German 77 MM Artillery Shell with Fluting and Embossed Inscription

During World War I, Germany primarily used 77 mm artillery shells.  This pair of 77 mm, artillery shells is made of brass and has been decorated with a flared top with wavy edges in a “pie crust” configuration.  The main body is pebbled with embossed inscriptions that say “Meuse Argonne 1914-1918” “Chateau Thierry, Marne.”  The Meuse-Argonne Offensive, one of the United States’ most significant battles, was fought between September 26, 1918, and November 11, 1918.   The offensive stretched 24 miles from the Argonne Forest to the Meuse River.  The Meuse-Argonne Offensive was the deadliest battle in United States history, killing 26,277 Americans and wounding 95,786 Americans.