Recent Website Updates, Including Laplander’s Guide to AEF Research Materials

May 22, 2020 by Randy
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The Webmaster continues to improve / update the Meuse-Argonne.com website during the Coronavirus period; even while he expands his activities with Knee Deep Into History Battlefield Tours. Today, he added Robert J. Laplander’s “A Guide to Research Materials for the AEF in WW1, Outside of NARA” under the Research Tools / AEF Statistics and Research tab. This guide was published in the Meuse-Argonne.com Facebook Group and it proved to be very popular. The Research Tools tab has been reorganized into four sections to make it Continue reading →

One Year Ago: Meet and Greet Dinner, Aubreville, France–Friday, 21 Sept. 2018

September 20, 2019 by Randy
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The ABMC Centennial Commemorations at the St. Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne American Cemeteries on 22 and 23 September 2018, respectively, provided a large crowd of Americans in Lorraine, France and a wonderful opportunity for networking and broadening one’s horizons.  With this in mind, webmaster Randy Gaulke and German tour guide, Markus Klauer, teamed up to sponsor a Meet and Greet Dinner on Friday night, 21 September that became one of their favorite events of the year.  The location selected was the Hotel-Restaurant du Commerce in Aubréville, Continue reading →

Website Update: Map Case Page has been Constructed. View it for Details.

May 29, 2019 by Randy
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This is just a simple note to let readers know that the Webmaster has (finally) constructed the page:  “Features / Map Case.”  It includes details on where to find maps for the Offensive and the A.E.F. in general.  It also includes three NARA finding guides for maps in the National Archives’ collections and the numbers of IGN 1:25,000 scale maps relevant for touring the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. Feedback or additional sources of maps is appreciated.

In Memoriam: Harry Rupert (2 June 1946 – 18 May 2019)

May 18, 2019 by Randy
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    I woke up to sad news this morning:  Harry Rupert passed away over night at the age of 72.  For readers who do not know Harry, he was a Dutchman who was retired and who has lived in Chatel-Chéhéry with his wife, Riecky, since 2011.  He was also an active participant in the Meuse-Argonne.com Facebook Group.   Harry was best known for his passion for WW1 history—including the AEF during the Meuse-Argonne campaign—and for his penchant to question everything and look at the Continue reading →

News & Events–Over There: Update on 1918-19 Meuse-Argonne Reconstruction / Occupation of Germany Tour

February 16, 2019 by Randy
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  Here is an update on the 1918-19 Meuse-Argonne Reconstruction / Occupation of Germany tour that Markus Klauer and I are jointly offering in September, 2019. Markus has returned from his recon trip, and we have selected the hotels in Germany.  You can see links to their websites in the attached flyer. I would like to emphasize that Markus and I try to offer somewhat unique, research-focused tours.  Those of you who participated in our Small-Group tour in Sept. 2018 enjoyed the afternoon hikes to Continue reading →

New Product Introduction: U.S. Army Tracings of German Situation Maps–German 5th Army and Army Detachment C

February 2, 2019 by Randy
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Throughout the 1920s and 1930s the Army War College had representatives at the German Reichsarchiv in Potsdam who were making exact copies of Imperial German military documents so they could be studied and analyzed by the U.S. military.  One subset of documents is the tracings of daily situation maps (singular, Lagenkarte) created by the individual German Armies.  These situation maps are an important resource for examining the German side of the St. Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne Offensives.     Created at the individual Army-level, the original Continue reading →

New Feature Article: When an American Woman Rediscovers the Memory of a Small Village in the Meuse

January 11, 2019 by Randy
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  Webmaster’s Introduction:  The story of Laurie Button, her “adopted” Doughboy, Walter “Wave” Miguel, and their ties to the Village of Louppy-sur-Loison is one of the most interesting stories to emerge from the 2018 Centennial Commemorations.  As a result of Laurie’s persistent writing from the U.S. and willing supporters in France, the parties involved organized a Commemoration Ceremony on 10 November that filled the local church and chateau.  Those of us who were present will not forget this day of Franco-American unity!  This story is Continue reading →

News & Events–Over There: 1918-19 Meuse-Argonne Reconstruction / Occupation of Germany Tour

January 6, 2019 by Randy
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Randal Gaulke and German historian, Markus Klauer, are proud to announce the details of their 1918-19 Meuse-Argonne Reconstruction / Occupation of Germany Small Group Battlefield Tour, 15 – 20 September, 2019:     The war was over, but many in the AEF would remain in Europe for months or years.  After more than four years of trench warfare, the towns in the Meuse-Argonne region were in shambles.  Complete villages had been destroyed.  Others were badly damaged, and four years of combat and shelling left the region Continue reading →

Hell on the Meuse: 1918, 2014

June 15, 2018 by Randy
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by Madeleine Johnson   The Webmaster is always interest in posting reports of readers’ pilgrimage to the Meuse-Argonne and the other American battles of WW1.  Thanks to Madeleine Johnson for sharing her story.   After months of “chasing the Hun,” the Occupation of Germany offered the Third Army many pleasures–a beautiful setting, Rhine wine, baseball.  My great uncle, Lothar R. Long, a Captain of the 6th Machine Gun Battalion in the 4th Marine Brigade who aspired to be a journalist, particularly enjoyed newspapers and magazines Continue reading →