Conclusion of the conflict: 1917-1918

1917 was a pivotal year in WW I.  Little movement along the Western Front occurred.  The French Army suffered a mutiny after suffering significant casualties with little gain in territory.  General Petain was put in charge of restoring morale to the French Army.

The United States entered the war on April 6, 1917.  America was not prepared for a war using the new technology of large calibre artillery and machine guns.  U.S. soldiers were fresh and full of enthusiasm but had little knowledge of trench warfare.  French Army veterans taught the new soldiers on trench warfare.

My last stop on my WW I tour was the large American Cemetery in the Meuse-Argonne region of France not far from Verdun.  The cemetery holds the remains of 14,246 American soldiers killed in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. The cemetery is located in the area where Sgt. Alvin York captured a large number of prisoners and earned the Medal of Honor.

You need a rental car to gain the most benefit from a visit  to the region.  The cemetery is open all days except for January 1 and December 25.  The grounds open at 9 a.m. and closes at 5 p.m.  The village is Romagne-sous-Montfaucon located north of Clermont en-Argonne.  Take road D946 and then D998 to the village.  Watch for signs directing you to the cemetery.  Here are some snapshots to consider:

Grave of Freddie Stowers

 Corporal Stowers, a black soldier, was killed in action on September 28, 1918.  It took 73 years for his family to receive the Medal of Honor from President George H.W. Bush.


Visitor Center at the Meuse-Argonne Cemetery

There is a guest book to sign and the staff can assist family in locating a grave.


Vast Expanse of the Cemetery

My rental car in the foreground.  I was the only visitor during my stay.

Picture from the tree lined road

Another reminder of the cost of war.  


This concludes my touring of WW I sites.  My tour only covered a limited number of sites.  There are many more locations to visit.  You can sign up for formal tours or strike out on your own.  Google WW I tours and see what comes up.  I will be starting my WW II touring after returning from a trip to a college reunion.