The Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial

There is a certain, unavoidable, confidence-shaking anxiety that goes part and parcel with European train travel. Despite my very best efforts, I seem to have a sixth-sense (or unwarranted paranoia) that something is not right. Take today for example.

I knew my plan to visit the Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial in Margraten, south of Maastricht included a two and one-half hour train ride in each direction. I knew it would start with a metro ride and include a bus trip. What worried me though was the train.

As the train slowed for its stop in Eindhoven, an announcement seemed perfectly clear to everyone—except me. It was obvious that everyone was asked to detrain, but when I asked the man closest to me to translate, he said, “If you are going to Maastricht you must go to the end of the train.” That’s what I did, with one small issue. The train has two ends.

By the time I realized my error, all I could see was my train in the distance. The good news is there’s more than one train…

The Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial is the only American cemetery in the 

View from the entrance

Netherlands. Its 65 acres are the final resting place for 8301 Americans who gave their lives on European soil between 1941-1945. The land is sacred ground, but unlike the cemetery and memorial in Normandy, there is no visitors’ center, no movie, no gift shops—just men.

 

Earlier in the week I discussed my plan with a man I had met that day. After a short description, he asked, “That is a long way to travel. What will do you when you get there?”

I answered with the only answer that makes sense to me. I said, “Pay respects."