On Sept. 27, the American Battle Monuments Commission helped the National Guard Association unveil a new plaque for the Bedford Boys at its monument overlooking Omaha Beach, a tribute to the service of National Guard units in World War II. The event exemplified ABMC’s ongoing interest in preserving private monuments overseas through logistical and technical assistance.

While ABMC is best known for building and maintaining U.S. military cemeteries abroad, its mandate under 36 U.S.C. § 2106 also allows it to cooperate with states, municipalities and private associations seeking to honor American service members through war monuments outside the United States. Today, ABMC maintains 35 private monuments, each tied to a trust fund established and financed by the sponsoring association. Federal funds aren’t used for upkeep of the monuments.

“General Pershing was determined that private monuments overseas should be dignified and well maintained,” said Adam Leigland, ABMC’s Director of Plans, Programs, and Design, and manager of the private monument program. “Our role is to ensure that these tributes reflect the honor and sacrifice they represent, without compromising the integrity of our mission.”

The National Guard Association’s monument at Omaha Beach is one such example. When the association planned to install a new commemorative plaque, ABMC’s Normandy American Cemetery and Leigland volunteered to assist. Due to the association’s geographic distance, Normandy American Cemetery staff retrieved the plaque from the fabricator, coordinated with a local contractor for installation, and helped determine its placement using a wooden mock-up.

Each private monument is assigned to a cemetery. The cemetery team conducts site assessments, recommends maintenance, and facilitates contractor selection in coordination with ABMC’s engineering division.

NOAC currently oversees the largest number of private monuments, while the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery manages several from World War I.

“Our teams don’t perform the physical work,” Leigland added. “But we bring the expertise, coordination and care that Pershing wanted for these private monuments. It’s a quiet but meaningful part of our mission.”

In cases where the sponsoring association no longer exists, ABMC must decide whether to keep or remove the monument as per Pershing’s guidance— a decision that has not yet been made for any site.