American Battle Monuments Commission

The American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) is a small independent agency of the United States government. Established by Congress in 1923, it is responsible for:

  • Commemorating the services of the U.S. armed forces where they have served since April 6, 1917 (the date of U.S. entry into World War I)
  • Establishing suitable memorial shrines; designing, constructing, operating, and maintaining permanent American military burial grounds in foreign countries
  • Controlling the design and construction of U.S. military monuments and markers in foreign countries by other U.S. citizens and organizations, both public and private
  • Encouraging the maintenance of such monuments and markers by their sponsors

The Commission administers, operates, and maintains 24 permanent American burial grounds on foreign soil. As of May 2006, there are 124,917 U.S. war dead interred at these cemeteries: 30,921 of World War I, 93,246 of World War II and 750 of the Mexican-American War. An additional 6,033 American veterans and others are interred in the Mexico City National Cemetery and Corozal American Cemetery and Memorial.

Read more about American Battle Monuments Commission:  Complete Sortable List of ABMC Cemeteries, Complete Sortable List of ABMC Monuments, Members

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