The Netherlands American Cemetery is the only American military
cemetery in The Netherlands. 8,301 was dead of the United States of
America from World War II rest here. Most died late in 1944 and in 1945,
in the airborne and ground operations in eastern Holland, during the
advances into Germany over the Roer and across the Rhine, and in air
operations over these regions. Additionally, the names of 1,722
Americans whose remains were never recovered or not identified are
inscribed along each side of the Court of Honor. A bronze rosette marks
the names of those who where subsequently found. 105 headstones mark the
graves of 106 "unknows".
The construction and care of the 65.5-acre cemetery and memorial
are the responsibility of the American Battle Monuments Commission, an
agency of the United States government. Use of the land was granted, in
perpetuity, by the people of The Netherlands.
After World War I, the American Battle Monuments Commission
erected a memorial chapel in each of the eight American military
cemeteries in Europe, as well as eleven battlefield monuments.
At the end of World War II, fourteen additional military
cemeteries were established overseas. Each contains a memorial with a
record in permanent graphic form of the achievements of the U.S. Armed
Forces in that region.
The graves in these World War I and World War II cemeteries number
approximately 39 percent of those originally buried. The remains of the
other 61 percent were returned home at the request of the next of kin. A
white marble headstone marks each grave, a Star of David for those of
the Jewish faith, and a Latin cross for all others. At each of the
memorials are inscribed the names of the missing who gave their lives in
the region.
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