Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial

Saint-Avold, France

Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial is a Second World War American military war grave cemetery, located just outside Saint-Avold, Moselle. The cemetery, containing 10,489 American war dead (the second largest number of American burials in Europe, after the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery of World War I dead, with 14,246), covers 113.5 acres (45.9 ha), was dedicated in 1960. It is administered by the American Battle Monuments Commission.

During and shortly after the war over 16,000 American casualties were interred across the Saint Avold region in France. Those interred at the Lorraine American Cemetery died mostly in the autumn of 1944 during the Allied advance from Paris to the Rhine as the Americans sought to expel the Germans from fortress city of Metz and advance on the Siegfried Line during the latter stages of World War II. They were mainly part of the U.S. Third and Seventh Armies.

In the late 1940s many bodies from the Saint Avold region were repatriated to the US or concentrated at Lorraine.

The cemetery's headstones are arranged in nine plots forming an elliptical design ending with an overlook feature. A memorial has ceramic operations maps with narratives and service flags. Either side of the memorial are Tablets of the Missing commemorating 444 soldiers missing in action (rosettes mark those since recovered and identified).

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Details

Founded: 1944
Category: Cemeteries, mausoleums and burial places in France

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.9/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Jaack McMahon (2 years ago)
This is my most awesome and humbling experience. The quiet of the headstone in the breeze made me cry at the vastness of the death commemorated here. Visited my uncle Paul's headstone he was killed Jan 7, 1945 at the end of the Battle Of the Bulge.
S. Leenders (2 years ago)
Very impressive and extremely humbling experience! The cemetery is perfectly maintained. Those who fought for freedom, must never be forgotten
Joerg Schudrowitz (3 years ago)
Hidden gem! Whenever I am near St. Avold I do a little detour and spend some time in this magnificent and perfectly maintained cemetery. Huge and impressive. Thank you for your service!
KC Mitch (3 years ago)
Beautiful, stunning cemetery where the hero’s lay. Well kept and peaceful resting place. Words really can’t describe this spot. Thank you Boys for the sacrifice you made.
Mike E (6 years ago)
We worth stopping to experience the memorial, and let those that rest here know that they are not forgotten. A beautiful yet somber memorial worth walking through. Stop, pause, and think of the sacrifices made by others.
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