The Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial is a deeply significant site that honors the American soldiers who lost their lives during World War II, particularly in the D-Day landings and the subsequent battles in Normandy, France.

The cemetery is located in Colleville-sur-Mer, France, overlooking Omaha Beach, one of the primary landing sites during the D-Day invasion on June 6, 1944. It was initially established as a temporary battlefield cemetery by the 607th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company shortly after the landings.

After the war, the cemetery was moved to its current location and officially dedicated on July 19, 1956. The French government granted the land to the United States, ensuring its preservation as a memorial site.

The cemetery covers 172.5 acres and contains 9,388 graves, including those of 307 unknown soldiers. Additionally, the Garden of the Missing commemorates 1,557 soldiers whose remains were never recovered.

At the heart of the memorial stands the Spirit of American Youth Rising from the Waves, a bronze statue symbolizing the bravery and sacrifice of the fallen. The site also features:

• A chapel with a mosaic ceiling.
• Two flagpoles, where visitors gather to witness the lowering of the American flags.
• Engraved maps detailing the Normandy landings and military operations that followed.