The Somme American Cemetery and Memorial in Picardie, France, is an

American Battle Monuments Commission The American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) is an Independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the United States government that administers, operates, and maintains permanent U.S. military cemeteries, memoria ...

cemetery, situated ½ mile southwest of the commune of

Bony Bony may refer to: * Adjective relating to bone People * Bony Dashaco, Cameroonian businessman * Bony King, Belgian singer-songwriter * Bony Pierre (born 1991), Haitian footballer * Bony Ramirez (born 1996), Dominican-born American painter and ...

Aisne Aisne ( , ; ; ) is a French departments of France, department in the Hauts-de-France region of northern France. It is named after the river Aisne (river), Aisne. In 2020, it had a population of 529,374. Geography The department borders No ...

in northern France. It is located on a gentle slope typical of the open, rolling

Picardy Picardy (; Picard language, Picard and , , ) is a historical and cultural territory and a former regions of France, administrative region located in northern France. The first mentions of this province date back to the Middle Ages: it gained it ...

countryside.

Cemetery

The

war cemetery A war grave is a burial place for members of the armed forces or civilians who died during military campaigns or operations. Definition The term "war grave" does not only apply to graves: ships sunk during wartime are often considered to b ...

was established in October 1918 on ground which saw heavy fighting just before and during the

Battle of St Quentin Canal The Battle of St Quentin Canal was a pivotal battle of World War I that began on 29 September 1918 and involved British, Australian and American forces operating as part of the British Fourth Army under the overall command of General Sir Hen ...

. It contains the graves of 1,844 of the United States' military dead from

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. Most lost their lives in the assault on the

Hindenburg Line The Hindenburg Line (, Siegfried Position) was a German Defense line, defensive position built during the winter of 1916–1917 on the Western Front (World War I), Western Front in France during the First World War. The line ran from Arras to ...

while serving in American II Corps attached to the

British Fourth Army The Fourth Army was a field army that formed part of the British Expeditionary Force during the First World War. The Fourth Army was formed on 5 February 1916 under the command of General Sir Henry Rawlinson to carry out the main British contrib ...

. Others were killed in operations near Cantigny. The headstones, set in regular rows, are separated into four plots by paths that intersect at the flagpole near the top of the slope. The longer axis leads to the chapel at the eastern end of the cemetery. A massive bronze door surmounted by an American eagle leads into the chapel, whose outer walls contain sculptured pieces of military equipment. Once inside, light from a cross-shaped crystal window above the marble altar bathes the subdued interior with light. The walls bear the names of 333 of the missing. Rosettes mark the names of those since recovered and identified.

Notable burials

Medal of Honor recipients

* Robert Lester Blackwell (1895–1918), for action near St. Souplet, France * Thomas E. O'Shea (1895–1918), for action at Le Catelet, France *

William Bradford Turner William Bradford Turner (February 28, 1892 – September 27, 1918) was a United States Army officer who received the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions in World War I. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Turner li ...

(1892–1918), for action at Ronssoy, France

References

External links

American Battle Monuments Commission – Somme American Cemetery and Memorial
*
Association ''Les Parrains de la Mémoire – France Remembrance Association''
{{Authority control Cemeteries in Hauts-de-France Buildings and structures in Aisne World War I memorials in France World War I cemeteries in France American Battle Monuments Commission Tourist attractions in Aisne

Cemetery

Notable burials

Medal of Honor recipients

See also

References

Further reading

External links