Chatueau Thierry

Pat Daily · 16 April 2006, 02:32 PM

This is not aircraft related directly, but last summer my wife and daughter and I stopped in Chateau Thierry -- where my father fought with the American forces on the Marne. We also stopped to visit the American Cemetery at Oise-Aisne, where we found the poet Joyce Kilmer's grave. It was so sad to see all of these graves from young Americans who died in 1918. The logbook showed not very frequent visitors--most people have forgotten what happened there. There is an church dedicated to the Americans on the town square at Chateau-Thierry with an unusual stained glass window that shows Marshal Foche, General Pershing, General Layfeyette and the French and American flags and armies. The rector was delighted to show us around when my daughter (a French major in college) told him in French that her grandfather had fought defending Chateau-Thierry in 1918 with the American forces. He was thrilled that we came to visit --it was very touching. We spent the night at a the nearby Chateau de Ferre at Ferre en Tardenois--built in 1519 with a 12th century ruin nearby. Thought you might like to see some photos. The first shot is Chateau-Thierry

Pat Daily