26

HERE RESTS IN HONORED GLORY

A COMRADE IN ARMS
KNOWN BUT TO GOD

Decorated Gravesite of a World War II “Unknown”

THE AMERICAN
BATTLE MONUMENTS
COMMISSION

ESTABLISHED BY CONGRESS MARCH 1923

UNITED STATES OFFICE

American Battle Monuments Commission
Court House Plaza II

Suite 500

2300 Clarendon Boulevard

Arlington, VA 22201

Telephone: (703) 696-6897

(703) 696-6896

FAX: (703) 696-6666

EUROPEAN OFFICE

Street Address:

68, rue du 19 Janvier

92380 - Garches, France

Mailing Address:

American Battle Monuments Commission
American Embassy - Paris

PSC 116

APO AE 09777

Telephone: (011-33) 1-4701-1976 (from U.S.)
33-0-1-4701-1976 (within France)

(00-33) 1-4701-1976 (from other

European Countries)

ee K

MEDITERRANEAN OFFICE

Street Address:

Via Cavour, 275

00184 Rome, Italy

Mailing Address:

American Battle Monuments Commission

American Embassy

PSC 59, Box 11

APO AE 09624

Telephone: (011-39) 06-4824-157
06-4890-3685 (from U.S.)
06-4824-157 (within Italy)

FAX: (011-39) 6-487-1624

PHILIPPINE OFFICE

Street Address:

Manila American Cemetery

and Memorial

Fort Bonifacio, Makati City

Republic of the Philippines

Mailing Address:

Manila American Cemetery

PSC 513, Box 5

FPO AP 96515-1800

Telephone: (011-632) 844-0212 (from U.S.)
844-0212 (from Metro-Manila)

FAX: (011-632) 812-4717

27


The Memorial

Altar on Terrace of Peristyle

memorial chapel, museum and grave
plots, which encompass three-
quarters of the cemetery, are located
on the north side of Highway D-2;
and the parking area, service facil-
ities and the Superintendent's
quarters with the visitors’ room and
office are located on the south side.

Entrance to the graves area is
through two iron pedestrian gates on
Highway D-2 which open onto the
central mall leading to the memorial
chapel and the museum at its north-
ern end. A cross-axis mall intersects
the central mall near the center of the
graves area dividing it into four rect-
angular plots. At the intersection of
the two malls is a circular island of
grass and a flagstaff from which the
American flag flies daily. A small
cul-de-sac with a stone bench and a
planter backed by evergreen shrub-
bery lies at each end of the cross-axis
mall. Bordering the malls are
Oriental plane trees and beds of
polyantha roses surrounded by
dwarf boxwood hedges.

Entrance to Chapel

A path edged by privet hedge lies
just inside the perimeter fence which
encloses the graves area.

THE MEMORIAL

The Romanesque memorial consists
of a semi-circular peristyle with a
chapel on the right (east) end and a
one-room museum on the left. Its
columns of granite and multi-hued
French and Italian marble encircle a
raised stone terrace, in the center of
which is a large rectangular altar of
polished golden Rocheret Jaune
marble. Entrance to the chapel and
museum is from the terrace. The
walls and piers of the peristyle are of
pink Gres des Vosges sandstone with
copings, bands, and openings of
buff-grey Rippes Jaune sandstone.

An eagle rising, a palm wreath en-
circling a cross and a pelican feeding
its young, early Christian symbols of
redemption and resurrection, are
carved on the front face of the out-
door stone altar in bas-relief. Above
the carving is inscribed in English
and French: IN SACRED SLEEP THEY
REST.

Engraved on the front and rear
faces of the capitals of the ten double
columns of the colonnade are the
insignia of the Ist, 2d, 3d, 4th, 26th,
28th, 32d, 42d, 77th, and 93d Divi-
sions which fought in this sector.
Carved on the sides of the capitals are
embellishments such as a rifle and
bayonet, gas mask, one-pounder
cannon, airplane propeller, field
glasses, Stokes mortar, airplane
bomb, entrenching tools, automatic
pistol, field telephone set, hand gre-
nade, mess kit, machine gun on a
tripod, cannon muzzle, mule’s head,
trench knife, canteen and cover, belt
of machine gun ammunition,
artillery shell and harness.

The columns of the peristyle are
separated at regular intervals by one
of four piers. Above each of the two


Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial, Cambridge, England

unfortunately had all too often been
found to be poorly designed, poorly
constructed and lacking provision
for maintenance) was expressly for-
bidden by the military services. The

ermanent graphic record takes the
form of military maps, usually large
murals, amplified by descriptive
texts in English as well as in the lan-
guage of the country in which the
cemetery is located. The historical
data for these maps were prepared
by the American Battle Monuments

‘commission. The maps themselves
were rendered by experienced art-
ists in tasteful presentation using
various media: layered marbles,
fresco, bronze relief, mosaic con-
crete or ceramics. Another feature of
interest at each memorial is the two
sets of “key-maps”: “The War
Against Comma and “The War
Against Japan.” Each set consists of
three maps, each covering about
one-third of the period of our par-
ticipation in the war. By these key-

18

maps any major battle may be re-
lated to the others in time and space.

With each architect, an American
landscape architect, an American
sculptor and an American muralist
or painter usually collaborated.
Their combined talents produced
the beauty and dignity of the memo-
rials, all of which are dedicated to
the memory of the achievements of
those who served and of the sacri-
fices of those who died. The con-
struction of the cemeteries and me-
morials and the execution of most of
the works of art, were performed by
local contractors and artists under the
supervision of the Commission.

Ateach cemetery there is a visitors’
building or room, with comfortable
furnishings. Here visitors may learn
the ave locations (or inscriptions of
the Missing) at any of the overseas
cemeteries.

Each grave in the overseas ceme-
teries is marked by a headstone of
white marble — a Star of David for

Brittany American Cemetery, St. James, Manche, France

those of Jewish faith, a Latin cross
for others. Each headstone bears the
deceased’s name, rank, service, or-
ganization, date of death and state
or territory from which he entered
the military service.

In the World War I cemeteries,
headstones of the Unknowns, i.e.,
those remains which could not be
identified, bear the inscription:

HERE RESTS IN HONORED GLORY AN
AMERICAN SOLDIER KNOWN BUT TO
GOD.

In the World War II cemeteries, the
inscription reads:

HERE RESTS IN HONORED GLORY A COM-
RADE IN ARMS KNOWN BUT TO GOD.

Tablets of the Missing (which also
include the names of those whose
remains could not be identified and
those lost or buried at sea) give name,
rank, organization and state; the cir-
cumstances under which death
occurred often precluded the possibil-
ity of determining the exact date.

These cemeteries are open every
day of the year. Photography is
permitted without special authori-
zation, except when it is to be used
for commercial purposes — in such
cases, permission must be obtained
from the Commission.

Unlike National cemeteries under
jurisdiction of the Department of Vet-
erans’ Affairs, there can be no fur-
ther burials in the American military
cemeteries overseas except of those
remains which may, in the future, be
found on the battlefields. Essentially,
these graves with their memorials
constitute inviolable shrines.

In addition to the eight World War I
cemeteries, the fourteen World War II
cemeteries, eleven World War I
monuments and two tablets, and
the two World War II markers (Casa-
blanca, Morocco and Papua, New
Guinea), the American Battle Monu-
ments Commission’s program of
commemoration includes the follow-
ing:

19


sions fought during the Oise-Aisne
Offensive and the Second Battle of
the Marne, which are described
briefly in the history section of this
booklet.

The chandelier, oak door, and
onyx windows match those of the
chapel.

GRAVES AREA

The graves area contains four rectan-
gular plots bordered by wide tree-
lined paths and beds of polyantha
roses. Grave plots A and C lie to the
left (west) of the central mall and
plots B and D to the right. Interred
within them are the remains of 6,012
military and support personnel.
They represent all of the then forty-
eight States and the District of
Columbia. Of these remains, 597 are
Unknowns, i.e., those who could not
be identified. Inscribed on the head-
stones of the Unknowns is: HERE
RESTS IN HONORED GLORY AN AMERI-
CAN SOLDIER KNOWN BUT TO GOD.
Stars of David mark the graves of
those of the Jewish faith; Latin
crosses mark the others. Each head-
stone was fabricated from white
Carrara marble quarried in Italy. As
one proceeds through the cemetery,
their long rows rise gently from the
main entrance of the graves area to

the memorial on the north, present-
ing an ever-changing array of geo-
metric patterns.

Enclosing the graves area are a
privet hedge, a low peripheral stone
wall covered intermittently with ivy,
and a screen of oak, birch, pine, fir,
cedar, poplar, ash and maple.
Between the stone wall and the privet
hedge are groups of lilac, hibiscus
and hydrangea.

VISITORS’ ROOM

The Visitors’ Room and the cemetery
office are located in the Superintend-
ent’s quarters, an ivy-covered build-
ing enframed by stately maple trees
and flowering shrubs, on the south
side of Highway D-2 directly oppo-
site the main entrance to the ceme-
tery.

It is a comfortably furnished room,
with toilet facilities, where visitors
may obtain information, sign the
register and pause to refresh them-
selves. During the day, a member of
the cemetery staff is on duty in the
building to answer questions and
provide information on burials and
memorializations in the Commis-
sion’s cemeteries, accommodations
in the vicinity, travel, local history
and other things of interest.

12

St. Mihiel American Cemetery, Thiaucourt, France

AMERICAN MEMORIALS
and
OVERSEAS MILITARY
CEMETERIES

The AMERICAN BATTLE MONUMENTS
ComMiIssION was created by act of
Congress in March 1923 to erect and
maintain memorials in the United
States and foreign countries where
the United States Armed Forces have
served since 6 April 1917, and to con-
trol as to design and provide regula-
tions for the erection of monuments,

markers and memorials in foreign
countries by other United States citi-
zens and organizations, public or
peels: It was later given responsi-

ility for establishing or taking over
from the Armed Forces permanent
burial grounds in foreign countries
and designing, constructing, operat-
ing and maintaining permanent

B


outer piers is carved a soldier of
World War I; above each of the two
inner piers is carved St. George slay-
ing the dragon on the left and St.
Michael, the Archangel, on the right.
Over them in the frieze of the peri-
style in Rippes Jaune stone is the
commemorative inscription: THESE
ENDURED ALL AND GAVE ALL THAT
HONOR AND JUSTICE MIGHT PREVAIL
AND THAT THE WORLD MIGHT ENJOY
FREEDOM AND INHERIT PEACE.
Engraved on the rear of the peristyle
is the inscription: AMERICAN BATTLE
MONUMENTS COMMISSION, CRAM AND
FERGUSON ARCHITECTS.

In the frieze of the exterior walls of
the chapel and museum are carved
twenty-three shields depicting the
branch and service insignia of U.S.
Forces which served in the Oise-
Aisne region: Infantry, Field Artil-
lery, Engineers, Signal Corps, Air
Service, Coast Artillery Corps, Quar-
termaster Corps, Ordnance Depart-
ment, Medical Department, Chem-
ical Warfare Service, Marine Corps,
Tank Corps, Motor Transport Corps,
Transportation Corps, Cavalry, Mili-
tary Police, General Staff Corps, Ad-
jutant General’s Department, Inspec-
tor General’s Department, Judge
Advocate General’s Department,
Christian Chaplains, Jewish Chap-
lains and the American Field Service.
Below the frieze on the front wall of
both the chapel and museum is a
stylized version of the Great Seal of
the United States.

THE CHAPEL

The rectangular stone chapel on the
west end of the peristyle is entered
from the raised terrace through a
massive brass-studded oak door of
dark panels trimmed in lighter-
colored wood. Three stars within
circles, separated by laurel leaves, are
carved in the lintel above the door.
At each end of the lintel is carved a

10

Interior of Museum

fasces, symbol of authority of the
magistrates of ancient Rome. Facing
the entrance, inside the chapel, is a
beautiful altar of black variegated
Italian porter marble inset with two
panels of Rocheret Jaune marble. A
stylized oak tree, traditionally sym-
bolizing strength, virtue and faith, is
carved upon each of these panels.
Between the two oak trees in a circle
is the carved figure of a pelican feed-
ing her young, symbolic of Christ
feeding the masses.

The tall Rocheret Jaune marble
back of the altar is embellished with
decorative sculpture and panels, and
carries the following inscription on a
gilded background directly above
the altar: WITH GOD IS THEIR REWARD.
A gold cross between two candelabra
sits upon the altar. At the altar base
tests the Tablets of Moses.

The names of 241 American sol-
diers missing in the area whose
remains were never recovered or, if
recovered never identified, are
inscribed upon the side walls. This
inscription precedes the names on

the south wall: THE NAMES RECORDED
ON THESE WALLS ARE THOSE OF AMERI-
CAN SOLDIERS WHO FOUGHT IN THIS
REGION AND WHO SLEEP IN UNKNOWN
GRAVES.

Two windows provide light for the
chapel’s interior, one high above the
altar and one in the north wall. Each
is made up of circles of thin, translu-
cent Algerian onyx. A circular bronze
filigreed chandelier suspended from
the vaulted stone ceiling also pro-
vides light.

Completing the furnishings of this
simple chapel are four hand-carved
walnut prayer benches facing the
altar.

MUSEUM

On the east end of the peristyle is the
museum room. It is similar in con-

struction and size to the chapel.
Carved in the wall facing the en-
trance is a crusader’s sword upon a
gilded background flanked by verti-
cal laurel leaves also upon a gilded
background. The colors of the United
States and France are displayed from
bronze standards on the walls on
both sides of the walnut bench.

On the left (north) wall, also en-
graved on a gilded background is the
dedicatory relief inscription: IN
GRATEFUL REMEMBRANCE OF HER SONS
WHO DIED IN THE WORLD WAR THIS
CHAPEL IS ERECTED BY THE UNITED
STATES OF AMERICA. The inscription
appears in both English and French.

Opposite the inscription on the
south wall is a carved battle map of
the Oise-Aisne region. The map
details the lines of advance and the
areas where various American divi-

‘Map of Aisne-Marne Region on Museum Wall

1


World War I

Aisne-Marne, Belleau, France
Brookwood, England ....,

Flanders Field, Waregem, Belgium
Meuse-Argonne, Romagne, France
Oise-Aisne, Fere-en-Tardenois, France.
St. Mihiel, Thiaucourt, France
Somme, Bony, France ......+
Suresnes (See WW Il also), France

Tetgliis ns Meee Meerkat eee 2

World War I monuments erected
by the Commission are located at or
near: Audenarde and Kemmel,
Belgium; Bellicourt, Brest, Cantigny,
Chateau-Thierry, Montfaucon,
Montsec, Sommepy, and Tours,
France; Gibraltar and Washington,
DC. World War I tablets are at
Chaumont and Souilly, France.

By the end of World War II, several
hundred temporary cemeteries had
been established by the American
Graves Registration Service of the
United States Army. During the
years 1947 to 1954 that Service, com-
plying with the expressed wishes of
the next of kin, and by authority of
law, repatriated the remains of some
172,000 recovered bodies. The re-
mainder were given final interment
in the permanent military cemeteries
on foreign soil, in private cemeteries
overseas and in the national cemeter-
ies in Honolulu, Sitka, Alaska and

Burials Missing

Known Unknown — Commiemorated
2,039 250 1,060
427 4 563
347 21 43
13,760 486 954
5,415 597 241
4,036 u7 284
1,706 138 333
1,535 6 974
core. 29,265 1,656 4452

Puerto Rico (which are now admin-
istered by the National Cemetery
Administration, Department of
Veterans’ Affairs). As was the case
after World War I, some remains
were left in isolated graves outside
of the cemeteries by request of the
families who then became responsi-
ble for their maintenance.

Fourteen sites in foreign countries
were selected as permanent ceme-
teries in 1947 by the Secretary of the
Army and the American Battle
Monuments Commission in con-
cert. Their locations reflect the prog-
ress of the military operations and
were selected with consideration of
their accessibility, aspect, prospect,
drainage and other practical factors.
The World War II cemeteries with
number of burials, including Un-
knowns, and the numbers of Miss-
ing recorded at their memorials and
at three separate memorials on
United States soil are:

Burials Missing
World War II Known Unknown — Contmemorated
Ardennes, Neupre (Neuville-en-Condroz), Belgium .. 4,536 792 462
Brittany, St. James, France . 4313 97 498
Cambridge, England , .. 3,788 24 5,126
Epinal, France 2.0... 5,186 69 424
Florence, Italy .. 4,189 213 1409
Henri-Chapelle, Belgium 7,895 94 450
Lorraine, St. Avold, France 10,338 181 444
Luxembourg, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg. 4,975 101 371
Manila, Republic of the Philippines 13462 3,744 36,282
Netherlands, Margraten, Holland . 8,196 106 1,723
Normandy, St. Laurent-sur-Mer, France . 9,080 307 1,557
North Africa, Carthage, Tunisia .. 2,601 240 3,724
Rhone, Draguignan, France 79 62 294
Sicily-Rome, Nettuno, Italy .. 7371 490 3,095
Suresnes (See WW also), France . — 24 —

16

East Coast Memorial, New York City, New York . .. .

Honolulu Memorial, Honolulu, Hawaii

West Coast Memorial, San Francisco, California...

Totals .....

World War II cemeteries maintained by the National Cemetery Administration,

Department of Veterans" Affairs
National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific .
Honolulu, Hawaii ........... wre?

Puerto Rico ...
Sitka, Alaska .

Other Missing in Action Commemorated by ABMC
Korean War, Honolulu Memorial,

Honolulu, Hawaii... 0 oe. cece ee am
Vietnam War, Honolulu Memorial,

Honolulu, Hawaii ....... 02... 0ee0e0 es

Use of the permanent cemetery
sites on foreign soil was granted in
penpetnity by the host government
to the United States free of cost, rent
and taxation. The temporary ceme-
tery sites not selected as permanent
cemeteries reverted to the land-
owners.

In 1947, an outstanding American
architect was selected to design each
of the World War II cemeteries, con-
ceiving its grave plots, a chapel and
a museum as complementary ele-
ments of an integral memorial to the
services and sacrifices of the Ameri-
can Armed Services who fought in
the particular region. Upon ap-
proval of their general schemes by
the Commission and by agreement
with the Secretary of the Army, the
architects’ plans of the grave plots
were followed by the American
Graves Registration Service in mak-
ing the permanent burials of those
remains which by decision of the
next of kin were to be interred over-
seas. The timely cooperation be-
tween these two agencies contrib-
uted appreciably to the coherence of
the development of the cemetery
designs.

Beginning in the latter half of 1949,
the permanent interments havin,
been virtually completed, the Worl:
War II overseas cemeteries were pro-
gressively transferred for con-
struction and maintenance to the
American Battle Monuments Com-
mission by Presidential Executive

— _ 4,609

— = 18,096

— 412

86,729 6514 78,976

(See
11,597 2,079 Honolulu
Memorial)

69 _ —

67 5 —

sees — — 8,200

ws — — 2,504

Order. Thereupon, the remaining
portions of the architects’ designs
were carried out, step by step —
grading; installation of a system of
reinforced concrete beams on piles to
maintain the levels and alignments
of the headstones; fabrication and
installation of the headstones; con-
struction of water supply and distri-
bution systems, utilities buildings,
roads and paths; plantings; and erec-
tion of the memorials, visitors’ build-
ings and flagpoles.

For design of the various memo-
tials, no specific limitations were
imposed upon the architects other
than budgeted cost and a require-
ment that each was to embody these
features:

Asmall devotional chapel;

inscription of the names and
particulars of the Missing in the
region;

a graphic record, in permanent
form, of the services of our troops
(WW I only; however, Oise-Aisne,
Meuse-Argonne and St. Mihiel
WWI American Cemeteries also
have battle maps).

These requirements have been in-
terpreted in a wide and interesting
variety of forms.

An important motive for the con-
struction of the memorials is the im-
plied undertaking by our Govern-
ment to record by monuments the
achievements of our Armed Ser-
vices, since the erection of memo-
rials by the troops (which in the past

7


Oise-Aisne American Cemetery
and Memorial

The American Battle Monuments Commission


aounu ‘asnayy ‘auSouoy ‘Ruajousa uvouiomy auuo8ey-asnayy

sounty ‘10, ‘uouSin8viq ‘youoWayy pun KuajouaD uvouaUy auory

23

22


SURESNES

At the Suresnes Cemetery Memorial,
senior representatives of the French
and United States governments pay
homage to our military Dead on
ceremonial occasions. Accordingly, 24
Unknown Dead of World War If were
buried in this World War I cemetery,
and two loggias were added to its
chapel by the Commission, thereby
converting it into a shrine commemo-
rating our Dead of both wars.

EAST COAST MEMORIAL

To commemorate those 4,609 Ameri-
can servicemen, 6,185 seamen of the
United States Merchant Marines and
the 529 seamen of the U.S. Army
Transport Service who, in or above
the waters off the coast of North and
South America, but outside the terri-
torial limits of the United States, gave
their lives in the service of their coun-
try, the Commission erected a memo-
rial in Battery Park, New York City,
upon which their names and particu-
lars are inscribed,

WEST COAST MEMORIAL

Similarly, the names and particulars
of those 412 Americans who gave
their lives in the service of their coun-
try off the west coast of the Americas
but outside the territorial limits of
the United States, are recorded at the
memorial erected by the Commis-
sion at the Presidio of San Francisco.

HONOLULU MEMORIAL

Although the National Memorial
Cemetery of the Pacific at Honolulu
is administered by the Department
of Veterans’ Affairs, the American
Battle Monuments Commission con-
structed a memorial therein, incor-
porating the features of the memo-
rials in its overseas cemeteries. The
names of 18,096 Missing of World
War II who gave their lives in the
Pacific areas (except the Southwest
and the Palua Islands which are
commemorated at the Manila Ceme-

20

tery Memorial) are recorded here as
well as 8,200 Missing of the Korean
War and 2,504 Missing from the
Vietnam War.

The AMERICAN EXPEDITION-
ARY FORCES MEMORIAL, lo-
cated on Penn. Ave. between 14th
and 15th Streets, NW in Wash. DC,
commemorates the two million
American military personnel and
their CinC, Gen. John J. Pershing,
who made up the AEF of WWI.

It consists of a stone plaza 52 ft. by
75 ft., an 8 ft. statue of ben. Pershin;
on a stone pedestal, a stone benc!
facing the statue and two 10 ft. high
walls, one along the south side of the
memorial area and one along the
east. The south wall contains two
battle maps with appropriate inscrip-
tions. Inscribed upon the reverse face
of the east wall is Gen. Pershing’s
tribute to the officers and men of the
AEF: “IN THEIR DEVOTION, THEIR
VALOR, AND IN THE LOYAL FULFILL-
MENT OF THEIR OBLIGATIONS, THE
OFFICERS AND MEN OF THE AMERICAN
EXPEDITIONARY FORCES HAVE LEFT A
HERITAGE OF WHICH THOSE WHO FOL-
LOW MAY EVER BE PROUD.”

SAIPAN MONUMENT is situated
near the beach overlooking Tanapag
Harbor on the Island of Saipan,
Commonwealth of the Northern
Mariana Islands. It is part of an
American memorial park commem-
orating the American and Marianas
Dead in the Marianas Campaign of
World War II. The monument honors
specifically the 24,000 American
marines and soldiers who died re-
capturing the volcanic islands of Sai-
pan, Tinian and Guam during the
Period of 15 June 1944-11 August
1

It is a twelve-foot rectangular obe-
lisk of rose granite in a landscaped
area of local Aor: Inscribed upon the
monument are these words: “THIS
MEMORIAL HAS BEEN ERECTED BY THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IN HUMBLE
TRIBUTE TO THE SONS WHO PAID THE

Honolulu Memorial (WW II, Korea and Vietnam), National Memorial Cemetary of the Pacific,
Honolulu, Hawaii

ULTIMATE SACRIFICE FOR LIBERATION
OF THE MARIANAS 1941-1945.”

The GUADALCANAL AMERI-
CAN MEMORIAL is located on
Skyline Drive overlooking the town
of Honiara, Guadalcanal, Solomon
Islands. It honors those American
and Allied servicemen who lost their
lives during the Guadalcanal Cam-

aign of World War II (7 August

942-9 February 1943). The Memo-
rial consists of a suitably inscribed
central pylon four feet square rising
24 feet above its base. Four radiating
directional walls point toward major
battle sites. Descriptions of the battles
are inscribed on the walls. Both the
walls and the pylon are constructed
of Red Calca granite.

CABANATUAN MEMORIAL is lo-
cated 85 miles north of Manila, approxi-
mately 5 miles south of the city of
Cabanatuan, Luzon, Republic of the
Philippines. It marks the site of the
Japanese Cabanatuan Prisoner of War
Camp where approximately 20,000
American servicemen and civilians
were held captive from 1942 to 1945,
after the fall of the Philippine Islands

during World War II. The Memorial
also honors the heroic sacrifices made
by Filipino servicemen and civilians
in a mutual quest for honor, freedom
and peace.

The memorial consists of a 90-foot
concrete base in the center of which
rests a marble altar. It is surrounded
on three sides by a fence of steel rods
and on the fourth by a Wall of Honor
upon which are inscribed the names
of the approximately 3,000 Ameri-
cans who lost their lives while being
held captive.

Co-located on the site are the West
Point Monument, which pays hom-
age to the 170 American and 6 Fili-
pino graduates of the U.S. Military
Academy who lost their lives during
the defense of the Philippines or
while prisoner of war at Cabanatuan
and the Defenders of Bataan and Cor-
regidor (a Filipino veterans organiza-
tion) memorial which salutes their
American fallen comrades.

POINTE DU HOC MONUMENT

Following World War II, the French
erected a monument at Pointe du
Hoc on the right flank of Omaha

21


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cemetery memorials at these burial
sites; controlling as to design and
materials, providing regulations for
and supervising erection of all mon-
uments, memorials, buildings and
other structures in permanent
United States cemetery memorials
on foreign soil; and controlling the
design of U.S. private monuments

14

and cooperating with American citi-
zens, states, municipalities, or asso-
ciations desiring to erect war memo-
rials outside the continental limits of
the United States. It is not responsi-
ble for construction, maintenance or
operation of cemeteries in the con-
tinental United States or its terri-
tories and possessions.

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After World War I, the American
Battle Monuments Commission
erected a memorial chapel in each of
! the eight military cemeteries over-
seas already established by the War
Department, as well as twelve
monuments and two bronze tablets

on the battlefields and elsewhere, to
record the achievements of our

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Armed Forces. In 1934, the World
War I overseas cemeteries were
transferred to the Commission by Ex-
ecutive Order.

The names and locations of these
World War I cemetery memorials,
the number of burials and the
number of missing recorded at their
memorials are:

15


(OTSE-AISNE AMERICAN CEMETERY AND MEMORIAL

Location of Cemetery Features

middle of October when it was given
a rest. It reentered battle on 5
November and continued in the pur-
suit of the German Army until the
signing of the Armistice six days
later.

ARCHITECTS

Architects for the cemetery’s memo-
rial features were Cram and Fergu-
son of Boston, Massachusetts. The
landscape architect was George
Gibbs, Jr. The consulting architect
for the American Battle Monuments
Commission was Paul P. Cret of
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

THE SITE

The Oise-Aisne American Cemetery,
36.5 acres in extent, is the second
largest of eight permanent American
World War I military cemeteries on
foreign soil. Established initially on 2
August 1918 by the 42d Division as a
temporary battlefield cemetery, Con-
gress authorized its retention as a
permanent cemetery in 1921.

The majority of the 6,012 War Dead
interred in the cemetery died fight-
ing along the Ourcq River and in the

area between the cemetery and the
Oise River during the Aisne-Marne
Offensive and the Oise-Aisne Offen-
sive. An agreement with the French
government grants use of the site as a
military cemetery in perpetuity
without charge or taxation.

In 1922, the remains of American
servicemen buried in the general
area west of Tours-Romorantin-
Paris-Le-Harve, whose next of kin
requested permanent interment
overseas, were disinterred and per-
manently interred at the Oise-Aisne
American Cemetery. All interments
were made by the American Graves
Registration Service. The memorial,
the chapel, the visitors’ room, the
office, the Superintendent’s quar-
ters, and the service facilities were
designed and constructed by the
American Battle Monuments Com-
mission as part of its program com-
memorating the achievements of the
American Expeditionary Forces in
the Great War.

GENERAL LAYOUT

The Oise-Aisne American Cemetery
is generally rectangular in shape. Its

Cul-de-Sac at End of Cross-Axis Mall


Suresnes American Cemetery and Memorial, Seine, France


HOURS

The cemetery is open daily to the
public during the following hours:

SUMMER (16 April-30 September)
9:00 a.m.—6:00 p.m.

WINTER (1 October-15 April)
9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

During these hours, a staff
member is on duty at the visitors’
room to answer questions and to
escort relatives to gravesites or
memorialization sites.

HISTORY

Germany's strategic plan for 1918 en-
tailed the destruction of the British
Army in the spring followed by mas-
sive attacks against the French. Dur-
ing March and April, the Germans
launched offensives against the Brit-
ish in Picardy and Flanders. The
situation for the British was critical
until several French divisions were
dispatched to their aid. Although de-
struction of British forces was
averted, heavy casualties were in-
flicted upon them and they lost con-
siderable ground.

While these attacks were taking
place, other German forces were pre-
paring for a major offensive along the
Aisne River. Unaware of this and an-
ticipating that the assaults against
the British Army in Picardy and
Flanders would resume at any time,
the French High Command shifted
some of its forces from the Aisne
River to reinforce the British sector.

On the morning of 27 May 1918,
the Germans attacked in strength
between Berry-au-Bac and Anizy-
le-Chateau, surprising the French
completely. By noon, on captured
bridges, German forces had crossed
the Aisne River and by that evening
were south of the Vesle River. Hav-
ing met little resistance in their rapid

advance toward the Marne River, the
Germans decided to exploit their
success by driving toward Paris.

Meanwhile from every quarter,
Allied reserves were rushed to the
Aisne-Marne front and the French
government prepared to flee Paris for
Bordeaux in the south, On 31 May,
four days after the attack began, the
U.S. 3d Division reached Chateau-
Thierry where it fought stubbornly
and successfully to prevent the Ger-
mans from crossing the Marne. The
next day, the U.S. 2d Division
arrived and, northwest of Chateau-
Thierry, deployed across the main
route to Paris where it was able to
halt the German offensive in that di-
rection. With the aid of American
divisions, the Allies were able to stop
the Germans but not before a great
salient had been driven into Allied
lines roughly defined by the cities of
Reims, Chateau-Thierry and Sois-
sons. Despite the penetration of
German forces west and southwest of
Reims, the city itself and its vital rail
facilities remained in Allied hands.
This left the 40 German divisions in
the salient dependent upon one rail-
toad link through Soissons for
resupply. To widen the salient and
secure the railroad line between
Compiegne and Soissons, two
German armies attacked westward
from the salient on 9 June. They en-
countered such intense resistance,
however, that their attack quickly
ground to a halt.

Without delay, the Germans began
preparing for a major offensive
against Reims and the high ground
to its south to provide them with the
additional railroad link they so sorely
needed for their forces in the salient.
Luckily, Allied intelligence agents
learned not only the line of the new
German attack, but the exact day and
hour it was scheduled to take place.

By mid-July, twelve of the twenty-
six American divisions in France,

under the command of General John
J. Pershing, were ready for combat.
(These statistics did not teveal the
strength of American forces com-
pletely as American divisions were
larger and had twice the fire power
of French, British and German divi-
sions.) Capitalizing on availability
of fresh American troops, Marshal
Ferdinand Foch, the Allied Com-
mander-in-Chief, included in his
counterattack plans an assault
against the western face of the
Aisne-Marne salient by two Ameri-
can divisions.

On 15 July 1918, the day of the
German offensive, Allied forces
reduced the manning of their front
line units to weak detachments and
gave them orders to retire under
heavy bombardment. This tactic
proved quite successful as much of
the German preparatory fire was
wasted on newly-abandoned posi-
tions. Capitalizing further on their
knowledge of the exact hour of the
German attack, the Allies began
bombarding likely German assembly
areas shortly before their preparatory
fire was expected to commence. The
German assault forces suffered heavy
casualties and were thrown into a
state of complete confusion, causing
them, on 17 July, to terminate their
offensive without attaining any of
their objectives.

The following day, on 18 July, the
Allies launched a counterattack
against the western face of the
Aisne-Marne salient. Although the
Germans resisted stubbornly, they
soon realized their position was un-
tenable and began withdrawing. Re-
duction of the salient was complete
on 4 August, when Allied troops
reached the south bank of the Vesle
River. The counterattack was termi-
nated officially on 6 August 1918. Not
only had a serious threat to Paris
been removed, but important rail-
ways were freed once again for Allied

use. Marshal Henri Petain, Com-
mander-in-Chief of the French
Armies, who drew up the plans for
meeting the German offensive, said
that the counterattack could not have
succeeded without use of American
troops.

Quickly, Allied offensive opera-
tions were initiated elsewhere to
maintain pressure on the Germans,
who were now on the defensive, to
make it difficult for them to regroup
and reorganize, On 8 August, the
British began their highly successful
Somme Offensive. Ten days later,
French forces with the support of
American troops, began the very
successful Oise-Aisne campaign in
the Aisne-Marne region near Noyon,
during which the German forces on
the Vesle and the Aisne Rivers were
outflanked, forcing them to with-
draw. Many U.S. servicemen whose
remains are interred in the Oise-
Aisne American Cemetery lost their
lives in the Oise-Aisne campaign.
During the period 28 August to 1
September, the U.S. 32d Division
captured the town of Juvigny pene-
trating German positions to a depth
of 2.5 miles (4 kilometers). The prog-
ress of the Allied offensive and the
threat of being cut off caused the
Germans to withdraw from the Vesle
to the Aisne River during the night of
September 3-4. The U,S, 28th and
77th Divisions pressed the Allied
attack against the new German line.
On 8 September, the U.S. 28th Divi-
sion was given a well-deserved rest.
Following heavy fighting at the
Ourcq and Vesle Rivers, the 77th
Division was withdrawn from the
lines on 16 September and also given
a rest, During the latter part of Sep-
tember 1918, the 370th Infantry
Regiment of the U.S. 93d Division
and the French 59th Division ad-
vanced steadily north of the Vaux-
aillon. The 370th Infantry Regiment
remained in the lines until the


Chapel Interior

@ise-Aisne
American
Cemetery

ant
Memorial

LOCATION

The Oise-Aisne American Cemetery
and Memorial is located 1.5 miles (2.5
kilometers) east of Fere-en-Tarde-
nois, along Highway D-2, near the
hamlet of Seringes-et-Nesles. It is
approximately 70 miles (113 kilom-
eters) northeast of Paris and can be
reached by train from the Gare de
YEst in Paris via Chateau-Thierry
and Fere-en-Tardenois in about two
hours. Taxi service to the cemetery is
available from each of these stations.

To travel by automobile to the
Oise-Aisne American Cemetery
from Paris, one should proceed east
on the Metz/Nancy toll route A-4 and
leave at the Chateau-Thierry exit
(49.5 miles/80 kilometers), turn left
onto Highway D-1, continue to
Fere-en-Tardenois (12 miles/20

BN a Leeson Tenet

kilometers), and turn right onto
Highway D-2 to the cemetery (1.5
miles/2.5 kilometers). Directional
road signs to the cemetery may be
found on the main highways in
Chateau-Thierry, Soissons, Reims
and Epernay. Road distances to
Fere-en-Tardenois from nearby cities
are: Soissons, 16 miles/26 kilometers;
Reims, 28.5 miles/46 kilometers;
Laon, 33 miles/53 kilometers, and
Senlis, 44.5 miles/72 kilometers.

Adequate hotel accommodations
and good restaurants are available in
Chateau-Thierry (7 hotels and 9 res-
taurants), Fere-en-Tardenois (2
hotels and 3 restaurants). Excellent
hotels and fine restaurants are also
available in Reims, Soissons and
Epernay.

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Beach, overlooking the English
Channel honoring the elements of
the 2nd Ranger Battalion under the
command. oft TC James Rudder who
scaled the cliff, seized the position,
and defended it against German
counterattacks at a high cost of lives.
The monument consists of a simple
pylon on top of a concrete bunker at
the edge of the cliff and appropriate
inscriptions at its base in Tene and
English. It was officially turned over
to the American government for

24

operation and maintenance in per-
petuity on 11 January 1979.

UTAH BEACH MONUMENT

The Utah Beach Monument is located
at the termination of Highway
N-13D, approximately 3 kilometers
northeast of Sainte-Marie-du-Mont
(Manche), France. This monument
commemorates the achivements of
the American Forces of the VII Corps
who fought in the liberation of the

Cotentin Peninsula from 6 June to 1
July 1944. It consists of a red granite
obelisk surrounded by a small, de-
veloped park overlooking the his-
toric pact dunes of Utah Beach, one
of the two American landing beaches
during the Normandy Invasion of 6
June 1944.

MEXICO CITY

NATIONAL CEMETERY

The Mexico City National Cemetery
is at 31 Virginia Fabregas, Colonia
San Rafael, about 2 miles west of the
Metropolitan Cathedral and about
one mile north of the U.S. Embassy.
This cemetery was established in
1851 and contains a small monument
over the grave of 750 of our unidenti-
fied Dead of the War of 1847. In this
one acre area there are 813 remains of
Americans and others in wall crypts.
Care of the cemetery was transferred
from the Department of the Army to
this Commission on 16 July 1947.
This cemetery was closed to burials
in 1923.

COROZAL AMERICAN
CEMETERY, COROZAL,
REPUBLIC OF PANAMA
The Corozal American Cemetery is
located approximately three miles
north of Panama City, just off Gail-
lard Highway between the Corozal
Railroad Station and Fort Clayton. To
reach the cemetery, follow Gaillard
Highway north from Panama City,
turn right on Rybicki Road, and pro-
ceed about one-half mile to the ceme-
tery. Taxi and bus service to the cem-
etery are available from Panama City.
There are 5,163 identified “Known”
Dead interred here. In agreement
with the Republic of Panama, care
and maintenance of the cemetery in
erpetuity was assumed by the
‘commission on 1 October 1979.

KOREAN WAR
VETERANS MEMORIAL
The Korean War Veterans Memorial,

located on the National Mall in
Washington, DC, was dedicated on
27 July 1995. The Memorial com-
memorates the sacrifices of the 5.8
million Americans who served dur-
ing the three-year period of the
Korean War. The war was one of the
most hard fought in our history.
During its relatively short duration,
25 June 1950-27 July 1953, 33,700
Americans were killed in action;
8,200 of those killed in action were
classified as missing in action (and
presumed dead), or lost or buried at
sea. An additional 103,000 Ameri-
cans were wounded during the con-
flict. An integral part of the
Memorial is the Korean War Honor
Roll, an interactive automated data-
base, containing the names of those
U.S. military personnel who died
world-wide during the war.

SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC
Oban request, and without cost, the
following information and services
are provided to family members
and friends of those interred or com-
memorated at ABMC’s cemeteries
and memorials:

* name, location and general infor-
mation about the cemetery, monu-
ment or memorial;

* plot, row and grave number and, if
applicable, memorialization site;

* authorization for issuance of fee-
free passports for members of the
immediate family traveling over-
seas specifically to visit an ABMC

Tave or memorialization site;

* best route and modes of travel in-
country to cemetery or memorial
site;

° general information about accom-
modations in the vicinity of the
cemetery or memorial;

* arrangement for floral decoration
of a grave or memorialization
site. (Weather permitting, a color
polaroid photograph of the floral
decoration in place is provided to
the donor).

25