Discover the History of Brittany American Cemetery

The Brittany American Cemetery and Memorial in France covers 28 acres of rolling farm country near the eastern edge of Brittany and contains the remains of 4,404 of our war dead, most of whom lost their lives in the Normandy and Brittany Campaigns of 1944.

Along the retaining wall of the memorial terrace are inscribed the names of 500 of the missing. Rosettes mark the names of those since recovered and identified.

The gray granite memorial, containing the chapel as well as two large operations maps with narratives and flags of our military services, overlooks the burial area. Stained glass and sculpture embellish the structure. The cemetery is located on the site of the temporary American St. James Cemetery, established on August 4, 1944 by the U.S. Third Army. It marks the point where the American forces made their breakthrough from the hedgerow country of Normandy into the plains of Brittany during the offensive around Avranches, France.

Brittany American Cemetery lies one and a half miles southeast of the village of St. James (Manche), France, 12 miles south of Avranches, and 14 miles north of Fougères.

After the D-Day landings in Normandy, U.S. forces engaged in intense combat to break through German defenses.

By mid-July 1944, the Allies had secured St. Lô, setting the stage for Operation COBRA, a strategic offensive planned by General Omar Bradley to break out of the Normandy region and drive into Brittany.

The operation, supported by massive aerial bombardments, successfully shattered German lines, enabling rapid advances by U.S. forces. The campaign led to the capture of key towns, a significant German retreat through the Falaise Gap, and ultimately, the liberation of Paris on August 25, 1944. This marked a turning point in the Allied push toward Germany.

The Brest Naval Monument, overlooking the key naval base for U.S. operations during World War I, commemorates the achievements of the U.S. Navy and its role in securing victory.

Breakout, Pursuit, and Liberation Brittany Map

• July 18, 1944: U.S. forces captured St. Lô, clearing the way for a breakout offensive.
• July 25, 1944: Operation COBRA began. Intense U.S. and British aerial bombardments west of St. Lô created a gap in German defenses.
• July 28, 1944: U.S. forces captured Coutances.
• July 30, 1944: U.S. forces captured Avranches, securing a path into Brittany.
• August 1–7, 1944: The Third U.S. Army was activated. Its VIII Corps advanced west into Brittany, while the rest of the army pushed south toward the Loire River, reinforcing the First Army’s advance toward the Seine.
• August 7, 1944: A German counterattack near Mortain attempted to halt the Allied advance but was repelled by U.S. forces.
• August 8–16, 1944: The First and Third U.S. Armies continued eastward, linking with British and Canadian forces near Falaise and Argentan. German forces began a chaotic retreat through the Falaise Gap.
• August 19, 1944: The remnants of German forces withdrew as the gap was sealed by advancing U.S., British, and Canadian troops.
• August 21, 1944: The French Resistance launched an uprising within Paris.
• August 25, 1944: The U.S. 4th Infantry Division and French 2nd Armored Division entered Paris, marking the city’s liberation.

With Operation COBRA’s success, the Allies shattered German defenses in Normandy, liberated most of Brittany, and reached the Seine River. The fall of Paris set the stage for the final Allied advance toward Germany.

Vintage Poster

Vintage posters convey the beauty, tranquility, and solemnity of the place as a sign of respect for those who fought so that we can live free today.