The St. Mihiel American Cemetery and Memorial is located at the west edge of Thiaucourt (

Meurthe-et-Moselle Meurthe-et-Moselle () is a '' département'' in the Grand Est region of France, named after the rivers Meurthe and Moselle. Its prefecture and largest city is Nancy and it borders the departments of Meuse to the west, Vosges to the south, ...

), France. The cemetery contains the graves of 4,153 American 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 ...

. The majority of these died in the

Battle of Saint-Mihiel The Battle of Saint-Mihiel was a major World War I battle fought from 12 to 15 September 1918, involving the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) and 110,000 French troops under the command of General John J. Pershing of the United States again ...

, an offensive that resulted in the reduction of the St. Mihiel salient that threatened

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

. The

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 ...

administers the cemetery.

Cemetery design

In the late 1920s, the architect

Thomas Harlan Ellett Thomas Harlan Ellett (September 2, 1880 – November 24, 1951) was an American architect who practiced in New York City. Early life and education Harlan Ellett, as he was known in his youth, was born in 1880 and grew up in Sherman Township, ...

, in collaboration with the sculptor

Paul Manship Paul Howard Manship (December 25, 1885 – January 31, 1966) was an American Sculpture, sculptor. He consistently created mythological pieces in a classical style, and was a major force in the Art Deco in the United States, Art Deco movement. ...

, designed the architectural features of the cemetery, including a memorial peristyle with fluted Doric columns, and flanking it, a chapel and a museum. The project was approved by the

National Commission of Fine Arts The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts (CFA) is an independent agency of the federal government of the United States, and was established in 1910. The CFA has review (but not approval) authority over the "design and aesthetics" of all construction with ...

by 1930, and completed in 1934.''Snyder County Tribune'', November 1, 1934, p. 3. The burial area is divided into four equal quadrants by paths lined with linden trees, at the center of which is a large sundial surmounted by an American eagle. A statue of a World War I soldier, sculpted by

, stands at the end of the western axis, while a semi-circular overlook with a sculpted victory vase marks the end of the eastern axis.

Memorial, chapel and museum

A large rose-granite urn sits at the center of the white marble peristyle, embellished with sculpted drapery and a winged horse symbolizing the flight of the immortal soul to the afterlife. Inside the museum, an inlaid marble map created by the mosaic artist

Barry Faulkner Barry Faulkner (full name: Francis Barrett Faulkner; July 12, 1881 – October 27, 1966) was an American artist primarily known for his murals. During World War I, he and sculptor Sherry Edmundson Fry organized artists for training as camouflage ...

depicts the

St. Mihiel offensive The Battle of Saint-Mihiel was a major World War I battle fought from 12 to 15 September 1918, involving the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) and 110,000 French troops under the command of General John J. Pershing of the United States agains ...

. The surrounding walls are inscribed with the names of 284 missing soldiers, with rosettes to mark the names of those whose remains were later recovered and identified. The chapel's floor is inlaid with green marble, and its coffered ceiling decorated with gilt Napoleonic bees. Above an ivory-tinted altar, a mosaic depicts

St. Michael the Archangel Michael, also called Saint Michael the Archangel, Archangel Michael and Saint Michael the Taxiarch is an archangel and the warrior of God in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. The earliest surviving mentions of his name are in third- and second- ...

, sheathing his sword, flanked by a pair of doves of peace holding olive twigs. Mosaic shields display the colors of the United States and France.

Notable burials

* Lt. Col.

Gilbert C. Grafton Gilbert Collins Grafton (October 6, 1860 – February 5, 1919) was a United States Army Lieutenant Colonel and Major in the North Dakota National Guard since its territorial days. Since 1924, he has been the namesake of Camp Grafton. Early lif ...

(1860–1919),

U.S. Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of the United Stat ...

officer,

North Dakota National Guard The North Dakota National Guard consists of the: *North Dakota Army National Guard *North Dakota Air National Guard It is part of the North Dakota Office of the Adjutant General. The North Dakota Department of Emergency Services and North Dakota W ...

major, and namesake of

Camp Grafton Camp Grafton is the main Army National Guard installation in North Dakota. The base, located near Devils Lake, North Dakota, was founded in 1904 as the Rock Island Military Reservation. In 1924, it was renamed after Lieutenant Colonel Gilbert C. G ...

* 2 Lieut.

John Hunter Wickersham John Hunter Wickersham (February 3, 1890 – September 12, 1918) was a United States Army officer and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in World War I. Biography Wickersham was b ...

(1890–1918), recipient of the

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, military decoration and is awarded to recognize American United States Army, soldiers, United States Navy, sailors, Un ...

for action in the St. Mihiel offensive

Gallery

File:St Mihiel American Cemetery Site Plan.jpg, Site Plan of Saint Mihiel American Cemetery, Thiaucourt, France, completed 1934. File:St Mihiel American Cemetery Entrance Gate.jpg, Entrance Gate to the Saint Mihiel American Cemetery, Thiaucourt, France, completed 1934. File:St mihiel american cemetery peristyle.jpg, Peristyle at the Saint Mihiel American Cemetery, Thiaucourt, France, completed 1934.

References

External links

St. Mihiel American Cemetery

American Battle Monuments Commission – St. Miliel American Cemetery and Memorial
at the Internet Archive (archived May 17, 2008) * {{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Mihiel American Cemetery And Memorial Buildings and structures in Meurthe-et-Moselle World War I memorials in France World War I cemeteries in France American Battle Monuments Commission Cemeteries in Grand Est Funerary and memory sites of the First World War (Western Front)