Saint-Avold, France (Lorraine American Cemetery)

Today we had a quick day trip planned with some amazing friends of ours. Our first stop was the Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial in Saint-Avold, France to pay respects to our many fallen comrades from WWII.

"The Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial in France covers 113.5 acres and contains the largest number of graves of our military dead of World War II in Europe, a total of 10,489. Their headstones are arranged in nine plots in a generally elliptical design extending over the beautiful rolling terrain of eastern Lorraine and culminating in a prominent overlook feature. Most of the dead here were killed while driving the German forces from the fortress city of Metz, France toward the Siegfried Line and the Rhine River. Initially, there were over 16,000 Americans interred in the St. Avold region in France, mostly from the U.S. Seventh Army's Infantry and Armored Divisions and its cavalry groups. St. Avold served as a vital communications center for the vast network of enemy defenses guarding the western border of the Third Reich. 

The memorial, which stands on a plateau to the west of the burial area, contains ceramic operations maps with narratives and service flags. High on its exterior front wall is the large figure of St. Nabor, the martyred Roman soldier overlooking the silent host. On each side of the memorial, and parallel to its front, stretch the Tablets of the Missing on which are inscribed 444 names. Rosettes mark the names of those since recovered and identified. The entire area is framed in woodland. "  --American Battle Monuments Commission

If you are anywhere in this area, I highly recommend going.  Entrance and parking are free and there is an employee on site in the visitor's center (clean restrooms are also available).

The cemetery is absolutely beautiful (well-kept and peaceful) giving those buried here the full respect they deserve.  Here is the grave of  Andrew Miller.  You should read his Medal of Honor citation (here).  Amazing.  

The chapel and memorial are located in the front of the cemetery.  Alongside the memorial you can see the Walls of the Missing which displays the name, rank, organization, and state of 444 soldiers who sleep in unmarked graves.

Words cannot express the feeling you get standing out and looking into a field of so many graves, so many brave men willing to die for their country.  It was a very humbling experience and we were grateful to have been able to go.  Our next stop was an hour north in the village of Verdun.