SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Two hundred and fifty-three fallen service members from Missouri have been acknowledged and remembered on the Tablets of the Missing at the Netherlands American Cemetery in the village of Margraten.
According to a press release from the American Battle Monuments Commission (AMBC), on December 11, a new visitors’ center was dedicated to the cemetery. The recently established visitor center marks the tenth of its kind worldwide initiated by ABMC. It showcases new exhibits narrating the story of World War II and paying tribute to the service members who made the ultimate sacrifice.
The Visitor Center displays exhibits featuring original artifacts and personal narratives that recount air operations over the Netherlands, Germany, and Central Europe. The exhibits also cover significant events such as Operation Market-Garden, the liberation of South Limburg, the crossing of the Ruhr and Rhine rivers, the battles in Hürtgen Forest, the Battle of the Bulge, and VE Day (Victory in Europe Day).
Courtesy: American Battle Monuments Commission
The Netherlands American Cemetery stands as the sole American military burial ground in the country, serving as a tribute to those who sacrificed their lives during World War II. The individuals commemorated at this cemetery played crucial roles in operations across the Dutch terrain and displayed valor while engaging in battles on German soil.
With nearly 8,300 servicemen and women laid to rest, about 1,700 are remembered on the Walls of the Missing. The cemetery honors service members from all 50 states, with 26 states having over 100 honored.