Remembering Heroes at the Manila American Cemetery ~ Discovering the World

Since we have no dead relatives to visit on All Saints Day (November 1, 2008) in Metro Manila, Ruby, Jennifer, Rose and I decided to go to Manila American Cemetery. On board a taxi, we tracked the way to Global City, Taguig, Metro Manila and traveled back to history.

The Manila American Cemetery is the largest of the 24 cemeteries built and administered by the American Battle Monuments Commission. It spans 152 acres and contains 17,206 graves of military men (16,636 Americans and 570 Filipinos) who died in operation in New Guinea and Philippines during the World War II. The marble headstones (quarried from Lasa or Carrara, Italy and Roblon, Philippines) are aligned in 11 plots forming a circular pattern. A bronze Rosette marks the names of those subsequently found. 3,660 headstones mark the graves of 3,774 "unknowns".

A tall memorial chapel with sculpture in front and religious mosaic inside stands near the center of the cemetery.

Fronting the chapel are two large hemicycles which contain the "Walls of the Missing". On the Walls of the Missing are inscribed the names of 32,520 Americans and 3762 Filipinos whose remains were never recovered or not identified.

Carved in the floors are the seals of the American states and its territories.

At the end of the hemicycle are map rooms which contain 25 mosaic maps depicting the achievements of the American armed forces in the Pacific, China, India and Burma.

Just inside the main gate is the Visitor's Building which contain the Superintendent's office, toilet facilities and a furnished room where visitors may obtain information, sign the register and relax.