France: The American Cemetery Verdun

The route through the countryside to the American Cemetery was about 60 kilometers. It took us through several small villages and past many other cemeteries--some local, some from the great war. Of the 800,000 deaths at Verdun, only a few thousand were Americans and yet, as you stand there, looking at the row upon row of white crosses and stars of David, you are overwhelmed by the magnitude of this war and, for that matter, all wars. It looks so white and so clean, especially in the winter.

#americancemeteryverdun

I don't think it felt real to me until we actually got out and walked among the stones. There are names, home cities, and states on many of them.

That's when it hit me--these were real young men, just like my sons and brothers, who came here hoping to make the world a better place and never got to come home again. I was more deeply touched than I have ever been before.