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(Note: Nancy Hudson works in U.S. Africa Command's Public Affairs Office. She visited Belleau Wood, France to attend the Memorial Day Ceremony with her husband, Major Dan Hudson, U.S. Marine Corps. Service members from U.S. Marine Forces Africa and U.S. Marine Forces Europe were among those who visited the famous World War I battle site for a wreath-laying ceremony at a nearby cemetery where nearly 2,000 Marines are buried)
People came from the United States and all over Europe for the commemoration of the Battle of Belleau Wood where many of our Marines gave their lives at the end of the WWI. Learning about the battle and how the Marines refused to give up, walking the fields where the fighting occurred and just the image of the Marines in battle was a truly inspiring experience.
Marine Forces, Africa (MARFORAF) was well-represented at the ceremony with their delegation which included Brigadier General Paul Brier, Commander, Marine Forces, Africa; Colonel James Bright AC/S G-3; Lieutenant Colonel Krista McKinley, AC/S G-4 and other MARFORAF staffers who proudly represented the United States Marine Corps and U.S. Africa Command as part of one of the Marine Corps' most important celebrations over the Memorial Day weekend.
"Retreat, Hell! We just got here!" -- these words immortalized by Captain Lloyd Williams, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, June 1918, came in response to the French forces request to retreat during the now famous battle where more than 9,777 casualties, including 1,811 killed resulted. This is also where the Marines earned the title Devil Dog from the term "Teufelheunden" which evolved from the German's referring to the Marines as "Teufelshunde" or Hell Hounds due to the Marines' tenacity and courage when confronting the German forces.
The main ceremony was held at Aisne Marne American Cemetery near the village of Belleau, France. More than 42.5 acres in area, the cemetery is laid out in a "T" form where the chapel leads to the top of the hill which is accented by the lines of tombs of the many men that fought in the battle and were laid to rest there.
Inside of the chapel at the entrance we can see the inscription' "THE NAMES RECORDED ON THESE WALLS ARE THOSE OF AMERICAN SOLDIERS WHO FOUGHT IN THIS REGION AND WHO SLEEP IN UNKNOW GRAVES".
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