16-17 Sep - I toured the Meuse-Argonne battlefield from World War I with a group from work. It is called a "Staff ride" where we study different aspects of the battle as it pertains to our work. We toured several areas. The battle was the largest operation of the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I and was from 26 Sep - 11 Nov 1918. It was part of the last major offensive by the Allies that finally brought about the end of the war with Germany. The US had 115,000 casualties but only 15,000 killed. The US began the offensive with 22 US divisions and 6 French Divisions. Some famous actions from this battle were SGT York and the "Lost Battalion". We toured GEN Pershing's headquarters, a French, German and American Cemetary, the site of an American hospital, the only rail line to support the offensive and several key terrain features. Most interesting was the tunnel tour in Vacquois. This was very interesting hill where Germans and French tunnels were within meters of each other. They were tunneling beneath each other using large charges to blow each others tunnels up. At the beginning for war in 1914, an entire town was on top of this hill. After the tunnelling and explosions, the entire town disappeared - all of it!! church, houses, bldgs, etc.- buried in the dirt and holes.
http://www.worldwar1.com/france/vacquois.htm We toured the underground tunnels where they housed up to 200 soldiers pulling guard, tunneling, cooking, sleeping, etc.
We toured the American Memorial at Mountfacon and the American Cemetary where almost 15,000 are buried. To compare, the D-Day cemetary in Normandy, has 9,500 graves. There were very very few bodies returned to the US from France after the war. One interesting note, Sergeant Matej Kocak is buried here. He was born in Gbely Slovakia and moved Minnesota to the US. He joined the US Marines in 1917. He is one of 19 people to win the Congressional Medal of Honor twice. He won it for the US Navy and the US Army!!! Here is a man from Slovakia, fighting in the US Marines in France against Germany. It really is a snapshot of the whole reason for the Great War. The small Balkan States and even small peoples like the Slovaks and Czechs wanted their Independance from Austria and to have freedom and not be subjects to another countries crown!! There are great stories of Slovaks and Czechs fighting in Russia and when the war ended there, finding passage to Europe to fight on the Western Front against Germany and Austria-Hungary. Such brave stories for such a group of few people.
http://www.webmatters.net/france/ww1_argonne_usa.htm
The Memorial is very nice. It is in the town of Montfaucon. The German captured the hill that had a town on it. Again, they burned the town to the ground. The hill was used to see many kilometers in all directions to watch artillery. They built 19 blockhouses to protect the hill.
http://www.webmatters.net/france/ww1_usa_montfaucon.htm
It was a very good tour. I read alot about the war prior to going so I enjoyed it alot. We had a good meal the one night at a French resturant - of course I had the veal in white sauce. I tried escargot for the first time and loved it!!!! (that is snails in France) Did not drink the bad wine or eat the stinky cheese!!!!!
French Cemetary. Notice the Christian, Muslim and Jewish headstones that fought for France. France used her colonies to provide troops as well. This cemetary is located at Verdun.
James in the German Tunnel at Vacquois
James in Pershing's office.
Outside the AEF Headquarters building
French Cemetary. Notice the Christian, Muslim and Jewish headstones that fought for France. France used her colonies to provide troops as well. This cemetary is located at Verdun.
James in the German Tunnel at Vacquois
James in Pershing's office.
Outside the AEF Headquarters building
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