On June 8, 1944, the U.S. First Army established the temporary Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer cemetery, the first American cemetery on European soil in World War II. After the war, the present-day cemetery was established a short distance to the south of the original site in the city of Colleville-sur-mer.
Like all other overseas American cemeteries in France for WW I and II, France has granted the United States a special, perpetual concession to the land occupied by the cemetery.
Overlooking Omaha Beach, the Colleville cemetery contains the remains of 9,387 American military dead, most of whom were killed during the invasion of Normandy and ensuing military operations in World War II. The graves face westward, towards the United States.
