Epinal American Cemetery and Memorial
Encyclopedia
Epinal American Cemetery and Memorial is a United States military cemetery in Dinozé
, France
. The 48.6 acres (19.7 ha) site rests on a plateau 100 feet (30.5 m) above the Moselle River
in the foothills of the Vosges Mountains
. It contains the graves of 5,255 of the United States' military dead, most of whom lost their lives in the campaigns across northeastern France to the Rhine and beyond into Germany during World War II
.
On May 12, 1958, thirteen caskets draped with American flags were placed side by side at the memorial. Each casket contained the remains of one World War II Unknown American, one from each of the thirteen permanent American military cemeteries in the European Theater of Operations
. In a solemn ceremony, General Edward J. O'Neill, Commanding General of the U.S. Army Communication Zone, Europe, selected the Unknown to represent the European Theater. It was flown to Naples, Italy and placed with Unknowns from the Atlantic and Pacific Theaters of Operations
aboard the USS Blandy
for transportation to Washington, D.C. for final selection of the Unknown from World War II. On Memorial Day
, 1958, the remains were buried alongside the Unknown from World War I at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
at Arlington National Cemetery
.
mark the names of those since recovered and identified. Stretching northward is a wide, tree-lined mall that separates the two large burial plots. At the northern end of the mall, the circular flagpole plaza forms an overlook affording a view of a wide sweep of the Moselle Valley.
(Vosges
), France, on road D-157, in the village of Dinozé-Le Quéquement
. It can be reached by automobile from Paris (231 miles) in about 5 hours via toll autoroute A-4
, eastward to the Nancy exit, then highway N-57 or about 4 hours via toll autoroute A-5
to Bulgnéville
exit. Avoid the city of Epinal and exit only at Arches-Dinozé
. Rail service is available from the Gare de l'Est
, Paris via Nancy, where it may be necessary to change trains. The journey by train requires about 3 hours by the French high-speed train (TGV). Hotel accommodations and taxi service can be found in Epinal and vicinity.
The cemetery is open daily to the public from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. except December 25 and January 1. It is open on host country holidays. When the cemetery is open to the public, a staff member is on duty in the Visitor Building to answer questions and escort relatives to grave and memorial sites.
Dinozé
Dinozé is a commune in the Vosges department in Lorraine in northeastern France. The commune is located on the left bank of the Moselle River, six miles upstream of Epinal. It is dominated by green hills and the Rainjuménil woods....
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. The 48.6 acres (19.7 ha) site rests on a plateau 100 feet (30.5 m) above the Moselle River
Moselle River
The Moselle is a river flowing through France, Luxembourg, and Germany. It is a left tributary of the Rhine, joining the Rhine at Koblenz. A small part of Belgium is also drained by the Mosel through the Our....
in the foothills of the Vosges Mountains
Vosges mountains
For the department of France of the same name, see Vosges.The Vosges are a range of low mountains in eastern France, near its border with Germany. They extend along the west side of the Rhine valley in a northnortheast direction, mainly from Belfort to Saverne...
. It contains the graves of 5,255 of the United States' military dead, most of whom lost their lives in the campaigns across northeastern France to the Rhine and beyond into Germany during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
History
The cemetery was established in October 1944 by the 46th Quartermaster Company (Graves Registration Service) of the U.S. Seventh Army as it drove northward from southern France through the Rhône Valley into Germany. The cemetery became the repository for the fatalities in the bitter fighting through the Heasbourg Gap during the winter of 1944–45.On May 12, 1958, thirteen caskets draped with American flags were placed side by side at the memorial. Each casket contained the remains of one World War II Unknown American, one from each of the thirteen permanent American military cemeteries in the European Theater of Operations
European Theater of Operations
The European Theater of Operations, United States Army was a United States Army formation which directed U.S. Army operations in parts of Europe from 1942 to 1945. It referred to Army Ground Forces, United States Army Air Forces, and Army Service Forces operations north of Italy and the...
. In a solemn ceremony, General Edward J. O'Neill, Commanding General of the U.S. Army Communication Zone, Europe, selected the Unknown to represent the European Theater. It was flown to Naples, Italy and placed with Unknowns from the Atlantic and Pacific Theaters of Operations
Pacific Theater of Operations
The Pacific Theater of Operations was the World War II area of military activity in the Pacific Ocean and the countries bordering it, a geographic scope that reflected the operational and administrative command structures of the American forces during that period...
aboard the USS Blandy
USS Blandy (DD-943)
USS Blandy was a Forrest Sherman-class destroyer , named for Admiral William H. P. Blandy USN ,Blandy was built by the Bethlehem Steel Corporation's Fore River Shipyard in Quincy, Massachusetts and was launched 19 December 1956, sponsored by Mrs. John M. Lee, daughter of Admiral Blandy; and...
for transportation to Washington, D.C. for final selection of the Unknown from World War II. On Memorial Day
Memorial Day
Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War...
, 1958, the remains were buried alongside the Unknown from World War I at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Tomb of the Unknowns
The Tomb of the Unknowns is a monument dedicated to American service members who have died without their remains being identified. It is located in Arlington National Cemetery in the United States...
at Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
.
Memorial
The memorial, a rectangular structure with two large bas-relief panels, consists of a chapel, portico, and map room with a mosaic operations map. On the walls of the Court of Honor, which surround the memorial, are inscribed the names of 424 of the missing. RosettesRosette (design)
A rosette is a round, stylized flower design, used extensively in sculptural objects from antiquity. Appearing in Mesopotamia and used to decorate the funeral stele in Ancient Greece...
mark the names of those since recovered and identified. Stretching northward is a wide, tree-lined mall that separates the two large burial plots. At the northern end of the mall, the circular flagpole plaza forms an overlook affording a view of a wide sweep of the Moselle Valley.
Accessibility
Epinal American Cemetery is located approximately 4 miles (7 km) southeast of ÉpinalÉpinal
Épinal is a commune in northeastern France and the capital of the Vosges department. Inhabitants are known as Spinaliens.-Geography:The commune has a land area of 59.24 km²...
(Vosges
Vosges
Vosges is a French department, named after the local mountain range. It contains the hometown of Joan of Arc, Domrémy.-History:The Vosges department is one of the original 83 departments of France, created on February 9, 1790 during the French Revolution. It was made of territories that had been...
), France, on road D-157, in the village of Dinozé-Le Quéquement
Dinozé
Dinozé is a commune in the Vosges department in Lorraine in northeastern France. The commune is located on the left bank of the Moselle River, six miles upstream of Epinal. It is dominated by green hills and the Rainjuménil woods....
. It can be reached by automobile from Paris (231 miles) in about 5 hours via toll autoroute A-4
A4 autoroute
The A4 Autoroute, also known as l'autoroute de l'Est is a French autoroute that travels between the cities of Paris and Strasbourg. It forms parts of European routes E25 and E50....
, eastward to the Nancy exit, then highway N-57 or about 4 hours via toll autoroute A-5
A5 autoroute
The A5 Autoroute, which was constructed in 1990 to relieve the A6, links the Parisian region with the Langres area. It is a 238 km toll road under the management of the Autoroutes Paris-Rhin-Rhône . It makes up parts of the European routes E54, E511, and E17...
to Bulgnéville
Bulgnéville
Bulgnéville is a commune in the Vosges department in Lorraine in northeastern France.-History:The Battle of Bulgnéville took place there on 2 July 1431.A major employer is the cheese factory of the Hermitage, which makes Le Brouère.-External links:*...
exit. Avoid the city of Epinal and exit only at Arches-Dinozé
Arches, Vosges
Arches is a commune in the Vosges department in Lorraine in northeastern France.- External links :* *...
. Rail service is available from the Gare de l'Est
Gare de l'Est
is one of the six large SNCF termini in Paris. It is in the 10th arrondissement, not far from the Gare du Nord, facing the Boulevard de Strasbourg, part of the north-south axis of Paris created by Baron Haussmann...
, Paris via Nancy, where it may be necessary to change trains. The journey by train requires about 3 hours by the French high-speed train (TGV). Hotel accommodations and taxi service can be found in Epinal and vicinity.
The cemetery is open daily to the public from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. except December 25 and January 1. It is open on host country holidays. When the cemetery is open to the public, a staff member is on duty in the Visitor Building to answer questions and escort relatives to grave and memorial sites.
External links
- American Battle Monuments Commission – Epinal American Cemetery and Memorial
- Epinal American Cemetery and Memorial, 17-page PDF brochure with maps and photos
- Epinal American Cemetery, short video by American Battlefield Monuments Commission at YouTube.