American Battle Monuments Commission
The American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) is a small independent agency of the United States government that administers, operates, and maintains permanent U.S. military cemeteries, memorials and monuments both inside and outside the United States.
As of 2015, there are 25 sites under the care of the ABMC. There are 124,905 U.S. servicemen and servicewomen interred at these sites, and more than 94,000 missing in action, or lost or buried at sea, whose names are individually carved into monuments. The ABMC also maintains an online database of names associated with each site.
History
The ABMC was established by the United States Congress in 1923. Its purpose is to:
Commemorate the services of the U.S. armed forces where they have served since April 6, 1917;
Establish suitable War memorials; designing, constructing, operating, and maintaining permanent U.S. military burial grounds in foreign countries;
Control the design and construction of U.S. military monuments and markers in foreign countries by other U.S. citizens and organizations, both public and private;