My reason that I disagree with the French:

AMERICAN BATTLE MONUMENTS COMMISSION

Charles R. Pierce

Sergeant, U.S. Army

119th Infantry Regiment, 30th Infantry Division

Entered the Service from: North Carolina
Died: October 11, 1918

Buried at: Plot A Row 34 Grave 07
Somme American Cemetery
Bony, France

Check out www.abmc.gov for yourself, maybe you'll find your uncle or someone else you know.