THE AMERICAN BATTLE
MONUMENTS COMMISSION
NORMANDY AMERICAN CEMETERY
AND MEMORIAL
The
Normandy American Cemetery site was chosen because of its historical location
on top of a cliff overlooking famous Omaha Beach, which was the scene of the
greatest amphibious troop landing in history. The cemetery site covers 172
acres. The maintenance of the cemetery and memorial is the responsibility of
the American Battle Monuments Commission. Construction of this cemetery and
memorial was completed in 1956 and dedicated on 19 July of that year. The
architects for the cemetery were Harbeson, Hough, Livingstone @ Larson of
Philadelphia, Pa. The landscape architect was Markley Stevenson, also of
Philadelphia.
There are
9,386 American war dead buried here. 307 of the headstones mark the graves of
“unknowns.” The remains of approximately 14,000 others originally buried in
this region were returned home at the request of their next of kin.
The
memorial consists of a semi-circular colonnade with a loggia at each end. On
the platform is a 22-foot bronze statue, the “Spirit of American Youth,” a
tribute to those who gave their lives in these operations. Around its base is
the inscription “MINE EYES HAVE SEEN THE GLORY OF THE COMING OF THE LORD.” The
sculptor was Donald De Lue of New York City. On the walls within the south
loggia are three (3) battle maps engraved in the stone and embellished with
colored enamels. The American Battle Monuments Commission designed these maps. Maurice
Schmit of Paris carried them out. The panels in the ceiling of the loggias are
of blue ceramic by Gentil & Bourdet of Paris. At the entrance to each
loggia are two large bronze urns, also designed and sculptured in high relief
by Donald De Lue and cast by Marinelli foundry of Florence, Italy.
On the east
side of the memorial is the semi-circular Garden of the Missing. Inscribed on
its walls are the names, rank, organization and state of 1,557 of our missing.
They gave their lives in the service of their country but their remains have
not been identified, or they were buried at sea in this region.
The
circular chapel, whose mosaic ceiling, designed and executed by Leon Kroll of
New York City, symbolizes America who gives her farewell blessing to their sons
as they depart by sea and air to fight for her principles of freedom. Over the
altar, a grateful France bestows a laurel wreath upon dead who gave their lives
to liberate Europe’s oppressed peoples. The angel, the dove and the homeward
bound ship recall the return of peace.
At the western
end of the main axis of the cemetery are two (2) Italian granite (Baveno)
figures by Donald De Lue representing the United States and France.
At the
memorial one can descend a flight of granite steps to an overlook parapet on
which is situated an orientation table that indicates the various landing
beaches. In the early morning hours on 6 June 1944, three airborne divisions,
the U.S. 82nd and 101st, the British 6th,
dropped behind the beaches to destroy enemy forces and to cover the deployment
of sea-borne assault troops. At 6:30 hours, under the cover of intense naval
and air bombardment, six U.S., British and Canadian divisions landed in the
greatest amphibious assault recorded in history.
NORMANDY
AMERICAN CEMETERY
COLLEVILLE-SUR-MER
14710
TREVIERES, FRANCE
TEL
31.22.40.62 FAX 31.21.98.73