24/7 Wall St. Insights
- Several countries around the world have cemeteries and memorials dedicated to U.S. infantry
- Most of the countries on this list are located in Europe
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War has plagued American territory for centuries, from the American Revolution, which brought about our nation’s existence, to the Civil War that tore it apart, to the global wars like WWI and WWII. The men and women who have served in defense of our national interests deserve recognition and respect, not only in life, but also in death.
The United States has war memorials and cemeteries across the nation, not just for veterans in general, but specifically for military personnel who died while in the line of duty. One of our nation’s most famous sites is the World War I Memorial on Pennsylvania Avenue, dedicated to those who lost their lives in The Great War.
It is not just the United States that honors American soldiers. Several other countries around the world have cemeteries and memorials dedicated to U.S. infantry. This made logistical sense, due to the fact that many of these military men died in overseas battles, namely those that gave their lives in World War I and World War II. However, in more recent conflicts like Iraq and Afghanistan, the U.S. has opted to fly its fallen back to be buried domestically, closer to their families. This is partly why no new overseas cemeteries have been opened in some time.
To determine the countries with the most U.S. war memorials and cemeteries, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the American Battle Monuments Commission’s list of monuments and cemeteries in foreign countries. Countries are ranked by how many U.S. soldiers are interred there. Information about notable cemeteries or monuments, the earliest dedication, total interred, and the wars honored also came from the ABMC, which was established in 1923 to maintain and operate overseas U.S. military cemeteries and monuments.
Included in this list are famous war memorials, commemorating some of the greatest battles of the last century. For example, monuments that commemorate D-Day or the Battle of the Bulge from WWII in France and Belgium, respectively, make appearances on this list.
Most of the countries on this list are located in Europe, including four of the five countries where most American soldiers are buried. The one exception is the Philippines, which houses monuments and memorials dating back to the Philippine-American War at the turn of the 20th century all the way to WWII.
Perhaps somewhat notable is the absence of Japan from the list. Despite the final chapters of WWII taking place in the Pacific Theater, most of the battles were naval or amphibious. The planned land invasion of the country was unnecessary after Japan surrendered unconditionally following the U.S. use of nuclear bombs. Those who fell in the Pacific Theater are commemorated in cemeteries, monuments, and memorials located in the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, and the U.S. Outlying Islands.
Why We Are Writing About This
To serve in the line of duty is arguably one of the greatest American honors. Veterans show courage, dedication, and resilience in the most intense and stressful situations imaginable. Whether you are pro-war or anti-war, you likely agree men and women who lost their lives fighting for our country deserve the utmost respect when it comes to their final resting place. Afterall, Americans across the nation owe their freedoms to these countless fallen soldiers.
These are the countries with the most major U.S. war memorials and cemeteries:
19. Cuba
- Number of monuments and cemeteries: 1
- Notable monuments and cemeteries: Santiago Surrender Tree
- Earliest dedication: 1958
- Total buried: N/A
- Wars originated: Spanish America War
18. Gibraltar
- Number of monuments and cemeteries: 1
- Notable monuments and cemeteries: Naval Monument at Gibraltar
- Earliest dedication: 1937
- Total buried: N/A
- Wars originated: World War 1
17. Morocco
- Number of monuments and cemeteries: 1
- Notable monuments and cemeteries: Western Naval Task Force Marker
- Total buried: N/A
- Wars originated: World War II
16. New Zealand
- Number of monuments and cemeteries: 1
- Notable monuments and cemeteries: New Zealand Memorial
- Earliest dedication: 2018
- Total buried: N/A
- Wars originated: World War II
15. Northern Mariana Islands
- Number of monuments and cemeteries: 1
- Notable monuments and cemeteries: Saipan Memorial
- Earliest dedication: 1978
- Total buried: N/A
- Wars originated: World War II
14. Papua New Guinea
- Number of monuments and cemeteries: 1
- Notable monuments and cemeteries: Marker at Papua New Guinea
- Earliest dedication: 1992
- Total buried: N/A
- Wars originated: World War II
13. Soloman Islands
- Number of monuments and cemeteries: 1
- Notable monuments and cemeteries: Guadalcanal Memorial
- Earliest dedication: 1992
- Total buried: N/A
- Wars originated: World War II
12. South Korea
- Number of monuments and cemeteries: 1
- Notable monuments and cemeteries: Korean War Monument at Busan
- Earliest dedication: 2013
- Total buried: N/A
- Wars originated: Korean War
11. U.S. Outlying Islands
- Number of monuments and cemeteries: 1
- Notable monuments and cemeteries: Midway Monument
- Earliest dedication: 2015
- Total buried: N/A
- Wars originated: World War II
10. Mexico
- Number of monuments and cemeteries: 1
- Notable monuments and cemeteries: Mexico City National Cemetery
- Earliest dedication: 1851
- Total buried: 813
- Wars originated: Mexican American War
9. Tunisia
- Number of monuments and cemeteries: 1
- Notable monuments and cemeteries: North African American Cemetery
- Earliest dedication: 1960
- Total buried: 2,841
- Wars originated: World War II
8. Luxembourg
- Number of monuments and cemeteries: 1
- Notable monuments and cemeteries: Luxembourg American Cemetery
- Earliest dedication: 1960
- Total buried: 5,070
- Wars originated: World War II
7. Panama
- Number of monuments and cemeteries: 1
- Notable monuments and cemeteries: Corozal American Cemetery
- Earliest dedication: 1914
- Total buried: 5,557
- Wars originated: A number of U.S. conflicts from the Spanish-American War through to the present day
6. Netherlands
- Number of monuments and cemeteries: 1
- Notable monuments and cemeteries: Netherlands American Cemetery
- Earliest dedication: 1960
- Total buried: 8,288
- Wars originated: World War II
5. Italy
- Number of monuments and cemeteries: 2
- Notable monuments and cemeteries: Florence American Cemetery, Sicily-Rome American Cemetery
- Earliest dedication: 1960
- Total buried: 12,237
- Wars originated: World War II
4. United Kingdom
- Number of monuments and cemeteries: 3
- Notable monuments and cemeteries: Brookwood American Cemetery, Cambridge American Cemetery, Dartmouth Monument
- Earliest dedication: 1937
- Total buried: 4,279
- Wars originated: World War I, World War II
3. Philippines
- Number of monuments and cemeteries: 3
- Notable monuments and cemeteries: Clark Veterans Cemetery, Manila American Cemetery, Cabanatuan American Memorial
- Earliest dedication: 1948
- Total buried: 25,919
- Wars originated: World War II, Philippine-American War
2. Belgium
- Number of monuments and cemeteries: 6
- Notable monuments and cemeteries: Ardennes American Cemetery, Battle of the Bulge Monument, Audenarde American Monument
- Earliest dedication: 1960
- Total buried: 13,517
- Wars originated: World War I, World War II
1. France
- Number of monuments and cemeteries: 25
- Notable monuments and cemeteries: Aisne-Marne American Cemetery, Utah Beach American Memorial, Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery, Normandy American Cemetery
- Earliest dedication: 1937
- Total buried: 60, 529
- Wars originated: World War I, World War II
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