Sergeant Alvin C. York State Historic Park hosting a living history event Saturday to reenact the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, the largest battle in the history of the United States military.
Park Manager Nate Dodson said the program commemorates the start of the 1918 offensive that involved approximately 1.2 million American soldiers. Dodson said the event aligns with national commemorations for the country’s 250th anniversary and highlights the specific battle where Sergeant York earned the Medal of Honor.
“We felt like America’s largest battle needed to be highlighted during this year,” Dodson said. “And it just so happens that September 26th falls on a Saturday, which is perfect for our park event, which is the the launch date of the Meuse-Argonne.”
Dodson said the event features reenactors known as doughboys who will demonstrate what life was like for soldiers during the final weeks of World War One. Visitors will begin the experience at the York barn for a briefing on the different phases of the battle before moving to the park’s trench area.
“The doughboys will be manning the front line, they’ll be, you know, preparing for an over-the-top, and famously in the Meuse-Argonne region of France, they were fighting in the woods,” Dodson said. “So there’ll be some pretty neat opportunities to to see the doughboys out of the trenches and fighting through the woods here at Sergeant York State Park.”
Dodson said the landscape of the Wolf River Valley closely resembles the terrain of the Meuse-Argonne region in France with its rolling hills and open farm fields. The program is designed to be accessible for all visitors, including families who may not have a prior interest in military history.
“It’s not every day that you get to see a World War One reenactment, you know, the doughboys in their full gear with their gas masks and cartridge belts and helmets and everything, you get to sort of see it and hear it and, and really sort of feel what that was like in 1918,” Dodson said.
Dodson said the offensive lasted 47 days and resulted in heavy casualties as the American Expeditionary Force engaged in hand-to-hand combat with German forces. The battle eventually led to the signing of the armistice on November 11, 1918, which ended the war.
“Obviously, there was lots and lots of casualties in in this 47-day offensive,” Dodson said. “American casualties, there was for the most part, the casualties that were suffered in World War One were during that last few weeks of the war through October of 1918 as the men of of the AEF, the American Expeditionary Force, are fighting the Germans, you know, in many situations hand to hand.”
The event is free to attend and features four scheduled briefings throughout the day starting at 10:00 a.m., followed by sessions at 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., and 2:00 p.m. Dodson said the park will also use the event to share an announcement regarding a special program planned for Veterans Day in November.
“One thing we will be doing will be releasing an exciting announcement of something that the park will be able to do in November on Veterans Day itself,” Dodson said. “And that announcement will come at this event as well.”
The program takes place September 26 at the York barn located across the street from the park visitor center.
