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Belleau Wood Pilgrimage – Jason Angell
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Belleau Wood is the site of one of the most storied battles in US Marine Corps lore. Marine Veteran Jason Angell gathered up his family and made a “pilgrimage” to this famous World War I battlefield. His experience is recounted in the Havok Journal article “A Pilgrimage to Belleau Wood”.
Jason is a ten year Marine Corps Veteran with three deployments to Iraq. He and his wife felt strongly that their teen aged children should be exposed to the sacrifices made by two generations of Americans on their behalf. Following a visit to the American cemeteries in Normandy, they traveled to the Belleau Wood.
Photo Credit: US Marine Corps
The battle took place June 1 – 26, 1918. Germany had just achieved victory on the Eastern Front and shifted a large number of forces to the Western front in hopes of gaining ground before the recently arrived American troops could gain a foothold. The overpowering German advance rolled over French defenders and led to one of the most famous quotes of the war. When retreating French soldiers encountered the newly arrived US troops, they encouraged them to flee for their lives. Marine Captain Lloyd Williams’ response was “Retreat Hell! We just got here!”
On the first day of fighting, the Marines suffered more men killed in combat that in the entire history of the Corps up to that point in time. Belleau Wood proved a hard won battle, often involving hand the hand combat to gain yards at a time. Of the 9,500 Marines who entered the fray, over a thousand were killed and 4,000 wounded. Their victory in the Belleau Wood secured Marines reputation as one of the world’s most fearsome fighting forces.
Jason and his two sons conducted an “unauthorized reconnaissance mission” when a gated fence interrupted their path to the “Iron Mike” Marine Memorial. He describes what it was like walking on the hallowed ground where so many Marines shed their blood. “It was odd how peaceful it seemed but it belied what really happened there over one hundred and five years ago. “
On Memorial Day, he reminds all of us that “There is a hole in somebody’s heart for all these men & women who died. Whether it was at Abbey Gate in Afghanistan or Belleau Wood and it is important to remember them.”
Jason will soon publish “Running Towards Gunfire”, an account of his role with Task Force Dark Eagle and their fight against insurgents in Ramadi.
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