@mystery-ak @Cyber Liberty@Gefn "Belleau Wood France is a pilgrimage site for U.S. Marines because of the strength shown here during WWI. This is where Marines became known as Devil Dogs." The Aisne-Marne American Cemetery is there.
I have been to Belleau Wood and the cemetery. I will tell you what is there:
There was a guide for us at Belleau Wood. Just add "Forest" to Belleau Wood.
During WWI, the Germans were fighting us in that forest. Our Army soldiers were dying. They did not have the fire power the Germans had.
Then, the US Marines arrived with great fire power. There are memorials telling of what happened at numerous places in the forest and the memorials are located where each action was. So, the forest itself talks to you as you go from place to place reading, hearing what our Marines did in that forest.
Coming out of the forest is where the cemetery is - as far as you can see are white American military crosses. You may walk among the crosses and see the names on the crosses. There is a building at the entrance to the cemetery that is continually manned by an American soldier in order to help people find the grave(s) of their loved one(s).
You will never forget what you see there. I was told by the guide that in WWII, again the German soldiers came through that area, this time through that graveyard that was not there in WWI, to get to Paris, AND THEY TOUCHED NOTHING - DESTROYED NOTHING in the graveyard.
myst, Cyber, I wish you had been there with me.