Introduction

The WWI Underground project is a digital preservation of French caves where U.S. soldiers took refuge in during WWI. The scope of the initiative is the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) 26th "Yankee" Division, comprised of soldiers from Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Securing a 3D footprint addresses the cave’s vulnerability and is part of a multi-year plan to archive and build digital resources so others can leverage the data-rich models and imagery as we continue to remember the sacrifices made and preserve the messages left by these soldiers from New England.