended up having to rely on carrier pigeons to communicate. During the siege, American artillery began firing on the German position in the forest as the Americans cheered. However, the artillery began falling on the American line, killing numerous men in friendly fire. Whittlesey sends a pigeon to headquarters with a message saying they were being hit by their own artillery, saying, "For heaven's sake, stop it". The headquarters receives the message and stops firing. Witnessing the incident, the Germans attack the disoriented American force, but they are repelled by the Americans in fierce fighting and retreat back to their trenches.