Major General John Archer Lejeune was born in 1867 on a sugar plantation in Pointe Coupee, Louisiana. After studying for three years at Louisiana State University, Lejeune was appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy where he trained from 1884 to 1888. He gained the rank Second Lieutenant of the Marine Corps in 1890. He continued to climb the ranks, earning Captain during the Spanish-American War in 1898, and Lieutenant Colonel in 1908. He earned the rank of Colonel while occupying Vera Cruz in a skirmish between Mexico and the U.S. in 1913. When the Great War broke out, the Marines prepared for potential overseas service. Lejeune was promoted to Brigadier General in 1916, only a year before the U.S. entered the war in 1917. During the Battle of Belleau Woods on 25 June, 1918, he took command of the 4th Brigade of Marines fueling their resolve to take the woods. Just three days later, Lejeune took command of the entire 2nd Division. He led the division through successful campaigns to eliminate the German salient at St. Mihiel, to take the Mont Blanc ridge, and to defend the Meuse-Argonne against the Hindenburg Line. For his service and actions during the war he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Honor, and the Croix de Guerre. His military career did not end at the Armistice of 1919, and continued to serve in various capacities until his death on 20 November, 1942. He was a leading advocate for professional military education, became the commandant of the Marines in 1920, and served as superintendent at the Virginia Military Institute until he retired in 1937. His legacy lives on through his advocacy for the Marine Corps Birthday on 10 November 1775, his namesake Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, and a bronze statue on the grounds of the Pointe Coupee Courthouse.

According to military records at least three Acadiana men fell at Belleau Woods. Four Corpsmen: Thomas A. Gragard, Richard H. Heinrich, Laurence B. Miller (Plaquemine), and Charles E. Suiter (Melville); and an infantryman: Arthur Kennedy (Plaquemine).

Nearly five miles west of Chateau-Thierry, within walking distance from the Aisne-Marne American cemetery resides an American flagpole accompanied by a simple black marble monument at the end of a road. It is surrounded by memorialized heavy artillery, including a German gun damaged by an explosion. Created by artist Felix de Weldon in 1955, the monument is officially named “The Marine Memorial” and features a bronze relief of an American Marine, lovingly named “Iron Mike”, with a bayoneted rifle. Bellow is a plaque which reads in both French and English:

“BOIS DE BELLEAU

OFFICIALLY RENAMED

BOIS DE LA BRIGADE DE MARINE

BY THE

COMMANDING GENERAL

FRENCH SIXTH ARMY

ON 30 JUNE 1918

IN RECOGNITION OF THE COURAGEOUS ACTION OF THE 4TH UNITED STATES MARINE BRIGADE IN THE SEIZURE OF THIS WOOD IN THE FACE OF DETERMINED GERMAN RESISTANCE. ON 27 MAY, 1918, THE GERMANS LAUNCHED A MAJOR SURPRISE OFFENSIVE WHICH CROSSED THE CHEMIN DES DAMES AND CAPTURED SOISSINS. BY 31 MAY, THEIR ARMIES WERE ADVANCING RAPIDLY DOWN THE MARNE VALLEY TOWARDS PARIS. THE 2ND UNITED STATES ARMY DIVISION, OF WHICH THE 4TH MARINE BRIGADE FORMED A PART, WAS RUSHED INTO THE DEEPEST POINT OF PENETRATION TO ASSIST THE FRENCH FORCES IN STOPPING THE ADVANCE OF THE ENEMY. RAPIDLY OCCUPYING DEFENSIVE POSITIONS SOUTH AND WEST OF BELLEAU WOOD. THE 4TH MARINE BRIGADE, COMPRISED OF THE 5TH AND 6TH MARINE REGIMENTS AND 6TH MACHINE GUN BATTALION, STOOD FIRM UNDER UNREMITTING ENEMY ATTACKS FROM 1 TO 5 JUNE. ON 6 JUNE THE MARINES BEGAN A SERIES OF ATTACKS WHICH CULMINATED ON 25 JUNE WITH THE CAPTURE OF THE ENTIRE BELLEAU WOOD AREA, AND THE DEFEAT OF THE GERMAN OFFENSIVE IN THIS SECTOR. MAY THE GALLANT MARINES WHO HERE GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR CORPS AND COUNTRY REST IN PEACE.”

In 1923 Belleau Wood itself was dedicated as an American Battle Monument, and the memorial was dedicated thirty-seven years after the battle on the 18th of November, 1955 by the United States Marines in a ceremony which included surviving members of the 4th Brigade. The monument also includes the names of 1,060 men who went missing in action during the battle, and the surrounding cemetery is the final resting place to over 2,000 soldiers, 250 of whom are unknown. It is the only monument in Europe dedicated solely to the U.S. Marines.

In the first days of June 1918, the Marines of the 2nd Division dug defensive lines south of Belleau Wood in an effort to curb the attacks of the German Spring offensive that aimed to surround Paris. French soldiers in retreat warned the Americans of the coming attacks, to which Captain Lloyd Williams famously replied “Retreat, hell we just got here!” From their shallow dugouts, the marines waited until the Germans were within 100 yards of their lines and opened deadly fire, successfully forcing the surviving Germans to retreat to the woods. The German lines dug in at the base of Hill 142, where on June 6th the Marines attacked and despite suffering heavy losses captured the Hill by the afternoon. That same evening the 6th Brigade advanced into machine gun fire in Belleau Wood. Though the first wave was cut down, the second wave of marines were able to break through the firing line to engage in hand to hand combat with German infantrymen. The battle became deadlocked on the 7th and 8th, with neither side gaining any advance. By the 11th however, it was discovered that the marines had not advanced towards the northeast as the operation was planned, but rather to the south. Instead of changing direction, the Americans persisted and still broke through German lines. Fighting lasted for three weeks, and finally on 26 June and after six major attacks on the woods that the Marines announced “Belleau Woods now U.S. Marines entirely.” They had finally expelled the Germans once and for all from Belleau Woods. The United States lost 9,777 men in Belleau Woods with a 55% casualty rate, and it became one of the bloodiest battles that the U.S. fought during the Great War.

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While over 5,300 German troops were lost during the Battle of Chateau Thierry, the Allied forces only lost 1,900 troops. Of these 1,900 who fell, sixteen were from Louisiana, six of whom were residents of Acadiana. Henry Binet, Joseph A. Logg, Murphy J. Cole (Deridder), Sidney Manuel (Mamou), Dorsle Richard (Cameron), and Isaac C. Savoie (Houma).

Murphy Cole was only 24 years old when he joined the U.S. Army. He was born and raised in DeRidder, LA and was the son of Joseph C. and Denise Augustine Cole. He served in many companies during his short time in France, and fell on July 18th during the Battle of Chateau-Thierry.

Four and a half miles southwest of the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery overlooking the valley of the Marne river resides a double colonnade that rises above a long terrace. Designed by Paul Phillip Cret and sculpted by French artist Alfred Bottiau in 1937, the monument sits on Hill 204, where heavy fighting had taken place in 1918, and commemorates the sacrifices and achievements of the Americans and French during the Aisne-Marne and Oise-Aisne offensives. On the east side of the terrace is a map showing American military operations and an operation table which helps visitors visualize where battles or events took place along the Marne. It also features a sculpture of two women who represent France, and a list of French Divisions who participated in the operations near the Hill. The West side of the terrace bears an inscription which reads in French and English:

“THIS MONUMENT HAS BEEN ERECTED BY THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO COMMEMORATE THE SERVICES OF HER TROOPS AND THOSE OF FRANCE WHO FOUGHT IN THIS REGION DURING THE WORLD WAR. IT STANDS AS A LASTING SYMBOL OF THE FRIENDSHIP AND COOPERATION BETWEEN THE FRENCH AND AMERICAN ARMIES.”

The west facade also features a sculpture of an American Eagle which represents America, and a list of American Divisions who participated in this sector of the war.

One of the first military actions of the AEF under General John J. “Black Jack” Pershing, 18 July, 1918, French and American troops launched a counter-assault against the German Spring offensive stretching over 25 miles between the villages Fontenoy and Chateau-Thierry as part of the Second Battle of the Marne. Upon their entry into the war, German leadership expected the AEF to be clumsy and inexperienced. At 04:45 the Allies silently and calmly went over the top of the trenches and attacked with precision, taking the German troops by surprise, as there was no preceding artillery bombardment which usually precluded an attack. The assault was successful with American troops breaking through German lines, and individual Americans even continued fighting despite being behind enemy lines. In doing so, the AEF found themselves in command of the main bridge in the village of Chateau Thierry, and American machine guns helped rescue the French positions, effectively forcing the Germans to retreat.

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Despite the American army bearing the higher number of total casualties, only 318 American soldiers lost their lives, while the Germans had 1,400 killed and over 250 taken as prisoners of war. Of the 318 Americans killed, five called Louisiana their home, one of whom was a St. Patrick native of St. James Parish, Lazzard Landry. Landry was only 17 years old when he joined the army and served in the 26th infantry until he was transferred to the 2nd Brigade Machine Gun Battalion in May 1918, the same day he was killed in action.

In a small park at the center of the small village of Cantigny resides a white marker overlooking the fields of local farms. The Cantigny American Monument was built by the American Battle Monument Commission in 1923 and was dedicated by Col. Robert R. McCormick on 9 August, 1937. Two sides of the marker bear inscriptions in French, while the opposite sides bear their translations in English, which read: “ERECTED BY THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO COMMEMORATE THE FIRST ATTACK BY AN AMERICAN DIVISION IN THE WORLD WAR.” and “THE FIRST DIVISION UNITED STATES ARMY OPERATING UNDER THE X FRENCH CORPS CAPTURED THE TOWN OF CANTIGNY ON MAY 28 1918 AND HELD IT AGAINST NUMEROUS COUNTERATTACKS.” Nearby reside other American monuments including the 28th Infantry Regiment Monument, McCormick’s Cantigny Artillery Monument, and a monument to the First U.S. Division.

The first American offensive of the Great War occurred at the village of Cantigny. The village’s high ground position was crucial for the occupation of a German salient in the region. At 06:45 on 28 May, the U.S. First Division attacked the German line with the objective of removing them from the village. With an artillery barrage supporting them the 28th Infantry, two units of the 18th Infantry Regiment, three machine gun companies, and a company of engineers moved swiftly. French support by way of air cover, heavy artillery, flame throwers, and tanks helped the American troops advance on a two minute increment schedule, which allowed them to take the village within thirty minutes of launching the attack. This great achievement did not constitute the end of the battle however. German counter attacks lasted for three days, with bombardments that lasted all day long, attacks that were easily repulsed by American troops. All three days the American position was held, suffering a mere 1,603 casualties. Though often overshadowed by the importance of other battles along the Aisne salient, this battle is considered to be a turning point towards an allied victory.

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The Men: Although over 4,000 American troops were lost in the Montsec salient over the course of the war, only two known soldiers hailed from Acadiana. Angel Duhon of Cameron and Eugene W. Rogillio of Rogillioville. Duhon was only 22 when he enlisted in the Army, had fought at Veaux Castelle Vicxy, and was serving in Company D of the 23rd U.S. Infantry when he fell. Rogillio was 29 and fell during his only engagement during the war. Both of these men lost their lives on 12 September 1918.

The St. Mihiel region stands a doric temple that seems to have been transferred from another part of the world to come to rest atop a hill in the St. Mihiel region of northeastern France. The white rounded columns form a circular colonnade to which visitors climb via a wide stairway. At its center is a bronze observation table which illustrates the St. Mihiel salient and the operations which took place to recover the region. The monument was designed by Egerton Swartwout and erected by the American Battle Monuments Commission in the 1930s. A plaque near the steps up to the monument reads:

“THIS MONUMENT HAS BEEN ERECTED BY THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO COMMEMORATE THE CAPTURE OF THE ST. MIHIEL SALIENT BY THE TROOPS OF HER FIRST ARMY AND TO RECORD THE SERVICES OF THE AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES ON THE BATTLE FRONT IN THIS REGION AND ELSEWHERE IN LORRAINE AND ALSACE. IT STANDS AS A LASTING SYMBOL OF THE FRIENDSHIP AND COOPERATION BETWEEN THE FRENCH AND AMERICAN ARMIES.”

However during the Second World War, that region saw intense fighting once again and the monument was partially destroyed by American artillery in their attempt to rid the region of German troops. Efforts to restore the monument took place in 1948 and 1958.

During the first year of the war in 1914 the German Army occupied the village of Montsec during the Battle of Flirey. The village was continuously occupied by German troops until 12 September 1918, when American troops under the command of General John Pershing launched an offensive on the St. Mihiel salient. The Americans, in tandem with the French attacked the salient on three sides, two American battalions to the South, the French Colonial Brigade at the apex of the salient, and both French and American corps to the west. General Pershing’s plan worked by enveloping the salient and forcing the reduced German manpower towards other allied forces. The battle for the Montsec region lasted for three days, and by 15 September, St. Mihiel had been recovered by Allied troops and 4,000 German POWs had been taken. The Battle of St. Mihiel also became the largest air operation of the war with nearly 1,500 Allied aircraft in service. Only nine units of the RAF were not subject to General Pershing’s command. The AEF also utilized its new tank force which consisted of two tank battalions, consisting of 144 American tanks, and an additional 275 French tanks, to provide support for advancing American artillery. The operation proceeded so smoothly that General Pershing actually ordered his troops to speed up the attack so they could move on to and prepare for other objectives in the upcoming Meuse-Argonne Offensive. Despite the AEF’s undeniable success, nearly 4,500 American troops were lost in battle, making it the second highest fatal casualty battles in American history, surpassed only by the Battle of the Bulge in 1944.

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The Second Battle of the Marne had incredibly high casualties with over 272,000 casualties within the space of three full days. Of these, only 12,000 were Americans who fell in battle. It is no surprise then that many of these men hailed from Acadiana. These men include: Horace Aucoin (Chataignier), Louis Bellard (Crowley), Joseph R. Businick (Lake Charles), John F. Clark (New Iberia), Murphy J. Cole (DeRidder), Henry H. Dalrymple (Midway), Claymile J. Darcy (Gray), Merritt B. Durham (Baton Rouge), Joseph C. Gaudin (Donaldsonville), Nick Gonzales (New Roads), Joseph A. Gregoire (Franklin), Cleopha P. Hebert (Cameron), Theodore Jacquet (New Iberia), Arthur Kennedy (Plaquimine), Adrien Kilbert (Convent), Sidney Manuel (Mamou), Laurence Miller (Plaquimine), Dorsle Richard (Cameron), and Isaac C. Savoie (Houma).

Isaac C. Savoie was 25 when he enlisted in the Army and served as an infantryman in both the 347th Infantry and the 23rd infantry, with which he was serving in Company E when he fell during the Second Battle of the Marne.

In the quiet French countryside, a sweeping cemetery speckled with white crosses and Stars of David now resides in silence on what was once one of the worst battlefields the world had ever seen. The Aisne-Marne Cemetery is the final resting place for almost 2,300 American soldiers. The 42.5 acre cemetery was designed and dedicated by the American Battle Monument Commission in 1937, and is located near the base of Belleau Wood. The cemetery is divided into two plots with the memorial chapel situated between them, each plot consisting of thirteen rows of graves. Of the 2,289 soldiers buried in these plots 250 remain unidentified.

The Monument Chapel: Sitting where the front line had been dug, now between burial plots is a white Gothic Revival chapel with a distinguished bell tower that watches over the battlefield turned cemetery. The chapel is adorned with stain glass that features insignia of the Allied Forces and equipment, and provides a quiet space for reflection. Inscribed into the stone walls in large letters is: “THE NAMES RECORDED ON THESE WALLS ARE THOSE OF AMERICAN SOLDIERS WHO FOUGHT IN THIS REGION AND WHO SLEEP IN UNKNOWN GRAVES.” Beneath this salutation are 1,060 names of those who went missing during the various battles in this region. Some are accompanied by rosettes, indicating that the missing soldier had been found and identified. These names include a few Acadiana men. During the Second World War the cemetery and chapel came under fire and was damaged by heavy artillery. During post-war years the chapel was repaired, but the architect chose to leave one bullet hole near the entrance as a reminder of the fighting that took place in this region.

In an effort to distract Allied troops from their planned attack on Flanders, the Germans launched their last major offensive on the Marne. Beginning on 15 July, 1918 when German divisions attacked the French Army to the east and west of Reims. In the east, though the French artillery were reduced in number, they began an assault prior to the Germans planned bombardment, taking them by surprise. By the time the Germans had time to retaliate, the French lines were almost completely empty. Following the trenches the Germans found the bulk of the French army and, as they found out when they attacked the next morning, the bulk of French artillery. The attack to the west was much more successful beginning with a three hour bombardment which left the Allied forces scarce, until 17 July, when the British Expeditionary Force and 85,000 troops of the American Expeditionary Force came to reinforce the survivors. On 18 July, the Allied counterattack began when twenty-four French divisions, eight large American divisions, along with other Allied divisions attacked the enemy lines. Allied intelligence knew what the Germans plan of attack minute by minute, partially because the Americans fed the enemy false plans, and were able to deceive them. Allied troops attacked the exposed parts of enemy lines leaving them no choice but to retreat. On 20 July, German leadership ordered a retreat back to where their Spring Offensive had begun.

The Second Battle of the Marne is considered to be the turning point in the war, which alerted German leadership to the idea that they would lose the war. Allied forces had captured 29,367 German troops and caused 168,000 casualties.

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