National Guard of the United States Memorial

National Guard of the United States Memorial (HM1O3M)

Location: Vierville-sur-Mer, Basse-Normandie 14710 Calvados
Country: France
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N 49° 22.749', W 0° 54.172'

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Inscription
On three outer walls of the U-shaped monument are quotes from three major Allied leaders:
We too born to freedom and believing in freedom are willing to fight to maintain freedom. We and all others who believe as deeply as we do would rather die on our feet than live on our knees.

Franklin D. Roosevelt, 19 June 1941


I am all for volunteers who come from some uplifting of the human soul, some spirit arising in the human breast.

Winston R. Churchill, 6 May 1947


Les armes ont torturé mais aussi façonné le monde...
Honteuse et magnifique, leur histoire est celle des hommes

Charles de Gaulle



On the inside walls of the monument are English and French text outlining the participation of National Guard in World War I and World War II.

English:


1917 - 1918

The National Guard answered the call to arms when the United States mobilized its forces in 1918 and virtually every guardsman served in France with the historic American Expeditionary Force. Approximately every fifth soldier in the A.E.F. was a citizen soldier of the National Guard. National Guardsmen fought in every battle in which American troops were engaged. And, of the 48,900 American battle deaths, 18,238 were Guardsmen who gave their lives that the people of France, Belgium and Holland might live once again, in freedom and peace.

To the glory of the citizen-soldier our troops have faithfully fulfilled their trust and in succession of brilliant offensives have overcome the menace to our civilization.

General John J. Pershing, February 1919


Lunéville, Chemin des Dames, Toul-Boucq, Château-Thierry, Amiens, Champagne-Marne, Aisne-Marne, Vesle, Baccarat, Fismes, Oise-Aisne, Somme, Verdun-Fromereville, Clermont, Grange-le-Comte, Essey-Pannes, St-Mihiel, Ypres-Lys, Avocourt, Troyon, Meuse-Argonne, Thiaucourt.

Center piece text:
"For our comrades in arms who have fallen, may the blessing of the Almighty God descend upon this spot and remain forever."

A Chaplain, 29th Infantry Division, June 1944


Thousands of citizen-soldiers of the National Guard stormed ashore on these beaches on 6 June 1944 as part of the Army of the United States. They fought valiantly and with great distinction in all the ensuing battles and campaigns of World War II. More than a quarter-century earlier, in World War I, their fathers shed blood in Europe in the cause of freedom. To all of them, and to the principles for which they fought, this monument is dedicated.


1940 - 1945

In the greatest war in history, citizen-soldiers of the National Guard fought in every action in which the United States Army engaged. Compiling brilliant combat records in every corner of the world, scome 300 000 National Guardsmen were mobilized in 1940-41 as America made ready for a conflict that was to engulf much of the civilized world. National Guardsmen took part in 34 major campaigns and seven assault landings, inlcuding the historic assault which took place on the beaches below this site on 6 June 1944. Thousands became casualties within view of this monument. Many of them cut down by fire from the battered enemy pillbox upon which this memorial stands.

"I hate war as only a soldier who has lived it can. Yet there is one thing to be said on the credit side. Victory required a mighty manifestation of the most ennobling virtues of man: faith, courage, fortitude, sacrifice.

General Dwight D. Eisenhower, June 10, 1946


Normandy, Southern France, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes, Alsace-Lorraine, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg

En Français:


1917 - 1918


La National Guard a répondu a l'appel aux armes lorsque les États-Unis ont mobilisé leurs forces en 1918. Ils ont servi en France dans les rangs du célèbre corps expéditionnaire américain. Les Gardes Nationaux ont participé à toutes les batailles ou les troupes américaines étaient engagées et sur 48 000 américains morts au champ d'honneur 18 238 étaient des gardes nationaux. Ils ont donné leur vie pour que les peuples de France de Belgique et des Pays-Bas puissent vivre de nouveau dans la liberté et dans la paix.

A la gloire des soldats citoyens nos troupes ont fidèlement accompli leur mission et par une succession de brillantes offensives elles ont conjure le péril qui menaçait notre civilisation

General John J. Pershing, février 1919


Le texte dans le centre:
Pour nos compagnons d'arme tombes au champ d'honneur puisse dieu tout puissant répandre a jamais sa bénédiction sur ce coin de terre.
Un aumônier 29émé Division d'Infanterie, juin 1944

Des milliers de soldats citoyens de la National Guard ont débarque sur ces plages le 6 juin 1944 dans les rangs de l'armée des États-Unis. Ils ont combat tu vaillamment et héroïquement dans toutes les batailles et au cours des campagnes de la 2émé guerre mondiale. Plus d'un quart de siècle auparavant pendant la première guerre mondiale leurs pères avaient versé leur sang en Europe pour la cause de la liberté. C'est à eux et aux principes pour lesquels ils ont combattu que ce monument est dédié.


1940 - 1945

Au cours de la plus grande guerre de l'histoire les soldats citoyens de la National Guard ont participé à toutes les actions dans lesquelles l'armée des États-Unis a été engagée, inscrivant a leur actif de brillants états de service dans toutes les parties du monde trois cent mille gardes nationaux ont été mobilisés en 1940-41. Alors que l'Amérique se préparait pour un conflit, qui devait ravager une grande partie du monde civilise ils ont participé a 34 campagnes, a 7 opérations de débarquement notamment au débarquement qui eut lieu sur ces plages le 6 juin 1944. Des milliers d'entre eux périrent ici-même plusieurs furent fauches par le feu du blockhaus sur lequel ce monument est érige.

Je hais la guerre comme seul peut le faire un soldat qui l'a vécue pourtant une chose peut être. Mise à son crédit; la victoire a exigé une puissante manifestation des plus nobles vertus de l'homme la foi, le courage, la grandeur d'amé et le sacrifice.
Details
HM NumberHM1O3M
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Marker ConditionNo reports yet
Date Added Tuesday, September 22nd, 2015 at 1:04pm PDT -07:00
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Locationbig map
UTM (WGS84 Datum)30U E 652216 N 5471720
Decimal Degrees49.37915000, -0.90286667
Degrees and Decimal MinutesN 49° 22.749', W 0° 54.172'
Degrees, Minutes and Seconds49° 22' 44.94" N, 0° 54' 10.32" W
Driving DirectionsGoogle Maps
Area Code(s)716
Closest Postal AddressAt or near 12 Boulevard de Cauvigny, Vierville-sur-Mer Basse-Normandie 14710, FR
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