The American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) and the National WWII Museum in New Orleans are partnering together to help tell the story of the cost of war. On January 11, 2019 ABMC Commissioner Evans C. Spiceland and ABMC Deputy Secretary Robert J. Dalessandro met with the museum’s President and Chief Executive Officer Stephen Watson to formalize the partnership. As part of a new gallery, ABMC will work with the museum to create an exhibit that explains the hard choice families had to make —have the remains of a loved one buried overseas in a permanent, American military cemetery or be returned to the United States for burial in a national or private cemetery. With more than 400,000 Americans who died in World War II, this decision affected millions of citizens, and ultimately, influenced how our nation coped with post-war life.

Because all of ABMC’s World War II cemeteries are located abroad, this partnership will help bring the ABMC mission to an American audience. ABMC hopes to expand its partnership with the museum in coming years to focus more on education, and connecting with students in American classrooms.