New Visitor Center Planned for Manila American Cemetery

Less than 700 miles of land separates Paris from Berlin, but more than 6,000 miles of vast, open ocean separates the west coast of the United States from the Philippines. The challenges of the Pacific theater of World War II differed dramatically from the European theater—huge expanses of geography, thousands of tropical islands, and logistical hurdles never before experienced by the American military. Today, more than 50,000 Americans that lost their lives in the Pacific are honored within the hallowed grounds of Manila American Cemetery. Their story will be further told with the construction of a new visitor center.

As the only American, World War II cemetery in the Pacific and the largest cemetery maintained by the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC), this site represents elements that were unique to the Pacific. Fighting in the Philippines tested the courage and stamina of American and Philippine forces, which contributed to the special, ongoing relationship that exists today. Because of the combined effort, Manila American Cemetery was created out of a special agreement with the government of the Philippines—members of the Philippine Scouts and Philippine Army units that fought and died with U.S. forces in the Philippines were also eligible for burial. More than 17,000 marble headstones mark the burial locations, of which about 470 are Filipino.

And with the inherent geographic challenges, combined naval, land, and air actions resulted in sustained loss of life, and American service members lost their lives in ways and places that meant their remains would never be recovered. More than 36,000 are inscribed on the Tablets of the Missing, denoting those individuals who gave their lives in the fight for the Pacific. Of these names, 3,762 mark the lives of Filipinos who were missing in action, or lost or buried at sea.

Expected to open to the public in 2019, plans for the new building were recently approved by the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts. The plans, created by Richter Architects, detailed the design and construction for the new, 11,000-square-foot building that will be built into a verdant knoll, south of the memorial area: “The design of the new visitor center seeks to respectfully and quietly complement the completed work of civic art with architecture that integrates humbly, but deftly with this beautiful context, powerful purpose and historic gravitas.” Intentionally designed to accentuate the natural topography of the site, the majority of the building’s mass is well below eye level and behind foliage when viewed from the memorial. However, the inside of the two story visitor center will feature a theater, and large exhibit area. The entry foyer, the exhibit galleries, and the public space on the south side of the building will feature floor to ceiling windows or vistas looking out over the plot area. Thousands of marble headstones will be seen, reinforcing the magnitude of the sacrifice made by American forces. 

ABMC is dedicated to bringing excellent experiences to visitors around the globe through new visitor centers. The Normandy American Cemetery Visitor Center opened in 2007, followed by visitor centers at Cambridge American Cemetery, Sicily-Rome American Cemetery and Pointe du Hoc in 2014. Renovated visitor centers at Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery and Flanders-Field American Cemetery are scheduled to open in 2017.

About the American Battle Monuments Commission: 
The American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) is a U.S. government agency charged with commemorating the service, achievements and sacrifice of the U.S. armed forces. Established by Congress in 1923, ABMC administers, operates, and maintains 25 permanent American military cemeteries and 27 federal memorials, monuments and markers located across the globe. These cemeteries and memorials, most of which commemorate the service and sacrifice of Americans who served in World War I and World War II, are among the most beautiful and meticulously maintained shrines in the world. For more information, visit www.abmc.gov, or connect with us on Facebook, YouTube, or Instagram.