This cemetery was founded in 1917 by the "Graves Registration Service", and opened in 1919. A place of remembrance covering 3 hectares, it is the only cemetery in Europe where graves from both World Wars are placed together.
Situated on the hillside of the Mont-Valérien, the American Cemetery of Suresnes covers three hectares ground. It hosts the graves of 1.541 American soldiers fallen during the World War I and 24 unknown soldiers, fallen during the Second World War.
© Laurence Masson Source texte © American Battle Monuments Commission
The American Military Cemetery
123, boulevard Washington
Web : www.abmc.gov
Tel : 01 46 25 01 70
Email : suresnes@abmc.gov
The cemetery is open to the public every day from 9am to 5pm, with the exception of Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
For guided tours please ask at reception.
© Laurence Masson Source texte © American Battle Monuments Commission
An impressive chapel, surrounded by two highly decorated memorial spaces, is dedicated to the memory of the two World Wars. The outside walls are made of limestone from Val d'Arion and the four peristyle columns are monolithic.
Inside the chapel, the walls and the columns are made of stone from Rocheret. The ceiling has an oak paneling. Four bronze plaques bear the names of the 974 men, whose bodies were dumped or lost at sea during the First World War.
The door, on the left end side of the chapel, leads to the mezzanine of the First World War ; a covered passage from which you can see the tombstones at the bottom and Paris from afar. The door on the right end side of the chapel leads to the mezzanine of the Second World War which is identical to the one for the First World War, with the exception of the inscriptions on the walls.
The original chapel, designed by the architect Charles A. Platt of New York, was finished in 1932. William and Geoffrey Platt, sons of Charles A. Platt created the mezzanines and memorial spaces were added to the chapel in 1952. The original cemetery was opened in 1919, on "Memorial Day". The opening of the cemetery of the Second World War took place on September 13th, 1952.
The perfect alignment of the crosses made of marble from Italy and the splendid natural scenery that surrounds them create a calm and serene atmosphere.
© Vidéo du Département des Hauts-de-Seine
