NORMANDY AMERICAN CEMETERY

The Normandy American National Cemetery is situated near Omaha Beach at St Laurent su Mer – there are some 10,000 American soldiers buried there but one must remember that the remains of some 25,000 killed in Normandy were repatriated to America at the request of their families.

On entering the cemetery grounds you first arrive at a huge semi-circular memorial with a large Spirit of America statue positioned at its apex. Looking down towards the other end of the cemetery you overlook the reflective pool towards the chapel, which is almost a kilometer away. The cemetery overlooks the sea and its emerald green lawns and sculptured trees are immaculately maintained.

On each white cross is the inscribed with the name of the soldier buried beneath it, his rank and unit and the state where he lived. There are approximately 150 white Magen Davids, some with small stones left by their families, bring home the fact that there were a fair share of Jewish soldiers in the American armed forces.

Strongly contrasting to the somber German cemetery at La Cambre this cemetery seems more to depict the inherent patriotism of the American nation.

The cemetery draws over 2 million visitors annually.

Those opening and closing scenes Saving Private Ryan were filmed at this cemetery