Нормандское американское кладбище и мемориал.

Military cemetery in Normandy

The Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial is a World War II cemetery and memorial in Colleville sur Mer, Normandy, France, that honors American troops who died in Europe during World War II. It is located on the site of the former temporary battlefield cemetery of Saint Laurent, covers 172.5 acres and contains 9,388 burials.

On June 6, 1944, the 607th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company of the U. S. First Army established the temporary cemetery, the first American cemetery on French soil in World War II. After the war, the present day cemetery was established a short distance to the east of the original site. It was dedicated on July 19, 1956, in the presence of American Admiral Kinkaid of the U. S. Navy, representing President Dwight D. Eisenhower, and French General Ganeval, representing President René Coty. Like all other overseas American cemeteries in France for World War I and II, France has granted the United States a special, perpetual concession to the land occupied by the cemetery, free of any charge or any tax to honor the forces. It does not benefit from extraterritoriality, and is thus still French soil. This cemetery is managed by the American Battle Monuments Commission, a small independent agency of the U. S. federal government, under Congressional acts that provide yearly financial support for maintaining them, with most military and civil personnel employed abroad. The U. S. flag flies over these granted soils. Only some of the soldiers who died overseas are buried in the overseas American military cemeteries. When it came time for a permanent burial, the next of kin eligible to make decisions were asked if they wanted their loved ones repatriated for permanent burial in the U. S., or interred at the closest overseas cemetery.

The Cemetery is divided into ten plots. It forms a latin cross, with the Chapel in its middle, and the Memorial and Wall of the Missing at its base. It faces the United States, in the direction of a point between Eastport and Lubec, Maine. This is accidental, as the Cemetery was built parallel to the beach on the lands granted by the French.

The Memorial consists of a semicircular colonnade with a loggia at each end containing maps and narratives of the military operations. It is built in medium hard limestone from upper Burgundy. Two of the maps, designed by Robert Foster, are 32 feet long and 20 feet high. At the center is a 22 foot bronze statue entitled The Spirit of American Youth Rising from the Waves by Donald De Lue. Over the arches of the Memorial is engraved “THIS EMBATTLED SHORE, PORTAL OF FREEDOM, IS FOREVER HALLOWED BY THE IDEALS, THE VALOR AND THE SACRIFICES OF OUR FELLOW COUNTRYMEN”. At the feet of the Memorial is engraved both in English and French “IN PROUD REMEMBRANCE OF THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF HER SONS AND IN HUMBLE TRIBUTE TO THEIR SACRIFICES THIS MEMORIAL HAS BEEN ERECTED BY THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA”.

At the center of the cemetery lies a multi confessional chapel. Its altar, in black and gold Pyrenean marble, reads “I GIVE UNTO THEM ETERNAL LIFE AND THEY SHALL NEVER PERISH”. The stained glass behind it bears a Latin cross and present a star of David, as well as an alpha and an omega symbol, meant to represent all other religions. On its ceiling lies a spectacular mosaic by Leon Kroll. Completed in 1953, it comprises 500,000 tiles and tells a full round story “of war and peace.” One side depicts Columbia (Goddess of Liberty) allegorically representing America blessing “her rifle bearing son before he departs to fight overseas. Above him, a warship and a bomber push through sea and air toward land on the opposite side of the dome. There, a red capped Marianne figure personifying France bestows a laurel wreath upon the same young man. His now lifeless body leans against her as she cradles his head in her lap. Above them, the return of peace is illustrated with an angel, a dove and a homeward bound troop ship.” These two figures can be seen again as statues, guarding the end of the cemetery. Outside is engraved on its wall, both in English and French, “THIS CHAPEL HAS BEEN ERECTED BY THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IN GRATEFUL MEMORY OF HER SONS WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE LANDINGS ON THE NORMANDY BEACHES AND THE LIBERATION OF NORTHERN FRANCE ★ THEIR GRAVES ARE THE PERMANENT AND VISIBLE SYMBOL OF THEIR HEROIC DEVOTION AND THEIR SACRIFICE IN THE COMMON CAUSE OF HUMANITY”. On its roof is engraved “THESE ENDURED ALL AND GAVE ALL THAT JUSTICE AMONG NATIONS MIGHT PREVAIL AND THAT MANKIND MIGHT ENJOY FREEDOM AND INHERIT PEACE”.

An orientation table overlooks the beach and depicts the landings at Normandy. Designed by Robert Foster, it is of Swedish black granite.

Embedded in the lawn directly opposite the entrance to the old Visitors' Building is a time capsule which has been sealed and contains news reports of the June 6, 1944 Normandy landings. The capsule is covered by a pink granite slab upon which is engraved: To be opened June 6, 2044. Affixed in the center of the slab is a bronze plaque adorned with the five stars of a General of the Army and engraved with the following inscription: 'In memory of General Dwight D. Eisenhower and the forces under his command. This sealed capsule containing news reports of the June 6, 1944 Normandy landings is placed here by the newsmen who were here, June 6, 1969.

The cemetery is planted with Austrian Black Pines, Holly Oaks, and Turkey Oaks. Its undergrowth is composed of Austrian Pines, Alders, Common Oak Trees, American Red Oaks, Holly Oaks, Ash Trees, Sycamore Trees, Maple Trees, and a few Maritime Pines and Pine Trees. It is decorated by Polyantha Rose Trees, Callunas Heaths and Ericas Heaths.

Notre Dame de l'Assomption de Colleville in Colleville sur Mer: dated to the 12th or 13th century, a historical monument since 1840. Overlord Museum is located in Colleville sur Mer on the road to Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial.

In Saving Private Ryan (1998), the cemetery is featured at the beginning and end, showing World War II veteran Private James Francis Ryan accompanied by his family. In the beginning of the film, he makes his way to the grave of Captain John Miller (played by Tom Hanks). At the end, Ryan, who was instructed by Miller to earn the sacrifices made to send him home, says that he lived his life as best as he could and hopes that he has earned all that Miller and his men did for him. After asking for confirmation from his wife that he lived a good life and was a good man, Ryan salutes the grave (Both the grave and Captain John Miller are fictional; the headstone for Miller was only brought to the cemetery for the movie). The Private Ryan story is based upon the story of the Niland Brothers, two of whom are buried in the cemetery; references are also made to the five Sullivan brothers, who were all killed in the "Juneau incident". Symphonic Prelude (The Cemetery at Colleville sur Mer), by Mark Camphouse, portrays the battle in a way that battles are commonly depicted for bands: a slow introduction followed by a moderate tempo body and a majestic ending. The cemetery is featured on the album cover of the 1977 Scorpions album Taken by Force.