Within the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery and Memorial in France, which covers 130.5 acres, rest the largest number of our military dead in Europe, a total of 14,246. Most of those buried here lost their lives during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive of World War I. The immense array of headstones rises in long regular rows upward beyond a wide central pool to the chapel that crowns the ridge. A beautiful bronze screen separates the chapel foyer from the interior, which is decorated with stained-glass windows portraying American unit insignia; behind the altar are flags of the principal Allied nations.
On either side of the chapel are memorial loggias. One panel of the west loggia contains a map of the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. Inscribed on the remaining panels of both loggias are Tablets of the Missing with 954 names, including those from the U.S. expedition to northern Russia in 1918-1919. Rosettes mark the names of those since recovered and identified.
The cemetery is open daily to the public from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., except December 25 and January 1. It is open on host country holidays. When the cemetery is open to the public, a staff member is on duty in the visitor building to answer questions and escort relatives to grave and memorial sites.
Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery is located east of the village of Romagne-sous-Montfaucon (Meuse), France, which is 26 miles northwest of Verdun. It may be reached by car from Paris (152 miles) via toll autoroute A-4, exit 29.1/Clermont en Argonne. Then travel north via Varennes-en-Argonne. Follow the American Cemetery signs to the cemetery.
It may also be reached from Verdun, where hotels are available. If driving from Verdun travel via Consenvoye or Dun-sur-Meuse (26 or 29 miles), and follow the signs for American Cemetery. Rail service from Paris (Gare de l'Est) to Verdun takes about three and a half hours. Taxis are available from there to the cemetery.
