26

Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery, Romagne, Meuse, France

East Coast Memorial, New York City, New York... — _ 4,609
Honolulu Memorial, Honolulu, Hawaii.......... = — 18,096
West Coast Memorial, San Francisco, California. . = = 412
Totals sien ynsesnis cones mieeseia 86,729 6514 78,976
World War II cemeteries maintained by the National Cemetery System,
Department of Veterans’ Affairs
National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (See
Honolulu, Hawaii ‘ mad 11597 2,079 Honolulu
Memorial)
Puerto Rico . 08 —
Sitka, Alaska . mabe balsas abe : 67 5 =
Other Missing in Action Commemorated by ABMC
Korean War, Honolulu Memorial,
Honolulu, Hawaii ..... saab oretes ay — — 8,200
Vietnam War, Honolulu Memorial,
Honolulu, Hawaii ./.....60. 00.00.0008 n= - 2,504

Use of the permanent cemetery
sites on foreign soil was granted in
perpetuity 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 World
War II overseas cemeteries were pro-
gressively transferred for con-
struction and maintenance to the
American Battle Monuments Com-
mission by Presidential Executive

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.

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

A small 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 II only; however, Oise-
Aisne, Meuse-Argonne and St.
Mihiel WW I American Cemeter-
ies 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

22


new fo pug ssay 3 ydvjouad

punoi8yovg ut jadvy5 pouowayy yqim poy Jo marr



34

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. & other countries)
33-0-1-4701-1976

(within France)

FAX: (011-33) 1-4741-1979

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: 6-4824-157
4890-3685

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

PHILIPPINE OFFICE

Street Address:

Manila American Cemetery
and Memorial

McKinley Road

Fort Bonifacio, Metro-Manila
Republic of the Philippines
Mailing Address:

American Battle Monuments
Commission

FPO AP 96515

Telephone: Manila 632-844-0212
FAX: (0111-632) 812-47-17

35


HERE ARE RECORDED THE NAMES OF
AMERICANS WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN
THE SERVICE OF THEIR COUNTRY AND
WHO SLEEP IN UNKNOWN GRAVES
1941-1945.

These inscription panels are of
Beaumont stone from southwestern
France.

Without confirmed information to
the contrary, a War Department Ad-
ministrative Review Board estab-
lished the official date of death of
those commemorated on the Tablets
of the Missing as one year and a day
from the date on which the individ-
ual was placed in Missing in action
status.

GRAVES AREA

There are 4,410 American military
personnel buried in the cemetery.
Their 4,408 headstones are set in 16
fanshaped plots, curving from the
central mall. These Dead, who gave
their lives in our country’s service,
came from every State in the Union,
the District of Columbia, Hawaii,
Alaska as well as Canada.

Ninety-five of the headstones
mark graves of “Unknowns;” two of
these graves contain the remains of
two Unknowns that could not be
separated.

Here also, in twenty instances, two
brothers rest side by side.

At the far (west) end of the mallisa
rectangular stone cenotaph of La
Pyrie granite designed by Lee Lawrie
and executed by the French sculptor,
Augustine Beggi. Carved upon it are
a torch and laurel wreath in bas relief
and the words PRO PATRIA 1941-1945.

VISITORS’ BUILDING

Immediately inside the main en-
trance to the cemetery is the Visitors’
Building. It contains the Superin-
tendent’s office, toilet facilities and a

18

comfortably furnished room where
visitors may obtain information,
sign the register and pause to refresh
themselves. During visiting hours a
member of the cemetery staff is
available in the building to answer
questions and provide information
on burials and memorializations in
the Commission’s cemeteries, ac-
commodations in the vicinity, travel,
local history and other items of
interest.

PLANTINGS

The cemetery is surrounded by a
Hawthorn (Crataegus oxyacantha)
hedge with an interior hedge of
Boxwood (Buxus sempervirens) enclos-
ing the grave plots. The space of
varying width between the two
hedges is planted with shade trees,
both evergreen and deciduous,
including Giant Sequoia (Sequoia
gigantea), White Fir (Abies concolor),
Norway Spruce (Picea abies), Scotch
Pine (Pinus sylvestris), Holly Oak
(Quercus ilex), Tulip Tree (Liriodendron
tulipifera), Purple Beech (Fagus sylva-
tica purpurea), European Chestnut
(Castanea sativa), European Horn-
beam (Carpinus betulus), European
Oak (Quercus robur), and European
Elm (Ulmus procera). In the broad
grass walks dividing the grave plots
are flowering trees which bloom
from late spring far into the summer.
These include Crabapple (Malus flori-
bunda), Double Hawthorn (Crataegus
oxyacantha flora plena), Pagoda Tree
(Sophora japonica), Golden Rain Tree
(Koelreuteria paniculata), and Yellow
Wood Tree (Cladrastis lutea). The cen-
tral mall of the cemetery and the
perimeter of the grave plots are lined
with rows of European Chestnut
(Castanea sativa). A number of rose
beds and blooming shrubs such as
rhododendron are grown in various
locations and provide a colorful
aspect.

19

View of Graves Area with Chapel in Background


R

13

Museum Room


World War I and II cemeteries were
the responsibility of the American
Battle Monuments Commission, i.e.,
the memorial, chapel, visitors’ build-
ing, Superintendent's quarters, ser-
vice facilities, paths, roads and walls.
The Commission was also responsi-
ble for the sculptures, landscaping
and other improvements. Construc-
tion of the permanent cemetery and
memorial at Brittany was completed
in 1956.

ARCHITECTS

Architect for the cemetery and its
memorial was William T. Aldrich of
Boston, Massachusetts. The land-
scape architects were Shurcliff and
Shurcliff, also of Boston,

GENERAL LAYOUT

The main entrance of the cemetery is
located on the south side of Depart-
mental Road D-14 across from the
service area and the Superintend-
ent’s quarters. A short semi-circular
driveway flanked by a low granite
wall leads from the highway to the
wrought iron main entrance gate
with its piers of gray granite. The
driveway contains space for limited
visitor parking and there is a small
parking area across the highway.
Immediately inside the entrance
gate, on the left, is the Visitors’ Build-
ing. A surfaced path, gently curving
to the right, leads past the Visitors’
Building to the rear of the Memorial
Chapel. In front of it is a terrace
flanked by two flagpoles. Emanating
from each side of the terrace, inset
from the base of the flagpole and fac-
ing the graves area, is a low stone
wall with tablets on which are en-
graved the names of the servicemen
Missing in Action in the region.
Steps lead down from the terrace in
front of the chapel to the central mall
lined with button boxwoods and

10

European chestnut trees, which bi-
sects the graves area into two groups
of eight plots, At the far (west) end of
the mall is a rectangular stone
cenotaph,

Inside the main entrance along the
perimeter wall to the right is the
Assistant Superintendent's quarters.

THE MEMORIAL

The Memorial Chapel consists of an
antechamber and tower, museum
room and chancel. Typical of the
ecclesiastical architecture of the
region, it is Romanesque in design.

THE EXTERIOR

The exterior of the memorial is con-
structed of local La Pyrie granite. At
its east end is a sculpture group,
“Youth Triumphing Over Evil,” de-
signed by Lee Lawrie of Easton,
Maryland and executed in Chau-
vigny limestone from the Poitiers re-
gion by Jean Juge of Paris. Carved in
its granite base is the inscription: 1
HAVE FOUGHT A GOOD FIGHT ¥ 1 HAVE
FINISHED MY COURSE * 1 HAVE KEPT THE
FAITH (2 Timothy IV:7).

Over the entrance door is a sculp-
ture group, also designed by Lee
Lawrie and executed by Jean Juge,
consisting of an eagle, shield, stars,
laurel and arrows representing the
Great Seal of the United States; the
shield is flanked by two floating
angels representing victory. The one
to the left of the observer, wearing
the Columbian cap, is in mourning.
She holds in her right hand the laurel
of the brave, and in her left hand the
palm of sacrifice. The figure to the
tight is a triumphant Victory, clothed
in mail and wearing a helmet. Her
right hand holds a sword, her left
hand a trumpet. Below the sculpture
over the tympanum is the inscrip-
tion: IN MEMORY OF THE VALOR AND
THE SACRIFICES WHICH CONSECRATE
THIS SOIL,

ANTECHAMBER

Inside the main entrance door to the
right of the antechamber is a small
room with a stained-glass window in
the north wall containing the figure
of St. James of Compostello. On the
east wall is engraved the dedicatory
inscription in French and English, of
which this is the English version:

1941-1945 yr IN PROUD REMEMBRANCE
OF THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF HER SONS
AND IN HUMBLE TRIBUTE TO THEIR
SACRIFICES THIS MEMORIAL HAS BEEN
ERECTED BY THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA.

On the opposite wallis this prayer:

O GOD WHO ART THE AUTHOR OF PEACE
AND LOVER OF CONCORD, DEFEND US
THY HUMBLE SERVANTS IN ALL
ASSAULTS OF OUR ENEMIES, THAT WE
SURELY TRUSTING IN THY DEFENSE MAY
NOT FEAR THE POWER OF ANY ADVER-
SARIES.

In the tympanum above the main
entrance door is a stained-glass win-
dow containing the emblem of
SHAEF — the Supreme Headquar-
ters Allied Expeditionary Force.

To the left of the antechamber is
the stairway leading to the tower.
The tower has an overall height of 99
feeti30.2 meters. The lookout
platform, 63 feet/19.2 meters above
the ground, is reached from the ante-
chamber by a stairway of 98 steps
and landings. From the platform
Mont St. Michel, 15 miles/24 kilom-
eters to the northwest, is visible on
clear days. The tower also affords an
impressive view of the fanshaped
pattern of the headstones extending
before the memorial, as well as of the
peaceful surrounding countryside.

MUSEUM ROOM

Beyond the antechamber is the
museum room. Projecting from high

on its north and south walls are the
flags of the following components of
our military services during World
War Il: Air Corps; Armor; Cavalry;
Chemical Warfare Service; Coast
Artillery Corps; Corps of Engineers;
Field Artillery; Chaplains, Christian;
Chaplains, Jewish; Infantry; Medical
Department; Navy Artillery Battal-
ion; Navy Infantry Battalion; Ord-
nance Department; Quartermaster
Corps and Signal Corps.

Immediately above the entrance
door in the museum room are the
American, British and French na-
tional flags, and the engraved in-
scription: DUTY sx HONOR + COUNTRY.

Within the museum room, on the
interior wall flanking the doorway to
the south, is engraved this extract
from President Franklin D. Roose-
velt's D-Day prayer on the occasion
of the invasion of Normandy:

ALMIGHTY GOD: OUR SONS, PRIDE OF
OUR NATION, THIS DAY HAVE SET UPON
A MIGHTY ENDEAVOR, A STRUGGLE TO
PRESERVE OUR REPUBLIC, OUR RELI-
GION, AND OUR CIVILIZATION.

THEY WILL BE SORE TRIED, BY NIGHT
AND BY DAY, WITHOUT REST — UNTIL
THE VICTORY IS WON. SOME WILL NEVER
RETURN, EMBRACE THESE, FATHER, AND
RECEIVE THEM, THY HEROIC SERVANTS,
INTO THY KINGDOM.

On the interior wall north of the
doorway is engraved this extract
from General Eisenhower's final
report to the Combined Chiefs of
Staff:

MORE IMPORTANT THAN WEAPONS
WAS THE INDOMITABLE FIGHTING SPIRIT
OF THE MEN WHO WIELDED THEM. THE
COURAGE AND DEVOTION TO DUTY
WHICH THEY EXHIBITED THROUGHOUT
THE CAMPAIGN WERE UNSURPASSABLE.

TO THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES,
AND TO THOSE WHO BEAR THE WOUNDS
OF BATTLE WE, THEIR COMRADES IN
ARMS, RENDER MOST GRATEFUL AND
HUMBLE TRIBUTE.

1


36

Suresnes American Cemetery and Memorial, Seine, France


French, of which the following is the
English version at the east end:

IN THE WAKE OF THE SWIFT ALLIED
ADVANCE ACROSS NORTHERN FRANCE
STRONG ENEMY GARRISONS STUB-
BORNLY CLUNG TO MANY LARGE SEA-
PORTS. THUS DENIED ADEQUATE HAR-
BORS THE ALLIES HAD NO ALTERNATIVE
BUT TO UNLOAD THEIR SUPPLIES AND
REINFORCEMENTS OVER THE NOR-
MANDY BEACHES OR THROUGH THE
SINGLE CRIPPLED PORT OF CHERBOURG.
THE EFFICIENT PERFORMANCE OF THE
TREMENDOUS TASKS PLACED UPON
SUPPLY PERSONNEL OF THE ARMY AND
NAVY WAS A VITAL CONTRIBUTION TO
THE SWEEPING VICTORY WHICH LIBER-
ATED FRANCE.

ALTHOUGH HANDICAPPED BY RAP-
IDLY LENGTHENING SUPPLY LINES, THE
ALLIED FORCES, AIDED BY AIR LIFT,
MAINTAINED THEIR VIGOROUS PURSUIT
OF THE FLEEING ENEMY. BY MID-
SEPTEMBER 1944 THE BRITISH AND
CANADIANS HAD CLEARED THE CHAN-
NEL COAST, EXCEPT FOR A FEW ISO-
LATED PORTS, HAD CAPTURED THE CITY
OF ANTWERP, AND HAD ENTERED HOL-
LAND. THE U.S. FIRST ARMY OF THE 12TH
ARMY GROUP HAD SWEPT THROUGH
FRANCE, BELGIUM AND LUXEMBOURG,
AND WAS STANDING ON THE THRES-
HOLD OF GERMANY, WHILE THE U.S.
THIRD ARMY IN A SWIFT ADVANCE HAD
REACHED THE MOSELLE. ON THE RIGHT
FLANK, THE 6TH ARMY GROUP (U.S.
SEVENTH AND FRENCH FIRST ARMIES),
ROLLING NORTHWARD FROM THE
BEACHES OF SOUTHERN FRANCE, HAD
JOINED FORCES WITH THE U.S. THIRD
ARMY AT SOMBERNON. IN BRITTANY THE
RECENTLY ACTIVATED U.S. NINTH ARMY,
ASSISTED BY AIR AND NAVAL BOM-
BARDMENT, WAS BESIEGING BREST
WHOSE GARRISON SURRENDERED ON 18
SEPTEMBER.

THE NEXT THREE MONTHS SAW BITTER
FIGHTING IN THE EFFORT TO BREAK
THROUGH THE GERMAN FRONTIER
DEFENSES. ON 11 SEPTEMBER THE ALLIED
ARMIES SET FOOT ON GERMAN SOIL. ON
17 SEPTEMBER THE ALLIED FIRST AIR-
BORNE ARMY DROPPED IN THE EIND-
HOVEN-ARNHEM AREA IN A GALLANT
BUT UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT TO OUT-

16

FLANK THE FORTIFIED SIEGFRIED LINE.
BY DOGGED EFFORT THE BRITISH SEC-
OND ARMY, THE CANADIAN FIRST ARMY,
AND THE NEWLY ARRIVED U.S. NINTH
ARMY REACHED THE MEUSE AND ROER
RIVERS. THE U.S. FIRST ARMY FOUGHT ITS.
WAY THROUGH THE SIEGFRIED LINE TO
REACH AACHEN AND THE HURTGEN
FOREST. THE FORTRESS OF METZ FELL AS
THE U.S. THIRD ARMY PUSHED TO THE
SAAR. FARTHER SOUTH THE 6TH ARMY
GROUP CAPTURED STRASBOURG AND
MULHOUSE.

ON 16 DECEMBER THE ENEMY MADE
HIS LAST DESPERATE EFFORT TO STAVE
OFF DISASTER. PREPARED IN GREATEST
SECRECY AND LAUNCHED UNDER
COVER OF FOG AND RAIN, HIS ATTACK
IN THE ARDENNES WAS INITIALLY
SUCCESSFUL. PROMPT DECISIVE MEAS-
URES AND THE SUPERB FIGHTING
QUALITIES OF AMERICAN SOLDIERS AND
AIRMEN TURNED THE GERMAN AD-
VANCE INTO RETREAT. THE CONCUR-
RENT GERMAN OFFENSIVE BETWEEN
SAARBRUCKEN AND COLMAR MET THE
SAME FATE.

DURING FEBRUARY AND EARLY
MARCH THE WEST BANK OF THE RHINE
WAS CLEARED IN A SERIES OF BRIL-
LIANTLY SUCCESSFUL TACTICAL OPERA-
TIONS. ON 7 MARCH AMERICAN FORCES.
SEIZED A BRIDGE AT REMAGEN. A SUR-
PRISE CROSSING WAS EFFECTED AT
OPPENHEIM ON 22 MARCH. IN THE NEXT
TWO DAYS ALLIED TROOPS ASSISTED BY
NAVAL LANDING CRAFT STAGED AS-
SAULT CROSSINGS FARTHER DOWN-
STREAM AND THEN SURGED FORWARD
TO ISOLATE THE ENTIRE RUHR VALLEY
REGION AND ITS DEFENDING FORCES BY
A DOUBLE ENVELOPMENT. WITH AIR
AND GROUND FORCES OPERATING AS A
TEAM THE ALLIED FORCES SWEPT
ACROSS GERMANY TO MEET THE
ADVANCING TROOPS OF THE U.S.S.R. AT
THE ELBE, ENTER CZECHOSLOVAKIA
AND AUSTRIA, AND FORCE THE COM-
PLETE SURRENDER OF ALL GERMAN
FORCES CONFRONTING THEM ON 8 MAY,
337 DAYS AFTER THE INITIAL LANDINGS
IN NORMANDY.

The map also bears this significant
reminder of the part played by the
Strategic Air Forces:

Sculpture over Chapel Door

FROM 1942 TO 1945 THE UNITED STATES
ARMY AIR FORCES AND THE ROYAL AIR
FORCE INCESSANTLY ATTACKED DEEP
INTO ENEMY TERRITORY TO DISLOCATE
AND DESTROY HIS MILITARY AND
INDUSTRIAL SYSTEMS.

CHAPEL

At the east end of the museum, sep-
arated from it by a low granite di-
vider and wrought iron gates, is the
chancel. The face of the granite di-
vider bears this inscription:

O LORD SUPPORT US ALL THE DAY LONG
UNTIL THE SHADOWS LENGTHEN AND
OUR WORK IS DONE + THEN IN THY
MERCY GRANT US A SAFE LODGING AND
PEACE AT THE LAST.

The altar in the chancel is of French
Harteville Perle limestone from the
Juras. High above it is a large
stained-glass window in the shape of
a sexfoil. Centered in the window is
the seal of the United States. Each of
the six circular stained-glass areas on
the perimeter of the sexfoil contain
three stars. Above the window is en-
graved the inscription from Exodus
XVI:7: IN THE MORNING YE SHALL SEE
THE GLORY OF THE LORD.

On the wall below the window and
above the altar is a blue and gold
damask hanging. Centered on the
altar is a Latin cross flanked by two
candlesticks. At the altar base rests
the Tablets of Moses.

TABLETS OF THE MISSING

Along the gently curving walls ema-
nating from the memorial terrace are
inscribed the name, rank, organiza-
tion, and State of 498 of our Missing:

United States Army and Army

Air Forces! ......... 449
United States Navy . 48
United States Coast Guard . 1

These men have given their lives
in the service of their Country but
their remains have not been
recovered or if recovered not identi-
fied. They came from the District of
Columbia, Canada and every State of
the Union except Alaska, Hawaii,
Nevada and New Hampshire.

On the walls below the flagstaffs is
this inscription together with the
French translation:

} During World War Il the Air Forces were part
of the Army.

17


Brittany Anerican Cemetery
and Memorial

The American Battle Monuments Commission


camnnioce

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rousenes 010 29 30

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

22

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040 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90.100
RILOMETERS

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4050 60 70 60 90 100

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 overseas
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

@ WORLD WAR I! CEMETERIES
Fi WORLD WAR | CEMETERIES
JX.WORLD WAR | MONUMENTS
3 WORLD WAR I! MONUMENTS:

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:


20

Visitors’ Room

| Sci ad Aa
: ke i!

hal

St. Mihiel American Cemetery, Thiaucourt, France

b

i!
ta

AMERICAN MEMORIALS
and
OVERSEAS MILITARY
CEMETERIES

The AMERICAN BATTLE MONUMENTS
COMMISSION 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
private. It was later given responsi-
bility for establishing or taking over
from the Armed Forces permanent
burial grounds in foreign countries
and designing, constructing, operat-
ing and maintaining permanent

21


Windows of stained-glass, four on
each side, portray the coats of arms of
eight towns or cities liberated during
these operations; viz, Carentan,
Cherbourg, St. L6, Mont St. Michel,
Mortain, Paris, Chartres and Brest.
Each window also illustrates a char-
acteristic feature of the respective
towns. The stained-glass windows
throughout the memorial were de-
signed and fabricated by Francois
Lorin of Chartres, France.

On the north wall of the museum is
the map, “The Breakout from the
Beachhead and Advance to the
Seine.” Both this map and the opera-
tions map on the south wall were
designed by Edward Shenton of
West Chester, Pennsylvania, and
fabricated by the Earley Studios of
Roslyn, Virginia. The backgrounds
are colored concretes with various
brilliantly-colored glass aggregates
into which have been set bronze
lettering, other metal features,
enameled panels, etc. The map, “The
Breakout from the Beachhead and
Advance to the Seine,” is designed
in perspective as seen from the

4

Breakout from the Beachhead and Advance to the Seine

south. It is flanked on its west end by
the following explanatory inscription
in English, on its east end by a simi-
Jar explanatory inscription in French:

ON 6 JUNE 1944, UNITED STATES AND
BRITISH COMMONWEALTH FORCES
CROSSED THE ENGLISH CHANNEL TO
ENTER OCCUPIED FRANCE. THIS WAS THE
CULMINATION OF MONTHS OF PREP-
ARATION AND NATIONWIDE EFFORT. AS
THE VAST ARMADA MOVED TOWARD THE
NORMANDY BEACHES, ONE BRITISH AND.
TWO AMERICAN AIRBORNE DIVISIONS
DROPPED IN THE DARKNESS TO COVER
THE DEPLOYMENT FROM THE BEACHES.
AT 0630 HOURS, UNDER COVER OF CON-
CENTRATED AERIAL AND NAVAL BOM-
BARDMENT, THREE AMERICAN, ONE
CANADIAN, AND TWO BRITISH DIVI-
SIONS STORMED ASHORE.

THE ASSAULTING FORCES, DESPITE
DESPERATE RESISTANCE, DROVE VAL-
IANTLY INLAND AND WITHIN A WEEK
LINKED UP THE INDIVIDUAL BEACHES.
TURNING NORTH, AMERICAN UNITS,
AIDED BY NAVAL AND AIR BOMBARD-
MENT, CAPTURED CHERBOURG WHILE
OTHER ALLIED FORCES HACKED OUT
THE BEACHHEAD TO A DEPTH OF 20

WL Ta RY ope a
ERATIONS USES conor

BURSE I84geK vy 045,

Military Operation in Western Europe

MILES AGAINST TENACIOUS OPPOSITION
IN THE AGGRESSIVELY DEFENDED
HEDGEROWS. THE ENEMY’S EFFORTS TO.
RUSH REINFORCEMENTS ‘TO HIS
MENACED ARMIES WERE PERSISTENTLY
DISRUPTED BY ATTACKS BY THE U.S.
EIGHTH AND NINTH AIR FORCES AND
THE ROYAL AIR FORCE, EXTENDING FAR
TO HIS REAR, ON BRIDGES, HIGHWAYS,
AND RAILROADS.

ON 25 JULY THE U.S. FIRST ARMY
LAUNCHED THE ATTACK TO BREAK OUT
OF THE BEACHHEAD. BLASTED ALONG A
FIVE-MILE FRONT WEST OF ST. LO BY A
PARALYZING AIR BOMBARDMENT, THE
ENEMY GAVE WAY BEFORE THE FURIOUS
GROUND ASSAULT WHICH FOLLOWED.
JOINING IN THE ATTACK, THE U.S. THIRD
ARMY THRUST RAPIDLY SOUTHWARD
TOWARD THE LOIRE. NEAR MORTAIN
A POWERFUL COUNTERATTACK, IN-
TENDED BY THE GERMANS TO CUT OFF
OUR ADVANCING COLUMNS, WAS RE-
PULSED WITH HEAVY LOSSES. THEN,
WHILE THE ARMIES IN THE BEACHHEAD
CONTINUED TO PRESS FORWARD,
AMERICAN FORCES SWUNG UP FROM
THE SOUTH TOWARD ARGENTAN.
THREATENED WITH ENCIRCLEMENT,
POUNDED INCESSANTLY BY WAVES OF
AIRCRAFT, THE ENEMY STROVE DESPER-

ATELY TO ESCAPE TO THE EAST BUT BY 21
AUGUST HIS TROOPS IN THE FALAISE
POCKET HAD BEEN ANNIHILATED AS A
FIGHTING FORCE.

AS THE ALLIED FORCES STEADILY
GREW IN STRENGTH THEIR SWEEP
ACROSS FRANCE GAINED MOMENTUM.
BY 25 AUGUST THEY HAD CROSSED THE
SEINE, HAD LIBERATED PARIS, AND WERE
IN FULL PURSUIT TOWARD THE GERMAN
BORDER.

ALREADY THE UNITED STATES AND
ALLIED NAVIES HAD TRANSPORTED OR
ESCORTED TO NORMANDY MORE THAN,
3,000,000 TONS OF SUPPLIES AND
2,000,000 TROOPS TOGETHER WITH
THEIR ARTILLERY, TANKS, AND VEHI-
CLES.

Beneath each of these inscriptions
is a set of three key maps, “The War
Against Germany” on the west and
“The War Against Japan” on the east.

On the south wall is the map,
“Military Operations in Western
Europe” showing the progress of the
military operations in northern
France and northwest Europe from
the landings in Normandy to the end
of the war, together with a flanking
descriptive text in English and

15


yards in the center, and then attack
up the steep bluffs to the plateau on
which the Normandy American
Cemetery now stands. The only con-
cealment available was patches of tall
marsh grass. Fighting was bitter and
casualties heavy. Nevertheless,
before D-Day was over, the U.S. 1st
Division had taken the high ground
to its front. To the east on Gold, Juno
and Sword landing beaches, the Brit-
ish and Canadian divisions forged
steadily ahead. Under the cover of
continuous naval gunfire and air
support, the landings’ first objective,
to link together the individual beach-
heads, was accomplished within a
week. During the same period, tem-
porary anchorages and artificial
harbors were created off the beach-
head area by sinking ships and
anchoring prefabricated concrete
caissons to the channel floor, to facili-
tate the unloading of troops and sup-
plies. Asa result, the Allies were able
to reinforce and increase the size and
strength of their Armies rapidly. The
second objective of the landings was
to clear the Cotentin Peninsula with
its port of Cherbourg and capture
Caen and St. L6. On 26 June, Ameri-
can troops freed Cherbourg; 13 days
later on 9 July, British and Canadian
troops fought their way into Caen;
and on 18 July 1944, American troops
took St. Lo, accomplishing the
second objective. The final objective
was to break through the ring of
defenses that the enemy had estab-
lished around the beaches. The stage
was set for the breakout with a
paralyzing air bombardment on 25
July by the U.S. Eighth and Ninth Air
Forces and the Royal Air Force along
afive-mile front west of St. L6. Aided
by British forces pinning down the
enemy in the eastern portion of the
beach area toward Caen, the U.S.
First Army stormed out of the beach-
head liberating Coutances three days

later. Within a week, the newly-
activated U.S. Third Army had
cleared Avranches and was advanc-
ing toward Paris on a broad front
with the U.S. First Army. The two
armies fanned out westward toward.
Brest, southward toward the Loire
and eastward toward the Seine. On 7
August 1944, one week after the
opening of the Avranches gap, a
powerful counterattack was
launched by the enemy, in an
attempt to cut the columns of the
advancing U.S. First and Third
Armies. After the enemy’s initial
success in the region of Mortain, the
U.S. First Army was able to stem the
counterattack and push back enemy
forces.

In mid-August, enemy forces were
threatened with encirclement by the
U.S. Third Army which had turned
northward from Le Mans, to meet the
Canadian Army advancing south-
ward from its beachhead. Despite
desperate resistance by the enemy to
prevent encirclement, the two Allied
armies met at Chambois on 21
August. Enemy forces had the choice
of remaining in the Falaise pocket or
fleeing toward the Seine River in
disorder. In a matter of days, U.S.
Third Army troops were in the out-
skirts of Paris, liberating the city on
25 August 1944.

While these actions were taking
place, the newly-formed U.S. Ninth
Army relieved the U.S. Third Army
units that had remained in Brittany
and took over their mission of con-
taining the strong enemy garrisons
which still held out there. Although
stubbornly contested, St. Malo fell to
U.S. forces on 1 September and Brest
on 18 September 1944. At this time,
most of the U.S. Ninth Army was
ordered to the German border where
enemy resistance was stiffening.
Some U.S. Ninth Army units re-
mained to contain the enemy garri-

Memorial Chapel — Rear View

sons at Lorient and St. Nazaire which
did not surrender until 10 and 11 May
1945, respectively.

SITE

The Brittany American Cemetery, 28
acres in extent, lies among the hedge-
rows in rolling farm country near the
border between the Brittany and
Normandy regions of France. It is
one of fourteen permanent American
World War II military cemetery
memorials erected by the American
Battle Monuments Commission on
foreign soil. The site was liberated on
2 August 1944 by the U.S. 8th Infan-
try Division; a temporary military
cemetery was established on it three
days later. Subsequently, the site was
selected to be one of fourteen perma-
nent American World War II military
cemeteries on foreign soil. After the
war, when the temporary cemeteries
were being disestablished by the

American Graves Registration Ser-
vice, the remains of American mili-
tary Dead whose next of kin had re-
quested interment on foreign soil
were moved from the temporary
cemeteries to one of the permanent
cemetery sites, usually the one clos-
est to the temporary location. The
4,410 American military Dead buried
in the Brittany American Cemetery
lost their lives in the area of north-
western France extending from the
beachhead westward to Brest and
eastward to the Seine and represent
43 percent of the burials originally
made in the region. They were in-
terred there by the American Graves
Registration Service in the distinc-
tive grave patterns proposed by the
cemetery’s architect and approved
by this Commission. Most of them
died in the fighting in and around St.

6.
The design and construction of all
cemetery facilities in the permanent


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
‘orm 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 Germany” and ‘The War
Against Japan.” Each set consists of
three maps, each covering about
one-third of the period of our pat:
ticipation in the war. By these key-

28

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.

At each cemetery there is a visitors’
building or room, with comfortable
furnishings. Here visitors may learn
the grave 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

yan ;

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 further
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 WarI
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:

29


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Beach, overlooking the English
Channel honoring the elements of
the 2nd Ranger Battalion under the
command of LTC 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 French and
English. It was officially turned over
to the American government for

32

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 achievements 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 sand 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 5,044 identified “Known”
Dead interred here. In agreement
with the Republic of Panama, care
and maintenance of the cemetery in
perpetuity 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 1996. 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
USS. military personnel who died
world-wide during the war.

SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC

Upon request, and without cost, the
following information and services
are provided to family members
and friends of those interred or
commemorated at ABMC’s ceme-
teries and memorials:

¢ name, location and general infor-
mation about the cemetery, mon-
ument or memorial;

e plot, row and grave number and, if
applicable, memorialization sites;

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

rave 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).

33


Aerial View of Cemetery

SERVICE Bldg

(>
Anesrarg]

le

VISITORS

BRITTANY AMERICAN CEMETERY

Location of Cemetery Features

HOURS

The cemetery is open daily to the
public as follows:

SUMMER (16 April-30 September)
8:00 a.m.—6:00 p.m. — daily

WINTER (1 October-15 April)
8:00 a.m.—5:00 p.m. — daily
When the cemetery is open to the
public, a staff member is on duty in
the building to answer questions and
escort relatives to grave and memo-
rialization sites.

HISTORY

Ground combat in northwestern
France commenced with the Allied
landings on the beaches of Nor-
mandy, 6 June 1944. During the early
morning hours of darkness, three
airborne divisions (the British 6th
and the U.S. 82d and 101st) were
dropped in the rear of the beach areas
to cover deployment of the seaborne
assault forces. Simultaneously,

Allied naval forces swept the English
Channel of mines and preceded the
assault vessels to the landing areas.
At 0630 hours, under the cover of
intense naval and air bombardment,
six U.S., British and Canadian divi-
sions began landing on Utah,
Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword
beaches in the greatest amphibious
assault of recorded history.

The U.S. 4th Division pushed
rapidly inland from Utah Beach to
join the previously dropped airborne
divisions. Its early success and light
casualties contrasted sharply with
those of the U.S. 1st and 29th Divi-
sions on Omaha Beach to the east,
where the enemy resisted with every
device and weapon at his disposal.
The configuration of Omaha Beach
alone presented a major obstacle. In-
stead of sloping gently from the high
ground to its rear, the beach area
terminated in precipitous sandy
bluffs. U.S. troops had to cross an
open area varying in width from a
few yards at each end to about 200


View of Altar in Chapel

Brittany

American

Cemetery
and

Memorial

LOCATION

The Brittany American Cemetery
and Memorial is situated about one
mile southeast of the town of St.
James, Manche, France on highwa
D-250. St. James lies 12 miles/19
kilometers south of Avranches, 9
miles/15 kilometers southeast of Pon-
torson, 15 miles/25 kilometers south-
east of Mont St. Michel and 14
miles/22 kilometers north of Fou-
geres. It may be reached by auto-
mobile from Paris via toll highway

A-11 to Laval, then D-31 to Ernée,
N-12 to Fougéres, and finally D-798
to St. James, a total distance of 220
miles/354 kilometers from Paris.
The cemetery is reached by rail,
bus and taxi. From Paris, Mont-
parnasse station, via the high speed
train (TGV) to Laval, where travelers
change to SNCF bus to Fougéres and
finally from there to St. James by taxi.
St. James, Avranches, Pontorson,
Mont St. Michel and Fougéres have
adequate hotel accommodations.

Entrance to Cemetery


World War I

Aisne-Marne, Belleau, France ............2..2+0+5

Brookwood, England
Flanders Field, Waregem, Belgium . .
Meuse-Argonne, Romagne, France .
Oise-Aisne, Fere-en-Tardenois, France .
St. Mihiel, Thiaucourt, France . ;

Somme, Bony, France zs
Suresnes (See WW II also), France .

Totals ....

World War I monuments erected
by the Commission are located at or
near: Audenarde and Kemmel, Bel-
gium; Bellicourt, Brest, Cantigny,
Chateau-Thierry, Montfaucon,
Montsec, Sommepy, and Tours,
France; Gibraltar and Washington,
D.C. 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 Commemorated

2,039 250 1,060

427 41 563

: 347 21 43
- 13,760 486 954
5,415 597 241
4,036 117 284
1,706 138 333
1,535 6 974

- 29,265 1,656 4,452

Puerto Rico (which are now admin-
istered by the National Cemetery
System, Department of Veterans
Affairs). As was the case after World
War I, some remains were left in iso-
lated graves outside of the cemeteries
by request of the families who then
became responsible for their main-
tenance.

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 IL Known Unknown — Commemorate
Ardennes, Neupre (Neuville-en-Condroz), Belgium 4536 792 462
Brittany, St. James, France . ideas yeig #8 seo) “ABTS 97 498
Cambridge, England . 3,788 24 5,126

Epinal, France .
Florence, Italy...
Henri-Chapelle, Belgium .
Lorraine, St. Avold, France.

Luxembourg, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg...

Manila, Republic of the Philippines .
Netherlands, Margraten, Holland .
Normandy, St. Laurent-sur-Mer, France
North Africa, Carthage, Tunisia

Rhone, Draguignan, France . .
Sicily-Rome, Nettuno, Italy
Suresnes (See WW I also), France .

24

5,186 69 424
213 1,409
94 450
151 444
101 371
3,744 36,282
106 1,723,
307 1/557
240 3,724
62 294
490 3,095
24 —

25

Rhone American Cemetery and Memorial, Draguignan, Var, France


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 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 4,601 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 east coast of North
and South America, but outside the
territorial limits of the United States,
gave their lives in the service of their
country, the Commission erected a
memorial in Battery Park, New York
City, upon which their names and
particulars 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-

30

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 Gen. 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
1944.

It is a twelve-foot rectangular obe-
lisk of rose granite in a landscaped
area of local fora: 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 Cemetery 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-
Paign of World War II (7 August

-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 epproamately 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 Cal anatuan
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

31