European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 6, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse A amps photos by Michael Abrams visitor Gordon Corley a brother ought in Normandy Phil Rivers right is in charge of the 172-acre Normandy american morning Sun bathes the Marble Interior of the Normandy american cemetery 22-foot Bronze statue called Quot the spirit of american youth rising from the Waves Quot looks out on the cemetery. Structure reflecting Pool and Chapel. The memorial is a semicircular colonnade highlighted by a 22-foot Bronze statue called Quot the spirit of american youth rising from the flanking the statue under a roofed gallery Are Battle maps that depict land and air operations in Normandy. Directly behind the memorial Are a Garden and a semicircular Wall inscribed with the names of 1,557 missing service members. Extending from the foot of the memorial is an elongated reflecting Pool that draws visitors into the main cemetery area. In the Center of the cemetery is a Small circular Chapel that includes an altar of Black and Gold Marble and a vivid mosaic ceiling that symbolizes in a most succinct Way our nations commitment to the War. On one end of the mosaic is America Blessing a shirtless Barefoot Soldier before he departs by air or sea to Europe. At the opposite end is France setting a Laurel Wreath on the head of a deceased american Warrior. The Circle is completed by an Angel a Dove and a ship that symbolize the return of peace. Standing outside the Chapel on a recent visit to the cemetery was chief warrant officer 2 James Reid a Black Hawk helicopter Pilot from Gie Belstadt Germany. During the War Reid a father was a b-17 Pilot who while on his 13th Mission was shot Down Over Germany in september 1944 and held prisoner for eight months. A a in a not sure what i Felt a Reid said As medal of Honor Winner Theodore Roosevelt or. Is buried next to his brother Quentin an aviator killed in world War i. My Sang a Wren like Bird chirped overhead a i Felt something. I guess the human the sacrifice that Reid spoke of is Best illustrated by the 9,386 grave markers that Dot the Emerald landscape. The White Marble latin crosses and stars of David Are perfectly aligned throughout the 10 grave plots. The Marble for each Headstone came from Italy a Lasa Region. Except for the unknowns each Headstone bears a persons name rank unit Home state and Date of death. But its the names that seem most poignant especially when they remind visitors of someone they know. Rivers said that whenever he walks through the cemetery Many of the names will remind him of conversations he has had with veterans and relatives of service members buried there. Over the course of 11 years Rivers has accumulated a wealth of information and numerous vignettes about the invasion. Sometimes veterans will recount a things they wont even Tell their own families a Rivers said. The cemetery also is popular with Many English and French students who come to learn More about the greatest amphibious assault of recorded history. On a recent visit one 10-year-old French student summarized what the cemetery Means to her. A this a said Taya Butler a is where the americans came ashore to Send the germans Back to june 6, 1994 a stars and stripes commemorative edition 37
