Bastogne, Belgium was at the epicenter of the Battle of the Bulge, the largest and bloodiest American engagement of World War II. Immediately after the war, private Belgian citizens constructed the Mardasson Memorial as a tribute to the over 90,000 American casualties of that battle. It is the only memorial that commemorates all of the American forces that fought in the Battle of the Bulge, and the sheer size and scope of the memorial has impressed generations of visitors. Unfortunately, however, Bastogne’s notorious winters over the last 70 years have taken their toll on the Memorial, and it is in urgent need of repair and restoration.
The American government does not own the Mardasson Memorial, nor does it currently have the authority to maintain it. It was built as an act of gratitude through donations from Belgian citizens. Since private funds built the Memorial, private funds are required to restore it.
Inspired by the leadership of the former United States Ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium, Ronald Gidwitz, the American Overseas Memorial Day Association Foundation has created the Bastogne Memorial Fund to restore the Mardasson Memorial. The most urgent need is to prepare the Memorial for the commemorations of the 75th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge in December 2019. Following these commemorations, the Bastogne Memorial Fund will tackle the longer-term structural problems that the Memorial faces. All funds that are not used for the renovation of the Mardasson Memorial will be devoted to the maintenance of the Memorial going into the future. Please help us to preserve this lasting Memorial of the over 90,000 American casualties of the Battle of the Bulge.
In America, for US taxpayers donations to the Bastogne Memorial Fund are deductible for US tax purposes to the fullest extent under the law. (The Bastogne Memorial Fund is an initiative of the American Overseas Memorial Day Association Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit entity incorporated in the District of Columbia.) US tax deductible donations can be made through:
- A US dollar check made payable to the Bastogne Memorial Fund, c/o Andrew H. Cox, Treasurer, 655 Metro Station, Apex, NC 27502.
- A bank transfer to the Bastogne Memorial Fund at the Andrews Federal Credit Union. The bank routing number is 255074111 and the account number is 0820139583.
Thank you for your generosity!
For more information, please contact: bastogne@aomdafoundation.org
US Office
Bastogne Memorial Fund
c/o Andrew H. Cox, Treasurer
655 Metro Station
Apex, NC 27502.
Belgium Office
Bastogne Memorial Fund
c/o AOMDA Foundation
Place de l'Alma/Almaplein 3, b. 7
1200 Brussels
Belgium
