Normandy American Cemetery And Memorial
Posted On December 3, 2009
Location and Structure
The NormandyAmericanCemetery and Memorial is located in France. This cemetery and Memorial is located on the place of the provisional AmericanSt. LaurentCemetery. The St. LaurentCemetery was been established by the First army U.S. on June 8, in the year 1944. Also it was the first American cemetery to be constructed in the European soil during the World War II. The cemetery location, at the northern end of its half mile when accessed by road, envelops around 172.5 acres of land. There are around 9,387 graves of the military dead who were part of the II World War. Most of the soldiers lost their lives in the attack of the D-Day landings and also in other consequent operations. On the eastern side of the garden, Walls of the Missing is been erected. The garden is semicircular in shape. On the memorial walls around 1,557 names are been inscribed who were not found after the II World War. The names of those who are been identified and also recovered is been marked on Rosettes
The memorial has a semicircular row of pillars which has a terrace at every end which contains huge maps as well as narratives of the various military operations. At the center of this arcade is a bronze statue which reads, “Spirit of American Youth.” You will also come across a compass reading table that overlooks the beach and also describe the hallway in Normandy. At the west of the memorial, you can see a pool reflecting in the foreground. The burial area is located beyond the pool. It has a circular chapel. At the far end of the chapel few granite statues that represents the U.S. as well as France is been erected.
History
The cemetery is positioned on a bluff which overlooks the OmahaBeach as well as the English Channel. Omaha Beach was one of the most important landing beaches during the Normandy Invasion. It envelops an area of around 172 acres. Few of the American soldiers, who died overseas are been buried at the overseas American military cemeteries. When it was the time for an everlasting entombment, the family members were supposed to make decisions was asked if they willing to get their loved ones send home for permanent burial that would have took place in U.S, or were they interred at the nearest overseas cemetery.
Surrounded in the lawn located directly to the opposite of the entrance to the old Visitors’ Building stands stills a time capsule. In time capsule there have been preserved information reports of the day June 6, 1944 when the Normandy landings took place. The capsule is covered by a granite slab which is pink in color. On the slab it has been engraved: “To be opened June 6, 2044.” Attached at the core of the slab is a bronze commemorative inscription decorated with the five stars that mostly stands for the General of the Army . It is also imprinted with the subsequent inscription “In memory of General Dwight D. Eisenhower and the forces under his command.” This preserved pod containing information reports of the day June 6, 1944 regarding the Normandy landings are been kept here by the newsmen who were present there on June 6, 1969.
How to reach
To reach the NormandyAmericanCemetery and Memorial get a flight to Paris Charles de Gaulle International Airport and later hire a taxi/ cab or rent a car and reach Normandy where the cemetery. It will take you nearly 1-2 hrs to drive down to Normandy from Paris. You can also get into the train from Paris which is quite fast and clean and you would reach Normandy with an hour.
Accommodation
A quality accommodation as well as food is available in and around the city. The costs here are quite reasonable.
When to visit
The best time in the year to visit
Normandy is from August to October. Generally in Normandy the atmosphere is cold in winter and mild in summer
Visiting times
The cemetery is kept opened for the public to visit, daily apart from December 25 and January 1. The cemetery is opened from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. during April 15 to September 15, and is opened from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for the remaining time of the year. It is kept open on most of the country holidays. When the cemetery is kept open to the public to visit, staff members are appointed on duty in the VisitorCenter. They are required to answer questions as well as escort the numerous relatives to grave and also the memorial sites.
