Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery

Posted on December 2, 2023 by

18 Comments

The Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery is the largest US War Cemetery in Europe with over 14,000 graves. We walk the battlefields here from Cunel to the cemetery, and down into Romagne village to visit an amazing private museum. Along the way we discuss the history and ask why such a place receives so few American visitors?

Romagne 14-18 Museum: website of Romagne 14-18 Museum.

American Battle Monuments Commission website: AMBC website.

BATTLEFIELD MAP:

RECOMMENDED READING:

PODCAST EXTRAS:

Category: American WW1 Battlefields, Argonne, Meuse-Argonne, Podcast Episode, WW1 Cemeteries

18 Comments on “Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery”

  1. Hello Paul, David Hanmore here. Just listened to your latest Podcast on The Meuse – Argonne American Cemetery. Katrien and I visited this particular Cemetery a few year ago and you are truly correct about just how impressive it is both in scale and emotion. You made mention of a Guide Book with excellent descriptions and in particular, maps which is available as a pdf download. I have gone onto a couple of links here on the Podcast but I cannot quite find it to download. Could you be so kind as to name it again for me and point me the direction so as I can find it both for myself and for Lee. All best wishes and kind regards as usual. David, Lee and Katrien

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  3. Absolutely great podcast, Paul; your inclusion of Lt. Sam Woodfill (a sometimes neglected American hero); Matej Kocak & Victor Chapman (likewise); and Freddie Stowers and the Harlem Hellfighters, among the others you covered, were very worthwhile. As to the three Harvard students’ memorial in Cunel, these may be of some interest:

    http://www.militarian.com/threads/an-argonne-mystery.8187/

    https://hcs.uraf.harvard.edu/scholarships/fiske

    https://www.uswarmemorials.org/html/monument_details.php?SiteID=560&MemID=838

    https://monumentsmorts.univ-lille.fr/monument/52080/cunel-presdeleglise/

    With all best regards. Cheers. — Nick McCall

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  4. Wonderful episode. I, have visited this cemetery 2x. The latest visit was with Mike Cunha’s tour of the Meuse Argonne. I was able to visit the grave of a local man, interred there. I had the feeling I was the first to visit him. Jean Paul’s museum is extraordinary. My 15 yr old grandson was able to try on a German stalheim. I told him 100+yrs ago he might have been wearing a helmet like that as. German soldier. ( my husband’s ancestors came from Germany). It really made him stop and think. Thanks again for great podcasts.

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  5. Great episode Paul. My grandmother’s cousin is buried here. He was killed early in the offensive, in Fleville on October 4.

    I have visited the cemetery twice. As you described, it’s one of the most majestic, solemn places on the Western Front. On par with Tyne Cot certainly. While it’s isolated, I found it easy to pair with a visit to Verdun.

    Thank you.

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  6. First I would like to say I am an American. I have always had a deep love of all things history. Most of my life, my main area of interest has been the American Civil War and WW II. As a typical American, WWI was always in the background. A Doughboy statue in a town park was the extent of my interest. During the worse of Covid I came across The Old Front Line Podcast and now never miss an episode. The Podcast has open a whole new area of interest to me. Thank you. A side note that might appear odd to you; as an American I finally learned the correct pronunciation of the city of Ypres. In your episode on the Meuse-Argonne you mentioned the AMBC and its “Blue Book”. Over thirty years ago, I found a copy of this book quietly sitting on the shelve of a local public library. I would take to book out every now and then and pursue through it. A fantastic book! Fortunately, the library staff realized the worth of this book and removed it from general circulation. I have the download of the book and I am always browsing through it. It is not the same though, because the the book had end pockets that contained a number of fold out maps. The download is still great and thanks for mention.

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    • Thanks, Bill. Fascinating to read this and thanks for your kind comments too. The ‘Blue Book’ is an amazing volume and it is nice to have a physical copy rather than just a digital one! And I’m glad the Pod has helped with the pronunciation of Ypres!

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  7. It’s an amazing cemetery and the caretaker is really very helpful. When you enter the building it’s like you enter a living room. It’s very welcoming to the visitor. And it has a nice information centre as well.
    When you look at the cemetery on Apple of Google Maps, you recognise the shape of the shield you also find in the Seal of the United States, nice touch. They only cut away the eagle his wings.
    I visited the cemetery in July 2022, during a blazing summers day. I was literally the only visitor there and then you feel really, really small.
    I went there rather unprepared and this podcast learned me that I have to go back and do my homework in advance. You know the exact location of the three unknown soldiers that weren’t chosen as THE unknown soldier?

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  8. Paul, I just discovered your podcast. As a former U.S. Marine Corps officer, I visited Belleau Wood and the Aisne Marne Cemetary when I was stationed in Naples, Italy in 2000. We had a wonderful local guide (whose name I can’t recall, unfortunately.) The Aisne Marne Cemetary was beautiful and as you note, seemed little visited. I was talking with my Dad recently, and although he is of the age where his father could have served in WWI, he had little recollection of anyone in his family ever serving in WWI, or WW II for that matter. It seems that Korea is not the only forgotten war in America. I wonder if you have plans to expand a bit into more battles of the AEF and in particular the Marines at Belleau Wood?

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    • Hi Chris – there are already a few episodes on here about the AEF and I do intend to cover all the US Cemeteries and travel my way across their battlefields for the Podcast as I have done in real life since the 80s! Stay tuned!

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  9. Thanks Paul for including the American experience in your podcasts. My partner Lesley and I were able to visit the American Cemetery at St. Mihiel last summer. Her Great Uncle, Second Lt. Paul Grunig, was killed on Nov. 7, 1918 near Preney and his body never recovered. His name is on the wall in the chapel. The ABMC staff was so nice to us. They arranged for Lesley to lower the flag and fold it at closing time. Lesley also gave a picture and some letters about Paul to them for their archives. More Americans should take the time to visit these places and learn more about what a wonderful service the ABMC is providing.

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  10. Thanks for another excellent podcast Paul. I visited Romagne with Leger in 2012 and was lucky enough to have a brief chat with Jean-Paul. He said of the “Last day” documentary, where he was walking with Michael Palin along a stretch of the Krimhelde Stellung, that it took 13 attempts at that scene before the BBC were satisfied. He was very impressed with their perfectionism! He also said that they even paid him for that scene, although they had no need to, as appearing with Michael Palin was enough for him!

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