Tunisia -- American World War II Cemetery of North Africa

Our group visited the North African American Cemetery to pay homage to those who fought and died in this region during World War II. The cemetery is small but resembling the design of the Normandy cemetery in France.

The cemetery covers 27 acres with 2,840 military Dead of the USA. Most of them died in the landings in and during the occupation of Morocco and Algeria, as well as subsequent fighting the ended with the liberation of Tunisia and the capitulation of all Enemy Forces in North Africa. Included in the cemetery are 234 headstones for the"Unknowns".

The Wall of Honor (left) lists the names of Americans who died in North Africa. Also inscribed are the names of 3,724 Americans who gave their lives in the service of their country but whose remains were never recovered or identified as well as those who were buried at sea. Most of the Americans who died during the war were sent home for burial. A tree-lined walkway (right) leads visitors to the grave sites.

 

 

Second Lieutenant James McCullin of Missouri and First Lieutenant Sherman White of Mississippi were the first American casualties of the North African campaign on July 2, 1943. They were combat pilots with the Tuskegee Airmen who were shot down by enemy fighters over Sicily. No crash sites were found. They were the first Americans killed in action in North Africa.

Lady Be Good was a B-24D Liberator bomber that disappeared without a trace on its first combat mission during the North African campaign. The plane, which was from 376th Bomb Group of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF), was believed to have been lost—with its nine-man crew—in the Mediterranean Sea while returning to its base in Libya following a bombing raid on Naples on April 4, 1943. However, the wreck was accidentally discovered 440 miles inland in the Libyan Desert by an oil exploration team from British Petroleum on November 9, 1958. A ground party in March 1959 identified the aircraft as a B-24D.

Investigations concluded that the first-time crew failed to realize they had overflown their air base in a sandstorm. After continuing to fly south into the desert for many hours, the crew bailed out when the plane's fuel was exhausted. The survivors then died in the desert trying to walk to safety. All but one of the crew's remains were recovered between February and August 1960. 

Private Nicolas Minue was a Ukranian American who fought in World War I. He enlisted in the American Army infantry to fight in World War II. While fighting German Field Marshal Rommel's Afrika Korps, he single-handedly assaulted and destroyed several enemy positions with fixed bayonet while under fire near Medjez El Bab, Tunisia. He died on April 28, 1943. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions that day. He is the only Medal of Honor recipient in the cemetery.

Captain Foy Draper of California was an American track and field athlete who won a gold medal in 4×100 m relay at the 1936 Berlin Summer Olympics. He served as a pilot on a twin-engine attack bomber in Tunisia. On January 4, 1943, Draper took off to take part in the battle of Kassarine Pass but he and his two crewmen never returned. His death date is usually given as February 1, 1943.

Celia Goldberg of New York was one of the few women who died in North Africa and who is buried here. A member of the Women's Army Corps (WAC), she died of cystic degeneration, right adrenal and acute hemorrhage left adrenal. She was on the USAT Santa Rosa enroute to Algeria at 5:45 a.m. on August 29, 1943. 

When Hilary Clinton was First Lady, Senator of New York, and Secretary of State, she visited Celia's grave.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anas, our guide, bought a bouquet of flowers for us to place on the chapel's altar in memory of those who lost their lives in North Africa. The group posed at the altar and Jack (right), a Vietnam veteran, presented the bouquet.

These flags represent the American Armed Services that lost soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines. They are displayed in the chapel.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord,
and let Your perpetual light shine upon them.
May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace.

Amen.

 Resources

Lady Be Good -- https://duckduckgo.com/q=lady+be+good+in+north+africa+war&t=newext&atb=v291-1