Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial

The Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial is a special place where people who served their country during World War II are remembered. It is located between the villages of Coton and Madingley, about 7 kilometers northwest of the city of Cambridge in England. This cemetery was dedicated in 1956 and holds the remains of American service members.

The cemetery covers an area of about 30.5 acres and is one of 26 overseas military cemeteries cared for by the American Battle Monuments Commission. It is very important to many people and has been given special protection, being listed Grade II* on the National Heritage List for England. This means it is a valued historic site.

The cemetery

In 1943, the University of Cambridge gave land to the American military for use during World War II. After the war, this place became America’s permanent cemetery and memorial in the United Kingdom. The cemetery now holds the remains of many American service members who died in battles over Europe and on North Atlantic voyages.

The cemetery has special stones for each person buried there and a wall that lists the names of those who are missing. There are also graves for some British service members who were American citizens. In 2014, a new visitor center opened to tell more about these people and their time in World War II.

Notable burials and memorials

• John Martin Howard (1917–1942), a US Navy officer – remembered with a memorial since he was buried at sea.
• John Joseph Seerley Jr. (1897–1943), a pilot who served in both World War One and World War Two.
• Vincent F. Harrington (1903–1943), a US Representative and officer in the US Army Air Forces.
• Glenn Miller (1904–1944), a famous jazz bandleader and trombonist, honored with a memorial after being lost at sea.
• Damon Jesse Gause (1915–1944), a brave fighter pilot.
• Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. (1915–1944), the eldest son of Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. and Rose Fitzgerald, remembered with a memorial after being lost at sea.
• Leon Vance (1916–1944), a US Army Air Forces pilot and a recipient of the Medal of Honor, also honored with a memorial after being lost at sea.
• Three crew members of the USAAF B-17 Flying Fortress Mi Amigo, which had an accident in Sheffield.
• Herman Douthit, an American volunteer, who worked as a derrickman. He passed away while working and was buried with full military honors. He is the only civilian buried at this cemetery.

The memorial (including chapel)

The memorial building is made of special stone. It has doors with carvings of military items from World War II. Inside, there is a big room and a small chapel. A large map shows important flights and journeys during the war. The walls and ceiling have beautiful designs with angels and airplanes. The south wall has special windows with the symbols of the States of the Union.

The chapel was built between 1952 and 1954 by architects from Boston, with help from local architects in Cambridge.

Design

The site was designed by architects Perry, Shaw, Hepburn and Dean. The landscape was made by the Olmsted Brothers company.

Chapel gallery

The chapel at the Cambridge American Cemetery has a lovely interior with special designs on the ceiling and an altar. There are also displays showing flights from East Anglia.