The 3 Medal of Honor Recipients Buried at the Normandy American Cemetery
For many travelers planning a trip to Normandy, the American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer becomes the emotional highlight of the entire visit. Overlooking Omaha Beach, the cemetery contains the graves of 9,389 American military dead, most of whom lost their lives during the D-Day landings and the fighting that followed. The Walls of the Missing contain another 1,557 names.
Yet many visitors walk through the cemetery without knowing the stories behind the names on the headstones.
Among those buried at the Normandy American Cemetery are three recipients of the Medal of Honor, the highest military decoration awarded by the United States. Finding their graves adds deeper meaning to a visit to Colleville-sur-Mer.
Brigadier General Theodore Roosevelt Jr.
Buried: Plot D, Row 28, Grave 45
Theodore Roosevelt Jr., the eldest son of President Theodore Roosevelt, landed with the first wave at Utah Beach on D-Day. Despite age, illness, and physical limitations, he insisted on going ashore with his troops. Once he realized the landing force had come ashore in the wrong place, he helped organize the attack from where they stood.
For his leadership and courage on June 6, 1944, Roosevelt was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. His grave is one of the most visited in the cemetery.
First Lieutenant Jimmie W. Monteith Jr.
Buried: Plot I, Row 20, Grave 12
Jimmie W. Monteith Jr. landed on Omaha Beach, where American troops faced devastating fire. He repeatedly exposed himself to enemy fire while leading men across the beach, directing tanks through a minefield, and organizing attacks against German positions.
Monteith was killed later that day while defending his position. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for extraordinary courage and leadership.
Technical Sergeant Frank D. Peregory
Buried: Plot G, Row 21, Grave 7
Frank D. Peregory received the Medal of Honor for his actions near Grandcamp several days after D-Day. Acting alone, he attacked a heavily defended German position, moved through trenches and enemy fire, and helped capture more than 30 German soldiers.
Peregory was killed in combat soon afterward. His story is one of the most powerful examples of individual courage in the Normandy campaign.
How to Find These Graves at the Normandy American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer
The Normandy American Cemetery is beautiful, solemn, and much larger than many first-time visitors expect. Without a plan, it can be difficult to locate specific graves.
That is one reason The Traveling Professor’s Guide to Visiting the Normandy Invasion Beaches includes a visitor map showing how to find important burials at the American Cemetery, including the three Medal of Honor recipients: Theodore Roosevelt Jr., Jimmie Monteith Jr., and Frank Peregory.
If you are planning to visit Normandy, the cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer will likely be one of the most meaningful stops of your trip. Knowing where to go — and whose stories you are standing before — makes the visit even more powerful.
Before visiting Normandy, get The Traveling Professor’s Guide to Visiting the Normandy Invasion Beaches so you can walk into the cemetery with a plan and find the graves that help tell the story of D-Day.