Panamanian President Visits Corozal American Cemetery

Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela visited Corozal American Cemetery on August 15th, the 100th anniversary of the opening of the Panama Canal. During his visit to the cemetery he laid a wreath in honor of all those who contributed to the construction, operation and maintenance of the canal.

ABMC assumed responsibility for the care and maintenance of the Corozal American Cemetery in Panama in 1982. At this 16 acre cemetery are interred 5,450 American veterans and others. A paved walk leads from the visitor center to a small memorial that sits atop a knoll overlooking the graves area. The memorial consists of a paved plaza with a 12-foot rectangular granite obelisk flanked by two flagpoles on which fly the U.S. and Panamanian flags. Engraved on the obelisk in English and Spanish is the following inscription:

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.