A visit to the Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial
On Thursday, 8th December I visited the Netherlands Cemetery, which is the only American military cemetery in the Netherlands. It is located near the southeast limit of the country in the village of Margraten, 6 miles east of Maastricht.
This was one of the things I wanted to do before the end of 2006. My close relation and personal feelings towards the veterans of the 89th in thought, this visit was very important to me. After research, I found out that most of the soldiers who died while liberating the camps of the "REIMAHG" at Kahla, were buried here.
With the list of names, I discovered their graves.
The cemetery itself occupies 65 ½ acres of gently rolling farmland just south of the highway. Here rest 8,302 of the military Dead, representing 43 percent of those who were originally buried in this and in other temporary cemeteries in this region. Most of them gave their lives in the airborne and ground operations to liberate eastern Holland, during the advances into Germany over the Roer and across the Rhine and in air operations over these regions.
Flanking the entrance to the Court of Honor on the south side is the Visitors` Building. On the north side is the museum room. On the exterior wall of the museum is this inscription taken from General Dwight D. Eisenhower`s dedication of the Golden Book in St. Paul`s Cathedral in London:
"HERE WE AND ALL WHO SHALL HEREAFTER LIVE IN FREEDOM WILL BE REMINDED THAT TO THESE MEN AND THEIR COMRADES WE OWE A DEBT TO BE PAID WITH GRATEFUL REMEMBRANCE OF THEIR SACRIFICE AND WITH THE HIGH RESOLVE THAT THE CAUSE FOR WHICH THEY DIED SHALL LIVE."
Engraved on the Roman Travertine walls within the museum are three maps embellished with mosaic and bronze and enamel appliqués. The large map on the north wall records the progress of the military operations from the landings in Normandy until the end of the war. Mention is also made of the strategic air attacks which started in 1942.
On the west wall the map portrays the daring large-scale airborne operation which was intended to outflank the fortified Siegfried Line and seize the crossings of the Lower Rhine.
COURT OF HONOR
Extending from the steps to the tower is the Court of Honor with its reflecting pool.
Engraved on the north and south walls of the Court are the names, rank, organization and the State of 1,723 of our Missing of the Army and Army Air Forces. Over these names in the north wall, is carved:
"HERE ARE RECORDED THE NAMES OF AMERICANS WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE SERVICE OF THEIR COUNTRY AND WHO SLEEP IN UNKNOWN GRAVES."
GRAVES AREA
The burial area is divided into 16 plots, lettered from A to P, separated by the broad central mall and by grass paths. The 8,301 headstones are arranged in parallel arcs sweeping across the broad green lawn.
I was all alone at the cemetery, with wind and rain adding something special to this visit. As a soldier myself, I felt deep respect for those which names I found on the graves and pledged that we would never forget their sacrifice.
