Gold Star Mothers carried soil from France and Belgium to rededicate a World War I marker at Arlington National Cemetery
In May, five Gold Star Mothers visited American military cemeteries and memorials in France and Belgium to honor America’s fallen. They collected sacred soil from these hallowed grounds and brought it back to the United States. Those women represented every mother who had lost a child in America’s wars.
On Sunday, July 5, at Arlington National Cemetery, a rededication ceremony was held to replace the original World War I marker that had stood sentinel in the Meuse-Argonne section. The collected soil was placed inside the new marker by Gold Star Mothers.
The solemn ceremony began with presenting of the Colors by the U.S. Navy Ceremonial Guard and the French Foreign Legion. The U.S. Army Band played the national anthems of both countries, featuring vocalist Verlene Faust. Buglers from the French Foreign Legion and U.S. Army Band played Aux Morts and TAPS.
Speakers included Karen Durham-Aguilera, executive director, Army National Military Cemeteries; Regis Simonin, president, and Francis Fegun, secretary, both of Les Amis de Renée & Gaston Deblaize; COL Thibaud Thomas, deputy defense attaché for France in the United States; COL (Ret) Robert Dalessandro, acting secretary, American Battle Monuments Commission; GEN (Ret) Stephen J. Townsend, ABMC Board member and chairman of the International Council; and Joyce Paulsen, national president, American Gold Star Mothers. Ryan Hegg, head of Legacy & Education, United War Veterans Council, and Veteran Relations, Souvenir Francais USA, served as emcee.
The event was attended by more than 100 patriots.
This project was conceived as a joint effort to commemorate America’s 250th anniversary. The United Veterans War Council, the American Gold Star Mothers, the American Battle Monuments Commission, the American Battle Monuments Foundation, Le Souvenir Francais, Les Amis de Renée & Gaston Deblaize, and the Association Nationale des Croix de Guerre et de la Valeur Militare produced the many aspects of the Restoration of the Sacred Soil Marker of Arlington.
Another aspect included pairing American and French high school students to learn and write about the stories behind those who fought at Meuse-Argonne. The marker was sculpted in France from French limestone, then transported to the U.S., compliments of FedEx. Special funding for travel of the Gold Star Mothers and for the reception at the French Embassy was provided by the Johnson Family Fund and Pierre & Jennifer Oury.
Following the rededication ceremony, guests reconvened at the French Embassy for a reception. Speakers included Col. Thibaud Thomas; GEN (Ret) Stephen J. Townsend; Lance Mangum, Corporate Office and V.P. Government Affairs, FedEx; and Mona Gunn, past president of the American Gold Star Mothers. ABMF Chief Development Officer Frank P. Mascia III served as emcee.
A special thanks to Ryan Hegg of UVWC and Chloe Appert of ABMF for their tireless work to make this special event a reality.
The American Battle Monuments Foundation is grateful to the donors whose generosity helped make this pilgrimage possible. Because of your support, sacred soil from the final resting places of Americans who never returned home now has a permanent place in their homeland.
Because of you, they are remembered.
If you want to support the important work ABMF does to preserve the memories of fallen Americans, please donate today.
