By James Taylor
The Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial is a short drive from Luxembourg City and the drive is well worth the time and effort. If you are an American visiting Luxembourg the trip to these hallowed grounds is a must.
When we arrived early on a Saturday morning there were very few cars in the parking lot however; there were at least seven or eight buses. We were able to park very close to the impressive main gate to the cemetery and the memorial just beyond it completely captured our attention. After passing through this gate we stopped at the visitor building where a very knowledgeable and accommodating staff member answered my questions about the cemetery. I found out that there are 5,076 American service members buried on the property and that most of these personnel died during the Battle of the Bulge which was fought nearby during the winter of 1944-1945.
During our walk through the cemetery we took many pictures and now as I have another look at these photos while writing this I again feel humbled and a since of awe. Earlier in the week we visited the Bastogne Barracks museum located in Bastogne, Belgium only a short drive from this cemetery. These two WW ll sites complement each other and I highly recommend you visit both.
I cannot end this account without mentioning the fact that General George S. Patton Jr. is buried in this cemetery. The location of his grave is only slightly removed from the rows and rows of the other 5,075 service members buried here and it appears this location was selected to give the appearance that he is still leading the troops.
When we arrived early on a Saturday morning there were very few cars in the parking lot however; there were at least seven or eight buses. We were able to park very close to the impressive main gate to the cemetery and the memorial just beyond it completely captured our attention. After passing through this gate we stopped at the visitor building where a very knowledgeable and accommodating staff member answered my questions about the cemetery. I found out that there are 5,076 American service members buried on the property and that most of these personnel died during the Battle of the Bulge which was fought nearby during the winter of 1944-1945.
During our walk through the cemetery we took many pictures and now as I have another look at these photos while writing this I again feel humbled and a since of awe. Earlier in the week we visited the Bastogne Barracks museum located in Bastogne, Belgium only a short drive from this cemetery. These two WW ll sites complement each other and I highly recommend you visit both.
I cannot end this account without mentioning the fact that General George S. Patton Jr. is buried in this cemetery. The location of his grave is only slightly removed from the rows and rows of the other 5,075 service members buried here and it appears this location was selected to give the appearance that he is still leading the troops.
