Pave: Le Memorial Day

We were heartened to hear from our French correspondents of large crowds of French visiting American military cemeteries this Memorial weekend.

THE DEAD HUMBLE THE LIVING
Bas-Relief On The Memorial Wall
Suresnes American Cemetery and Memorial

The cemeteries are maintained by the American Battle Monuments Commission. Established by the Congress in 1923, the Commission is an agency of the Executive Branch of the Federal Government.

There are eleven American military cemeteries in France comprising a total of 646.9 acres (261.8 hectares) with 60,487 dead interred and 6,113 missing memorialized. These grounds are considered sovereign territory of the United States. When Americans call to have the war dead returned home, the dead need not stir.

The cemeteries are located in (eastern France) Meuse-Argonne near Verdun, St. Mihiel in the town of Thiaucourt, Lorraine near the town of St. Avold, Epinal in the Vosges mountains, (western France) Aisne-Marne in the village of Belleau, Brittany not far from the village of St. James, Normandy in Colleville-sur Mer and overlooking Omaha Beach, Suresnes near Paris, Oise-Aisne near Fere-en-Tardenois, Somme not far from the village of Bony, and (southern France) Rhone situated in the town of Draguignan, between Toulon and Nice.

We thank all the French who have taken a moment this week to remember the American dead in their midst.

PFFT (What is this?): "Time will not dim the glory of their deeds" 5 | Rayonnement français 2½