On September 12^th, 1944, nine Americans were killed in Vesoul, France during the town’s liberation. Five of these man, Cpl. Victor Casaretti, Sgt. Arthur Baird, Pfc. Edward Kearns, Pvt. Edwin Sanders, and Pvt. Dominic Russo, rest eternally at Epinal American Cemetery. As a symbol of appreciation and thanks, the town of Vesoul, adopted the graves of these five men during a ceremony on May 8, 2016. More than 300 people from the town came to the cemetery to attend this solemn event as did Casaretti’s niece, Ginny Callahan, along with her husband and son, who all traveled from New York City. Additionally, SSgt. Daniel Acosta, SSgt. Stafford, and SSgt. McKinney, all from EUCOM in Stuttgart, Germany, volunteered their time to serve as the U.S. Color Guard during this ceremony.

It’s a common practice in many ABMC cemeteries in Europe for local citizens or towns to adopt gravesites. In doing so, they make the promise to help remember that individual that gave their life. They honor them by bringing flowers to the gravesite, by learning about their personal and military life, and often times, by connecting with family members in the states. The grave adoption process aims to pass along the legacy of the American sacrifice to the youngest generation so that it’s never forgotten.