American Battle Monuments Commission

American Battle Monuments Commission. It is an independent agency of the United States Government established by Congress in 1923. The commission's mission is to honor the service, achievements, and sacrifice of the United States Armed Forces overseas. It manages 26 permanent American military cemeteries and 32 federal memorials, monuments, and markers across 17 countries.

History

The agency was created by an act of the United States Congress signed into law by President Warren G. Harding on March 4, 1923. Its formation was largely driven by the need to provide a dignified and permanent commemoration for the American Expeditionary Forces who died in World War I on foreign soil. The first chairman was General of the Armies John J. Pershing, who had commanded the American Expeditionary Forces in Europe. Following World War II, the commission's responsibilities expanded dramatically to include the design, construction, and maintenance of new cemeteries and memorials for that global conflict, such as the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in France and the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines. Its mandate was further extended to cover the Korean War and the Vietnam War, with memorials like the Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C..

Responsibilities and operations

The primary duty is the perpetual care and maintenance of its sites, which are located on foreign soil granted as a permanent concession by host governments. This involves meticulous groundskeeping, architectural preservation, and the engraving of names of the missing on memorial walls. The agency also facilitates public visits and educational outreach, providing detailed records of the interred and commemorated individuals. It operates under the principles established in its founding legislation and subsequent authorizations from Congress, working closely with the Department of Defense and the Department of State. The commission verifies the eligibility of individuals for commemoration and ensures all sites meet the highest standards of dignity and reverence.

Monuments and memorials

The commission oversees iconic sites including the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery in France, the largest American military cemetery in Europe, and the Sicily–Rome American Cemetery and Memorial in Italy. In the Pacific Theater, it manages the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu and the Clark Veterans Cemetery in the Philippines. Notable memorials include the East Coast Memorial in New York City and the West Coast Memorial in San Francisco, which honor missing servicemen from the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean battles. Each site features distinctive architecture, often designed by prominent figures like architect John Russell Pope and sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens.

Commission leadership

The agency is governed by a board of commissioners, not exceeding eleven members, appointed by the President of the United States. The board includes both private citizens and senior military officers, such as the Army Chief of Staff and the Marine Corps Commandant. As of 2023, the chairman is General Michael X. Garrett, former commanding general of United States Army Forces Command. The day-to-day operations are managed by a secretary appointed by the president, currently former Congressman Charles K. Djou. Past notable leaders have included General George C. Marshall and Ambassador Frederick M. Franck.

See also

* United States Department of Veterans Affairs * Commonwealth War Graves Commission * World War I Memorial (Washington, D.C.) * World War II Memorial * American military cemeteries and memorials overseas

Category:American Battle Monuments Commission Category:1923 establishments in the United States Category:United States national cemeteries