Belgium:

There are 2 major American Cemeteries in Belgium, where American WWII military personnel are buried for eternity.

The Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery established by the “American Battle Monuments Commission” is located on a crest of a ridge, about two miles of the village of Henri-Chapelle and covers 57 acres. The site was liberated by troops of the 1st Infantry Division on 12 September 1944 and established by First United States Army 25 September 1944. It was officially dedicated on 9 July 1960. Here are interred 7,992 American servicemen, the majority of which died during the “Battle of the Bulge” and the US advance into Germany. There are 94 headstones of “unknown” soldiers, whose identity is known but to God. The names and particulars of “missing” personnel of which there are 450, are engraved on the 48 faces of the columns around the Memorial. We have indicated some limited statistics about war dead buried in this Cemetery. Some 67,749 people visited the Cemetery in 2002 (US Army war code: 1201/1240).

Some statistics…
5th Ranger Infantry Battalion (WWII) 1 war dead
82d Airborne Division (WWII) 181 war dead
99th Infantry Division (WWII) 289 war dead
104th Infantry Division (WWII) 349 war dead

The Ardennes American Cemetery established by the “American Battle Monuments Commission” is located near the south-east edge of Neupré (formerly known as Neuville-en-Condroz), and south of Liège, and covers 90.5 acres of land. The site was liberated by troops of the 3d Armored Division on 7 September 1944. It was the only cemetery originally founded by the Advance Section, Communications Zone (ADSEC/ComZ). It already served as a burial site since 8 February 1945 for the First United States Army. The Cemetery was officially dedicated on 11 July 1960 in presence of H.R.H. Prince Albert (today King Albert II). Here are buried 5,328 American military dead, among which 792 headstones of “unknown” soldiers. The “missing”, of which there are 462 have their names and full particulars engraved in 12 large gray granite slabs located east and west of the Memorial. Many of these soldiers died in the “Battle of the Bulge”. Here follow some figures related to war dead. 15,385 visitors were recorded in 2002 (US Army war code: 1202/1260).

Some statistics…
5th Ranger Infantry Battlion (WWII) 1 war dead
82d Airborne Division (WWII) 30 war dead
99th Infantry Division (WWII) 70 war dead
104th Infantry Division (WWII) 7 war dead

“Memorial Day” Celebration – ABMC – May 25, 2002 Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery & Memorial, Hombourg, Belgium

Apart from the annual “Memorial Day” honoring America’s war dead, accompanied by the traditional dedication addresses, tributes, and laying of wreaths; special dedication of an AMVETS Memorial Carillon also took place. The Carillon is a living memorial to the Nation’s deceased Veterans and is part of a program started by AMVETS in 1949 (accepted by Act of Congress). The first Carillon was installed at “Arlington National Cemetery”, and the one dedicated at Henri-Chapelle 25 May is the 62nd of its kind. As a “living memorial”, the AMVETS Carillon whose bells, symbolic of Thomas Jefferson’s historic words, “ETERNAL VIGILANCE IS THE PRICE OF GLORY” will keep on tolling as a constant reminder of the sacrifices made by those who fought and died to preserve freedom throughout the world… LEST WE FORGET!

Wreath Bearers	Color Guard
Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery Superintendent & Staff	Headstone (John E. HUGUS, Jr. 1st Lt., ASN O-442281, 634th TD Bn, Penna., USA, died Jan. 19, 1945)

The Netherlands:

The only American Cemetery in the Netherlands, is located in the village of Margraten. The grounds cover 65.5 acres of land. This the the place where American WWII military personnel are now resting in eternal peace.

The Netherlands American Cemetery established by the “American Battle Monuments Commission” was officially dedicated on 7 July 1960. The area was liberated by troops of the 30th Infantry Division on 13 September 1944, while the burial site was opened on 28 September 1944 by elements of the Ninth United States Army. Here rest forever 8,301 American military dead, among which 106 “unknowns”. Engraved on the north and south walls (i.e. two tablets) of the Court are the names, rank, organization, and the state of 1,723 “missing” of both the Army and the Army Air Corps. Below are some figures about war dead buried at Margraten. 483,010 people visited the Cemetery in 2002 (US Army war code: 4601).

Some statistics…
5th Ranger Infantry Battalion (WWII) 0 war dead
82d Airborne Division (WWII) 285 war dead
99th Infantry Division (WWII) 67 war dead
104th Infantry Division (WWII) 163 war dead

Luxembourg:

The only American Cemetery in Luxembourg, is located at Hamm, just within the limits of the Capital, Luxembourg City, where it covers about 50 acres.

The Luxembourg American Cemetery established by the “American Battle Monuments Commission” was officially dedicated on 4 July 1960. The area was liberated by the 5th Armored Division on 10 September 1944 and a temporary burial ground was established on 29 December 1944 for interment of American casualties of the Third United States Army. Sloping downhill from the Memorial is the final burial area containing 5,076 American war dead, many of whom gave their lives in the battle for the liberation of Luxembourg, and during the advance to the Rhine river. Additionaly there are pylons, flanking the Chapel, inscribed with the names of 371 “missing” soldiers and airmen. Since many casualties resulting from Third United States Army operations were brought to this site, it was only normal that George S. Patton, Jr. (fatally injured in a automobile accident in Germany) was interred here, among his fellow soldiers, on 24 December 1945. Some 118, 670 people visited the Cemetery in 2002 (US Army war code: 6020).

Some statistics…
5th Ranger Infantry Battalion (WWII) 23 war dead
82d Airborne Division (WWII) 5 war dead
99th Infantry Division (WWII) 6 war dead
104th Infantry Division (WWII) 2 war dead

France:

The major American World War II Cemetery in France is the one located in Normandy.

The Normandy American Cemetery established by the “American Battle Monuments Commission” was officially dedicated on 18 July 1956 and covers around 172.5 acres of land. It is situated on a cliff overlooking “Bloody” Omaha Beach and the English Channel, east of St-Laurent- sur-Mer and northwest of Bayeux, in Colleville-sur-Mer, on the site of the temporary St- Laurent-sur-Mer cemetery established by First United States Army on 8 June 1944. Here are interred the remains of 9,387 servicemen and women, of which 307 are known but to God! A semi-circular wall within a Memorial Garden and Tablets of the Missing display the names and data of 1,557 “missing” who also gave their lives in the service of their country. Due to its particular location, in the middle of the dramatic D-Day battlegrounds, the Normandy American Cemetery draws the largest number of visitors every year; in 2002, 1,389,828 people visited the Cemetery (US Army war code: 3504).

Remark: apart from the above, there are other American Military Cemeteries in France, some of which are dedicated to WWI and/or WWII. They are: Aisne-Marne WWI American Cemetery – Meuse-Argonne WWI American Cemetery – Oise-Aisne WWI American Cemetery – Somme American WWI American Cemetery – St. Mihiel WWI American Cemetery – Suresnes WWI+II American Cemetery – Brittany WWII American Cemetery – Epinal WWII American Cemetery – Lorraine WWII American Cemetery – Meuse-Argonne WWII American Cemetery – Rhône WWII American Cemetery, here rest over 51,000 American dead! Other interesting Memorials in the region, are the Pointe-du-Hoc Monument, and the Utah Beach Monument…

Some statistics…
5th Ranger Infantry Battalion (WWII) 14 war dead
82d Airborne Division (WWII) 234 war dead
99th Infantry Division (WWII) 1 war dead
104th Infantry Division (WWII) 4 war dead

Note:
The “American Battle Monuments Commission” is an independent agency of the Executive Branch of the Federal Government – it is responsible for:

• commemorating the services of the American Armed Forces where they have served since 6 April 1917
• designing, constructing, operating and maintaining permanent American military burial grounds in foreign countries
• controlling design and construction of US military Monuments and Markers in foreign countries by other US citizens and organizations, both public and private
• encouraging the maintenance of such Monuments and Markers by their sponsors

The “ABMC” has 2 major subordinate regions; the European Region in Paris, France and the Mediterranean Region in Rome, Italy. The “ABMC” Headquarters directs the operations of 3 separate Cemeteries; the Mexico City National Cemetery, the Corozal American Cemetery in Panama, and the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines.

---

Photos illustrating the Cemeteries, courtesy A.B.M.C.