Serving one’s country in the military is a profound honor. United States soldiers have fought in battles across the globe and some fallen soldiers from World War I, World War II, and other battles have been laid to rest in cemeteries abroad. Many foreign countries have honored the sacrifices of those American soldiers with the establishment of cemeteries and war memorials at battle sites and other locations in their homelands.
In identifying some of the countries that have U.S. war memorials and cemeteries, 24/7 Wall St. examined the American Battle Monuments Commission’s catalog of cemeteries and monuments located abroad. Information regarding notable monuments or cemeteries, including their earliest dedication and the wars they were dedicated to, was also obtained from the ABMC. Established in 1923, the ABMC is responsible for the operation and maintenance of U.S. military cemeteries and monuments overseas.
This list includes war memorials that pay tribute to some of the most significant battles of the past century. The monuments commemorating important World War II conflicts like the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium and D-Day in France, are featured on the list, among others.
Many of the countries listed here as being the final resting place for American soldiers are located in Europe. One non-European nation on the list is the Philippines, where monuments and memorials honor events spanning from the Philippine-American War in the early 20th century up to World War II.
Japan is excluded from the list for significant reasons. Even though the final stages of WWII took place in the Pacific Theater against Japan, the majority of those battles were amphibious or naval engagements, mainly on islands in the region.The anticipated land invasion of Japan became pointless after the country’s unconditional surrender in the wake of the U.S. use of nuclear bombs. Those who lost their lives in the Pacific Theater are honored in monuments, cemeteries and memorials in the Philippines, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and the United States Outlying Islands.
These are some U.S. war memorials and cemeteries located in other countries:
Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
19. Cuba
The Santiago Surrender Tree Memorial is located in Santiago, Cuba at the site where Spanish forces surrendered to U.S. forces on July 17, 1898. The memorial was dedicated in 1958 and commemorates the Spanish-American War.
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Source: Harry Mitchell/Wikimedia Commons
18. Gibraltar
The Naval Monument at Gibraltar, located in the Straits of Gibraltar, commemorates the achievements of the U.S. Navy during World War I. The monument was dedicated in 1937.
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Source: elmadani/Wikimedia Commons
17. Morocco
The Western Naval Task Force Marker in Casablanca, Morocco is located at the Ben M’Sik civilian cemetery. The bronze plaque commemorates the U.S. Western Task Force and their achievements made during World War II.
Source: Ballofstring/Wikimedia Commons
16. New Zealand
The New Zealand Memorial is located in Pukeahu National War Memorial Park in Wellington, New Zealand. The memorial was dedicated in 2018 and commemorates the Allied defense of the nation during World War II.
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Source: Abasaa/Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons
15. Northern Mariana Islands
The Saipan American Memorial is located at American Memorial Park on the island of Saipan, which is part of the U.S. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The memorial commemorates the Americans who died in the liberation of the Mariana Islands during WWII and it was dedicated in 1978.
Source: andersen_oystein / Getty Images
14. Papua New Guinea
The Marker at Papua New Guinea is located in the U.S. Chancellery in Papua New Guinea. It honors the sacrifice and achievements of the American Armed Forces in the southwest Pacific region in World War II. It was dedicated in 1992.
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Source: By U.S. Department of State EAP Media Hub - Adm. Walsh and Gen. Simcock at the Guadacanal Monument/Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons
13. Solomon Islands
Guadalcanal American Memorial is located in Honiara, Solomon Islands. The memorial commemorates the lives lost in the Battle of Guadalcanal during World War II. The memorial was dedicated in 1992.
Source: Bernard Gagnon/Public Domain Dedication/Wikimedia Commons
12. South Korea
The Korean War Monument at Busan is located in Busan, South Korea. The U.S. Monument was dedicated in 2013 and honors American service members who fought in the Korean War.
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia
11. U.S. Outlying Islands
The Midway Monument is located on Midway Atoll in the northwestern portion of the Hawaiian island chain. It marks the location of the Battle of Midway that was fought during World War II. The monument was dedicated in 2015.
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Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/192161580@N03/51929830911/Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons
10. Mexico
The Mexico City National Cemetery honors the American soldiers lost in the Mexican-American War. The cemetery was established and dedicated in 1851.
Source: Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons
9. Tunisia
The North Africa American Cemetery is located in Carthage, Tunisia. The fallen soldiers honored here lost their lives in World War II in locations ranging from North Africa to the Persian Gulf. The cemetery was dedicated in 1960.
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Source: Public Doman/Wikimedia Commons
8. United Kingdom
The Brookwood American Cemetery and Memorial is the only American Military Cemetery of World War I located in the British Isles and was dedicated in 1937.
The Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial site was donated by the University of Cambridge and the soldiers buried or honored here were lost during World War II. The Cambridge American cemetery was dedicated in 1956.
The World War II Dartmouth Monument is located in the Royal Avenue Gardens park in Dartmouth, United Kingdom. The monument is a historical tribute to America’s armed forces and Allied comrades.The monument was dedicated in 2017.
24/7 Wall St.Source: American Battle Monuments Commission/Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons
7. Luxembourg
Luxembourg American Cemetery is located in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg. The city of Luxembourg served as headquarters for General George Patton’s U.S. Third Army in WWII and he is buried there. The cemetery was dedicated in 1960.
Source: By Anelita Cocoa Celis - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28293988
6. Panama
Corozal American Cemetery and Memorial is located near Panama City, Panama. American servicemen who served during the Mexican – American War, the Civil War, World War I, World War II, are buried and memorialized here. The cemetery and memorial were dedicated in 1914.
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Source: Kees Verburg/CC BY-SA 3.0/Wikimedia Commons
5. Netherlands
The Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial is located in Margraten, Netherlands. The local community has adopted and honored the grave sites. The World War II grave cemetery was dedicated in 1960.
Source: By American Battle Monuments Commission - https://www.flickr.com/photos/192161580@N03/51355950912/, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=116818777/Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons
4. Italy
The Florence American Cemetery and Memorial is located a few miles south of Florence, Italy. Most of the individuals buried here died in the fighting that occurred after the capture of Rome in 1944. The cemetery and memorial were dedicated in 1960.
The Sicily–Rome American Cemetery and Memorial is a World War II American military cemetery located in Nettuno, near Anzio, Italy. The cemetery and memorial were dedicated in 1956.
Source: Ramon FVelasquez/Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons
3. Philippines
The Cabanatuan American Memorial is a World War II memorial located in Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija in the Philippines. It was dedicated in 1982.
The Clark Veterans Cemetery is located in Clark Freeport Zone, Angeles City, Philippines. It is the burial place for thousands of mainly American veterans and Filipino Scouts who served in the United States Army and died in conflicts other than World War II.
The Manila American Cemetery and Memorial is a military cemetery located in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig. The cemetery contains the graves of those who lost their lives in World War II and it was dedicated in 1960.
Source: Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons
2. Belgium
The Ardennes American Cemetery and Memorial is located in the village of Neuville-en-Condroz, Belgium. The World War II cemetery and memorial was dedicated in 1960.
The Audenarde American Monument is located in the town of Oudenaarde (Audenarde), Belgium. The monument commemorates the service and sacrifice of American troops in World War I.
The Battle of the Bulge Monument honors the memory of American soldiers wounded or killed during World War II’s Battle of the Bulge. The monument was dedicated in 1950.
Source: ABMC/Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons
1. France
The Aisne-Marne American Cemetery and Memorial is located in Belleau, Northern France. The World War I cemetery and memorial was dedicated in 1937.
The Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery and Memorial is located east of the village of Romagne-sous-Montfaucon in Meuse, France. Most of those buried or honored here lost their lives during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive of World War I. The cemetery and memorial were dedicated in 1937.
The Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial is in Colleville-sur-Mer, Normandy, France. It was the first American cemetery on European soil in World War II and was dedicated in 1956.
The World War II Utah Beach American Memorial is located in Sainte-Marie-du-Mont, France. It commemorates the achievements of U.S. forces that fought in the liberation of the Cotentin Peninsula.
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