Suresnes American Cemetery and Memorial, Seine, France


encorono

:

= a

R

rovers B10 20 30 40 $0 60 70 80 90 100 FONTAINEBLEAU
WILES
010 20 90 40 50 60 7080 90100
onennes KILOMETERS

cemetery memorials at these burial
sites; controlling as to design and
materials, providing regulations for
and supervising erection of all mon-
uments, memorials, buildings and
other structures in permanent
United States cemetery memorials
on foreign soil; and controlling the
design of U.S. private monuments

26

and cooperating with American citi-
zens, states, municipalities, or asso-
ciations desiring to erect war memo-
tials outside the continental limits of
the United States. It is not responsi-
ble for construction, maintenance or
operation of cemeteries in the con-
tinental United States or its terri-
tories and possessions.

fs otek Qrrussets

Says P nemer
iS Aes

REUPRE INEUVILLE-EN-CONDIGEPGR)

sowwe 0°"

3 sour"!

save ie

nasmen

ENR CHAPEL)

U

Svennens

MADEsNes

: ~
(euxemsoure >

* eenenmaene

og

sostravcat

After World War I, the American
Battle Monuments Commission
erected a memorial chapel in each of
the eight military cemeteries over-
seas already established by the War
Department, as well as twelve
monuments and two bronze tablets
on the battlefields and elsewhere, to
record the achievements of our

@ WORLD WAR II CEMETERIES
§B WORLD War | CEMETERIES
S-WORLD WAR | MONUMENTS
2 WORLD WAR Il MONUMENTS

‘eneioriaces

hearse Nr oe
ca WT TERUAND

Armed Forces. In 1934, the World
War I overseas cemeteries were
transferred to the Commission by Ex-
ecutive Order.

The names and locations of these
World War I cemetery memorials,
the number of burials and the
number of missing recorded at their
memorials are:

27


First Army jumped off at 0530 hours
on 26 September. On the left, I Corps
penetrated the Argonne Forest and
advanced along the valley of the Aire
River. In the center, V Corps ad-
vanced to the west of Montfaucon
but was held up temporarily in front
of the hill. On the right, III Corps
drove forward to the east of Mont-
faucon and a mile beyond. About
noon the following day, Montfaucon
was captured as the advance con-
tinued. Although complete surprise
had been achieved, the enemy soon
was stubbornly contesting every foot
of terrain. Profiting from the tempo-
rary holdup in front of Montfaucon,
the Germans poured reinforcements
into the area. Even so, by 30 Septem-
ber, the U.S. First Army had driven
the enemy back as far as six miles in
some places.

The assault of the U.S. First Army
was renewed on 4 October. Enemy
forces continued its stubborn resis-
tance, as additional German divi-
sions arrived from other battle fronts.
Though the U.S. First Army was sub-
jected to furious counterattacks, its
advance proceeded relentlessly. On 7
October, a strong flanking attack by I
Corps on the left in the Aire Valley
made capture of the Argonne Forest
possible. The next day on the right,
U.S. troops crossed the Meuse River,
where severe fighting was encoun-
tered for possession of the heights
beyond. On 9 October, V Corps
began an attack in the center aided
by III Corps on its right; both Corps
then penetrated the Hindenburg
Line.

It seemed on 14 October that the
Allied assault would develop into
another prolonged struggle, as the
enemy continued to resist stub-
bornly. The III and V Corps, how-
ever, provided relief when they
broke through the German main line
of defense and seized the Heights of
Cunel and Romagne. On the left, I

Corps captured St. Juvin and
Grand-Pre, enabling the French
Fourth Army, which was positioned
to the left of the U.S. First Army, to
advance its attack.

The final chapter of the great offen-
sive by the U.S. First Army began at
daybreak on 1 November after a
two-hour concentrated artillery
preparation. Its progress exceeded all
expectations. By early afternoon, the
formidable position on Barricourt
Heights had been captured, ensur-
ing success of the whole operation.
That night the enemy issued orders
to withdraw west of the Meuse. By 4
November, after an additional cross-
ing of the Meuse by the U.S. First
Army, the enemy was in full retreat
on both sides of the river. Three days
later, when the heights overlooking
the city of Sedan were taken, the U.S.
First Army gained domination over
the German railroad communica-
tions there, ensuring early termina-
tion of the war.

Meanwhile in mid-October, the
U.S. Second Army was formed to
take command of the St. Mihiel
sector on the right of the U.S. First
Army. In response to a directive that
offensives be initiated and sustained
all along the entire Allied front, the
U.S. First and Second Armies both
launched attacks on 10 November
and made substantial gains. So
perilous was the enemy position that
it was compelled to seek an imme-
diate armistice, which became effec-
tive on 11 November 1918.

To echo some of the words of Gen-
eral John J. Pershing, Commander-
in-Chief of the American Expedi-
tionary Forces, inscribed on the
Montfaucon Monument:

THE MEUSE-ARGONNE OFFENSIVE (IN
WHICH OVER 1,000,000 AMERICAN SOL-
DIERS FOUGHT) WAS SUDDENLY CON-
CEIVED, HURRIED IN PLAN AND PREP-
ARATION, COMPLICATED BY CLOSE
ASSOCIATION WITH A PRECEDING

Memorial Chapel


34

Rhone American Cemetery and Memorial, Draguignan, Var, France

“ea

Cotentin Peninsula from 6 June to 1
July 1944. It consists of a red granite
obelisk surrounded by a small, de-
veloped park overlooking the his-
toric sand dunes of Utah Beach, one
of the two American landing beaches
during the Normandy Invasion of 6
June 1944.

Three memorials in Washington,
DC were also established by the
Commission, but are now ad-
ministered by the National Park
Service.

CE Sih?

AUSTRIA gms) WUNGARY

YUGOSLAVIA

® wort war wcewernens
3 wont wars woseaents

mous

is
Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery, Romagne, Meuse, France

mate

The AMERICAN EXPEDITION-
ARY FORCES MEMORIAL, lo-
cated on Penn. Ave. between 14th
and 15th Streets, NW in Wash. DC,
commemorates the two million
American military personnel and
their CinC, Gen. John J. Pershing,
who made up the AEF of WWI.

It consists of a stone plaza 52 ft. by
75 ft., an 8 ft. statue of Gen. Pershing
on a stone pedestal, a stone bench
facing the statue and two 10 ft. high
walls, one along the south side of the

35


18

Interior of Visitors’ Building

The Moutfaucon Monument

The imposing shaft of the Mont-
faucon Monument rises 200 feet
above the ruins of the former hilltop
village of Montfaucon and dominates
the surrounding countryside. Before
its capture by the American 37th and
79th Divisions on 27 September 1918,
the site provided the German forces
with excellent observation.

The monument commemorates
the victory of the U.S. First Army in
the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, 26
September-11 November 1918, and
pays tribute to the heroic services of
the French Armies before that time
on that battlefront.

Construction of the monument
was completed in 1933; it was dedi-
cated in 1937 by the President of the
French Republic, Albert Lebrun.

Architect for the memorial was
John Russell Pope of New York. The
180-foot massive shaft is of Baveno
granite in the form of a Doric column
and is surmounted by a figure sym-
bolic of Liberty. It faces the U.S. First

Army’s line of departure of 26 Sep-
tember 1918. From the observation
platform at the top, one can see most
of the Meuse-Argonne battlefield.

The names of the four most impor-
tant areas captured by American
troops, MEUSE HEIGHTS, BARRICOURT
HEIGHTS, ROMAGNE HEIGHTS AND
ARGONNE FOREST, appear in large
letters across the front of the monu-
ment.

On the wall surrounding the main
terrace are listed the divisions which
made up the U.S. First Army along
with the names of three places now
recorded in American military his-
tory, where each of the divisions en-
countered hard fighting:

1ST DIVISION, EXERMONT, COTE DE
MALDAH, VILLEMONTRY; 2ND DIVISION,
LANDRES-ST. GEORGES, BEAUMONT,
BOIS DES FLAVIERS; 3RD DIVISION, BOIS
DE CUNEL, CLAIRS CHENES, BOIS DE
FORET; 4TH DIVISION, SEPT SARGES, BOIS
DE FAYS, BOIS DE FORET; 5TH DIVISION,

19


12

Stained Glass Window in Chapel

imposing entrance doors was cast by
Henry Hope and Sons, Birmingham,
England. Alongside the door, carved
heads of American soldiers are in-
cluded in the design of the column
capitals. Across the ends and front of
the loggias above the arches are
names of places famous in the history
of the American fighting in the
region:

PONT-MAUGIS — BOIS-DE-CUNEL —
MEUSE — CIERGES — BOIS-DES-RAPPES —
CONSENVOYE — EXERMONT — GRAND-
PRE — MEUSE HEIGHTS — BARRICOURT-
HEIGHTS — GESNES — MONTFAUCON —
CORNAY — BOIS-DE-FORET — STENAY —
ARGONNE — CHEPPY — COTE-DE-
CHATILLON.

Inside the chapel on the wall above

the right entry-way is the inscrip-
tion:
THIS CHAPEL IS ERECTED BY THE UNITED
STATES OF AMERICA AS A SACRED REN-
DEZVOUS OF A GRATEFUL PEOPLE WITH
ITS IMMORTAL DEAD.

The same text appears in French on
the wall above the left entrance.

On entering the chapel, one’s
attention is immediately drawn to
the apse, in the center of which is the
altar backed by a semi-circle of flags
of the United States and the principal
Allied nations.

The insignia of many of the Ameri-
can divisions and larger units which
served in the AEF are reproduced in
its stained-glass windows which
were executed by Heinigke & Smith,
New York, New York. Shown in the
window of the west wall are:

1 CORPS, GENERAL HEADQUARTERS, III
CORPS, 1ST DIVISION, ADVANCE
SECTION S.O.S., 30TH DIVISION, 3D DIVI-
SION, 7TH DIVISION, 35TH DIVISION, 5TH
DIVISION, 26TH DIVISION, 32D DIVISION,
4TH DIVISION, 28TH DIVISION, 36TH DI-
VISION, 6TH DIVISION, 29TH DIVISION,
37TH DIVISION, 2D DIVISION, 27TH DIVI-
SION AND 33D DIVISION.

The window of the east wall in-
cludes:

IV CORPS, FIRST ARMY, V CORPS, 41ST
DIVISION, 80TH DIVISION, 88TH DIVI-
SION, 77TH DIVISION, 84TH DIVISION,
91ST DIVISION, 78TH DIVISION, 83D DIVI-
SION, 90TH DIVISION, 89TH DIVISION,
85TH DIVISION, 92D DIVISION, 42D DIVI-
SION, 81ST DIVISION, 76TH DIVISION,
79TH DIVISION, 82D DIVISION AND 93D
DIVISION.

Through these windows a soft and
subdued light is diffused throughout
the chapel’s interior and blends with
the deep colors of the marble floor.
On the arches over the door, apse
and windows are the following
inscriptions:
GOD HATH TAKEN THEM UNTO HIMSELF
THEIR NAMES WILL LIVE FOR EVERMORE
PEACEFUL IS THEIR SLEEP IN GOD
PERPETUAL LIGHT UPON THEM SHINES.

The memorial loggias flank the
chapel. Engraved on a panel of the
west loggia is an ornamental map,
showing in color the operations of
American divisions during the
Meuse-Argonne Offensive. A simi-
lar map appears in the Montfaucon
Monument; see page 20 of this book-
let.

THE © NAMES RECORDED bs
op ON: THIS “PANEL: ARE-THOSE a=
 - AMERICAN - SOLDIERS-WHO-LOST
THEIR” LIVES “IN NORTHERN - RUSSIA
JE“ WORLD - WAR
AND HAVE /NO*RNOWN = CAAVES

Asntman JRE 108 wart apecasox oc u 98 = omar
Aesctt mlm ¥ocow “=e wens 9 OMe

Tablets of the Missing

13


MAJOR OPERATION YET BRILLIANTLY
EXECUTED AND PROSECUTED WITH AN
UNSELFISH AND HEROIC SPIRIT OF
COURAGE AND FORTITUDE THAT DE-
MANDED EVENTUAL VICTORY. IT
STANDS OUT AS ONE OF THE VERY GREAT
ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE HISTORY OF
AMERICAN ARMS.

THE SITE

The cemetery, 1307/2 acres in extent,
was established 14 October 1918 by
the American Graves Registration
Service on terrain captured by the
32d Infantry Division. The use of the
land on which it rests has been

anted by the French government

e of charge or taxation in perpetu-
ity, as an expression of its gratitude to
the United States. In 1934, adminis-
tration of the cemetery passed to the
American Battle Monuments Com-
mission. The Commission, whose
functions are described in the latter
pages of this booklet, landscaped the
cemetery grounds and erected the
memorial chapel and other structures.

ARCHITECTS

The architects for the cemetery and
memorial were York and Sawyer of
New York, New York.

GENERAL LAYOUT

The cemetery is generally rectangular
in shape with three-quarters of its
area devoted to the grave plots and
memorial chapel.

The memorial chapel is located on
the high ground to the south. A
grassy east-west entrance mall 600
yards long runs through the small
valley across which the cemetery is
located separating the graves and
memorial area from the Visitors’
Building and service area. There is
an impressive entrance portal to the
cemetery at each end of the east-west

10

mall and a circular pool with a foun-
tain at the center. This attractive pool
with its flowering lillies is a constant
source of interest to visitors. A road
bordered by a double avenue of
beech trees runs from each portal and
encircles the mall. A perimeter road
encircles the graves area and the
service area. Four rectangular grave
plots are located on each side of the
mall leading from the pool to the
memorial chapel. The grave plots are
framed by square trimmed linden
trees. These trees are especially beau-
tiful in the fall when their leaves are
changing color. Over 65 varities of
evergreen shrubs and trees plus
many varieties of flowers complete
the tranquil beauty of the cemetery. A
stone wall more than 1' miles long
encircles the cemetery.

THE MEMORIAL

The memorial, a fine example of
Romanesque architecture, faces
north on the crest of a gently sloping
hillside overlooking the graves area.
It consists of a memorial chapel and
two flanking loggias, on whose walls
are engraved the names of those
servicemen and women missing in
the area and also those missing in
northern Russia. The memorial’s ex-
terior walls and columns are of
Euville Coquiller stone; its interior
walls are of Salamandre travertine.

High above the main entrance to
the chapel, on the exterior wall, is
carved the following:

DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF THOSE
WHO DIED FOR THEIR COUNTRY.

On the lintel directly over the
chapel entrance is inscribed: IN
SACRED SLEEP THEY REST. A sculpture
bas-relief by L. Bottiau, Paris,
France, with figures representing
Grief and Remembrance appears
above it in the tympanum. The beau-
tiful bronze filigreed screen of the

71

Chapel Entrance


memorial area and one along the
east. The south wall contains two
battle maps with appropriate inscrip-
tions. Inscribed upon the reverse face
of the east wall is Gen. Pershing’s
tribute to the officers and men of the
AEF: “IN THEIR DEVOTION, THEIR
VALOR, AND IN THE LOYAL FULFILL-
MENT OF THEIR OBLIGATIONS, THE
OFFICERS AND MEN OF THE AMERICAN
EXPEDITIONARY FORCES HAVE LEFT A
HERITAGE OF WHICH THOSE WHO FOL-
LOW MAY EVER BE PROUD.”

The WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL,
rominently located on the
ational Mall in Washington,

DC between the Lincoln

Memorial and the Washington

Monument, honors a nation

united in a just and common

cause.

It is the first memorial dedicated

to the more than 400,000

Americans who gave their lives

for freedom, the 5 million who

served in uniform, and all who
contributed to the war effort on
the home front.

Symboloic of the defining event

of the 20th century, the memorial

is a testiment to the spirit, sacri-
fice and commitment of the

American people.

To learn more, visit our website

at www.abmc.gov

KOREAN WAR

VETERANS MEMORIAL

The Korean War Veterans Memorial,
located on the National Mall in
Washington, DC, was dedicated on
27 July 1995. The Memorial com-
memorates the sacrifices of the 5.8
million Americans who served dur-
ing the three-year period of the
Korean War. The war was one of the
most hard fought in our history.
During its relatively short duration,
25 June 1950-27 July 1953, 33,700

36

Americans were killed in action;
8,200 of those killed in action were
classified as missing in action (and
presumed dead), or lost or buried at
sea. An additional 103,000 Ameri-
cans were wounded during the con-
flict. An integral part of the
Memorial is the Korean War Honor
Roll, an interactive automated data-
base, containing the names of those
U.S. military personnel who died
world-wide during the war.

MEXICO CITY

NATIONAL CEMETERY

The Mexico City National Cemetery
is at 31 Virginia Fabregas, Colonia
San Rafael, about 2 miles west of the
Metropolitan Cathedral and about
one mile north of the U.S. Embassy.
This cemetery was established in
1851 and contains a small monument
over the grave of 750 of our unidenti-
fied Dead of the War of 1847. In this
one acre area there are 813 remains of
Americans and others in wall crypts.
Care of the cemetery was transferred
from the Department of the Army to
this Commission on 16 July 1947.
This cemetery was closed to burials
in 1923.

COROZAL AMERICAN
CEMETERY, COROZAL,
REPUBLIC OF PANAMA

The Corozal American Cemetery is
located approximately three miles
north of Panama City, just off Gail-
lard Highway between the Corozal
Railroad Station and Fort Clayton. To
reach the cemetery, follow Gaillard
Highway north from Panama City,
turn right on Rybicki Road, and pro-
ceed about one-half mile to the ceme-
tery. Taxi and bus service to the cem-
etery are available from Panama City.
There are 5,163 identified “Known”
Dead interred here. In agreement
with the Republic of Panama, care
and maintenance of the cemetery in
perpetuity was assumed by the

commission on 1 October 1979.

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 am ABMC
grave or memorialization site;

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

ropriate 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
polaroid photograph of the floral
decoration in place is provided to
the donor).

Corozal American Cemetery, Corozal, Republic of Panama

37


Graves Area


Mleuse-Argonne Anvrican Cemetery
and Memorial

The American Battle Monuments Commission


GRAND-PRE SECURELY IN THE GRASP OF
THE AMERICAN ARMY.

ON NOVEMBER 1 THE ARMY
LAUNCHED ITS LAST GREAT ATTACK.
THE DOMINATING HEIGHTS NEAR
BARRICOURT WERE CAPTURED AND THE
ENEMY WAS DRIVEN BEYOND THE MEUSE
RIVER. THESE SUCCESSES AND THOSE OF
THE ALLIES ON OTHER BATTLEFIELDS
COMPELLED THE GERMANS TO ASK FOR
AN IMMEDIATE ARMISTICE WHICH BE-
CAME EFFECTIVE ON NOVEMBER 11 1918.

DURING FORTY-SEVEN DAYS OF CON-
TINUAL BATTLE ON THIS FRONT THE
FIRST ARMY ADVANCED 35 MILES CAP-
TURED 26,000 MEN 874 CANNON AND
3,000 MACHINE GUNS. AT IS MAXIMUM
STRENGTH THE ARMY COMPRISED MORE
THAN 1,000,000 SOLDIERS. THE AMERI-
CAN BATTLE CASUALTIES WERE 122,000.

A tribute by General Pershing to
his officers and men who served here
appears on the southeast wall. The
text of General Pershing’s tribute
reads:

THE MEUSE-ARGONNE BATTLE PRE-
SENTED NUMEROUS DIFFICULTIES SEEM-
INGLY INSURMOUNTABLE. THE SUCCESS
STANDS OUT AS ONE OF THE GREAT
ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE HISTORY OF
AMERICAN ARMS. SUDDENLY CON-
CEIVED AND HURRIED IN PLAN AND
PREPARATION; COMPLICATED BY CLOSE
ASSOCIATION WITH A PRECEDING
MAJOR OPERATION; DIRECTED AGAINST
STUBBORN DEFENSE OFTHE VITAL POINT
OF THE WESTERN FRONT; AND AT-
TENDED BY COLD AND INCLEMENT
WEATHER; THIS BATTLE WAS PROS-
ECUTED WITH AN UNSELFISH AND
HEROIC SPIRIT OF COURAGE AND FORTI-
TUDE WHICH DEMANDED EVENTUAL
VICTORY. PHYSICALLY STRONG, VIRILE,
AND AGGRESSIVE, THE MORALE OF THE
AMERICAN SOLDIER DURING THIS MOST
TRYING PERIOD WAS SUPERB. IN THEIR
DEVOTION, THEIR VALOR, AND IN THE
LOYAL FULFILLMENT OF THEIR OBLIGA-
TIONS, THE OFFICERS AND MEN OF THE
AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES
HAVE LEFT A HERITAGE OF WHICH
THOSE WHO FOLLOW MAY EVER BE
PROUD.

22

— John J. Pershing,
General, Commander-in-Chief,
American Expeditionary Forces

A circular stairway of 234 steps
leads from the base of the shaft to
observation platforms from which
large portions of the Meuse- Argonne
battlefield may be seen. Eleven of the
thirteen landings on the stairs are
provided with benches where vis-
itors may pause to rest,

Use of the monument site was
given to the United States by the
French Government in perpetuity,
free of charge or taxation.

The area surrounding the monu-
ment is administered by the French
Fine Arts Commission and is also of
historical significance. The ruins
upon which the monument is erected
are believed to date back to the 6th
century. Numerous battles have been
fought in the vicinity. In one battle
against the Normans about 888 A.D.,
19,000 Dead are said to have been left
on the battlefield. During the
Hundred Years’ War, the district was
frequently ravaged by robbers; and
during the 16th and 17th centuries,
the town was twice destroyed. While
making excavations for the founda-
tions of the monument, an under-
ground passage hollowed out of the
soft rock was found running from the
ruins behind the monument to the
foot of the hill. To the left of the
monument shaft, as seen from the
parking plaza and about 12 feet
underground, a cemetery was found
which probably dates from the Mid-
dle Ages. Under the front of the wall
on the right side of the terrace, three
old cellars were found, one below the
other, the lowest one showing evi-
dence of having been used as a
dungeon.

The monument is open between
the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00
p-m. weekdays. From July 1
through September 15, the monu-
ment is also open on weekends. (It
is closed on December 25 and
January 1.)

The Sommepy Monument

The Sommepy Monument stands
on the crest of Blanc Mont ridge,
three miles/5 kilometers north of
Sommepy in the Department of
Marne, 38 miles/61 kilometers from
the Meuse-Argonne American Cem-
etery. The site on which the monu-
ment stands was captured on 3 Octo-
ber 1918 after heavy fighting by the
American 2d Division.

The nearest cities are Reims — 22
milesi35 kilometers to the west and
Chalons-sur-Marne — 23 miles/37
kilometers to the south.

The monument commemorates
the achievements of the 70,000
American soldiers who fought in the
Champagne region of France during
the summer and fall of 1918 and those
of the French soldiers who fought
with them.

The monument is in the form of a
tower, its sturdy though graceful

shape harmonizing with the sur-
rounding landscape. The golden
brown stones of different shades on
its exterior give it a very attractive
appearance.

Architect for the monument was
Arthur Loomis Harmon of New
York, New York.

Carved on the exterior walls are the
dedicatory inscription and the
insignia and names of the American
Divisions which the monument
commemorates with the inclusive
dates that they served in this region
and the names of four locations
where each of the divisions partic-
ipated in difficult fighting:

93D DIVISION, SEPTEMBER 26-OCTOBER
6, 1918, RIPONT, SECHAULT, ARDEUIL,
TRIERES FARM; 36TH DIVISION, OCTOBER
8-OCTOBER 27, 1918, MACHAULT, DRI-
COURT, ST. ETIENNE-A-ARNES, FOREST

23


20

Map of the Meuse-Argonne Region on the Northeast Wall of the Vestibule

CUNEL, DUN-SUR-MEUSE, FORET DE
WOEVRE; 26TH DIVISION, LE HOUPPY
BOIS, LA WAVRILLE, BOIS DE VILLE; 28TH
DIVISION, ARGONNE, VARENNES, APRE-
MONT; 29TH DIVISION, BOIS DE CON-
SENVOYE, MOLLEVILLE FARM, BOIS
D'ETRAYE; 32ND DIVISION, COTE DAME
MARIE, ROMAGNE, PEUVILLERS; 33RD
DIVISION, BOIS DE FORGES, CONSEN-
VOYE, BOIS PLAT-CHENE; 35TH DIVISION,
VAUQUOIS, BAULNY, MONTREBEAU;
37TH DIVISION, BOIS DE MONTFAUCON,
IVOIRY, BOIS BE BEUGE; 42ND DIVISION,
COTE-DE-CHATILLON, BOIS DU MONT
DIEU, SEDAN HEIGHTS; 77TH DIVISION,
ARGONNE, ST. JUVIN, REMILLY-SUR-
MEUSE; 78TH DIVISION, GRAND-PRE,
BOIS DE LOGES, TANNAY; 79TH DIVISION,
MONTFAUCON, NANTILLOIS, CHAU-
MONT; 80TH DIVISION, DANNEVOUX,
BOIS DES OGONS, BUZANCY; 81ST DIVI-
SION, MANHEULLES, ABAUCOURT,
GRIMAUCOURT; 82ND DIVISION, COR-
NAY, MARGO, ST. JUVIN; 89TH DIVISION,
BOIS DE BARRICOURT, POUILLY, STENAY;
90TH DIVISION, BANTHEVILLE, HILL 343,
STENAY; 91ST DIVISION, BOIS DE CHEPPY,
EPINONVILLE, BOIS DE GESNES; AND THE
92ND DIVISION, BOIS DE LA GRURIE, VAL-
LEE MOREAU, BINARVILLE. In addition,
the five French units which fought
with the First Army and the two
American divisions which were in
reserve are commemorated:

10E D.I.C. (FR) DAMLOUP, BOIS DE LA
PLUME, NOBRAS; 15E D.I.C. (FR), SIVRY-
SUR-MEUSE, HARAUMONT, DAM-
VILLERS; 18E D.I. (FR), HAUMONT, BOIS
DES CHENES, BOIS D'ORMONT; 26E D.I.
(FR), BOIS DE CAURES, ANGLEMONT
FERME, BEAUMONT; IN RESERVE, 6TH
DIVISION, 36TH DIVISION, 5E D.C. (FR).

On the paving of the main terrace
in front of the entrance door, the
following text is engraved in English
and French:

ERECTED BY THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA TO COMMEMORATE THE BRIL-
LIANT VICTORY OF HER FIRST ARMY IN
THE MEUSE-ARGONNE OFFENSIVE SEP-

TEMBER 26-NOVEMBER 11, 1918, AND TO
HONOR THE HEROIC SERVICES OF THE

ARMIES OF FRANCE ON THIS IMPORTANT
BATILEFRONT DURING THE WORLD
WAR.

Inside the entranceway is a small
vestibule decorated with the flags of
the United States and France. On the
northwest wall of the vestibule is a
map of the Meuse-Argonne Offen-
sive, carved in polished marble and
indicating in color the operations of
the various divisions in the area.
Inscribed on the southwest wall is a
brief description in French and Eng-
lish of the American operations:

DURING SEPTEMBER 1918 THE ALLIED
FORCES LAUNCHED A GENERAL OFFEN-
SIVE AGAINST THE GERMAN ARMIES ON
THE WESTERN FRONT. IN THIS OPERA-
TION THE AMERICAN FIRST ARMY WAS
ASSIGNED THE TASK OF BREAKING
THROUGH THE EXTREMELY STRONG
AND VITAL PORTION OF THE ENEMY
DEFENSIVE SYSTEM LYING BETWEEN THE
MEUSE RIVER AND THE ARGONNE
FOREST.

THE AMERICAN ATTACK STARTED ON
SEPTEMBER 26 AND AFTER TWO DAYS
INTENSE FIGHTING MONTFAUCON
UPON WHICH THIS MONUMENT STANDS
WAS CAPTURED. BY SEPTEMBER 30 THE
ENEMY HAD BEEN DRIVEN BACK SIX
MILES. THE GERMAN TROOPS DEFENDED
EACH POSITION TO THE UTMOST AND
MANY DIVISIONS WERE RUSHED TO
THEIR SUPPORT FROM OTHER BATILE-
FRONTS.

THE BATTLE CONTINUED THROUGH-
OUT OCTOBER AGAINST DESPERATE
RESISTANCE. A BRILLIANT ADVANCE
DOWN THE AIRE VALLEY MADE IT POS-
SIBLE TO OUTFLANK AND CAPTURE THE
ARGONNE FOREST. THE ATTACK THEN
SPREAD EAST OF THE MEUSE WHERE
SEVERE FIGHTING OCCURRED. THE
PROLONGED STRUGGLES FOR THE
STRONGLY FORTIFIED GERMAN MAIN
LINE OF DEFENSE ON THE HEIGHTS NEAR
BRIEULLES CUNEL AND ROMAGNE WERE
UNSURPASSED IN FURY BUT BY OCTOBER
14 THIS LINE HAD BEEN BROKEN AND
THE END OF THE MONTH FOUND IT AND
THE VILLAGES OF ST. JUVIN AND

21


The names of 954 of the Missing

who gave their lives in the service of
their country, but whose remains
were never recovered or identified
are engraved on the remaining
panels of the two loggias. Above the
names high on the center panel of
each loggia is inscribed:
THE NAMES HERE RECORDED ARE THOSE
OF AMERICAN SOLDIERS WHO FOUGHT
IN THIS REGION AND WHOSE EARTHLY
RESTING PLACE IS KNOWN ONLY TO
GOD.

Included among them, but in-
scribed on a separate panel in the
east loggia are the names of the Miss-
ing of the Services of Supply. At the
top of the panel is the inscription:
THE NAMES RECORDED ON THIS PANEL
ARE THOSE OF AMERICAN SOLDIERS

WHO DIED IN THE SERVICES OF SUPPLY
DURING THE WORLD WAR AND HAVE NO
KNOWN GRAVES.

Similarly, in the west loggia a sepa-
rate panel carries the names of the
Missing from the American expedi-
tion to Northern Russia under the
inscription:

THE NAMES RECORDED ON THIS PANEL
ARE THOSE OF AMERICAN SOLDIERS
WHO LOST THEIR LIVES IN NORTHERN
RUSSIA DURING THE WORLD WAR AND
HAVE NO KNOWN GRAVES.

On the floors of the pavilions at the
ends of the loggias are directional
arrows pointing to prominent terrain
features relating to the operations
which took place in the area. Also,
from the ends of the loggias one can
see, in the distance to the southeast,

Section of the Tablets of the Missing

14

NG ONG
SNCF, LONCY,

Ds

ONG
ae

Key

View of Mall and Graves Area from the Chapel Door

the dominating hill of Montfaucon
with its imposing federal monument.

GRAVES AREA

The graves area lies on the southern
slope of the valley and is divided into
eight rectangular plots lettered from
A to H. Each plot is surrounded by
square-trimmed linden trees. Plots
A, B, Eand F are located on the east
side of the grassy mall extending
from the chapel to the circular pool
and fountain below and C, D, G and
H are on the west. The carefully
clipped grass of the mall and graves
area gives the impression of a vast
green velvet carpet.

14,246 War Dead are interred
within the cemetery, 486 of whom are
Unknowns. The cemetery contains
no multiple burials. Each of the Dead
has his own headstone of white
marble, a Star of David for those of

the Jewish faith and a Latin cross for
all others. The immense array of
headstones is arranged in long par-
allel rows beginning at the east-west
mall and extends row-on-row to the
chapel crowning the ridge overlook-
ing the graves area.

VISITORS’ BUILDING

The Visitors’ Building is located to
the north of the cemetery. Here visi-
tors may obtain information, sign
the register and pause to refresh
themselves. During visiting hours a
member of the cemetery staff is
available in the building to answer
questions and provide information
on burials and memorializations in
the Commission’s cemeteries,
accommodations in the vicinity,
travel, local history and other items
of interest.

15


HISTORY

The Meuse-Argonne Offensive was
the climax toward which the efforts
of American Expeditionary Forces
were directed since arrival of U.S.
troops in France. It would be the
largest battle ever fought by U.S.
troops up to that time in U.S. history.
In 1918, the last year of the war, the
armies of Germany launched a series
of powerful attacks on the Western
Front in an attempt to win a decisive
victory before large numbers of
American troops could be brought
into action. The enemy assaults ini-
tially were highly successful and
taxed Allied resources to the limit.
Nevertheless, when the last great
German offensive began on 15 July,
Allied troops in heavy fighting
quickly repulsed it. Three days later
on 18 July, a U.S.-French counter-
offensive was launched at Soissons.
It was completely successful and
marked the turning point of the war.
Determined to keep the Germans
on the defensive and to maintain the
initiative in battle, a series of strong
offensive operations were planned
by the Allies. The U.S. First Army
was organized and given the mission
of attacking in the St. Mihiel sector.
The purpose of the St. Mihiel Offen-
sive was to keep the enemy off
balance, allowing him no opportu-
nity to reorganize. Its plan required
an assault on 12 September to reduce
the German salient at St. Mihiel, fol-
lowed two weeks later by a great
offensive in a different area 40 miles
away. Never before on the Western
Front had a single army attempted
such a colossal task. Four days after
the St. Mihiel Offensive began, the
German salient was eliminated.
The area between the Meuse River
and the Argonne Forest was chosen
for the U.S. First Army’s greatest
offensive of the war because it was
the portion of the German front

which the enemy could least afford to
lose. The lateral communications
between German forces east and
west of the Meuse were in that area
and they were heavily dependent
upon two rail lines that converged in
the vicinity of Sedan and lay within
35 miles of the battle line.

The nature of the Meuse-Argonne
terrain made it ideal for defense. On
the left, the heavily wooded and
tangled Argonne Forest and the Aire
River presented natural obstacles.
On the right, the Meuse River and
the Heights of the Meuse to the east
formed not only natural barriers but
also gave the enemy commanding
ground from which it could observe
the battlefield and cover it with
artillery fire.

In between the Aire and the Meuse
Rivers were a series of broken,
wooded ridges that provided excel-
lent observation. The first was the
dominating hill of Montfaucon.
Behind it were the Heights of
Romagne and Cunel; beyond them
was Barricourt Heights. To protect
this vitally important area, the
enemy had established almost con-
tinuous defensive positions for a
depth of 10 to 12 miles to the rear of
the front lines.

The movement of American troops
and materiel into position for the
Meuse-Argonne attack was made
entirely under the cover of darkness.
On most of the front, French soldiers
remained in the outpost positions
until the very last moment in order to
keep the enemy from learning of the
large American concentration. Alto-
gether, about 220,000 Allied soldiers
were withdrawn from the area and
600,000 American soldiers brought
into position without the knowledge
of the enemy, a striking tribute to the
skill and abilities of the U.S. First
Army.

Following a three-hour bombard-
ment with 2,700 field pieces, the U.S.

Overall View of the Cemetery


World War I

Aisne-Marne, Belleau, France
Brookwood, England......
Flanders Field, Waregem, Belgium
Meuse-Argonne, Romagne, France .
Oise-Aisne, Fere-en-Tardenois, France .
St. Mihiel, Thiaucourt, France
Somme, Bony, France .........++
Suresnes (See WW Il also), France .

World War I monuments erected
by the Commission are located at or
near: Audenarde and Kemmel,
Belgium; Bellicourt, Brest, Cantigny,
Chateau-Thierry, Montfaucon,
Montsec, Sommepy, and Tours,
France; Gibraltar and Washington,
DC. World War I tablets are at
Chaumont and Souilly, France.

By the end of World War II, several
hundred temporary cemeteries had
been established by the American
Graves Registration Service of the
United States Army. During the
years 1947 to 1954 that Service, com-
plying with the expressed wishes of
the next of kin, and by authority of
law, repatriated the remains of some
172,000 recovered bodies. The re-
mainder were given final interment
in the permanent military cemeteries
on foreign soil, in private cemeteries
overseas and in the national cemeter-
ies in Honolulu, Sitka, Alaska and

Burials Missing
Known Unknown — Commemorated
2,039 250 1,060
27 41 563

. 37 21 43

~ 13,760 486 954
5A15 597 241

4,036 117 284

1,706 138 333
1535 G 974
pene: 29,265 1,656 4,452

Puerto Rico (which are now admin-
istered by the National Cemetery
Administration, Department of
Veterans’ Affairs). As was the case
after World War I, some remains
were left in isolated graves outside
of the cemeteries by request of the
families who then became responsi-
ble for their maintenance.

Fourteen sites in foreign countries
were selected as permanent ceme-
teries in 1947 by the Secretary of the
Army and the American Battle
Monuments Commission in con-
cert. Their locations reflect the prog-
ress of the military operations and
were selected with consideration of
their accessibility, aspect, prospect,
drainage and other practical factors.
The World War II cemeteries with
number of burials, including Un-
knowns, and the numbers of Miss-
ing recorded at their memorials and
at three separate memorials on
United States soil are:

Burials Missing
World War IT Known Unknown — Commemorated
Ardennes, Neupre (Neuville-en-Condroz), Belgium... 4,536 792 462
Brittany, St, James, France . ‘ 4313 97 498
Cambridge, England 3,788 24 5,126
Epinal, France . 5,186 69 424
Florence, Italy - 4189213 1,409
Henri-Chapelle, Belgium » 7,895 94 450
Lorraine, St. Avold, France . ‘ veeeees 10,338 151 444
Luxembourg, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg 4975 101 371
Manila, Republic of the Philippines . 13,462 3,744 36,282
Netherlands, Margraten, Holland ... 8196 106 1,723
Normandy, St, Laurent-sur-Mer, France . 9,080 307 1,357
North Africa, Carthage, Tunisia 2,601 240 3,724
Rhone, Draguignan, France 79 62 294
Sicily-Rome, Nettuno, Italy 7371 490 3,095
Suresnes (See WW Talso), France ... = 24 a

28

East Coast Memorial, New York City, New York .
Honolulu Memorial, Honolulu, Hawaii .....-
West Coast Memorial, San Francisco, California .

= = 4,609

World War II cemeteries maintained by the National Cemetery Administration,

Department of Veterans’ Affairs
National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific

Honolulu, Hawaii ....-..-..6.2.0e20es

Puerto Rico ..
Sitka, Alaska .

Other Missing in Action Commemorated by ABMC

Korean War, Honolulu Memorial,
Honolulu, Hawaii .
Vietnam War, Honolulu Memorial,

Honolulu, Hawaii .....2. 02.00.0000

Use of the permanent cemetery
sites on foreign soil was granted in
perpetuity b the host government
to the United States free of cost, rent
and taxation. The temporary ceme-
tery sites not selected as permanent
cemeteries reverted to the land-
owners.

Tn 1947, an outstanding American
architect was selected to design each
of the World War II cemeteries, con-
ceiving its grave plots, a chapel and
battle map exhibit as complementary
elements of an integral memorial to
the services and sacrifices of the
American Armed Services who
fought in the particular region. Upon
approval of their general schemes by

ie Commission and by agreement
with the Secretary of the Army, the
architects’ plans of the grave plots
were followed by the American
Graves Registration Service in mak-
ing the permanent burials of those
remains which by decision of the
next of kin were to be interred over-
seas. The timely cooperation be-
tween these two agencies contrib-
uted appreciably to the coherence of
the development of the cemetery
designs.

Beginning in the latter half of 1949,
the permanent interments having
been virtually completed, the Worl
War II overseas cemeteries were pro-
gressively transferred for con-
struction and maintenance to the
American Battle Monuments Com-
mission by Presidential Executive

— 18,096

= _— 412

» 86,729 6,514 78,976

(Gee

11,597 2,079 Honolulu
Memorial)

69 = —

67 5 _

+ = 8,200

or = = 2,504

Order. Thereupon, the remaining
portions of the architects’ designs
were carried out, step by step —
grading; installation of a system of
reinforced concrete beams on piles to
maintain the levels and alignments
of the headstones; fabrication and
installation of the headstones; con-
struction of water supply and distri-
bution systems, utilities buildings,
roads and paths; plantings; and erec-
tion of the memorials, visitors’ build-
ings and flagpoles.

For design of the various memo-
rials, no specific limitations were
imposed upon the architects other
than budgeted cost and a require-
ment that each was to embody these
features:

A small devotional chapel;

inscription of the names and
particulars of the Missing in the
region;

a graphic record, in permanent
form, of the services of our troops
(WW II only; however, Oise-Aisne,
Meuse-Argonne and St. Mihiel
WWI American Cemeteries also
have battle maps).

These requirements have been in-
terpreted in a wide and interesting
variety of forms.

An important motive for the con-
struction of the memorials is the im-
plied undertaking by our Govern-
ment to record by monuments the
achievements of our Armed Ser-
vices, since the erection of memo-
tials by the troops (which in the past

29


SURESNES

At the Suresnes Cemetery Memorial,
senior representatives of the French
and United States governments pay
homage to our military Dead on
ceremonial occasions. Accordingly, 24
Unknown Dead of World War II were
buried in this World War I cemetery,
and two lopeias were added to its
chapel by the Commission, thereby
converting it into a shrine commemo-
rating our Dead of both wars.

EAST COAST MEMORIAL,

To commemorate those 4,609 Ameri-
can servicemen, 6,185 seamen of the
United States Merchant Marines and
the 529 seamen of the U.S. Army
Transport Service who, in or above
the waters off the coast of North and
South America, but outside the terri-
torial limits of the United States, gave
their lives in the service of their coun-
try, the Commission erected a memo-
rial in Battery Park, New York City,
upon which their names and particu-
lars are inscribed.

WEST COAST MEMORIAL

Similarly, the names and particulars
of those 412 Americans who gave
their lives in the service of their coun-
try off the west coast of the Americas
but outside the territorial limits of
the United States, are recorded at the
memorial erected by the Commis-
sion at the Presidio of San Francisco.

HONOLULU MEMORIAL

Although the National Memorial
Cemetery of the Pacific at Honolulu
is administered by the Department
of Veterans’ Affairs, the erican
Battle Monuments Commission con-
structed a memorial therein, incor-
porating the features of the memo-
tials in its overseas cemeteries. The
names of 18,096 Missing of World
War II who gave their lives in the
Pacific areas (except the Southwest
and the Palua Islands which are
commemorated at the Manila Ceme-

32

tery Memorial) are recorded here as
well as 8,200 Missing of the Korean
War and 2,504 Missing from the
Vietnam War.

SAIPAN MONUMENT is situated
near the beach overlooking Tanapag
Harbor on the Island of Saipan,
Commonwealth of the Northern
Mariana Islands. It is part of an
American memorial park commem-
orating the American and Marianas
Dead in the Marianas Campaign of
World War II. The monument honors
specifically the 24,000 American
marines and soldiers who died re-
capturing the volcanic islands of Sai-
an, Tinian and Guam during the
eriod of 15 June 1944-11 August
944,

It is a twelve-foot rectangular obe-
lisk of rose granite in a landscaped
area of local flora, Inscribed upon the
monument are these words: “THIS
MEMORIAL HAS BEEN ERECTED BY THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IN HUMBLE
TRIBUTE TO THE SONS WHO PAID THE
ULTIMATE SACRIFICE FOR LIBERATION
OF THE MARIANAS 1941-1945.”

The GUADALCANAL AMERI-
CAN MEMORIAL is located on
Skyline Drive overlooking the town
of Honiara, Guadalcanal, Solomon
Islands. It honors those American
and Allied servicemen who lost their
lives during the Guadalcanal Cam-
paign of World War II (7 August
942-9 February 1943). The Memo-
rial consists of a suitably inscribed
central pylon four feet square rising
24 feet above its base. Four radiating
directional walls point toward major
battle sites. Descriptions of the ba'
are inscribed on the walls. Both the
walls and the pylon are constructed
of Red Calca granite.

CABANATUAN MEMORIAL is lo-
cated 85 miles north of Manila, approxi-
mately 5 miles south of the city of
Cabanatuan, Luzon, Republic of the
Philippines. It marks the site of the

Honolulu Memorial (WW I, Korea and Vietnam), National Memorial Cemetary of the Pacific,
Honolulu, Hawaii

Japanese Cabanatuan Prisoner of War
Camp where approximately 20,000
American servicemen and civilians
were held captive from 1942 to 1945,
after the fall of the Philippine Islands
during World War II. The memorial
also honors the heroic sacrifices made
by Filipino servicemen and civilians
in a mutual quest for honor, freedom
and peace.

The memorial consists of a 90-foot
concrete base in the center of which
rests a marble altar. It is surrounded
on three sides by a fence of steel rods
and on the fourth by a Wall of Honor
upan, which are inscribed the names
of the approximately 3,000 Ameri-
cans who lost their lives while being
held captive.

Co-located on the site are the West
Point Monument, which pays hom-
age to the 170 American and 6 Fili-
pino graduates of the U.S. Military
Academy who lost their lives during
the defense of the Philippines or
while prisoner of war at Cabanatuan,
and the Defenders of Bataan and Cor-
regidor (a Filipino veterans organiza-
tion) memorial which salutes their
American fallen comrades.

POINTE DU HOC MONUMENT

Following World War II, the French
erected a monument at Pointe du
Hoc on the right flank of Omaha
Beach, overlooking the English
Channel _honorin; the elements of
the 2nd Ranger Battalion under the
command of LTC James Rudder who
scaled the cliff, seized the position,
and defended it against German
counterattacks at a high cost of lives.
The monument consists of a simple
pylon, on top of a concrete bunker at

ie edge of the cliff and appropriate
inscriptions at its base in French and
English. It was officially turned over
to the American government for
operation and maintenance in per-
petuity on 11 January 1979.

UTAH BEACH MONUMENT

The Utah Beach Monument is located
at the termination of Highway
N-13D, approximately 3 kilometers
northeast of Sainte-Marie-du-Mont
(Manche), France. This monument
commemorates the achivements of
the American Forces of the VII Corps
who fought in the liberation of the

33


eer

————
© 180 200 300 400 500

Location of Cemetery Features

Thirty-eight miles/61 kilometers to
the west of the Meuse-Argonne
American Cemetery is the Sommepy
Monument located on Blane Mont;
this monument commemorates the
actions of American and French
troops in the Champagne region pre-
ceding and during the period of the
Meuse-Argonne Offensive.

HOURS

The cemetery is open daily to the
public between the hours of 9:00

a.m. and 5:00 p.m. (The cemetery is
closed on January 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
questions and escort relatives to
grave and memorialization sites.

Aerial View of Cemetery


>a

FALE
a a ee Oe es en SO

Chapel Interior

Sikes Sa aa Se aa

Menuse- Argonne
American
Cemetery

and

Memorial

svar. s/ouyse gow

LOCATION

The Meuse-Argonne American
Cemetery is the largest American
military cemetery in Europe. It is
located just east of the village of
Romagne-sous-Montfaucon, Meuse,
France, approximately 26 miles/42
kilometers northwest of Verdun.

Verdun can be reached by train
from the Gare de V’Est in Paris in
approximately 342 hours. Taxicab
service is available at the station to
complete the trip to the cemetery.

Romagne-sous-Montfaucon can be
reached by automobile from Paris (152

miles/245 kilometers) via toll
Autoroute A-4 or highway N-3 to Ste-
Menehould, continuing on N-3 to
Clermont-en-Argonne which is 19
miles /31 kilometers south of the ceme-
tery, and continuing via Varennes.

Hotel accommodations are available
in Verdun and Dun-sur-Meuse.

The cemetery and the American
monument at Montfaucon, Meuse,
France, about seven miles/11 kilom-
eters south of the cemetery, are in-
cluded in most battlefield tours
commencing in Verdun.

Cemetery Entrance


FARM; 2D DIVISION, OCTOBER 2-
OCTOBER 9, 1918, BLANC MONT,
MEDEAH FARM, ST. ETIENNE-A-ARNES,
ESSEN TRENCH; 42D DIVISION, JULY 15-
JULY 17, 1918, AUBERIVE-SUR-SUIPPES,
ST. HILAIRE-LE-GRAND, SOUAIN, SPAN-
DAU WOOD.

The dedicatory inscription is
carved in both English and French
below the eagle on the front face of
the monument:

ERECTED BY THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA TO COMMEMORATE THE
ACHIEVEMENTS OF HER SOLDIERS AND
THOSE OF FRANCE WHO FOUGHT IN THIS
REGION DURING THE WORLD WAR.
Inside the tower, on a stone panel
visible through the bronze grille of
the door, is a brief description of the
American operations in this vicinity:

IN EARLY JULY 1918 THE 42D AMERICAN
DIVISION ENTERED THE BATTLE LINES
WITH THE 13TH AND 170TH FRENCH
DIVISIONS NEAR SOUAIN. THERE IT GAL-
LANTLY ASSISTED IN REPELLING THE
LAST GERMAN MAJOR OFFENSIVE OF THE
WAR.

WHEN THE ALLIES BEGAN THEIR
GREAT CONVERGENT OFFENSIVE IN
LATE SEPTEMBER, THE 2D AND 36TH
AMERICAN DIVISIONS WERE ASSIGNED

24

TO THE FRENCH FOURTH ARMY. ON
OCTOBER 3 THE 2D DIVISION, SUP-
PORTED ON THE LEFT BY THE 21ST
FRENCH DIVISION AND ON THE RIGHT BY
THE 167TH, IN A BRILLIANT OPERATION
CAPTURED BLANC MONT RIDGE ON
WHICH THIS MONUMENT STANDS. THE
36TH DIVISION RELIEVED THE 2D ON OC-
TOBER 10 AND CONTINUED THE AD-
VANCE NORTHWARD AS FAR AS THE
AISNE RIVER.

THREE INFANTRY REGIMENTS OF THE
93D AMERICAN DIVISION, SERVING WITH
THE 157TH AND 161ST FRENCH DIVI-
SIONS, ENGAGED IN INTERMITTENT
FIGHTING DURING SEPTEMBER AND
OCTOBER TAKING PART IN THE CAPTURE
OF RIPONT, SECHAULT AND TRIERES
FARM.

A flight of steps leads to an obser-
vation platform at the top of the struc-
ture where a fine view of the sur-
rounding countryside is available
and where directional arrows point
out prominent terrain features. The
monument is open between the
hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
weekdays. From July 1 through
September 15, the monument is
also open on weekends. (It is
closed on December 25 and
January 1.)

St. Mihiel American Cemetery, Thiaucourt, France

AMERICAN MEMORIALS
and
OVERSEAS MILITARY
CEMETERIES

The AMERICAN BATTLE MONUMENTS
ComMISSION was created by act of
Congress in March 1923 to erect and
maintain memorials in the United
States and foreign countries where
the United States Armed Forces have
served since 6 April 1917, and to con-
trol as to design and provide regula-
tions for the erection of monuments,

markers and memorials in foreign
countries by other United States citi-
zens and organizations, public or
private. It was later given responsi-

ility for establishing or taking over
from the Armed Forces permanent
burial grounds in foreign countries
and designing, constructing, operat-
ing and maintaining permanent

25


C

7 a van

aT
set
ee

Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial, Cambridge, England

unfortunately had all too often been
found to be poorly designed, poorly
constructed and lacking provision
for maintenance) was expressly for-
bidden by the military services. The
ermanent graphic record takes the
‘orm of military maps, usually large
murals, amplified by descriptive
texts in Engish as well as in the lan-
guage of the country in which the
cemetery is located. The historical
data for these maps were prepared
by the American Battle Monuments
Commission. The maps themselves
were rendered by experienced art-
ists in tasteful presentation using
various media: layered marbles,
fresco, bronze relief, mosaic con-
crete or ceramics. Another feature of
interest at each memorial is the two
sets of “key-maps”: “The War
Against Germany” and “The War
Against Japan.” Each set consists of
three maps, each covering about
one-third of the period of our par-
ticipation in the war. By these key-

30

maps any major battle may be re-
lated to the others in time and space.

With each architect, an American
landscape architect, an American
sculptor and an American muralist
or painter usually collaborated.
Their combined talents produced
the beauty and dignity of the memo-
rials, all of which are dedicated to
the memory of the achievements of
those who ‘served and of the sacri-
fices of those who died. The con-
struction of the cemeteries and me-
morials and the execution of most of
the works of art, were performed by
local contractors and artists under the
supervision of the Commission.

At each cemetery there is a visitors’
building or room, with comfortable
furnishings. Here visitors may learn
the grave locations (or inscriptions of
the Missing) at any of the overseas
cemeteries.

Each grave in the overseas ceme-
teries is marked by a headstone of
white marble — a Star of David for

Brittany American Cemetery, St. James, Manche, France

those of Jewish faith, a Latin cross
for others. Each headstone bears the
deceased’s name, rank, service, or-
ganization, date of death and state
or territory from which he entered
the military service.

In the World War I cemeteries,
headstones of the Unknowns, i.e.,
those remains which could not be
identified, bear the inscription:

HERE RESTS IN HONORED GLORY AN
AMERICAN SOLDIER KNOWN BUT TO
GOD.

In the World War II cemeteries, the
inscription reads:

HERE RESTS IN HONORED GLORY A COM-
RADE IN ARMS KNOWN BUT TO GOD.

Tablets of the Missing (which also
include the names of those whose
remains could not be identified and
those lost or buried at sea) give name,
rank, organization and state; the cir-
cumstances under which death
occurred often precluded the possibil-
ity of determining the exact date.

These cemeteries are open every
day of the year. Photography is
permitted without special authori-
zation, except when it is to be used
for commercial purposes — in such
cases, permission must be obtained
from the Commission.

Unlike National cemeteries under
jurisdiction of the Department of Vet-
erans’ Affairs, there can be no fur-
ther burials in the American military
cemeteries overseas except of those
remains which may, in the future, be
found on the battlefields. Essentially,
these graves with their memorials
constitute inviolable shrines.

In addition to the eight World War I
cemeteries, the fourteen World War II
cemeteries, eleven World War I
monuments and two tablets, and
the two World War II markers (Casa-
blanca, Morocco and Papua, New
Guinea), the American Battle Monu-
ments Commission’s program of
commemoration includes the follow-

ing:

31