Summer 2022
Dreary Monday. We've only been back on the continent for a few weeks, and we're renting a house just an hour or so from the largest European resting place for World War II American casualties.
Dreary Monday. We've only been back on the continent for a few weeks, and we're renting a house just an hour or so from the largest European resting place for World War II American casualties.
Exiting the building we entered the graveyard main perimeter and saw that the only other living persons on the 113-acre grounds were gardeners and facility maintainers. Going about their daily schedule of maintaining the location's elegant landscaping.
Some occasional sprinkles helped keep temperatures down--I enjoyed the brief showers, but Mirna and Austin headed for the Memorial (the scaredy cats). Walked the perimeter, nearly a mile, took in a wide perspective (and a couple breaths) while traversing the large overlook opposite the Memorial and Chapel, took in the symmetry and simplicity of it all. and stopped to . Surreal.
Some occasional sprinkles helped keep temperatures down--I enjoyed the brief showers, but Mirna and Austin headed for the Memorial (the scaredy cats). Walked the perimeter, nearly a mile, took in a wide perspective (and a couple breaths) while traversing the large overlook opposite the Memorial and Chapel, took in the symmetry and simplicity of it all. and stopped to . Surreal.
We'd told ourselves this time we must make it a point to visit some of these somber locations. There are over 30 American Battle Monuments in France, Belgium and the Netherlands, and most can be accessed within a half-day's drive.
At not even 90 minutes, Lorraine was a sinch. We took advantage of the quiet weekend/uneventful schedule, and took a drive to the town of St. Avold.
The Lorraine American Cemetery is just across the border from Germany. As is the standard at all such cemeteries the only requirement of us visitors was to be respectful, quiet, well-behaved. Pretty easy stuff for a couple in their mid-50s and their introverted, history-daft son.
At not even 90 minutes, Lorraine was a sinch. We took advantage of the quiet weekend/uneventful schedule, and took a drive to the town of St. Avold.
The Lorraine American Cemetery is just across the border from Germany. As is the standard at all such cemeteries the only requirement of us visitors was to be respectful, quiet, well-behaved. Pretty easy stuff for a couple in their mid-50s and their introverted, history-daft son.
Our first stop, being right at the west entrance, was the Memorial and Chapel. Not a modest structure in size but humble in presentation, outside and in. I initially found it to be completely cold and impersonal, but then realized an understated layout and detached feel in sculpture and visual composition are precisely those qualities which should define such a memorial. This is not a site about art or artistry; this is tribute to the brave men and women interred therein.
And some who didn't even make it that far. On either side of the memorial entrance are Tablets of the Missing, documenting over 400 Americans who'd fought alongside the men and women buried here, whose remains were never recovered (some of these heroes have been found, since the memorial was completed in 1960. Their names are indicated as such on the stone tablets).
And some who didn't even make it that far. On either side of the memorial entrance are Tablets of the Missing, documenting over 400 Americans who'd fought alongside the men and women buried here, whose remains were never recovered (some of these heroes have been found, since the memorial was completed in 1960. Their names are indicated as such on the stone tablets).
And overwhelming. The soldiers buried and commemorated here helped to propel the successful Western European Campaign in late 1944 and early '45. The Third and Seventh (U.S.) Armies were an important component of the forces that pushed Hitler back into Germany. Overwhelming the Third Riech and liberating millions who, otherwise, would have been subjugated by it.
It's tough to imagine any more imperative a triumph in recent history than defeating the Nazis. The men and women memorialized at Lorraine bore us and our allies to victory. Genuine paragons of the generation without whom we'd all be enduring a much uglier world.