Established by Congress March 1923

The AMERICAN BATTLE MONUMENTS COMMISSION is a small independent agency of the Executive Branch of the United States federal government responsible for commemorating the the services of American Armed Forces since April 1917. It is responsible for designing, constructing, operating and maintaining permanent American military burial grounds in foreign countries, for 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; and for encouraging the maintenance of such monuments and markers by their sponsors.

In this capacity, it's records are an excellent resource to genealogists in locating family members buried on foreign soil since World War I. Please note however, that research is not the Commissions purpose. Make sure that you know that your relative did serve in the military and that you are relatively sure of the location of the battle.

The following is an incomplete listing of those cemetery sites of WWI Dead and Missing in Europe.

1. BROOKWOOD CEMETERY: located SW of Brookwood, Surrey, England and contains the remains of 468 of our military Dead as well as the names of 563 of the Missing.

2. FLANDERS FIELD CEMETERY: lies SE of Waregem, Belgium and is the site of 368 military Dead two gave their lives in liberating Belgium in WWI with another 43 names of the Missing.

3. SOMME CEMETERY: 14 miles SW of Cambrai and contains the graves of 1,844 military Dead and listing the names of 333 Missing in Action. Most lost their lives while serving in American untis attached to British Armies or n the operations near Cantigny.

4. AISNE-MARNE CEMETERY: south of the village of Belleau (Aisne), France. 2,289 of our Dead, most of whom fought in the vicinity and in the Marne valley in the summer of 1918, lie in this 42 1/2-acre cemetery. Another 1,060 names of the Missing are listed on the walls of the chapel.

5. OISE-AISNE CEMETERY: east of Fe'reen-Tardenois (Aisne), France; 36 1/2 acres holding the remains of 6,012 who gave their lives in 1918, and another 241 names of Missing engraved on chapel walls.

6. MEUSE-ARGONNE CEMETERY: east of Romagne-sous-Montfaucon (Meuse), France. At this site, covering 130 1/2 acres, rest the largest number of our military Dead in Europe, a total of 14,246. Inscribed on the chapel panels are listed 954 never recovered.

7. ST. MIHIEL CEMETERY: west of Thiaucourt, France. 40 1/2 acres with 4,153 military Dead and 284 of those Missing named who died in the St. Mihiel Offensive.

8. SURESNES CEMETERY: located in the suburb of Suresnes, 5 miles west fo the center of Paris, France. At this cemetary, 7 1/2 acres in extent, rest 1,541 who died in WWI and 24 of our Unknown Dead of WWII.

If you are in receiving a brochure with history and complete listings of all cemeteries and memorials, or wish to locate the resting place of your ancestor; you may use the listings below. There is no charge that I am aware of. It is helpful if you send a SASE, and be patient for a reply.

After many years of research, I was able to give the Commission the name, the date of death, and the battle in which my relative was killed in action. I received the exact location along with a picture of the military cross adorning his grave. For a donation, a floral decoration will be placed at the plot.

A. UNITED STATES OFFICE
American Battle Monuments Commission
Casimir Pulaski Building
20 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20314-0300
Telephone: (202) 272-0537
FAX: (202) 272-1375

B. EUROPEAN REGION
1. Mailing Address:
American Battle Monuments Commission
American Embassy - Paris
PSC 116
APO AE 90777
Telephone: 1-4701-1976
Fax: (011-33) 1-4741-1979
2. Street Address:
68, rue du 10 Janvier
92380 - Garches, France

C. PACIFIC REGION
1. Mailing Address:
American Battle Monuments Commission
APO AP 96440
Telephone: 88-02-12
FAX: (011-632) 812-47-17
2. Street Address:
American Military Cemetery
Fort Bonifacio, Metro-Manilla
Republic of the Philippines

D. MEDITERRANEAN REGION
1. Mailing Address:
American Battle Monuments Commission
American Embassy
PSC 59
APO AE 09624
Telephone: 6-4890-3671 or 4890-3685
FAX: (011-39) 6-487-1624
2. Street Address:
American Embassy
Via Veneto 119a
Rome 00187, Italy