Netherlands American Cemetery

The Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial is the only American military cemetery in the Netherlands.

The cemetery site has a rich historical background. The cemetery’s tall memorial tower can be seen before reaching the site, which covers 65.5 acres. From the cemetery entrance visitors pass the visitor center and are led to the Court of Honor. At the base of the tower facing the reflecting pool is the statue of the Mourning Woman, representing women who have suffered loss during the war. To the right and left are the administration building and the map room containing three large, engraved operations maps with text depicting the military operations of the American armed forces. Stretching along the sides of the court are the Walls of the Missing on which more than 1,700 names are recorded. Rosettes mark the names of those since recovered and identified.

Within the tower is the chapel. The light fixture in the chapel and the altar ornaments are the generous gifts of the government of the Netherlands and the administration and the people of the Province of Limburg. Beyond the tower is the burial area divided into 16 plots, where almost 8,300 of our military dead rest, their headstones set in long curves. A wide, tree-lined mall leads to the flagstaff that crowns the crest.

Each year the cemetery hosts a Memorial Day ceremony that commemorates and honors the sacrifices of the more than 10,000 American service members commemorated on these hallowed grounds.

Unique to this cemetery is the connection with the Dutch people. Since 1945 members of the local community have adopted the grave sites of our fallen. They bring flowers to the cemetery and research the life of the soldiers as a way to honor their sacrifice. Today, the Foundation for Adopting Graves at the American Cemetery Margraten manages this program.

The Netherlands Visitor Center was dedicated in December 2023. This 6,450 square foot visitor center tells the story of the more than 10,000 Americans commemorated at the Netherlands American Cemetery. The exhibit highlights the different campaigns and battles which are shown through a mix of narrative text, photos, artifacts, a film, and the personal stories of some of the service members buried in the cemetery.

The visitor center is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and there is no charge for admission. Please note, admission to the cemetery ends 15 minutes before closing time.

The cemetery offers free tours to groups with a minimum of 10 people. Tours should be booked at least two weeks in advance.

To plan a visit to a relative’s grave, request a tour, or for all other visitor services, please contact NLVC@abmc.gov

For other inquires please contact Netherlands@abmc.gov.