France 2022

  Armistice Day 11/11/2022 Posted on  November 22, 2022  by  Jerry Today is the 104th anniversary of Armistice Day. The day the war to end all wars ended. At the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, the Great War ends. At 5 a.m. that morning, Germany, bereft of manpower and supplies and faced with imminent invasion, signed an armistice agreement with the Allies in a railroad car outside Compiégne, France. The First World War left nine million soldiers dead and 21 million wounded, with Germany, Russia, Austria-Hungary, France, and Great Britain each losing nearly a million or more lives each. In addition, at least five million civilians died from disease, starvation, or exposure. Linda and I went to the Arc de Triompe to watch France celebrate the anniversary that marked the end of WW I. Very impressive, very somber. The French would stop us and thank us for what our country did in WW I. They will never forget. This not only happened in Paris, it also ...

  Belleau Wood 11/10/2022 Posted on  November 22, 2022  by  Jerry June 6, 1918, the Battle of Belleau Wood raged for three more weeks, during that time more Marines died than during all previous battles combined. This battle consisted of 2 U.S. Army divisions, 1 brigade of the U.S. Marines, French 6th army, and elements of the British IX Corps. They were up against 5 German divisions. This was the German Spring Offensive. The Germans had hoped to defeat the Allies before the U.S. could be fully engaged in the war. The Germans forced the French to retreat and the 5th Marines were called to plug the hole. The French urged the Marines to turn back and this is where Marine Captain Lloyd Williams uttered his famous retort, “Retreat? Hell, we just got here.” The Allies launched an attack on the German lines on June 6. At dawn, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines were to attack Hill 142, but only two companies were in position. The Marines advanced in waves with bayonets fixed acros...

  Meuse-Argonne 11/09/2022 Posted on  November 22, 2022  by  Jerry The Meuse-Argonne offensive was the largest in U.S. military history. It was also the deadliest battle in the history of the U.S. Army. This offensive lasted 47 days, from September 26 to Armistice Day on 11 November. It involved 1.2 million American soldiers and marines, resulting in 350,000 casualties, including 28,000 German lives, an unknown number of French deaths, and 26,277 American deaths. This sacrifice resulted in the end of the Great War. It is thought in many circles, that this war was a prelude to World War II. Steven Girard, our historian, walked us through the battle. We toured the central portion of the battlefield and stopped at the monument on top of Montfaucon. General John Pershing intended the American monument at Montfaucon be the most imposing WW I American monument in Europe. Afterwards, we visited the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery at Romagne. This is the largest American cem...

  The Start of the Battle of Verdun 11/08/2022 Posted on  November 22, 2022  by  Jerry We arrived in Verdun last night and checked into the Les Jardins du Mess hotel, our home for the next two nights. This 19th century structure was originally the officers’ mess for the French Army. It suffered severe damage during the Battle of Verdun. After the war it was rebuilt and repurposed. It is an elegant hotel, located on the Meuse River, in the heart of the center of Verdun. A nice place. We began the day by touring various sites where the Germans began their assault on Verdun. This battle was fought from February 21 to December 18, 1916. It was the longest battle of World War I. The French suffered between 379,000 and 400,00 casualties and the German casualties were between 336,000 and 355,000. The German strategy was to “bleed France white”. This was not to be the case. We visited the location where the first shots were fired on the French defenses, commanded by Lt. Col....

  Blanc Mont Battlefield 11/07/2022 Posted on  November 22, 2022  by  Jerry We arrived in Reims last night, but before we checked into our hotel, we stopped by the Notre-Dame de Reims Cathedral. The church was illuminated and was gorgeous. Reims saw its early beginnings around circa 80 BC. It became a major city in the Roman Empire. It is the home of the Mars Gate. This gate, dating back to the 3rd century, is the only remaining of four Roman gates that allowed entry into the city. Another feature of historical significance is the Notre-Dame Cathedral. There was a church built on this site around 250 to 300 AD. The current structure was built in the 13th century. Much has happened, not only to the city, but also to the church through the years. The city and the cathedral were seriously damaged in World War One. The church was used as a hospital for wounded French soldiers and later for wounded German soldiers. Reims was near the frontlines. From 1914 to 1918 the chur...

  Knights of the Air 11/06/2022 Posted on  November 8, 2022  by  Jerry As an Army Aviator, our first stop on our walk through history was special to me. I am proud to have served my country as an Army helicopter pilot in Vietnam. As an American combat pilot, I was excited about starting my WWI tour at the birthplace of American combat aviation. I felt a connection with our visit to the Lafayette Escadrille Memorial today. The Lafayette Escadrille Memorial Cemetery commemorates the birthplace of American combat aviation and serves as a symbol of the Franco-American comradeship during World War I. This site honors the American volunteer pilots who flew with French squadrons during the Great War. When the war erupted in Europe in 1914, the United States was neutral and did not enter the war for another 3 years. This did not keep a large number of Americans from volunteering their service to France. More than 200 Americans flew with the French squadrons during the war. I...

  Moving Day 11/05/2022 Posted on  November 7, 2022  by  Jerry It was time to check out of our Latin Quarter apartment and travel to the Mercure Hotel. We turned the keys over to the apartment at 10:00 AM and our taxi arrived at 10:05 AM. Our hotel is located in the shadows of the Eiffel Tower. After arriving at the hotel we stored our luggage then met with James White. James is our tour director and he will be taking care of us through November 13. We will be meeting with the rest of our group tonight at 6:00 for a wine reception. We would not be able to check in until 3:00, so we decided to explore Paris. We walked to the Arc de Triomphe located on the Avenue des  Champs-Elysées  and took the appropriate pictures. This is the most famous monument in Paris. Famous victory marches have walked through and around the Arch…. Germany 1871, France 1919, Germany 1940, and the United States in 1944. Let’s hope 1944 marked the last march of this nature. After stopp...

  A Sunny Day in Paris 11/04/2022 Posted on  November 5, 2022  by  Jerry What would you do on a beautiful day in Paris? Have an expresso on the sidewalk outside a French cafe and watch the Parisiens go by? Apparently that is the thing to do over here, however, I just don’t know how they could sit there for hours and drink one small cup of coffee… not much bigger than a large thimble. Or you could explore a couple of significant historical sites in Paris. Of course, Paris is history personified, and you are surrounded by significant sites. Today we will visit two… the Pantheon and the Luxembourg Palace and Gardens. The Pantheon was built between 1758 and 1790 as a church dedicated to Sainte Genevieve, the Patron Saint of Paris. However, a revolution came along and the church was repurposed to be a mausoleum for distinguished French citizens. The Pantheon was changed over to a church back and forth in the coming years. The French Third Republic finally decreed it to be...