Staff Sergeant William F. "Bill" SWEENEY served with the U.S. Army, 377th Infantry Regiment, 95th Infantry Division during World War II. He was killed in action during the Battle of the Bulge on Thursday, November 9, 1944 and interred in Plot J, Row 31, Grave 36 at Lorraine American Cemetery, St. Avold (Moselle), France. S SG William F. SWEENEY was awarded the Purple Heart.

 Lorraine American Cemetery is situated ¾ mile north of the town of St. Avold (Moselle), France, on highway N-33. St. Avold. It covers 113.5 acres and is the largest American World War II cemetery in France. Interments are primarily of American soldiers who died in the fall of 1944 during efforts to drive German forces from the fortress city of Metz toward the Seigfried Line and the Rhine River (U.S. 3rd and 7th Army Infantry and Amored Divisions and Cavalry Regiments) and during the Battle of the Bulge. Initially there were over 16,000 American interments in this cemetery. Presently there are a total of 10,489 interments at this cemetery which is administered by the American Battle Monuments Commission.

The memorial, which stands on a plateau to the west of the burial area, contains ceramic operations maps with narratives and service flags. High on its exterior front wall is the large figure of St. Nabor, the martyred Roman soldier overlooking the silent host. On each side of the memorial, and parallel to its front, stretch the Tablets of the Missing on which are inscribed 444 names. Rosettes mark the names of those since recovered and identified. The entire area is surrounded by woodland.

The cemetery is open daily to the public from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. except December 25 and January 1. It is open on host country holidays. When the cemetery is open to the public, a staff member is on duty in the Visitor Building to answer questions and escort relatives to grave and memorial sites.

SOURCES:
     www.abmc.gov/cemeteries/cemeteries/lo.php
     en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorraine_American_Cemetery_and_Memorial

Contribution by Mrs. Andy (Joyce) Johnston, September of 2008