OFF TO FRANCE!

Because of the encouragement of the wonderful writing group that I belong to and my desire to truly honor my grand uncle Archie, I have decided to travel to France next Thursday to take a World War I Centennial Tour with Michael Hanlon and Valor Tours, Ltd.

Michael Hanlon is the driving force behind www.worldwar1.com, an extraordinary website with phenomenal resources for my work. I subscribe to the daily blog, “Roads to the Great War,” which helps me gain an understanding of the events of 1914 to 1918. I have purchased books recommended by the site too.

According to trip documents I just received, the following will be our itinerary:

Friday, August 14, 2015 / Paris, France:

Arrival in Paris

Saturday, August 15, 2015:

Tour Paris on our own—Welcome Dinner at 7 p.m.

Sunday, August 16, 2015 / Reims, France:
The Failure of the War Plans; Trench Warfare Begins; the Chemin des Dames & Reims Sector

• The Race to the Sea Begins
• Chemin des Dames Battlefields
• Caverne du Dragon
• Four Siege of Reims
• Fort de la Pompelle
• Reims/Hotel

Monday, August 16, 2015 / Reims, France
Battle of the Champagne; The Argonne Forest

• Reims Cathedral, Great War Veteran
• Champagne Battlefields
• Russians on the Western Front
• Navarin Farm, French & US Rainbow Division Battlefield
• Blanc Mont: Forgotten AEF Victory
• Harlem Hellfighters Memorial
• La Main de Massiges
• Butte de Vauquois
• Drive to Verdun

Tuesday, August 18, 2015 / Verdun, France
The French Battles of St. Mihiel

• Forts of Mihiel—Troyon, Camp des Romains, Liouville
• Bois d'Ailly & Trench of Thirst
• Marbotte Memorial Church
• 1915 Sacrifice at Flirey
• U.S. 1^st Division Gas Attack
• Mont Sec: German Outpost/American Memorial
• German Infrastructure
• Alain-Fournier Memorial
• Eparges Spur

Wednesday, August 19, 2015 / Verdun, France
The American Battles of St. Mihiel

• 4^th Division of Manhuelles
• 26^th Division at Tranchee de Calonne
• Salient Cut at Vignuelles
• 1^st Division Leads the Assault
• Yanks in the Trenches at Bois Brule
• George Patton Commands the First American Tank Attack
• 5^th Division in both World Wars
• 90^th Division, Advance & The Valley of Death
• Thiacourt, American St. Mihiel Cemetery

Thursday, August 20, 2015 / Verdun, France

The Meuse Argonne Offensive, Opening Moves

• The Challenge of Monfacon; U.S. Memorial
• Missouri & Pennsylvania Memorials
• The Lost Battalion
• Sgt. York's Medal of Honor Site
• 1^st Division in the Argonne
• Sam Woodfill Medal of Honor Site
• Breaking Kriemhilde Stellung

Friday, August 21, 2015 / Verdun, France
Meuse Argonne Offensive, Crossing the Meuse; & Verdun

• Mort Homme
• Fighting on the Right of the Meuse
  33^rd Division Crossing
  29^th Division October Fight
• Henry Gunther, 79^th Division, Last to Fall in Combat in WWI
• Frontline at Verdun
• 1916 Verdun Battlefield
• Andre Magnot Memorial
• Faubort Pave National Cemetery

Saturday, August 22, 2015 / Verdun, France
Final Victory, Last Phase of Meuse Argonne

• U.S. Meuse Argonne Cemetery
• 90^th Division Jump Off
• 5^th Division Crosses the Meuse
• Frank Luke Crash Site
• 90^th Division at Baalon
• 89^th Division Armistice Site
• U.S. Vth Corps Heads for Sedan
• Pt. Magus
• Buzancy, Crossroads of the Argonne
• I Corps Final Major Battle
• Roland Garros Burial

Sunday, August 23, 2015 / Reims, France
The AEF Defends the Marne & Goes on the Offensive

• Quentin Roosevelt Crash Site
• U.S. Oise-Aisne Cemetery
• Rainbow Division Sites
• Hill 184 and Seringes et Nesles
• Croix Rouge Farm Memorial
• 3^rd Division Sites
• Le Charmel & Jaulgonne
• Rock of the Marne
• Chateau Thierry
• Town Square
• U.S. Memorial
• Belleau Wood
• 1^st Division at Soissons
• Departure Dinner

Monday, August 24, 2015 / Paris, France
Depart for Erie