The Somme tourist board

On wednesday 28th of May, 2008 at 11.00am, the McCormick Tribune Foundation, the Cantigny First Division Foundation, the American Veterans of the 28th Infantry Regiment Association and the village of Cantigny in the Somme will commemorate the 90th anniversary of the first victory of an American division on the French soil : the 1st Division, thanks to the support of the French units and their tanks. At this occasion a bronze statue representing a doughboy from the 28th Infantry Regiment of the US Army will be dedicated.

This ceremony will be followed at 2.30pm by laying of wreaths in the German cemetery and the French military square of Montdidier.
Should attend, civilian and military dignitaries from United States, France and other Allied Nations from this conflict, but also from Germany.
At the initiative of the "Souvenir Français" from the Somme, the "Office Nationale des Anciens Combattants" (French Veterans' Affairs) and under the patronage of the "Education Nationale" (French Ministry of Education), a drawing competition is organized between French and American schools to realize the official poster. An exhibition from the French Veterans Affairs with for theme "the Great War" during the week and a concert of jazz from the SHAPE (NATO) international military orchestra on Tuesday 27th of May will complete this international event.