The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1934-11-02


enth divisions took part In the battles
which ragged In the vicinity. OF the
100000 Americans participating IN
these operations. $4,000 became casu
| alties.
Therefore, on historic Hill 204, rising
just west Of Chateau-Thierry, has beer
constructed an imposing memorial
with twin rows Of majestic columns
| The site Of the monument commands
a sweeping view of the Marine valley
In an area rich In fields Of grain, sugar
beets, and vineyards, flecked with
quaint towns and quiet villages, criss
crossed by little streams.
Here devastation stalked with the
progress Of battle. Every town was 6
target for artillery. Farms were fur
rowed with myriads Of trenches and
subterranean shelters, subsoil was
turned up over formerly fertile land
fields were implanted with barbed wire
and sown with shell fragments.
Today most Of the towns are re
stored, the refuse of the battlefield
has been cleared away, and the coun
tryside is as peaceful as 1t was wher
the famous native son of Chateau
Thierry, Jean de La Fontaine, accord
ing to tradition sat under shade tree
on this very hill, now called "204," and
wrote many Of his immortal fables.
Two Great Cemeteries.
There would be little in this vicinity
in years to come to remind American
pilgrims of the heroic deeds of their
countrymen who fought in the Aisne
Marine region were it not for the mon.
ument and the two American military
cemeteries.
One is located on the northern side
of the hill on which stands the famous
Belleau Wood. The other is near Fere
en-Tardenois, just north of the Ourco
river. The Oise-Aisne. near Fere, Is
the second largest of the American
cemeteries abroad, with 6,012 battle
dead resting within it's confines.
The first operation Of complete
American army as an independent unit
in the World war was the attack of
OCpICuuDSl IL; 1910, III LuC 81. A1lllltl
region, which lies southeast Of Verdun
between the Mouse and Moselle rivers
German attacks early in the war
had driven a wedge between Verdun
on the Mouse and Pont-a-M ousson on
the Moselle. The apex of the wedge
included st. Mihiel. about 20 miles
south of Verdun. This sector, occupied
by the Germans for about four years
was the st. Mihiel salient.
A study of a map will show how
geography generally determines the
strategy of war as well as the com.
merce of peace time. The environing
hills to the east and west dictated that
the main attack should be delivered
northward. The First, Second, Fourth
Fifth, Twenty-sixth, Forty-second, Sew
enty-eighth, Eighty-second, Eighty.
ninth and Ninetieth divisions took part
in the offensive, in which approximate
ly $4,000 Americans were engaged.
The American Second army was or.
ganized in this region a month after.
ward, in October, 1918, and later the
Seventh, Twenty-eighth, Thirty-third
and Ninety-second divisions undertook
a general attack In the direction OF
Metz. The signing Of the Armistice
halted that battle.
Memorial on Montsec.
These operations, and the services OF
American units in the quiet sectors to
the southeast and in the Vosges noun,
tains, are commemorated by an impos-
ing memorial on the isolated hill, Mont,
sec, located a few miles east of st
Mihiel and lying close to the southern
face Of the salient, in the area liberat-
ed by the American offensive of Sep,
TENDER II.
For miles around 1t dominates the
landscape, yet when one passes be.
tween the pylons and mounts the steps
leading to. the topmost flight of the
approach, the majesty and impressive
ness of the monument assume even
more surprising proportions.
Girdling the structure above the
mighty columns is frieze, which In
cludes the names of some of the places
where Americans had intense fighting
The central feature within the circle
of columns is large bronze relief map
of the triangular-shaped st. Mihiel re
gion, and on its borders are small key
maps in colored porcelains, with dec
orative motifs into which have been
worked the insignia of the larger units
of the American army.
The American and French units
which took part in these important of.
fensive operations are listed on the
attic wall.
At Thiaucourt, is the third largest OF
the American military cemeteries with
4,152 headstones. The graves lie I'm 9
large rectangular area, cut by tree-bor
dered walks and beds of flowers. Al
one end stands a cross-shaped monu
ment, on the front Of which is a com
Polling statue depicting the typical
youthful American soldier, with trench
helmet In hand and side arms and can
teen slung on his waist and shoulder.
At the north end, beyond the eagle
shaped central sundial of stone. stands
| the chapel, an open, circular colon
made, or peristyle, fianked by a chape
room and museum. The chapel int
rior contains richly colored mosaics
which include. above the carved altar
the Angel Of Victory.