On May 8, 1945 the world celebrated the end of World War II in Europe, but for some young American children it represented the beginning of a lifetime without their fathers. It’s estimated that more than 180,000 American children were left fatherless after the war.

Screenshot of map showing Italy and Mediterrean Sea

Allied forces conquered Sicily in the summer of 1943, securing the island by August 17. This defeat precipitated the fall of Fascist Dictator Benito Mussolini, and the new Italian government negotiated an armistice with the Allies.

This screenshot from the Americans in Great Britain Interactive shows American pilots in Great Britain.

The United States and Great Britain have been firm allies for a century. Their mutually beneficial relationship particularly deepened during  World War II, when the circumstances of war brought hundreds of thousands of Americans through the British Isles.

A woman kneels next to a headstone at Suresnes American Cemetery.

In the aftermath of World War I, wives became widows, and mothers outlived their sons. More than 100,000 Americans died during the Great War, creating suffering and pain for those family members they left behind. Through the Gold Star pilgrimages of 1930 to 1933, the U.S.

Never Forgotten, an ABMC World War I documentary, will premier at the 2015 GI Film Festival in May. Never Forgotten follows the story of Sergeant Paul Maynard, a doughboy from Connecticut.

Homescreen of the Cambridge American Cemetery App

During World War II the British not only served as one of our closest Allies, England became the base for American forces in northern Europe specifically before the invasion of the mainland in June 1944.

On June 6, 1944 the history of the world changed when the Allies landed along the Normandy coast, beginning the D-Day invasion of World War II. Tens of thousands of Americans lost their lives in the invasion and during the ensuing campaign. 

Historic image of African-American officers in uniform.

The 99th Fighter Squadron first saw combat in World War II in June 1943 over the Italian island of Pantelleria. While the mission was standard in terms of aerial support, it was a historic milestone for the squadron, and for the American military.

The exterior of the Normandy Visitor Center.

Facilities, including the visitor center and restrooms at Normandy American Cemetery will be closed on Wednesday, March 25, 2015 from 1:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. due to utility work in the area. The cemetery will remain open to visitors during this time period.