A detachment came all the way from Ramstein Air base in Germany in the frame of the annual Heritage Trip conducted by staff members of the 86th Maintenance Group and the 721st Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. The goal of these trips is to honor the sacrifices and legacy of those who came long ago by visiting the places where history was made and, consequently, to build a deeper appreciation for service, sacrifice, and resilience. For those who are posted in Europe, such trips are helpful to create meaningful connections, strengthen remembrance, and inspire participants to carry forward the values and lessons of those who are honored.
Besides, it provides participants a chance to get outside the Kaiserslautern Military Community and experience the history, culture, and significance of the regions around them, an experience that they can exploit subsequently when traveling with their own family.
As a matter of fact, Vauquois Hill was eventually captured on September 26th, 1918, the very first day of the Meuse-Argonne offensive planned and executed by the American Expeditionnary Force (AEF) under general Pershing, after a coordinated attack of the 28th and 35th divisions. This is indeed the most appropriate site to start a tour of the AEF area of operations in the Argonne region.
