316th Infantry Regiment Monument
Details:
At the top of the hill of La Grande Montagne, take the path on the right for 400 meters, following the sign indicating: "To La Grande Montagne and the monument of the 316th Infantry AEF". It is at the end of a path over 200 m long lined with pine trees. Monument
This monument was erected in 1928 in memory of the 78 officers and 3,128 soldiers of the 316th regiment of the 79th American division who died in 1918 in the Verdun sector. A work of architect Marcel Delangle, it was produced by the Large company on the initiative of Captain Carl E.Pittsburgh Glock. On the 2 sides, transcribed in French and English, are the origin of the monument and on the other 2 are the history of the 316th regiment between its creation in 1917 at the Meade camp (Maryland) until its demobilization in 1919, passing in France through Monfaucon-d'Argonne, sector 304, Troyon and the Grande Montagne.
After the war, General Pershing was in charge of the American Battle Monuments Commission and the American memorialization program. New monuments were only authorized for units at Division level or higher. Nevertheless, a wealthy infantryman, after the war, wanted to honor the 316th Regiment, so he paid himself to build the monument on land belonging to the hospital of Verdun. He gave the hospital a large donation in exchange for the land and paid everything for the construction of the monument out of his own pocket. When Pershing heard about the memorial, he had all reference to the 316th Regiment removed. After Pershing's death the inscription to the 316th was restored. The site is still maintained by the 316th Infantry Regiment Trust Fund.
Photo source: www.globalgayz.com, Google Maps
Monument Text:
In front:
316 TH INFANTRY
79 TH DIVISION A.E.F
___________
ORGANIZED CAMP MEADE, MD
AUG. 29, 1917
SAILED FOR FRANCE
JULY 9, 1918
SECTOR 304 (DEFENSIVE)
SEPT. 13-26, 1918
MEUSE-ARGONNE OFFENSIVE
MONTFAUCON
SEPT. 26-30, 1918
TROYON SECTOR (DEFENSIVE)
OCT. 7-24, 1918
LAGRANDE MONTAGNE SECTOR
LA BORNE DE CORNOUILLER
HILL 378.
OCT 28 - NOV 11, 1918
MUSTERED OUT, U.S.A.
JUNE 9, 1919
CASUALTIES
OFFICERS - 78
MEN – 3128
___________
SECTOR 304
At the back:
IN PROUD AND
LOVING MEMORY
OF THE OFFICERS
AND MEN OF THE
316 TH INFANTRY
REGIMENT OF THE
79 TH DIVISION
U.S. ARMY WHO
GAVE THEIR LIVES
IN THE WORLD WAR
ERECTED 1928
