10 American Cemeteries and Memorials in Europe

World War I and II orphaned children, widowed lonely wives, destroyed waiting sweetheart's hopes, burned empty holes in mother's hearts, and broke the spirit of many a father as the US fighting man fell on foreign battlefields. Yet, through all of the pain burns a pride and a passionate determination that their great sacrifices were not in vain. As our world was threatened by an evil Axis that threatened to destroy freedom and strip our allies of their dignity and rights, Americans answered the call and put down this threat through courage, honor, and our greatest asset, the lives of our peoples. To this day, we have men and women on battlefields thousands of miles from home so that we can still proudly say that no one will deprive us, or our allies, of our basic human rights or strip us of our freedom to live, love, and worship as we choose.

Buried in fourteen foreign cemeteries in Europe, our loved ones stand as a constant reminder to all who oppose the freedom that we hold so dear. The American Cemetery and War Memorials hold our loved ones in an embrace and comfort them with tender care even as we cannot. In remembrance of those who fought and died so very far away, we salute you, the brave, the proud, the American soldier.

War: World War I

14,246 American soldiers sacrificed their lives and now rest here. Most of these brave men met their fate in the offensive of Meuse- Argonne. Including Sergeant Matej Kocek who epitomized the bravery and heroism of our soldiers, American and Allied. Sergeant Kocek advanced on a hidden machine gun nest without cover fire and then attacked it with bayonet. Later, he formed a loose squad of lost Frenchmen and attacked another, putting it out of commission and saving possibly hundreds of lives.

Notable Interred: Sergeant Matej Kocak

Medal of Honor Citation:

War: World War II

The largest American cemetery abroad, this memorial is the home and final resting place of over ten thousand brave American servicemen who fought and died on foreign soil in the defense of life, liberty, and our allies' right to freedom. You get a feeling of pride and sorrow when you walk these hallowed rows of American soldiers.

Notable Interred: Ace Pilot George Preddy

George Preddy was one of our best fighter pilots with close to thirty confirmed kills. He is best known in combat for taking on and destroying six enemy aircraft in a single mission. Preddy was fearless and thoroughly dedicated as an American pilot. On Christmas day 1944 he received word that a Bf-109 was strafing our troops and he and two fellow aircraft were giving chase when he was mistakenly hit with friendly fire. He is buried next to his brother who was also a B-51 Mustang pilot.

War: World War II

American forces were supposed to take a supporting role in the campaign to liberate Italy from itself. However, when the British 8th Army became held up by the German/Italian troops in the hills of Mt. Etna, Patton turned it into an all out assault by swinging around to the northwest and taking the coastal roads that were vital the Axis and defending German Army. This move was thought to be impossible by Hitler's Generals, who were forced to surrender Rome on June 4th. Many of the men killed in this campaign are buried in the Florence cemetery and Memorial.

Sustaining numerous wounds, not only did 2nd Lt.John Butts save his platoon by single handedly assaulting an enemy strong hold, he crawled, drawing their fire to within ten feet before being killed by direct fire. His actions allowed his squad to out-flank the enemy and take the position. Patton would have been very proud of this American soldier. His citation is an incredible one.

Notable Interred: John E.Butts

Medal of Honor Citation:

War: World War II

The soilders lost in the Battle of the Bulge, some 20,000 strong are buried in the memorial cemeteries abroad. The Henri-Chapelle is the resting place of over 7000 of our fighting men that fought and died bravely to ensure that the Nazis would never again commit the atrocities they inflicted upon the defenseless, at least, not while a single American soldier lives to take up arms against them.

How inspiring it must have been for the troops to hear that a Brigadier General refused to jettison his bombs from his wounded bomber over their heads even though it all but ensured that he would be the main target of the German aircraft and anti aircraft guns defending the German Army. He personally took the controls so that his crew could eject, with the plane hopelessly crippled and on fire and went down fighting.

Notable Interred: Brigadier General Frederick Walker Castle

Medal of Honor Citation:

War: World War II

The battle for Ardennes marked the beginning of the Battle of the Bulge as the French army, badly outnumbered, attack the advancing German Army. The French were defeated and had to retreat. The 101st US Airborne division dug in near Ardennes in Bastogne. Weather prevented the air support that was sorely needed and the 101st was trapped like the hole of a donut. Still, using cooks and other non-battle type personnel, they dug in with little or no ammo and fought, sometimes hand to hand until Patton's army could arrive days later. Their victory, with heavy losses on both sides, marked the end of Hitler's credibility in Germany.

Notable Interred: Major John Louis Jerstad

Major John Louis Jerstad refused to give up, even after his plane was hit, badly damaged, and on fire. He flew the last three miles, dropped his bombs on the target, and crashed at the target site. In route and on fire, he flew over an area perfect for a emergency landing but ignored it. He and his crew are true American Patriots.

Medal of Honor Citation:

War: World War II

The Battle of the Bulge was the largest and most devastating of the German offensives of WWII and a last Gasp of Hitler's lunacy. Fought all around the Capital City of Luxembourg, some reports claim that 108,000 American soldiers lost their lives during this leg of the war. This multifaceted and strategic battle is proclaimed as the greatest American battle and victory by Winston Churchill in an address to his countrymen. The Luxembourg Cemetery and Memorial contains the graves of some 5000 American Servicemen who died in the winter of 1944/1945 to ensure the city would be unoccupied and returned to its remaining citizens. The American soldiers, learning of the atrocities carried out by Germany against this neutral country were eager and happy to sacrifice to liberate the entire country.

Notable Interred: General George S. Patton

Called by Hitler the most dangerous man the Allies have, General George S. Patton was the most famous and fight ready General in the US Army during the WWII era. Patton was a fearless leader that every soldier wanted to serve. During the war, almost any soldier you asked would have told you that their chances of winning the war and surviving would be greatest if serving under General George Patton. It was his clear and decisive maneuvers that made the outcome of his conflicts so successful. Patton knew the advantages of Air support and used it for his armored brigade more than any other general. It was precisely this ability that turned the Battle of the Bulge in our favor and saved thousands of lives.

War: World War I

This is the only American cemetery in the British Isle of WW I. Most of those interred here are from the battles on the land and sea of Great Britain. The cemetery holds the graves of servicemen only from WWI. •This beautiful cemetery is maintained by the American Battle and Monuments Commission. Americans who died on the SS Tuscania, which was sunk off the coast of Scotland by the German U-boat UB-77 rest on these hallowed grounds.

Notable Interred: Gunners Mate 1st Class Osmond Ingram

The first man killed in action during WWI, Osmond Ingram, of Alabama was the first to spot an incoming torpedo. He tried to save the ship by jettisoning the depth charges where the torpedo would strike. Had he been successful, the ship may have survived. His bravery and attempt to save his fellow seaman resulted in the posthumous award of the Medal of Honor.

Medal of Honor Citation:

War: World War II

The battle to liberate Brittany was a hard fought one with American and French Freedom Fighters combining to try and overcome a heavily fortified German position. The Americans advanced• cross country so quickly that supplying the army became a huge problem. The Germans held the ports for months with twice as many troops as were anticipated but eventually were beaten by a stubborn American Army that refused to quit.

The Brittany American Cemetery is 28 aces of rolling countryside between the Brittany and Normandy regions of France. Of the souls lost on the beaches and countryside of the region in 1944, 4410 American soldiers are buried in Brittany American Cemetery and Memorial, which boasts a plaque that includes this apt inscription from Second Timothy 4, 7:

Notable Interred: Sergeant Sherwood H. Hallman

September 13th 1944, 2nd Battalion is halted at the city of Brest by defending enemy forces. A machine gun position and its crew along with 30 riflemen are part of this defense. Sergeant Sherwood H. Hallman tells his squad to cover him and leaps from cover. As he charges the position, firing his weapon, and hurling hand grenades, he is ordering the surrender of the German troops. He kills four Germans before a dozen more throw down their weapons and surrender. Upon seeing this, 75 more give up the fight, allowing the Americans to capture them and advance into the city. The brave Sergeant Hallman is killed the next day during battle. He is awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously.

War: World War I

This cemetery and memorial is located near the area where German forces, taking French and British forces completely by surprise, in 1918, overran, killed and captured thousands of the allied forces and took the ground near Berry-au-Bac and Anizy-le-Chateau. The Germans then crossed the Anise River and proceeded with plans to march on Paris. All they had to do was cross the Marne River and walk in as the French prepared to pull their troops south and the British forces were all but defeated. Four days after the attack began, American troops headed by the US 3rd Division arrived and prevented the Germans from crossing in a terrible battle. Then the 23rd division blocked the main route to Paris and held the Germans at bay. German forces, four divisions strong had penetrated and all but surrounded the city of Reims, which held the railroad the Germans needed for the supply of its army. Despite this, the 23rd division fought fiercely and the Germans did not take the city and had to retreat.

The Oise-Aisne American Cemetery and Memorial located in Northern France is the second of eight large permanent American cemeteries located outside of the US. This 36.5 acres was established as a temporary gravesite by the 42 Battalion in 1918. Congress• adopted the site as a permanent vicinity for our honored troops in 1921. There are 597 unknown soldiers represented n this beautiful cemetery. On the headstones of Italian marble is the famous inscription "Here Rests in Honored Glory An American Soldier Known But To God". Most of the 6012 buried here died in the Second Battle of the Marne.

Notable Interred: Private Eddie Slovik

Private Slovik was the only US serviceman to be executed for desertion in WWII at age 24. He was a troubled youth who had his first encounter with the law at age twelve for stealing a loaf of bread. He was given several opportunities to rejoin the war efforts and escape his fate and refused them all believing he would be given jail time and a dishonorable discharge. His last words were "They are not executing me for desertion, they are executing me for that loaf of bread." (paraphrased.) After years of petitioning, his body was finally moved to the US to be interred next to his wife, who died in 1979.

War: World War II

This American Cemetery overlooks Omaha Beach, which is the site of one of the bloodiest landings in history. As American soldiers tried to take this beach during WWII, thousands were killed as the German defenses held. The ocean's unexpected current pulled most of the landings off course and caused widespread confusion, dumping many soldiers into the worst possible place where German forces were the strongest. The majority of the first wave died on the beach, as the Navy's cover fire missions were much lighter than needed. Eventually, several brave officers separately formed smaller squads out of the disoriented troops and forced their way through gaps in the defense. They sustained heavy casualties among these small groups but still carried on and took the high ground through small arms fire and bandoliers. The American forces did what everyone thought would be impossible through sheer force of will and survival instinct. In essence, they did what they had to do.

It is fitting that this beautiful cemetery overlooks Omaha Beach, the site of one of the bloodiest campaigns of WWII. The Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial is a captivating site on a cliff overlooking the beach and beautiful surrounding countryside. Millions of visitors see these hallowed grounds every year. With row upon row of stark white crosses on a lush green carpet of grass; these lawns are now home to thousands of graves including 38 sets of brothers lying next to each other..

Notable Interred: Brigadier General Theodore Roosevelt Jr.

Known affectionately as "Teddy" to millions of people, Theodore Roosevelt Jr. was a courageous American who distinguished himself in battle and made his Presidential father very proud. Winner of the Congressional Medal of Honor, the highest award his country could bestow, he also received the Distinguished Service Cross, the Silver Star, and Purple Heart. He received the Legion of Honor and the Croix de Guerre, the highest awards from grateful France and Belgium. He achieved the Rank of Brigadier General during his spotless and illustrious military career. His political career proved to be much less distinguished, however and he was defeated, with the help of some of his own family members in the race for the Governorship of New York. His bravery and determined patriotism is unblemished and stands as a shining example of the American Spirit for all to see and follow.