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Corozal American Cemetery and Memorial

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Corozal American Cemetery and Memorial
American Battle Monuments Commission
Used for those deceased
Location8°59′20″N 79°34′21″W / 8.98888°N 79.57240°W / 8.98888; -79.57240
near 
Corozal, Panama
Total burials5528
Burials by nation
Statistics source: Corozal American Cemetery and Memorial

Corozal American Cemetery and Memorial is located approximately three miles west of Panama City, Panama. It is in the city of Corozal and is the location of 5,528 American veterans and others. A paved walkway leads from the Visitors' Center to a small memorial that sits atop a knoll overlooking the graves area. The memorial was established in 1923 by Congress to remember people who served overseas. It consists of a paved plaza with a 12-foot rectangular granite obelisk flanked by two flagpoles on which fly the United States and Panamanian flags.

The plaza obelisk has engravings in Spanish and English. The English inscription reads:

THIS MEMORIAL HAS BEEN ERECTED BY THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IN HUMBLE TRIBUTE TO ALL INTERRED HERE WHO SERVED IN ITS ARMED FORCES OR CONTRIBUTED TO THE CONSTRUCTION, OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE PANAMA CANAL.

The American Battle Monuments Commission assumed responsibility for the care and maintenance of the Corozal American Cemetery in Panama in 1982. The cemetery is open Monday through Friday to the public from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. except December 25 and January 1. It is open on weekends only to relatives who have family buried there. (Family members must present ID and proof of their relationship.) It is open on host country holidays. When the cemetery is open to the public, a staff member is on duty in the Visitors' Center to answer questions and escort relatives to grave and memorial sites.[1]

Corozal "Silver" Cemetery

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The Corozal "Silver Roll" Cemetery is an area adjacent to the Corozal American Cemetery and Memorial. The Silver Cemetery was originally established as a segregated cemetery for the "Silver Roll" (Black people of West Indian origin) employees of the Panama Canal.[2][verification needed] In 2010 the Corozal "Silver" Cemetery was added as a World Monuments Fund (WMF) Watch Site.[3]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Corozal American Cemetery". American Battle Monuments Commission. Retrieved 28 April 2019.
  2. ^ Cobert Roberto A. Reid, "The History of the Corozal and Mount Hope Cemeteries", The Silver People Heritage Foundation, May 5, 2008 Accessed March 11, 2011
  3. ^ WMF Corozal Cemetery
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