Last weekend a few friends and I took a trip across the border to St. Avold, France to visit the Lorraine American Cemetery. American cemeteries were created all over Europe to honor the falled from World Wars I & II, and some of them are in pretty close proximity to where we live. As a history buff, grandaughter of a WWII veteran and wife of an American soldier, I feel like it's important to know my own history and to pay my respects to the men and women who gave their lives for the cause of freedom.
The cemetery holds the largest number of American dead in all of Europe. There are 10,489 graves which predominately belong to WWII soldiers. There are rows and rows of headstones, some of which belong to unknown soldiers. It's a sad thought, to know that each grave represents not only a fallen soldier, but a family. Each white cross stands for a mother, a father, a brother, a son that lost a soldier. A family that experienced a great loss, which could never truly be repaid. Two Medal of Honor winners are also interred at the cemetery.There is a memorial chapel and two walls that hold the names of soldiers who are still missing in action. There is also a small overlook that allows you to see all the ceremony from about fifty feet up. It was a sobering experience but one that I was proud to have.
