Immediately after the liberation of the south eastern part of the Netherlands in September 1944, the American army planned the construction of a military cemetery in the area of Margraten in the Province of Limburg.

The first burial took place on 11th November 1944 and in 1946 no less than 17,742 Americans were interred in this cemetery which also served as a temporary burial site for 1,026 allied soldiers, 692 Russians and 3,075 German dead.

As from 1947 the cemetery was reorganised. The Allied, Russian and German dead were reburied elsewhere and some 56% of the American dead were repatriated for reburial in the USA. 

It would take until 1960 for the Margraten cemetery to receive the shape as we know it today.

The cemetery is now the final resting place for 8,301 buried dead and the 'Walls of the Missing' commemorate 1,722 whose bodies were never found. The 'Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial' is located 10 kms east of Maastricht, on the main road highway to Aachen, Germany. Margraten is 112 kms east of Brussels and 405 kms north of Paris.

Photos above: an aerial photograph of Margraten Cemetery in 1946 and the lay-out of the respective burial plots. (USAAF / ABMC). 

Tours for schools. 

Bespoke tours for World War 2 veterans.

Tours for tourist groups including post WW2 veterans.

Tours for Veteran Organisations.

Tours for the Royal Netherlands Defense Forces.

'The Greatest Generation'. This photograph was taken on Saturday the 17th September 2019 during a bespoke tour for World War 2 veterans who were involved in the liberation of the Netherlands in 1944-1945.

This tour was organized by Donny Edwards' 'Best Defense Foundation'.