Transcripts For CSPAN3 American Artifacts U.S. In France Chateau-Thierry Belleau Wood 20240711

Had reached the marne river and was less than 40 miles from paris. Pershing moved the second and third u. S. Divisions in the are into the area around chateauthierry to help stem this onslaught. Both divisions responded with spectacular spirit and success. The Third Division, in its battle for the marne crossing, wrote one of the most brilliant pages of our military annals, said general pershing. One of its legends, the 38th infantry, earned the proud designation rock of the marne. The Second Division, holding the road between chateauthierry and paris, began pushing the germans back. U. S. Marines, fighting with the Second Division, reclaimed important ground in a fierce contest known as the battle of belleau woods. American history tv visited key monuments, battlefields, and cemeteries in northeastern france with historian mitchell yockelson. To begin the story, we visit the chateauthierry monument, about 60 miles from paris, to learn why u. S. Forces were in the region and how they helped the french. Mitchell directly behind me is the chateauthierry monument. We are on top of hill 204. 204 means that the hill is 204 meters high. The significance of the monuments is to honor the troops american troops that fought in the aisnemarne sector. Aisne is one of the rivers, marne the other. There was significant engagement between the two rivers from the end of may through the middle of july of 1918. The chateautierney monument is being restored in honor of the world war i centennial taking place for the american contribution from 2017 and 2018. On the opposite side of the monument from where i am standing are statues of two women, one american, one french, who are Holding Hands in honor of their sons, brothers, uncles, and fathers who risked their lives here in the aisnemarne, particularly the chateauthierry. The monument was dedicated in 1937. Mitchell its one of three significant american monuments on the western front thats established by the American Battle Monuments Commission and remains under their guidance. The monument itself lists some of the villages that the americans liberated. Below that are the divisions, 10 of them, plus two corps, the first and the third, that were actively engaged in this area. That includes belleau woods and chateauthierry. The city of chateauthierry, who had been largely untouched during the war, including the september 14, 1914 first battle of the marnes, that would change on may 31, 1918, when german troops broke through the french lines, penetrated past in hopes of crossing the river at chateauthierry and heading directly to paris. The french were in a panic and concerned they did not have enough troops to block the germans. So, they contacted general pershing and asked for his help. Pershing, at this point, had been fighting desperately to keep the americans as an independent unit, hoping to form his own independent first army at some point by the end of the summer. But he recognized the perilous situation, and he offered the french two divisions that were in the Training Area not far off from paris. One was the Second Division, the other was the Third Division. An american division, at that time, was a little more than 27,000 officers and men. That was twice the size of even the french and German Forces and the british forces. The Second Division headed in the direction of belleau wood, while the Third Division headed directly to chateauthierry. Leaving first on may 30, was the seventh motorized unit. They left the area around france, heading on highways that were packed with civilians, who knew the germans were in the vicinity and threatening paris. The roads were clogged. It was difficult for those troops get to the chateauthierry area. Further troubling their efforts were the fact that they were driving ford trucks and vans, not the detroit, michigan, variety, but ones that had been made in england, of lesser quality parts. They were described as flimsy, with having horrible tires, that along the trip, which took 22 hours to reach a nearby area here, the tires would often go flat. And the troops would have to stop and change the tires. But eventually, they made it. And the seventh machine gun was shipped along the riverbank of the marne at chateauthierry, where they helped the french, including colonial senegalese troops, prevent the germans from crossing. The american monument on hill 204 can be seen from the city of chateauthierry in the marne river valley. We moved our camera into the city near the river to continue the story. Mitchell directly behind me is a monument in tribute to the Third Division. Not only for the first world war, where they helped stopped the germans from crossing the marne, but the Third Division also penetrated this area during the Second World War after the normandy invasion and kept the germans from penetrating further into the marne area. The grateful french placed this monument and keep it well protected in memory of the americans who were in this area in both world wars. There were two bridges that crossed over chateauthierry. Really the only crossing points within five miles to get across the marne. The germans had sent some troops. They had fought the americans handtohand here in the town. But the seventh machine gun battalion was able to get across the river on the south side, opposite from where i am standing, and block further penetration from the germans. The germans did make it into the north part of chateauthierry, where they were engaged by the americans and the french. Meanwhile, the french had placed detonations underneath the two bridges, and blew them up, one on june 1, the other on june 3, preventing the germans from going any further. The americans were able to hold the germans back from further penetration. And after the battle, the Third Division earned the welldeserved moniker of the rock of the marne. Our next stop with Mitch Yockelson is about six miles from the town of chateauthierry. The forest is on a hill above the aisnemarne cemetery. Mitchell we are standing right in the heart of belleau wood, renamed after the battle which ended on june 26, 1918. The battle itself is iconic in marine corps history. There is no other world war i battlefield for the americans that is set up like a National Park service battlefield in the United States. In 1955, felix de weldon dedicated this monument that he designed. Its the archetype of a marine, hes looking tough with his shirt off. There were two regiments of marines that fought in this area, the fifth and sixth marines. They were part of the second u. S. Division. It was an army division. The marines probably had more experience than the army at the time of world war i. Marines had been deployed around the world, in the caribbean. But general pershing, the commander of the American Expeditionary forces, didnt want the marines to be part of the a. E. F. Oftook heavy lobbying congress with help from the secretary of the navy, the commandant of the marine corps, finally pershing acquiesced and allowed two regiments, the fifth and sixth marines became part of the division. They would make a stand here at and suffer heavily over a month of fighting. During that period, they lost almost 10,000, wounded and killed. About 1800 of those marines were killed. Lets take a look at some of the areas that show how those marines fought during the period of june 5 through june 26, 1918. Now, we are heading toward one of the three isolated germany artillery pieces. The one that im approaching is an 1896 model field gun, that could fire everything from high shrapnel, shrapnel, and gas. These guns are what wreaked havoc on the american and french troops who were trying to break through the woods. You see these field guns, which were really the workhorse of the german army, throughout the western front. And the germans were masters of the defense. They used these when they were attacked, when the allies took the offensive towards them, and caused significant casualties. What we have here is the workhorse of the french army. And the americans, for that matter, because this is a 75millimeter artillery piece. This gun, and many others like it, were used throughout the western front by the french. It had been used as early as the 1870s, and it was a valuable piece of machinery for the americans. It should be known that the americans didnt have their own artillery but relied on the french to provide artillery pieces in this part of the western front, not only the 75, but the 105, and 110. Artillery was used heavily during the battle of belleau wood, fired deep into the woods, which forced the germans to scatter from their trench entrenched position, and allowed an opening, which the fifth and sixth marines took advantage of. The marines launch an offensive attack toward belleau wood, and the americans are forced to go across hedges and heavy rows of wheat, which is now in full bloom in june. It will take another two weeks before the americans are able to penetrate to the south into the woods. Finally on june 24, a major thrust takes the marines through the woods handtohand fighting. On june 25, the marines have penetrated deep into the woods. But the germans havent fully retreated. Finally, by that evening and into the next day, the 26th, the marines have full control of the woods. Word was sent to the commander, and the marines now have been victorious. By the 26th, the marines have captured belleau wood and have prevented the germans from going any further in their offensive toward paris. The field pieces we see here, and the other markers throughout the woods, were placed in honor of the marines. This was, again, their iconic battle. Certainly, before world war ii, when you know the marines fighting in the pacific, the battle of belleau wood stood as the main marine corps battle for heroism. And this was basically designed as a park to honor the marines who fought in this area. Standing behind me is one of the icons of the belleau wood battle. You will see this structure in many photographs, paintings, and other depictions of this landmark battle for the marines. It was an actual private hunting preserve, owned by the count and countess of belleau. They would come out here from paris, hunt wild boar and other animals. As you can see, the structure was heavily damaged. It had been occupied by the germans and used as an observation post. And then, american and french artillery had shattered it to where it was no longer usable by the belleau family after the war. Here you are looking at an artillery shell hole, that had been fired either by the americans or the french, most likely using the 75 millimeter. To my right is a deep crevice, which is a german trench, which they constructed in late may when they started occupying belleau wood. It was through these trenches , where the germans were welldefended, that the americans and the french had to fire the artillery and eventually move forward with the machine gun, rifles, and handtohand fighting to drive them deep from within the woods. Along this path, besides where the trench lines are and the artillery shells, the Marine Corps Historical Division had placed markers. The markers show the advance of the fifth and sixth marine regiment during the course of the battle to honor the sacrifices made during the almost monthlong battle in june of 1918. We are heading through the Second Division line on the battlefield. And you can see how steep the hills are, and how the troops of the Second Division, including two regiments of marines, had to fight their way up this hill, while being raked by german machine gun fire. Of course, these trees that are here now would not have been here at the time. They would have all any foliage would have been completely decimated. This marker commemorates the capture of belleau wood on june 26, 1918. Finally, it was in american hands. The Second Division insignia was a star seen throughout the western front. This marker was put up to show that it was the Second Division that reached this part of the line. Im standing in one of the abandoned german trenches, that had been raked by artillery fire. From june 26th, when belleau wood was firmly in american hands, the Second Division troops stayed in this area and were able to have a line of sight across the valley to the le brusses farm, which was occupied by the germans. The americans used this to observe the German Movement across the valley from the farm, as they started to attack chateauthierry where they had been driven from in june. But by july 18, 1918, the americans had driven them once again from chateauthierry, and chateauthierry is once again back in american and french hands. [video clip] narrator the alliance pressed the counterattack forward, and by the end of july, the force was removed. The tide had now turned. The initiative had passed to allied hands, where it would remain. Narrator eight u. S. Divisions have participated in the successful counteroffensive, and their performance had met their commanders expectations and exceeded all others. Bravo the young americans, a british newspaper trumpeted, and a french dispatch provided their across the world. The doughboy had proved his ability as a fighter, and it was obvious to all that the increasing American Forces were to be a decisive factor in the war. Mitchell as we head down the hill, we will see the aisnemarne cemetery, which includes many of the more than 1800 marines that were killed during the battle. Meanwhile, there was a temporary cemetery up on this ridge, and you can see what the cemetery looked like from this faded photograph. There were wooden crosses, that were marked by dogtags. Each soldier in world war i, the first time dogtags were used, they were provided two of them. They were around their necks on a lanyard. And when a soldier was killed and buried, one of the dog tags was kept around his neck, the other was nailed to the wooden cross for later identification. But as we will learn, when we get to the cemetery, and especially as we go into the chapel, there are more than 1100 names of soldiers and marines who fought, not just that belleau wood, but chateauthierry and other areas around the marne, are missing. We know who these individuals were, we know their units, but we dont know what happened to them. We can only assume that they were killed and either buried in isolated graves that werent found, or because of the heavy artillery shelling, they were buried and never seen again. The remnants of belleau wood battlefield are on a hill above the aisnemarne cemetery, the final resting place of more than almost 2300 americans who died in this region in 1918 and 1919. Mitchell yockelson visited the cemetery to talk with shane williams, a u. S. Air force trend employed by the American Battle theeteran employed by American Battle Monuments Commission. Shane i think its important for american visitors to realize this is their taxpayer dollars at work overseas, to tell the story of what took place here, with the memory of the fallen. Having said that, this is but 40 . The headstones you see here are approximately 40 of those lives lost in this geographic region. All world war i. Were at a world war i site here. Again, it is not just the battle of belleau wood. I think what people are surprised to understand here at the aisnemarne cemetery. Yes, we are on the battlefield where primarily u. S. Marine corps took over three weeks of very bloody combat in june of 1918. But in fact, they were relieved by u. S. Army troops who continued the fight. Many of whom fell in the field to my left here. A beautiful countryside, as it was in 1918. You have a lot of stories here of u. S. Marine corps, u. S. Army. We have our navy medal of honor recipients buried just behind the camera here. So many stories to tell. We are just trying to find ways to make that connection with the visitor, who has a limited time at these sites. The 204 how about memorial . Is that under your direction as well . Shane yes. We manage out of the cemetery office, about 200 acres approximately. And then, yes, hill 204. We usually call it the chateauthierry american on hill, but it is a 204 meters high. 204, it is a frenchamerican monument the way it commemorates, built and maintained by the American Battle Monuments Commission. But if you take a detailed look at the villages, the names of the villages inscribed on the monument, and also why it was built, it is commemorating the french and american soldiers who fought and died sidebyside in world war i. It is kind of an interesting way to show this francoAmerican History and shared linkages. Mitchell you mentioned being on the belleau wood valve the field battlefield, some of it is marked, which is kind of unique for an American Battlefield in france. We are used to this in the United States through National Park Service Sites like gettysburg and antietam. Can you talk about why the battlefield is marked and why it is important for people to walk through it . Shane we are always try to find a way where we can walk in history, essentially, going back literally in the same footsteps, the marines where they came through the field on june 6 of 1918 to take a relatively small sector here, but at heavy cost. I have always found, when i go back stateside, to National Parks, getting in touch with something that is physical, walking in the footsteps of history, that is why i was pleased that in the very early 1920s, american visitors actually found value in preserving that site. If not for those american visitors who came over on these war tourism tours, perhaps that battlefield would not be as preserved as it is today. That is another sidebar history that had nothing to do with the Battle Monuments Commission at the beginning, but it was deeded to abmc to maintain, that wasnt done until the 1930s. The belleau wood memorial association, thank you to those who have since passed on, who fund raised and came over here with american money to purchase those woods to preserve it. Mitchell was that deeded . Shane it was deeded, yes, over from thecemeteries, French Ministry over to america for maintenance and perpetuity. Mitchell the ground we are standing on, which is the cemetery, how many gravesites are there . Shane here, honored over 3000 men. But there are 2289 burials and 1060 missing in action. Their names are inscribed in the memorial chapel. Mitchell so they could very well be buried in one of these unmarked plots. Shane in fact, we have 251 unknown soldiers, sailors, airmen marines that are buried , here, so about 10 of the burials are unknowns. Their names are very likely on the wall here, but they could be on another wall or tablet of the missing in one of the american cemeteries as well. Mitchell i have seen in other ceremonies cemeteries that some of those unknowns have actually been recovered, is that the case here . Shane there are a total of seven of the 1060 found and identified since the chapel was completed in 1930. For those listening out there who go to an overseas american cemetery, if you go to the tablet or wall of the missing at any of the abmc sites, and you see a bronze, small bronze rosette next to the name, that means that man or woman was found and identified. That doesnt mean they were buried at the site, but they were buried somewhere. Mitchell how does this differ from a National Cemetery such as arlington . Shane there are shared challenges when it comes to maintenance and the way we want to make connections with the visitor. A lot of shared ideas and exchange that way. One of the differences, all of the men and women who were honored and buried in the overseas sites, they fell while serving their country overseas. They are not specifically war cemeteries, because we have many men and women who have died of illness, or accidents, perhaps. That is the difference. Back in the states at the arlington or the National Cemeteries that the veteran affairs manages, they do some great work, but those are in fact eligible for spouses or dependents of the veterans. Mitchell was this particular plot of land a temporary cemetery . Shane yes, we are kind of, sort of, on the site of one of the temporary cemeteries. Here, just behind the camera, again, and hopefully we will get a shot of that, was a temporary cemetery of 1764. There were over 2000 burial sites temporary cemeteries postworld war i, everything from an isolated burial to a temporary cemetery like in 1764. There is a lot of history there with the greats registration and labor battalions building these sites out. And of course, the repatriation of about 60 of america war dead from world war i back to the states at requests of the family. At the government expense, but families were ultimately given a choice whether to accept their loved ones remains back for final burial back in a private cemetery or National Military cemetery, or to keep them serving like those here. Mitchell the burials, the temporary, was that right at the time of the battle . Or did they wait . Shane they would have been buried off the battlefield, isolated burials. They would attempt to bury the war dead, fallen, at a temporary cemetery if they could. That wasnt always possible. Sometimes, they would not have been found until after the battle was finished, or sometimes even postwar. A lot of interesting history, which is why, just building the sites out, they almost didnt exist at the end of the day. There was a big push to bring all of the fallen home. And for multiple reasons, it was ultimately not the case. The families were given a choice, and that is what you see here today. This site could have easily been twice the size or perhaps never existed. Mitchell when was the cemetery dedicated . Shane the cemetery wasnt dedicated until 1937. There are a few reasons for that. They had to figure out how do they repatriate all of these war dead. This was done in the early 1920s. They needed to have within a few hundred, a final number how many burials there would be at a permanent site. We had to find architects, landscape architects, and put plans together. A lot of thought went into how the cemetery site would be set up. As an example, this is one of nine world war i cemeteries. Its the only one, i believe, that actually has curvature in the plot. So each of the rows are actually curved. A lot of thought went into it. The types of trees. Thats why 1937, the site was more or less completed by the mid1920s. Then they built the building and the chapel. 1937 is because of this big American Legion delegation that came over. That helped as well, especially at the hill 204 monument. Mitchell do you know if general pershing came to the dedication . Shane he came to both. General pershing came to the dedication here at the cemetery and also at the monument at hill 204. This is particularly interesting to americans, because here, the first and the final advance of the enemy toward paris, made in may 1918, was stopped by the second and third american division. The second at belleau wood, and the third at chateauthierry. Mitchell belleau wood and the aisnemarne campaign are significant for world war i and american participation. How did the individual divisions or regiments commemorate that continuing today . Shane individually, even the regimental side, they decided a different way to commemorate as far as building monuments or putting plaques in different places, that can trace the path of where they advanced. Perhaps even where they trained before combat. A couple of examples would be the Second Division boulders. There are just over 30 throughout france that you can trace for the Second Division. The marines were half. I guess, in another way, you can trace their footsteps through france at different times, a couple of the battles surrounding belleau wood. On the flipside, the unit that relieved the marines after the battle of belleau wood, the 26th but one monument. That was the church bell of belleau. So, postwar, they helped fund raise and rebuild the new Church Location outside the gate of the cemetery. There is not just the cemeteries to discover in these areas, there are other sites of commemoration and memory that americans 100 years from now built. I have the key to the Village Church or i can point you in the direction of Second Division boulders. Whatever you find of interest. There is a lot of history here. Mitchell why dont you show us some of the grave markers you are more familiar with . Shane i found this story thanks to a family visitor. I just happen to be working. It was the 11th of april. I remember it. 2016. About a year and a half ago. Just over here if i had walked , by his headstone on the 10th day before the visit we are going to talk of, i would have been able to tell you he was a member of the 102nd machine gun battalion, 26th division, the Yankee Division. Thats the unit that relieved the marines here in belleau wood. From the state of vermont. He died on the 20th of july 1918. I couldnt have told you much more than that. But i can tell you a lot more and show you a photo of him now, thanks to the family visit. I happened to be here working, it was a weekend. Two ladies and a man came up through the gate. From the state of ohio. And, in fact they came packing his story. She was the great niece and the great great niece, her daughter. What was interesting is they had kept his letters, diary, photos in the family. They made highquality copies across and kept his story alive. And if not for that family also sharing with me, perhaps his story would be lost. Again, the family that is an important connection that now i get to tell his story, a little bit about what he was thinking, feeling, what he was doing. We can always guess what a young soldier, a Young Private from vermont, he had just celebrated his 20th birthday on the fifth of june, 1918. He lived only to be 20 years old. We can guess what you guys were thinking, thinking about going home. How miserable they werent have to see this through. Even if they agree that yes, this is something we have to fight for, a common cause with our french allies. Now i can tell you all of those things were true. And he could not wait to get home. He kept talking about i hope this is the final birthday i ever have to celebrate away from home. As it were he never got to use that return ticket. That return ticket that he was provided. He never lived to see past day three of combat in the area. And i use his story as an example because he could have a similar story with a guy who is buried on his left or right. But i just dont know. But i can tell you with his letters, with his words, i can that red piled farm, he would have fallen somewhere right up there. Just a 10 to 15 minute walk. We can walk right in the area and be in the area where he was killed. Mitchell and after and that was after the battle of belleau wood. Shane exactly. He was one of those u. S. Doughboys, not a marine, but a doughboy who knew belleau wood as well. He would have relieved the marines here in early july. Had a couple of weeks to prepare defenses. And then on the 18th of july, off they went on the big aisnemarne offensive. To cave in the whole salient the germans had taken over. Ultimately successful. But he was one of many that fell in that area. Mitchell it is important to bring that up, because many people who know something about belleau wood think that the battle completely ended on june 26, but in reality the fighting continues on through july. Shane im careful to remind people, the marines that died had a heavy casualty rate compared to the size of their brigade. On the left french were dying, on the right the u. S. Army, all at the same time. We keep maligned the battle of belleau wood. It was an important battle, a pitched battle. On the right, the third grade u. S. Army were fighting to take other villages just to the right. They could literally see each other, and there was some mixing between the lines. I try to be fair and balanced. Its an important story to tell. But its one of many stories here in the area. Especially when i get a group of marines, especially Young Marines to come over. They make me feel old. Im pushing 40 and some of these 19, 20d gals, they are years old they are serving their , country. I try to tell a story that i think really fits may be where they are in their military career. He is buried over this way. His name is walter cornell. Lets call him cornell, in fact. He was a member of the sixth regiment. He was killed day two of the battle here in belleau wood. Thats not really, for me, the interesting part of the story, thats the factual side of it. What was interesting is that gunnar cornell, all of the Young Marines in his company look to him for leadership. Was marines at that point an all volunteer force. Most had never seen combat before. Not this guy. This guy had been around the world literally fighting under the flag. He had been in china, he had been all over the place. All of these little islands. In the marine corps before 1917. They were doing security, base side all of that. , walter cornells story to me, or gunnar cornell, as he was known to the Young Marines, his story for me is that he showed leadership in the first few days of combat when the Young Marines were looking to somebody for direction. Looking for leadership. What it comes down to is he was a marine sniper. Longrange rifle fire, very effective. He would come in every night. With more notches on the stock of his rifle. He had actually been injured relatively severely on the sixth , of june. He was shot in the side of his ear, but he refused more than just the basic medical attention and went out on the morning of the seventh of june and a leader they laid a box barrage around him. They essentially bombarded his position. They never found out exactly how they died. Up to that point of his death, he was looked to for leadership. Many Young Marines said if they cant get cornell, they cant get us. He was awarded the distinguished Service Cross and the navy cross. He is one of the more awarded here in the cemetery. But again, he did not last too long in france. Just a couple of days in combat in france. I talk a lot about new englanders because of the 26th division, the Yankee Division the new England National guard. , also to remind people it was not just the u. S. Marine corps fighting in this area. Having said that, sometimes there were marines that came from massachusetts. He was a new englander, a marine Second Lieutenant thomas ashley, young guy in his mid20s. He was killed early in the battle on hill 142. He was a member of the fifth regiment marines. That was the regiment that took essentially the northern part of the battlefield of belleau wood, essentially the half managed by the abmc, that was primarily the fifth regiment. He would never have seen belleau wood. At least not close up, because he didnt live long enough to get there. He was killed taking out one of the german machine guns on hill 142. Again, it is not just belleau wood. For the marine corps, the marine farm. Ought at lemaire he didnt live too long in combat. Mitchell the gold star mothers pilgrimage, do you know when they came here to the cemetery . It was before the cemetery was dedicated . Shane the goldstar pilgrimages, another great part of American History thats largely lost. It doesnt get all of the play i think it deserves. The u. S. Government gave the families of the fallen the choices we talked about to bring their loved ones remains home. For those who chose not to bring them home, but keep them overseas, they were given a choice to come over in the 1930s to visit their loved ones headstones and visit the battlefield. They did some other things. They would visit the arc de triomphe in paris. They did some Shopping Trips and other things that were nonworld war i and nonwar related. That was over four different summers, 1930 through 1933. I dont know how many ultimately came to this site. I hope i have my numbers right 6933. I think best the number. Just under 7000 total women came i think that is the number. Just under 7000 total women came over on the trip. Men were not eligible. It was often called the goldstar mother pilgrimages. It was the goldstar pilgrimage, because it was mothers who lost their sons. Sometimes widows as well. Most of these guys did not get a chance to marry. But if they had a widow, the widow would be the one ultimately the superintendent at that point would have welcomed them in. If memory serves me, it was an approximately a threeweek voyage from door to door. With nicee liner tablecloth and all of that. But it took a long time to get , here, thats where the three weeks werent really three weeks in the country. They were careful to separate the groups out a couple of different ways. We will talk about that. This would be an aisnemarne group. Always done in the summer months. This would be a group for the end of the year. You have a longer season and hopefully better weather. They would have a military escort, a u. S. Army escort to make them as comfortable as possible. Interestingly, these are desegregated integrated sites. There are black soldiers buried next to white soldiers, buried next to officers, all states, many of them firstgeneration immigrants and all that. My point in saying that is there were goldstar groups of africanamerican women. They were still segregated during their pilgrimages as well. Its an interesting part of a history that needs to be told. They were still provided the ability to come over, but they were still segregated at that point. Sometimes i might talk about i might show during a guided visit, a photo of the mother coming to the headstone of her son, i know next to nothing of her son come except what is on the headstone. I know next to nothing about her except her name on the log. Its another way of making to make the connection that the information is out there. She came to this same exact site. Mitchell what ive learned is that many of your visitors are french citizens. Shane that string. Mitchell shane that is true. Mitchell what is it about the cemetery to them that brings them here . Shane there was always a connection between the french and americans going back to 1918 that i know of. We can always go back to 1776 as well. What interesting is the turnout of the local community. Very high, all the school to schoolchildren, all of the local officials that came out to honor the fallen, it hasnt changed. Last year we had over 3000 here. I know we are going to have more in 2018. Thats a link, we are talking 100 years on and we still have a great local Community Support. Shane i say with visitors when they walk through the gate here, a lot of people are struck by how beautiful it is and how wellmaintained it is. All of that is true, a lot of work goes into it, but theres a lot of history behind the scenes. We have multigenerational visitors and sometimes employees who work and maintain the sites. Often their father or grandfather worked here to maintain the sites. Theres a lot of different ways of making the connection but i can tell you the french have not forgotten what took place here to free them. Of course as i worked in many world war ii cemeteries in france and elsewhere, its pretty common to see a great local Community Support the sites. [bell tolling] this is American History tv history c with lectures, interviews, and discussions with authors and teachers. 48 hours all weekend every weekend only on cspan3