Joan Reinoehl, a 45-year Paid Up For Life member of Pennsylvania ALA Unit 272, experienced a deeply moving and profound trip to Europe observing war memorials, cemeteries, and monuments from World War I and WWII. 
 
Reinoehl had an opportunity to go with her brother — who was traveling with other U.S. Marines — for a special two-week trip in June 2025. 
 
She visited various veteran and military sites across France, Germany, and Belgium, learning much on the history of the wars.
 
While on the journey, the cemeteries where American soldiers from both wars were laid to rest stood out to Reinoehl the most.
 
Sites like Flanders Field and walking through them gave her anchors to the past, remembering that she was walking the same path as those soldiers before her.
 
“To think, you’re there and all this took place,” Reinoehl said. “When we were walking in the bush or in the fields, I would feel and think, ‘Oh, what if someone was shot here and was laying here where I’m standing?’ It just gave me the chills.”
 
Of all the memories made on this trip, Reinoehl also took a moment to slow down and honor the fallen servicemembers.
 
While touring the sites of Normandy, France, the group visited a cemetery where American servicemembers are buried.
 
Taking time walking through the burials to find servicemembers from Pennsylvania, Reinoehl came across a marker with no identifiable information. 
 
Upon seeing the lone grave, she paused, said a prayer for the fallen servicemember, and shed some tears.
 
“Nobody [had] come to see him; nothing on his stone,” Reinoehl said. “Here’s this person: Nobody there knows who he or she is. And what do you think of the parents? I mean, I pity them. They don’t even know where their son or daughter is.”
 
Though knowing nothing about who the servicemember could be, Reinoehl wanted to give a moment to honor their sacrifice. Beyond recognizing the unknown servicemember, she also wanted to recognize the loss of the unknown family.
 
“That’s sad to me that you’ll never see your daughter or son, and you don’t even know where they are that you could go visit,” she said.
 
Being the wife of a veteran, as well as having many other relatives in the service, Reinoehl empathized with the feelings of worry that this family would have felt at the time. The moment represented the all-encompassing loss that war can have not only on servicemembers, but their loved ones.
 
“I often thought, ‘War really can take the life out of you — or me worrying about my husband, or even my brother, my uncles — all of them,’” Reinoehl said.
 
Reinoehl describes herself as the type of person who just helps a stranger, and that’s what contributed to that moment.
 
She encourages other Auxiliary members — if they get the opportunity — to take a similar trip and see the military- and veteran-based sites in Europe. She said it was a worthwhile experience where you’ll learn a lot — not just the history — but also on taking a moment of recognition for those who came before us.