Over the Memorial Day weekend I decided that it was finally time for me to go visit the Manila American Cemetery. After all, I can see it from my bedroom window, but had never gone. Unfortunately for me I had forgotten that it was Memorial Day weekend, and so I headed over for the normal opening time of 9 am. If I had been an hour earlier I would have been able to attend the memorial service that is held every year. Oh well. I still stopped to admire the wreaths that are donated by different organisations, one of which is always the school I work out. Since we were originally founded as the American School, it seems fitting that we play a role in this day.
The cemetery has to be the most peaceful location within walking distance of my apartment. Covering 15 acres, the cemetery is an oasis of green set up in a circular design. At the heart is a memorial hall, two curved open areas contain walls engraved with the names of over 36,000 Americans and Filipinos, the Tablets of the Missing, who died in the region during World War II but whose bodies were never recovered.
The green rolling grounds hold another 17,184 headstone, commemorating more of those lives lost during the war. It has a hug impact to see cross after cross, with a few stars intermixed, stretching out across the hill. At the same time the symmetry of the lines and curves is eye catching. This weekend there was an American and a Filipino flag in front of each headstone. Decorations that were put out by volunteers the previous day.
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