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| Carl Fred Musbach |
The Aisne-Marne American Cemetery and Memorial in France is the final resting place for over 2,000 American soldiers who lost their lives during World War I. Most of the headstones mark the graves of men who fought in the Marne Valley during the last German offensive of 1918. Among these simple white cross headstones is an unmarked grave representing Carl Fred Musbach. Musbach served with the 66th company, 5th Marine Regiment, 2nd Division. He was killed on July 18, 1918 during the battle of Belleau Wood and declared missing in action. He is one of the 1,060 missing soldiers memorialized within the chapel at the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery.
Musbach’s marine regiment played a vital role in pushing back the German line during the summer of 1918. The Battle of Belleau Wood, beginning on June 6, 1918, was the first large scale battle fought by American Marines. The German offensive line had progressed within 45 miles of Paris when General John J. Pershing ordered a counterattack through Belleau Wood led by the Marines. The Allies drove the Germans back through the woods after 26 days of intense fighting. However, the battle cost the Marine Brigade over 50 percent casualties, including Carl Musbach.
Among the collections being reviewed by the Missouri Over There staff is the Carl Musbach collection from the National World War I Museum in Kansas City. This collection includes photographs of Musbach, as well as a handwritten journal kept by his mother Sophia Neth on her Gold Star Pilgrimage. The Gold Star Pilgrimages were government-funded trips for mothers and widows of deceased soldiers to visit the battlefields and cemeteries in France. A bill signed by President Calvin Coolidge in 1929 allocated money to fund these pilgrimages between 1930 and 1933. Sophia Neth was among the 6,654 women who traveled to France to pay their final respects to their fallen soldiers. Her journal allows us to learn of their experiences.
As Sophia Neth and the other women visited Belleau Wood they imagined where their sons could have been killed. Sophia described the white crosses marking the unknown soldiers. On the battlefield of Belleau Wood, she saw the holes and trenches that Musbach fought. She saw machine guns left in their holes along with shoes and helmets. In her own words Sophia stated, “Cematary and a large drive Way the cematarey has a Stone Wall around it the White crosses are in ground X Heare Rest in Honored glory American Soldier Unown but to get thare tow thousend eight Hundard and 5 in bene Wood Dead and 2 hundared and 52 Unknowen We Ware Rite in Whare the big battle fields Ware Whare Fred and Jim Mite a ben killed it was jest at the time they Ware killed When the big battle Was on Saw the holes and trenches they fought in the Machen guns Ware sill in the holes the boy shoes and hilments still lay a Round thare it Was terible”
The Aisne-Marne American Cemetery is located at the foot of the Belleau Woods. A monument here commemorates the valor of the U.S. Marines who fought to re-captured much of the ground. It continues to be a sacred site to the Marines to this day.
Musbach’s marine regiment played a vital role in pushing back the German line during the summer of 1918. The Battle of Belleau Wood, beginning on June 6, 1918, was the first large scale battle fought by American Marines. The German offensive line had progressed within 45 miles of Paris when General John J. Pershing ordered a counterattack through Belleau Wood led by the Marines. The Allies drove the Germans back through the woods after 26 days of intense fighting. However, the battle cost the Marine Brigade over 50 percent casualties, including Carl Musbach.
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| Sophia Neth at the cemetery at Belleau Wood-1931 |
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| Page from Sophia Neth's Journal |
The Aisne-Marne American Cemetery is located at the foot of the Belleau Woods. A monument here commemorates the valor of the U.S. Marines who fought to re-captured much of the ground. It continues to be a sacred site to the Marines to this day.
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| Aisne-Marne American Cemetery |
To learn more about the Gold Star Pilgrimages click here
Sources:
Carl F. Musbach (Mrs. Conrad Neth), 1918-1931. 1985.165. National World War I Museum, Kansas City, MO.
Aisne-Marne American Cemetery . American Battle Monuments Commission, n.d. Web. 26 Mar. 2015. <http://www.abmc.gov/cemeteries-memorials/europe/aisne-marne-american-cemetery#.VRQjjvnF-So>.
