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Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial
American Battle Monuments Commission
View of the cemetery from the memorial.
Used for those deceased 1941 - 1945
Established	8 June 1944
Location	49°21′37″N, 0°51′26″W near Colleville-sur-Mer, France
Designed by	Harbeson, Hough, Livingston and Larson Markley Stevenson (landscaping)
Total burials	9,387
Unknown burials	307
Burials by nation
United States: 9,387
Burials by war
World War II: 9,387
Statistics source: American Battle Monuments Commission

The World War II Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial is a cemetery and memorial in Colleville-sur-Mer, Normandy, France, that honors American soldiers who died in Europe during World War II.

On June 8, 1944, the U.S. First Army established the temporary St. Laurent cemetery, the first American cemetery on European soil in World War II. After the war, the present-day cemetery was established a short distance to the south of the original site. France has granted the United States a special, perpetual concession to the land occupied by the cemetery.

The cemetery is located on a cliff overlooking Omaha Beach (one of the landing beaches of the Normandy Invasion) and the English Channel. It covers 70 ha (172 acres), and contains the remains of 9,387 American military dead, most of whom were killed during the invasion of Normandy and ensuing military operations in World War II. The graves face westward, towards the United States.

The names of 1,557 Americans who lost their lives in the conflict but could not be located and/or identified are inscribed on the walls of a semicircular garden at the east side of the memorial. The memorial consists of a semicircular colonnade with a loggia at each end containing maps and narratives of the military operations. At the center is a bronze statue entitled Spirit of American Youth. An orientation table overlooks the beach and depicts the landings at Normandy. Facing west at the memorial, one sees in the foreground the reflecting pool, the mall with burial areas to either side and the circular chapel beyond. Behind the chapel are statues representing the United States and France.

The chapel at the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial; found in the center of the cemetery

A view of the crosses.

This cemetery was used in the original horror film The Omen as a main photo poster with Damien standing next to the thousands of crosses.

The cemetery is featured in the beginning of Steven Spielberg's 1998 film Saving Private Ryan. A much older Private James Ryan, accompanied by his family, makes his way to the grave of Capt. John Miller (played by Tom Hanks) and segues into the movie's opening battle sequence, the D-Day landing at Omaha Beach. The grave does not actually exist; the headstone for Capt. John Miller was only brought to the cemetery for the movie. The Capt. John Miller portrayed in the movie never existed, but the Private Ryan story is based upon the story of the Niland Brothers.

The grave marker of the American soldier Robert B. Seyler at the World War II Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial

Omaha Beach as seen from the Normandy American Cemetery

Grave Marker of Medal of Honor recipient Jimmie W. Monteith at the American Cemetery near Colleville-sur-Mer. Other Medal of Honor recipients buried in the cemetery include Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. and Frank D. Peregory.

Jewish-American soldiers bear the Star of David at their gravesite, rather than a cross.

Military of the United States Portal

• Arlington National Cemetery

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

World War II Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial

• World War II Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial - American Battle Monuments Commission
• Organization Les Fleurs de la Mémoire
• Aerial movie of the Cemetery - Film taken from a low flying propeller plane. British Tours.
• Niland brothers
• WW1 cemeteries.com a comprehensive guide to the military cemeteries and memorials around the world
• Medal of Honor page for TSGT Frank Peregory

Coordinates: 49°21′37″N, 0°51′26″W