American Military Cemetery

Colleville-sur-Mer/St-Laurent-sur-Mer

The Normandy American Military Cemetery

An awesome sight, bringing the losses of the battles into reality

9,386 American soldiers and 4 women are buried here

The Garden of the Missing contains the names of 1,557 missing soldiers

And that is not all of them - the American government set up a program before the battles ever happened to make sure all Americans giving their lives for this cause would be properly cared for.  They were buried where they fell as best as they could be under the circumstances and then all were collected after the battles.  Families were given the option to have their soldier brought home to them or to be buried here where they fell.  I don't know how many went home...

We arrived at the cemetery just an hour before closing time - advice we had been given before we made the trip.  At that time each day, they lower the US flags that fly over the fallen and we wanted to be a part of that ceremony, to give our thanks to those who gave so much and to those who survived.

The cemetery is on the cliff top overlooking Omaha Beach -

A German bunker sits just outside the American Cemetery...

There is not a lot to say about the perfect rows of markers that sit on this cliff top - every one of these pictures is of a different part of the cemetery and every marker represents a person who gave everything they had to give.  Walking through all these brave souls brings tears to your eyes...

We give our thanks to the heroes who rest in the Normandy American Cemetery, to those who rest elsewhere, and to those who survived.  Your sacrifice is appreciated and will not be forgotten.