Lorraine American Cemetery in Saint Avold, France

Thanks to a cousin we have the information needed to visit the grave  site of yet another cousin who died during WWII.  Of course we did not know him but he was cousin to my mother.  My mother and many of her cousins, along with her brother my beloved uncle, joined the military to do their duty during those difficult times.  Sadly, this cousin Robert L. Glos never came home.  He was a gunner, as was another cousin, and his plane was shot down over Europe.  Story has it that some of the men had parachuted out but Bob did not.  Later, after the war, the pilot came to see his mother and father.  He said that the plane took a direct  hit right in the area that Bob was and he thought Bob died instantly. The pilot told them what a great guy he was and respected by all.  I see this as little consolation when you have lost a son.  The cost of a war is never forgotten by those who have paid such a price.  His mother wanted his body brought home but his father was against it stating that they would never be sure it was really him.  As my mother stated, "Things do get mixed up during a war" and of course there was no DNA testing back then.  Thankfully, his mother was able to visit his grave site at Lorraine American Cemetery before her death, along with his sister and niece.  Therefore, I was able to receive the information as to the location and contact information.  We did want to visit a cemetery from this era and what one would be better than this?  We have received very accommodating and kind emails from Lorraine Cemetery since our first contact.  They have offered to pick us up at the train station, drive us to the cemetery and escort us to the grave site.  We can also preorder flowers for the grave, which we will do.  We have been invited to attend a Memorial Day Ceremony on May 24, which will consist of a one hour service at the cemetery followed by a pick nick" in the nearby city of Saint Avold.  We planned to be leaving for our cousins in the south of France that day but we are trying to see if we can change our plans and visit for that ceremony instead of a day in June as we first planned. 

In part, here was some touching information we also received from my cousin: "IT IS A VERY EMOTIONAL PLACE, IT IS AMAZING.  THANK YOU FOR GOING TO VISIT BOB.  THE GENTLEMAN SAID FEWER AND FEWER RELATIVES ARE COMING BECUASE THEIR PARENTS ARE ALL ABOUT PASSED AWAY AND THEIR SIBLINGS ARE OLDER AND DON'T REALLY TRAVEL SO THANK YOU FOR GOING ON BEHALF OF OUR FAMILY.  THEY TOLD US ALL THE TREES AND PLANT MATERIAL THERE ARE FROM AMERCIA AND THE SOIL SO THEY ARE ESSENTIALLY BURIED IN AMERICAN SOIL JUST NOT 'ON' AMERICAN SOIL."