Manila American 

Cemetery and Memorial

American Battle Monuments Commission

For more information on this site and other 

ABMC commemorative sites, please visit 

www.abmc.gov

American Battle Monuments Commission

2300 Clarendon Boulevard

Suite 500

Arlington, VA 22201 

USA

Manila American Cemetery & Memorial

McKinley Road

Global City, Taguig

Republic of Philippines

tel 011-632-844-0212

tel 011-632-813-2521

fax 011-632-812-4717

GPS N14 32.483 E121 03.008

Operations in the Pacific, December 1941 – September 1945

key: Military Cemetery Sea Battle

Cabanatuan Prisoner of War 

Camp Memorial

A marble altar marks the site of the 

Japanese Cabanatuan Prisoner of War 

Camp. Approximately 20,000 American 

servicemen and civilians were imprisoned 

there from 1942 to 1945.

Guadalcanal American Memorial

It honors those American and Allied 

servicemen who lost their lives during 

the Guadalcanal Campaign of World 

War II (Aug. 7, 1942 to Feb. 9, 1943). Four 

radiating directional walls point toward 

major battle sites.

Photo: The National Archives

Manila American Cemetery and Memorial

This cemetery site is the largest administered by the 

American Battle Monuments Commission in the number 

of graves and of those Missing whose names are recorded 

on the walls of the memorial. The government of the 

Philippines granted its free use as a permanent burial 

ground in perpetuity without charge or taxation.

American Battle Monuments Commission

This agency of the United States government operates 

and maintains 25 American cemeteries and 26 memorials, 

monuments and markers in 16 countries. The Commission 

works to fulfill the vision of its first chairman, General of 

the Armies John J. Pershing. Pershing, commander of the 

American Expeditionary Forces during World War I, promised 

that “time will not dim the glory of their deeds.”

MA

ER

CI AN BATTLE MONUMENTS COM

M SI S OI N

UNITED STATES

OF AMERICA
Simultaneous Japanese surprise attacks on Pearl Harbor and 

the Philippines led to war. Japanese forces conquered parts of 

Asia but were set back in the Philippine Islands. Fierce defenses 

by U.S. Army Forces Far East (U.S. Army, Philippine Army and 

Philippine Scouts) held off Japanese assaults for six months, 

delayed the Japanese timetable, and enabled the start of 

U.S. offensive operations in the Pacific.

1941

December 7: Japanese forces attacked Pearl Harbor and 

invaded the Philippines. (Dec. 8 in the Philippines, west of 

the International Date Line.)

1942

April 9: U.S. Forces on Bataan surrendered. Bataan Death March 

began next day. 76,000 Prisoners of War, including 12,000 Americans, 

made a brutal 65-mile walk to prison camp. Thousands died 

on the march. The death rate of POWs was extremely high. Of 

the nearly 30,000 Americans captured in the Philippines, more 

than 11,000 died in captivity. 

May 6: Japanese took Corregidor Island. Lt.Gen. Wainwright 

surrendered U.S. and Philippine forces. Some eluded capture 

and formed guerrilla units. 

May 6-8: Battle of the Coral Sea blocked the Japanese invasion 

of Port Moresby, New Guinea.

June 3-6: Battle of Midway reversed the Pacific strategic situation.

August 7: U.S. Marines landing on Guadalcanal began the U.S. 

drive in the Solomons.

November 16: The Buna-Gona campaign continued the Allied 

drive in New Guinea.

operations in the pacific,

december 1941 – september 1945

Useful

Information

Photo: The National Archives

Gen. Douglas MacArthur returns to the 

Philippines – Leyte, October 1944

Wall of Missing

Engraved tablets honor 

36,286 Missing in action 

who gave their lives in the 

service of their country, 

including 21 Medal of 

Honor recipients. 

The Altar

The Altar is decorated with 

mosaic on a predominantly 

blue background. A tall, 

graceful female figure scatters 

flowers. Natural light shines 

through stone grilleworks 

flanking the altar.

The Memorial

The Memorial consists of 

the tower containing the 

small devotional chapel, 

and two hemicycles in 

front which embrace 

the Memorial Court. The 

structures are faced with travertine limestone.

The Chapel

Its sculpture represents St. George, 

the American warrior, fighting his 

enemy the dragon. Above them 

are the ideals for which he fought: 

Liberty, Justice, Country and 

Columbia with child symbolizing 

the future.

The 25 Maps

Ten-foot-high mosaic maps of 

varying widths are displayed 

inside four rooms bordering 

the hemicycle walls. The maps 

portray important campaigns 

during World War II in the Pacific. 

The Graves

Eleven burial plots are arranged 

in concentric rings around the 

Memorial and Mall. The majority 

of the white marble headstones 

were quarried and fabricated in 

Italy and a small quantity from 

Romblon, Philippines.

Visitors Building

Is located inside the main gate 

at the right of the plaza; you 

can meet our staff and get 

your questions answered, sign 

the guest register, and rest 

and refresh yourself.

1943

Throughout the year, many hard-fought campaigns along the 

north coast of New Guinea and up the Northern Solomons 

flank resulted in major advances towards Japan.

November 20: Landing by U.S. Marines on Tarawa began the 

U.S. Central Pacific thrust.

1944

Southwest Pacific forces under General MacArthur reached the 

west end of New Guinea by the end of August. Central Pacific 

forces under Admiral Nimitz fought through the fortified atolls 

of the Marshalls, Marianas, and Palau Islands. The campaigns 

positioned U.S. forces to invade the Philippines.

October 20: U.S. forces returned to the Philippines, landing 

on Leyte.

October 23-26: The Battles of Leyte Gulf marked the end of 

Japanese naval power in the Pacific.

December 13: U.S. landings on Mindoro facilitated preparations 

to invade Luzon.

1945

January 9: U.S. Sixth Army landings at Lingayen Gulf began 

the Luzon campaign. 

January 30: U.S. Army Rangers, Alamo Scouts, and guerrillas 

liberated Cabanatuan POW camp.

February 3: Battle of Manila began. The city was declared 

liberated on Mar. 4. More than 1,000 U.S. military and 100,000 

Filipino civilians were killed during the battle. Airborne and 

amphibious troops recaptured Corregidor Island on Feb. 16.

February 19 and April 1: Battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa began.

February 28 – July 4: Starting at Palawan, through the Visayan 

Islands to Mindanao, Eighth Army liberated the remaining 

islands of the Philippines.

July 5: Liberation of Philippines declared. More than 14,000 

Americans were killed in ground combat leading to liberation. 

August 6 and 9: U.S. bombers dropped atomic bombs on 

Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

September 2: Japanese representatives surrendered aboard USS 

Missouri (BB-63) in Tokyo Bay.

dimensions: 152 acres

headstones: 17,097

latin crosses: 16,933

stars of david: 164

unknowns: 3,740

missing in action: 36,286

sets of brothers: 20

medal of honor recipients: 29

dedicated: December 8, 1960

Layout

Entrance to the Cemetery is from the north. 

Proceeding south is a plaza area with a 

fountain centered on the mall stretching 

from the plaza to the Memorial. Roads 

from the mall provide vehicular 

access to all grave areas.

Headstone Location

plot: 

row: 

grave: