The Connecticut Heritage Foundation on behalf of the Connecticut State Library is proud to announce that Knee Deep Into History, LLC has been selected to offer a 102nd Infantry Regiment and Yankee Division World War 1 Battlefield Tour from 17 to 23 April 2023.
This seven-day, six-night tour will visit key regimental and divisional sites along the Western Front, including the caves along the Chemin des Dames, Belleau Wood and vicinity, the St. Mihiel Salient and the Meuse-Argonne region of France. Experienced guides Randy Gaulke and Markus Klauer will share their WW1 battlefield knowledge, period photos and first-person accounts to bring the experiences of soldiers and officers to life.
This tour is a tribute to the men of the 26th Division and their service in WW1,” stated Christine Pittsley, Special Projects Director at the Connecticut State Library. She added: “It offers participants the opportunity to explore and experience a small part of what it was like for our soldiers on battlefields of France, to participate in the centennial activities in Seicheprey, and to help support the “Digging into History” program.”
The tour will conclude with a celebration of the century-long special relationship between the State of Connecticut and the French town of Seicheprey. In 1923 the State of Connecticut donated funds to build a fountain in the commune as the war-torn region was rebuilding after WW1. Next April, the town of Seicheprey will host a re-dedication ceremony for the fountain and will rename a local road in honor of the Yankee Division.
Bruce Blanchart, the son 104th Infantry Regiment, Yankee Division soldier has traveled extensively with both Randy and Markus in 2017-18. He writes: “I am delighted to hear that Knee Deep Into History, LLC will be focusing on the 26th Yankee Division, especially the 102nd Infantry Regiment, the fellow battlegroup to my father’s 104th Infantry Regiment. Your combined knowledge and experience in the location that the 26th Yankee Division covered will bring a level of interest to the tour participants that they will never forget.”
Participation in the tour will also support the next round of the Connecticut Heritage Foundation’s award-winning “Digging Into History” program, as $125 per participant plus a percentage of profit will be given to fund the program.
To learn more about this once in a lifetime trip please visit https://kneedeepintohistory.com/
Christine Pittsley | 860.757.6517 | christine.pittsley@ct.gov
Randal Gaulke | 908.451.0252 | kneedeepintohistory@gmail.com