Memorial to the American Volunteers in 16th arrondissement of Paris. © Sylvie Picolet

In January 2017, the World War I commemorative program expanded when ABMC acquired its 26th cemetery, the Lafayette Escadrille Memorial Cemetery near Paris. © Sylvie Picolet

The Duty of Remembrance

Honouring Our Fallen from WWI

At the request of General John Pershing, the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) was established by Congress in 1923. As guardian America’s overseas commemorative cemeteries and memorial, ABMC honours the service, achievements and sacrifice of U.S. Armed Forces by designing, constructing, operating and maintaining permanent American cemeteries in foreign countries, establishing and maintaining U.S. military memorials, monuments and markers where American armed forces have served overseas since April 6, 1917, and within the United States when directed by public law and controlling the design and construction of permanent U.S. military monuments and markers by other U.S. citizens and organizations, both public and private, and encouraging their maintenance. In January 2017, the World War I commemorative program expanded when ABMC acquired its 26th cemetery, the Lafayette Escadrille Memorial Cemetery near Paris.

American Memorial Church, Château-Thierry. Detail of the stained glass. © C. Guttinger

The Lafayette Escadrille Memorial at Villeneuve-l’Etang, located outside Paris. © Sylvie Picolet