Entrance to the Aisne-Marne Cemetery

The American Battle Monuments Commission maintains cemeteries and monuments around the world. The Aisne-Marne Cemetery and Memorial is located at the base of Belleau Wood next to the village of Belleau. The ridge located behind the memorial chapel marks the scene of intense fighting between Marines of the 4th Brigade, 2nd Division of the American Expeditionary Force and the Germans in June and early July of 1918.

Aisne-Marne Cemetary

The Aisne-Marne Cemetery and Memorial is located at the base of Belleau Wood next to the village of Belleau. The ridge located behind the memorial chapel marks the scene of intense fighting between Marines of the 4th Brigade, 2nd Division of the American Expeditionary Force and the Germans in June and early July of 1918.

View from the ridge overlooking the Aisne-Marne Cemetery

The view from behind the chapel on the Belleau Wood ridge. This was the viewpoint for the units of the 4th Brigade of the 2nd Division of the AEF during the battle of Belleau Wood, with the Germans occupying the ground to their front and especially the hill seen in the background.

Aisne-Marne Cemetary as seen from the Memorial Chapel

The Aisne-Marne Cemetery and Memorial contains the graves of 2,289 war dead, the majority of whom fell in the Aisne-Marne campaign in June and July of 1918. The cemetery is maintained by the American Battle Monuments Commission and sits on 42.5 acres at the base of Belleau Wood, overlooking the village of Belleau.

Inside the Memorial Chapel

The interior of the memorial chapel at Aisne-Marne contains the names of 1,060 soldiers and marines who died in the Aisne-Marne campaign in the spring and summer of 1918.

Tower of the Memorial chapel at Aisne-Marne American Cemetery

The cemetery and memorial were damaged during World War II, as were many of the American monuments from World War I around Chateau Thierry and Meuse-Argonne. When repaired after the war, a single shell hole was left in the memorial chapel as a reminder.

Another view of the Memorial Chapel

The chapel and cemetery were dedicated in 1937. The cemetery is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. except Christmas and New Years Day. It is maintained by the ABMC and staff are present during open hours to assist visitors. Every Memorial Day weekend a ceremony is held at the cemetery attended by representatives of the US Marine Corps, French military, dignitaries, and members of the public. On 27 May 2018, the ceremony marked the 100th anniversary of the battle in 1918.

Marine Monument in Belleau Wood

The Battle of Belleau Wood began in late May 1918 when the 2nd Division of the American Expeditionary Force, operating under French command, moved to intercept German forces advancing toward Vaux and Belleau Wood. The 2nd Division consisting of two brigades, one made up of Marines, occupied the area in and around Belleau Wood. Fighting continued for over a month, with fierce fighting in and around the woods themselves. the woods were finally captured by the 2nd Division on 26 June, 1918.

The Marine Memorial sculpted by Felix de Weldon, the same sculptor responsible for the Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington Virginia, was dedicated in 1955 by the 20th Commandant of the Marine Corps, Lemuel C. Shepherd, Jr., who fought at Belleau Wood in World War I, across the Pacific during World War II, and led the Fleet Marine Force during the Korean War.

Belleau Wood, looking away from the cemetery

On the left are the remains of the “Hunters’ Lodge.” This area of the wood was the scene of intense fighting between Marines of the 4th Brigade, 2nd Division and the Germans. It was subject to heavy shelling including chemical weapons.

The remains of the Hunting Lodge, sight of fierce fighting in the final weeks of June 1918. During the battle the lodge served as a battalion headquarters for the Germans until captured by the Marines. Fighting raged around the structure in the final weeks of June, until it, and the last section of the hill and wood, were captured by the Marines on June 26th, 1918. Originally its second story survived and was used as an observation post during the war. It has since collapsed and the structure degraded. An original photo taken shortly after the battle can be seen at http://www.worldwar1.com/heritage/tg5.htm

2nd Division Stone - Belleau Wood

These simple markers for the 2nd Division, this one at Belleau Wood, can be found at sights across France where the Division fought in World War I. This marker is located in Belleau Wood on the ridge overlooking the present day cemetery and chapel.

The 2nd Division after securing the wood was relieved by the 26th “Yankee” Division, and as such this marker is the approximate limit of the 2nd Divisions advance at Belleau.

2nd Engineers Marker

Units of the 2nd Engineer Regiment, US Army, part of the 2nd Division, fought alongside Marine and Army forces in the Aisne Marne Campaign, including action in Belleau Wood. Soldiers of Company D of the 2nd Engineers received three Distinguished Service Crosses for actions on 2-3 June 1918 as the battle began. It was the beginning of a bloody month. During the battle, in order to make up for the heavy losses and plug holes in the line, the engineers were frequently used as infantry reinforcements and members of the engineers, in support of the Marines, fought throughout the struggle for Belleau Wood.

After the war, many units placed monuments and markers at the site of some of their battles. This small, worn marker, was placed by the 2nd Engineers shortly before their return to the United States in 1919. The date can be seen on the side of the monument. It is sighted next to a larger 2nd Division memorial stone in the woods overlooking the cemetery. For more information on the 2nd Engineers at Belleau Wood see here.

26th "Yankee" Division Church

The 26th “Yankee” Division of the AEF relieved the 2nd Division at Belleau Wood between 5 and 8 July 1918 along the line between Vaux and Bussiares. The Germans hit the 26th with heavy shelling, especially with chemical shell, producing many casualties. After defeating the German offensive at Vaux on 13 July, the 26th went on the attack and captured the village of Belleau, Torcy, and Givy on 18 July 1918.

The original Belleau village church was destroyed by shelling during the capture of the village. The commander promised to rebuild it, a promise they kept, dedicating the church in 1929. The church is located across the road from the Aisne-Marne Memorial cemetery that sits at the foot of Belleau Wood.

For more on the church and its history see here.

Door of the 26th "Yankee" Division Church, Belleau, France

The inscription reads:

Cette église, détruite durant la guerre mondiale a été reconstruite par les vétérans de la XXVIe Division du Corps Expéditionnaire américain en mémoire de leurs camarades qui sont tombés sur le sol de France en combattant pour la cause commune.

This church, destroyed during the world war, has been reconstructed by the veterans of the 26th Division of the American Expeditionary Force in memory of their comrades who fell on the soil of France fighting for a communal case.

Translation courtesy of Webmatters Carte de Route. See here for more information.

Information plaque, German Military Cemetery, Belleau, France

Just down the road from the American Aisne-Marne Cemetery and Belleau Wood near the village of Belleau is the German military cemetery at Belleau, bearing an inscription in French, German, and English. It reads, in part:

“Those who question Europe or despair about Europe should visit military cemeteries. They show what a disunited Europe, the confrontation of the individual peopes with ‘don’t want to join’ or ‘can’t join’ attitudes, must lead to.” (Jean Claude Juncker, former Prime Minister of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg).

The Belleau German military cemetery was constructed by the French military authorities for the dead buried in 123 communities between the Chemin-des-Dames and the Marne. 70 of these were victims of the First Battle of the Marne in September and October 1914 and more than 8,500 of those at rest here died in the Second Battle of the Marne, which began with a major German offensive across the Chemin-des-Dames on 27 May 1918. 30 divisions plus artillery and troop units from throughout the former German Reich were involved. By the end of August 1918 more than 100 divisions were deployed on the German side.

In total 8,630 German dead have their last resting place here...

…The dead in this cemetery are an exhortation to peace.

German graves at the German Military Cemetery, Belleau, France

The German Military Cemetery at Belleau was originally begun in 1927. Owing to the outbreak of World War II, the original wooden markers remained in place until the conclusion of the Franco-German war graves agreement of 19 July 1966, when the German government began to refurbish German First World War cemeteries. The current stone markers were placed in 1972.

Here, the grave markers of two German Jewish soldaten lie between crosses marking the graves of their comrades. Many German Jews fought in World War I, including the “father” of chemical warfare, Fritz Haber.

Marker for the Aisne-Marne Memorial

Moving toward Chateau Thierry from Belleau is the American Aisne-Marne Memorial overlooking Chateau Thierry. Maintained by the American Battlefield Monuments Commmission, which is also responsible for the cemetery, the memorial commemorates the men and units who fought in the Aisne-Marne defensive and offensive campaigns, also known as the Second Battle of the Marne, in the summer of 1918.

Aisne-Marne American Memorial, Chateau Thierry, France

The Front of the Aisne-Marne Memorial overlooks Chateau Theirry in the valley below. Views from the memorial are impressive and the park grounds are a popular spot for residents during warm months.

Back of the Aisne-Marne Memorial, Chateau Thierry, France

The backside of the Aisne-Marne Memorial at Chateau Thierry, facing toward Chateau Thierry. The sites of the battle are engraved across the top of the memorial. Belleau Wood is visible in the middle right, just above the statues.

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