At the conclusion of the fighting in Normandy, there were more than ten American cemeteries on the battlefield, with hundreds of small burial grounds and isolated graves. The American Battle Monuments Commission (AMBC) repatriated at least 60% of these burials back to the United States, and concentrated the remaining casualties into two main cemeteries; one here in Normandy and another in Britanny.

To a size of 172.5 acres, the Normandy American Cemetery has 9,387 burials of US service men and women. Of this number, some 307 are unknowns, three are Medal of Honour winners (see below) and four are women. In addition there are 33 pairs of brothers buried side by side. It is the largest American Cemetery from WW2, but not the largest in Europe: that is the Meuse-Argonne Cemetery from WW1 with more than 14,000 burials.

The main body of the cemetery is rectangular with the main paths laid out in the pattern of a Latin cross. On entering the cemetery, visit first the Visitors Building where veterans can sign the Veteran's Book, and all others the main Visitors Book. Here you can also trace US servicemen and women who are in the care of AMBC either in cemeteries or on memorials. You can also pick up a free leaflet about the cemetery.Then proceed to the Memorial, the main feature of which is a 22 foot bronze statue "The Sprit of American Youth Rising From The Waves". Either side of this are huge wall maps showing the campaign in the European Theatre of Operations (ETO).

Behind the statue is the Garden of the Missing which commemorates a further 1,557 soldiers, sailors and airmen who fell in Normandy and have no known grave. Those who remains have been found since the war are indicated with an asterisk. The servicemen commemorated here represent all but one of the 50 States.

From here enter the main body of the cemetery and follow the path to The Chapel. This is built from limestone and the main inscription inside reads "I Give Unto Them Etneral Life and They Shall Never Perish".

The cemetery borders on the left flank of Omaha Beach, and overlooks the sector where the 1st Division landed on D Day. There is a Viewing Platform with a useful map, and paths which take you down the slopes and onto the beach - although it is a long walk.