8 Memorial Chapel South Face of Memorial Chapel 9


18

WW Ruin in Belleau Wood

31 MAY, THEIR ARMIES WERE ADVANCING
RAPIDLY DOWN THE MARNE VALLEY
TOWARD PARIS. THE 2D UNITED STATES
ARMY DIVISION OF WHICH THE 4TH
MARINE BRIGADE FORMED A PART, WAS
RUSHED INTO THE DEEPEST POINT OF THE
PENETRATION TO ASSIST THE FRENCH
FORCES IN STOPPING THE ADVANCE OF
THE ENEMY. RAPIDLY OCCUPYING DEFEN-
SIVE POSITIONS SOUTH AND WEST OF BEL-
LEAU WOOD, THE 4TH MARINE BRIGADE,
COMPOSED OF THE 5TH AND 6TH MARINE
REGIMENTS AND THE 6TH MACHINE GUN
BATTALION, STOOD FIRM UNDER
UNREMITTING ENEMY ATTACKS FROM 1 TO.
5 JUNE. ON 6 JUNE, THE MARINES BEGAN A
SERIES OF ATTACKS WHICH CULMINATED
ON 25 JUNE WITH THE CAPTURE OF THE
ENTIRE BELLEAU WOOD AREA, AND THE
DEFEAT OF THE GERMAN OFFENSIVE IN
THIS SECTOR. MAY THE GALLANT MARINES
WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR CORPS AND
COUNTRY REST IN PEACE.

Marine Monument at Belleau Wood

East Face

Chatean-Chierry Monument

The Chateau-Thierry Monument is sit-
uated on Hill 204, 2 miles/3 kilome-
ters west of the town for which it is
named. It is 54 miles/87 kilometers
east of Paris and 4.5 miles/7 kilome-
ters southeast of the Aisne-Marne
Cemetery and Memorial. Two stone
pylons inscribed AMERICAN AISNE-

RNE MEMORIAL mark the entrance
to the monument from the
Paris/Chateau-Thierry Highway (N-
3). The site, 25 acres In extent, com-
mands a wide view of the Marne
River valley.

Designed by Paul P. Cret of
Philadelphia, the Chateau-Thierry
Monument was constructed by the
American Battle Monuments
Commission to commemorate the sac-
rifices and achievements of American
and French fighting men in the region,
and the friendship and cooperation of
French and American forces during

World War I.

The monument is a large and
impressive double collonade set on a
well landscaped terrace. It is orna-
mented on its west face by heroic size
figures representative of France and
the United States and the longstand-
ing unity and friendship between the
two nations. The figures were
designed and executed by Alfred
Bottiau of Paris, France. At either side
of the figures on the base of the monu-
ment is engraved the dedicatory
inscription: THIS MONUMENT HAS BEEN
ERECTED BY THE UNITED STATES OF AMERI-
CA TO COMMEMORATE THE SERVICES OF
HER TROOPS AND THOSE OF FRANCE WHO
FOUGHT IN THIS REGION DURING THE
WORLD WAR. IT STANDS AS A LASTING
SYMBOL OF THE FRIENDSHIP AND COOPER-
ATION BETWEEN THE FRENCH AND AMERI-
CAN ARMIES. The text appears in
English to the left (north) ott e figures

19


was firing at French tanks passi in
the vicinity of the cemetery. Other
minor damage to the stonework
occured but was repaired. This partic-
ular shell hole was left untouched as
evidence of combat action in the
region during World War II.

in honor of the 80th anniversary of
the ending of World War I (11:00 am,
11 Nov. 1918), a carillon was present-
ed to the cemetery by the American
Veterans of World War II, Korea and
Vietnam (AMVETS) and the Robert R.
McCormick Tribune Foundation as a
living memorial to those U.S. War
Dead who made the supreme sacrifice
in the cause of freedom.

CHAPEL INTERIOR

The chapel is entered through a large
double Toor of oak, ornamented with
wrought iron, which opens onto the
vestibule. Above the inside of the
entrance is inscribed:

THE NAMES RECORDED ON THESE WALLS
ARE THOSE OF AMERICAN SOLDIERS WHO
FOUGHT IN THIS REGION AND WHO SLEEP

IN UNKNOWN GRAVES.

To the right and left of the vesibule
are small alcoves with benches where
many of the names of the 1,060
Missing in the region whose remains
were never recovered or if recovered,
never identified, are engraved on the
walls. The remainder of the names are
engraved on the walls of the vestibule
and the apse. Each alcove has one of
the chapel’s five beautiful stained-
glass windows by Reynolds, Francis
and Rohnstock ‘of Boston, Massa-
chusetts. The window in the alcove on
the left contains the coats of arms of
some of the Allied nations of World
War I: the United States, France, Great
Britain, Italy, Belgium, Serbia and
Romania. The window of the alcove
on the right contains the coats of arms
of the United States, the insignia of I
and II Corps and the insignia of the
Ast, 2d, 3d, 4th, 26th, 28th, 32d, 42d,
and 77th Divisions; these are the same
insignia which are engraved on the
stone shields around the top of the
tower.

On entering the chapel, one’s eyes

Interior of Chapel

12

~

Stained Glass Window in Chapel Alcove

13


over front line trenches dug by the
2nd Division as part of the defense of
Belleau Wood, following capture of
Belleau Wood by the division on 25
June 1918. Rising more than 80 feet
above the hillside overlooking the
cemetery, the chapel is a striking
example of French Romanesque
architecture. Its exterior walls, steps
and terrace are of native St. Maximin,
Savonnieres and Massangis lime-
stone.

The decorative embellishments on
the outside of the chapel were
designed by William F. Ross and
Company, East Cambridge,
Massachusetts and were executed by
Alfred Bottiau, Paris, France. The
carvings on the capitals of the three
columns which flank each side of the
chapel entrance depict scenes from
the trenches of World War I. Carved
on the columns on the right side are
soldiers preparing for a bayonet
charge, automatic riflemen and rifle-
men; carved on the columns on the
left are artillery observers, a machine
gun crew and soldiers launching
grenades. In the fympanum over the
entrance is carved the figure of a cru-
sader in armor, defender of right,
flanked by the shields of the United
States and France intertwined with
branches of oak to symbolize the tra-
ditional unity of the two countries.
Around the top of the chapel on
stone shields are carved the insignia
of American corps and divisions
which fought in the area and the U.S.
coat of arms. On the north face are
the insignia of I Corps, the U.S. coat
of arms and III Corps; on the west
face are the insignia of the Ist, 2d and
3d Divisions; on the south face those
of the 4th, 26th and 28th Divisions;
and on the east face those of the 32d,
42d and 77th Divisions. Decorative
embellishments are also carved on
the capitals of the belfry columns.
The following eleven carvings
appear: bayonets for the Infantry,
cannon for the Artillery, tanks for the

10

Tank Corps, crossed heavy machine
guns for Machine Gun units, pro-
pellers for Aviation units, artillery
rounds for both the Artillery and
Ordnance, a plane-table for the
Engineers, the Greek cross and
caduceus for Medical units, airplane
engines for Aviation repair units, a
mule's head over which is engraved
"8 Chev" for the French boxcar used
to transport 40 men or 8 horses, and
oak leaves for the Judge Advocate
General Corps. Seven of these carv-
ings apped on each side of the
chapel. On the north face are a mule's
head, bayonets, plane-table, crossed
machine guns, Greek cross and
caduceus, airplane engines and can-
non; on the east face are artiller
rounds, mule's head, bayonets, oa’
leaves, Greek cross and caduceus,
cannon, propellers and tanks; on the
south face are a plane table, crossed
machine guns, oak leaves, Greek
cross and caduceus, cannon, pro-
pellers and tanks; on the west face are
artillery rounds, bayonets, plane-
table, airplane engines, cannon, pro-
ellers and tanks. The arches of the
elfry openings are embellished with
carvings of small arms ammunition,
the front view of a machine gun and
projectile, field packs with entrench-
ing tools attached, and selected offi-
cer and enlisted insignia. Engraved
on the sills are orientation arrows
with distances to points of historic

interest. Below the belfry openings:

are sculptured heads representing.
the men and women of the Allied
armed forces in World War | as fol-
lows: a French soldier, a French
nurse, and American aviator, a
Scottish soldier, a Russian soldier, a
Portuguese soldier, a Canadian avia-
tor, and a British Women's Army
Corps driver. The same figures
appear on each side of the chapel but
in different order.

To the right of the chapel entrance is
a hole in the stonework made in 1940
by a German anti-tank gun which

Inside of Chapel Entrance

11


16

Visitors’ Building and Ofice

Bellean Wood

Belleau Wood, 200 acres in extent,
adjoins the Aisne-Marne American
Cemetery behind the memorial
chapel. It is maintained by the
American Battle Monuments
Commission as a memorial to the
American fighting men who fought
in the AEF during World War I.
Vestiges of trenches, shell holes and
relics of the war to include weapons
found in the vicinity may be seen. A
monument erected by the U.S.
Marines and a flagpole are located on
an island in the road passing through
the clearing in the center of Belleau
Wood. The monument is a black
granite stele to which has been
affixed a life-size bronze bas-relief by
Felix de Weldon, of New York, NY,

of a Marine attacking with rifle and
bayonet. It commemorates the 4th
Marine Brigade of the U.S. 2d
Division which was primarily respon-
sible for capture of the Wood. Below
the bas-relief at the base of the stele is
a bronze plaque on which is engraved
in English and French: BOIS DE BELLEAU
OFFICIALLY RENAMED BOIS DE LA BRIGADE
DE MARINE BY THE COMMANDING GENER-
AL FRENCH SIXTH ARMY ON 30 JUNE 1918
IN RECOGNITION OF THE COURAGEOUS
ACTION OF THE 4TH UNITED STATES
MARINE BRIGADE IN THE SEIZURE OF THIS
WOOD IN THE FACE OF DETERMINED GER-
MAN RESISTANCE. ON 27 MAY 1918, THE
GERMANS LAUNCHED A MAJOR SURPRISE
OFFENSIVE WHICH CROSSED THE CHEMIN
DES DAMES AND CAPTURED SOISSONS. BY

17


Aisne-Marne

American Cemetery

and Memorial

The American Battle Monuments Commission


22

HERE RESTS IN HONORED GLORY

A COMRADE IN ARMS
KNOWN BUT TO GOD

Decorated Gravesite of a World War II “Unknown”

THE AMERICAN
BATTLE MONUMENTS
COMMISSION

ESTABLISHED BY CONGRESS MARCH 1923

UNITED STATES OFFICE

American Battle Monuments Commission
Court House Plaza II

Suite 500

2300 Clarendon Boulevard

Arlington, VA 22201

Telephone: (703) 696-6897

(703) 696-6896

FAX: (703) 696-6666

Web site: www.abme.gov

EUROPEAN OFFICE

Street Address:

68, rue du 19 Janvier

92380 - Garches, France
Mailing Address:

American Battle Monuments Commission
PSC 116

APO AE 09777

Telephone: (011-33) 1-4701-1976
(from U.S. & other countries)
33-0-1-4701-1976

(within France)

Fax: (011-33) 1-4741-1979

MEDITERRANEAN OFFICE

Street Address:

American Battle Monuments Commission
c/o US. Embassy

Via Sallustiana 49

00187 Rome, Italy

Mailing Address:

American Battle Monuments Commission.
Unit 9500, Box 11

DPO AE 09624-0011

Telephone: (011-39) 06-4674-3084

Fax: (011-39) 06-487-1624

PHILIPPINE OFFICE

Street Address:

Manila American Cemetery
and Memorial

McKinley Road, Global City
Taguig, Philippines

Mailing Address:

Manila American Cemetery
PSC 513, Box 5

DPO AP 96515-1800
Telephone: (011-632) 844-0212
FAX: (011-632) 812-4717

23


Figures Depicting Unity of U.S. and France

and in French to the right.

The east face of the monument is
ornamented with an eagle and shield
also of heroic proportions. Inscribed
on the base of the sculpture are the
words: TIME WILL NOT DIM THE GLORY OF
THEIR DEEDS. Below the inscription is a
large ornamental map of the region
designed by Paul P. Cret showing the

‘ound gained by U.S. Forces on 18
fay 1918 and thereafter. In front of the
map is an orientation table giving dis-
tances and directions to points of his-
torical interest. From there and else-
where on the terrace, an excellent
view of the Marne River valley may
be had. Along the base of the monu-
ment on either side of the map are
carved the numerical designations
and insignia of the U.S. corps and
divisions commemorated there. These
are from left (north) to right: the 1st,
2d and 3d Divisions, I and If Corps,
and the 28th, 32d, 42d, 77th and
Divisions.

Inscribed above the columns on all
four sides of the monument are the
names of places in the region where
important battles were fought by
American troops: GRIMPETTES WOOD

20

VAUX HISMES = MISSY-AUX-BOIS_BEL-
LEAU WOOD JUVIGNY MEZY NOROY-
SUR-OURCQ — SERGY — SERINGES-ET-
NESLES — VIERZY LE CHARMEL
BAZOCHES FISMETTE BERZY-LE-SEC
TRUGNY LA CROIX ROUGE FARM
TORCY.

A brief resume of American fighting
in the general vicinity is engraved on
the north and south ‘interior walls at
the center of the colonnade: IN LATE
MAY 1918 THE GERMAN ARMY MADE A
SURPRISE ATTACK ALONG THE AISNE RIVER
AND ADVANCED RAPIDLY TOWARD THE
MARNE. ALLIED REINFORCEMENTS WERE
HURRIEDLY BROUGHT UP, INCLUDING THE
2D AND 3D AMERICAN DIVISIONS WHICH
WENT INTO POSITION DIRECTLY ACROSS
THE GERMAN LINE OF ADVANCE TOWARD
PARIS, AFTER SEVERE FIGHTING THESE DIVI-
SIONS DEFINITELY STOPPED THE PROGRESS
OF THE ATTACK ON THEIR FRONT AND THE
LINES STABILIZED, THE GERMAN FORCES
HAVING DRIVEN A DEEP SALIENT ROUGHLY
DEFINED BY REIMS, CHATEAU-THIERRY
AND SOISSONS INTO ALLIED TERRITORY.

THE LAST GERMAN OFFENSIVE OF THE
WAR, ON 15 JULY, INCLUDED AN ATTACK
IN THE EASTERN PART OF THIS SALIENT
AND THERE THE 3D AMERICAN DIVISION
AND ELEMENTS OF THE 28TH WERE IMPOR-
TANT FACTORS IN THE SUCCESSFUL
DEFENSE OF THE ALLIED POSITIONS.

ON JULY 18 THE ALLIED TROOPS BEGAN A
GENERAL COUNTEROFFENSIVE AGAINST
THE WHOLE SALIENT IN WHICH THE 1ST,
2D, 3D, 4TH, 26TH, 28TH, 32D AND 42D
AMERICAN DIVISIONS, MOST OF WHICH
SERVED UNDER THE I AND III CORPS, TOOK
A BRILLIANT PART. THIS OFFENSIVE WAS A
COMPLETE SUCCESS AND BY AUGUST 6 THE
ENEMY HAD BEEN DRIVEN BEYOND THE
VESLE RIVER. LATER THE 4TH, 28TH, 32D
AND 77TH AMERICAN DIVISIONS AND ELE-
MENTS OF THE 3D AND 93D PLAYED A
PROMINENT ROLE IN THE DESPERATE
FIGHTING ON THE NORTH OF THE VESLE.

OF THE 310,000 AMERICAN SOLDIERS WHO
FOUGHT IN THESE OPERATIONS, 67,000
WERE CASUALTIES. The resume is in
French on the north interior wall and
in English on the south interior wall.

SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC

Upon request, and without cost, the
following information and services
are provided to family members
and friends of those interred or com-
memorated at ABMC’s cemeteries
and memorials:

* name, location and general infor-
mation about the cemetery, monu-
ment or memorial;

¢ plot, row and grave number and, if
applicable, memorialization site;

authorization for issuance of fee-
free passports for members of the
immediate family traveling over-
seas specifically to visit an ABMC

grave or memorialization site;

ea photograph of grave and/or
memorialization sites affixed to a
large color lithograph of the ap-
propriate cemetery and memorial;

¢ best route and modes of travel in-
country to cemetery or memorial
site;

general information about accom-
modations in the vicinity of the
cemetery or memorial;

* arrangement for floral decoration
of a grave or memorialization
site. (Weather permitting, a color
photograph of the floral decora-
tion in place is provided to the
donor).

Corozal American Cemetery, Corozal, Republic of Panama

21


are drawn to the apse with its exqui-
sitely carved and gilded altar of Italian
marble, the color of peach blossoms. At
the top of the altar back are carved,
respectively, an owl for wisdom, a cru-
sader whose shield bears a lion device
for fortitude, and scales for justice.
Below these figures the six virtues
appear in two lines—wISDOM, FORTI-
TUDE, JUSTICE and FAITH, HOPE, CHARITY.
Lower on the altar back in five circles
are carved respectively a Gallic rock,
symbolic of France; a pommee cross on
an apple blossom with a serpent repre-
senting the Garden of Eden; a fouled
anchor and lily, symbolic of lastin;
peace; a Poppy representing valor; an
a passion flower, symbolic of the
Crucifixion and Resurrection. Across
the face of the altar is inscribed: PEACE-
FUL THEY REST IN GLORY EVERLASTING.
Sprigs of olive and oak are carved
on the altar front, symbolizing peace
and life. Carved inthe center of the
altar front is a bird feeding her yours:
symbolic of Christ feeding his flock.

Inscribed on the wall to the left of
the altar are the words: IN GRATEFUL
REMEMBRANCE OF HER SONS WHO DIED IN
THE WORLD WAR THIS. CHAPEL IS ERECTED

14

BY THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. A
French translation of this text appears
on the wall immediately to the right of
the altar. The three remaining stained-
glass windows are located above and
to the left and right of the altar. The
stained-glass window over the
inscription on the wall to the left of the
altar depicts St. Louis, one of the great
Crusaders; the window over the altar
depicts St. Michael triumphing over
evil; and the window over the inscrip-
tion on the wall to the right of the altar,
St. Denis, patron saint of France.

GRAVES AREA

The graves area consists of two con-
vex curved plots projecting from each
side of the south end of the mall; Plot
Ais on the left (east) and Plot B is on
the right (west). Each plot contains 13
rows of headstones. Stars of David
mark the graves of those of the Jewish
faith and latin crosses all others. Of
the 2,289 burials in the cemetery, 250
are Unknowns. Those interred in the
cemetery came from all of the then
forty-eight states and the District of
Columbia.

Interior of Visitors’ Room

VISITORS’ BUILDING

On the right of the entrance avenue
are the Visitors’ Building and parking
area. Inside the building are the
superintendent's office and a comfort-
ably furnished room where visitors
may rest and obtain information from
the cemetery staff. The visitors’ regis-
ter is maintained there. Burial loca-
tions and sites of memorialization in
each of the Commission’s cemetery
memorials, travel information, infor-
mation on accommodations in the
vicinity, local history and other infor-
mation of interest are provided on

request by the cemetery staff member
on duty.

PLANTINGS

The long avenue leading from the
entrance gate to the graves area is bor-
dered by plane trees and polyantha
roses. Massifs of multicolored shrubs
such as forsythia, laurel, boxwood,
Japanese plum, deutzia, mock orange,
Oregon grape and others screen the
graves area from the north. Beds of
polyantha roses border the mall and
extend to the chapel steps.

15


AISNE.MARNE CEMETERY

150
eer
FEET

Location of Cemetery Features

Allied use. Marshal Henri Petain,
Commander-in-Chief of the French
armies, who drew up the Allied
plans for meeting the German offen-
sive, said that the counterattack could
not have succeeded without
American troops.

During the fighting, the church in
the village of Belleau was destroyed
by American artillery fire. It was
restored after the war by a veterans’
association of the 26th Division.
Located opposite the entrance of the
Aisne-Marne American Cemetery, it
is still known as the 26th Division
Memorial Church of Belleau.

SITE

The Aisne-Marne Cemetery Memo-
rial, 42.5 acres in extent, is situated at

the foot of the hill on which stands
Belleau Wood where many of those
buried in the cemetery lost their lives.
During World War |, it was one of
the temporary wartime cemeteries
established by the Army's Graves
Registration Service, and was known
as the American Expeditionary
Forces' Cemetery No. 1764-Belleau
Wood. A photograph of the tempo-
rary cemetery hangs in the superin-
tendent's office in the Visitors’
Building. In 1921, Congress autho-
rized retention of the cemetery as one
of eight permanent World War I mili-
fay cemeteries on foreign soil. The
following year an agreement was
signed with the government of
France granting its use as a military
cemetery in perpetuity free of charge
or taxation. The permanent cemetery

Superintendent's Quarters and Visitors’ Building on Entrance Road

is named for the World War I cam-
paign area in which it is located.

The memorial chapel, the Visitors’
Building, the superintendent's quar-
ters, and the service area facilities
were constructed by the American
Battle Monuments Commission as

art of its program of commemorat-
ing the achievements of U.S. Armed
Forces in the Great War. The
Commission also landscaped the

rounds. In 1934, The President by

xecutive Order, gave the
Commission the added responsibility
of operating and maintaining this
and other permanent military ceme-
teries overseas.

The cemetery was dedicated on 30
May 1937.

ARCHITECTS

Cram and Ferguson of Boston,
Massachusetts were the architects of

the cemetery's memorial features.

GENERAL LAYOUT

The cemetery is laid out generally in
the form of a "T." A long avenue
leads from the entrance gate past the
Visitors' Building and parking area
on the right (west) and the superin-
tendents quarters opposite on the left
to the mall and the memorial chapel
beyond. The chapel which crowns
the "T" sits on high ground to the
south. The cross bar of the "T" is
formed by the cemetery's two grave
plots, each projecting in a slightly
convex arc from opposite sides of the
mall. A flag pole is centered on each
side of the mall overlooking each
grave plot.

MEMORIAL CHAPEL

The memorial chapel was erected


(The cemetery is closed on Janu-
ary 1 and December 25. It is open
on all other U.S. and host country
holidays.)

When the cemetery is open to the
public, a staff member is on duty in
the Visitors’ Building to answer ques-
tions and to escort relatives to grave
and memorial sites.

HISTORY

On the morning of 27 May 1918, the
Germans attacked in force on the
Aisne front between Berry-au-Bac
and Anizy-le-Chateau. Reserves were
rushed there by the Allies from every

uarter. The French were able to stem
the onslaught with the help of
American troops, but only after a
large salient had been driven into
Allied lines roughly defined by the
tangle of Reims, Chateau-Thierry
and Soissons. On 9 June, two German
armies attacked from the salient
toward Compiegne in an attempt to
widen it and secure use of the rail-
road from Compiegne to Soissons;
the attack was unsuccessful.

The Germans then began prepara-
tions for a major offensive on either
side of Reims in the general direction
of Epernay and Chalons-sur-Marne.
Its objective was the capture of Reims
and the high ground south of it to
obtain use of an additional trunk line
railroad. Three German armies total-
ing 47 divisions and a large quantity
of artillery were assembled for the
offensive. Meanwhile, the Allies were
doing everything they could to dis-
cover when and where the next
offensive would take place. They
were completely successful in their
efforts, as they not only learned the
line of attack, but the exact day and
hour that the German offensive was
scheduled to commence.

On 15 July, the date of the German
offensive, there were 26 American

divisions in France under the com-’

mand of General John J. Pershing, of

which 12 were available for combat.
Because of their large size, 12
American divisions were equivalent
in fire power to 24 French, British or
German divisions. With so many
fresh American troops available and
knowing that soon there would be
more, Marshal Ferdinand Foch,
Allied Commander-in-Chief, incor-
porated an attack by U.S. troops on
the western face of the Aisne-Marne
salient in his counterattack plans as it
was considered the most vulnerable

art of the German lines. Shortl

efore the German attack was sched-
uled to begin, the Allies reduced the
manning of their front lines to weak
detachments with orders for them to
retire under heavy bombardment.
This tactic proved exceptionally suc-
cessful as the Germans wasted much
of their preparatory fire on newly
abandoned positions.

To capitalize further on knowing the
exact hour that the Germans were to
attack, the Allies began bombarding
the German assembly areas for the
planned offensive 30 minutes before
the Preparatory fire by the Germans
was scheduled to begin. This caused
much confusion in the assault forces,
and they took many casualties. Two
days later, after sustaining heavy
losses, the Germans halted their
offensive without attaining the
important results they had expected
to achieve.

The following day, 18 July, the
Allies launched their counterattack
against the western face of the Aisne-
Marne salient. Although the
Germans resisted stubbornly, they
quickly realized that their position
was untenable and began a gradual
withdrawal from the salient.
Reduction of the Aisne-Marne salient
became a fact on 4 August, when
Allied troops reached the south bank
of the Vesle. On 6 August, the coun-
terattack was officially terminated.
Not only had a serious threat to Paris
been removed, but important rail-
roads were freed once again for

Graves Area from Chapel Terrace


Apse in Chapel

Aisne-Marne
American
Cemetery
andr

Memurial

AISNE MARN)

Lucy LeBocace:

24 § miowerens

LOCATION

The Aisne-Marne American Ceme-
tery and Memorial is located 6.5
miles/10.5 kilometers northwest of
Chateau-Thierry, just southwest of
the village of Belleau, Aisne, France.
Travel by train from the Gare de l'Est
station in Paris to Chateau-Thierry
takes about one hour. Taxi service to
the cemetery is available at the
Chateau-Thierry railroad station. The

"cemetery may also be reached b
i

automobile from Paris via toll
autoroute A-3 east by taking the

Montreuil-aux-Lyons exit and follow-
ing the cemetery signs to Lucy-le-
Bocage and proceeding through
Belleau Woods to the entrance to the
cemetery. The distance from Paris to
the cemetery by automobile is
approximately 50 miles/80 kilome-
ters. Hotel accommodations are
available in the cities of Chateau-
Thierry, Meaux, Soissons and Reims.

HOURS

The cemetery is open daily to the
public between the hours ‘of 9:00
A.M and 5:00 P.M.

Entrance to the Cemetary


2009

Suresnes American Cemetery and Memorial, Seine, France