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United States Military Cemetery MemorialPrint Page 
A monument commemorates servicemen of the United States of America who died in service or were killed in action during World War Two. A total of 1,260 service personnel were buried in the cemetery.
During World War Two, United States of America servicemen who were killed or died in Australia were buried in local cemeteries, but in 1945, the bodies from around Australia were exhumed and temporarily reinterred at this cemetery or at Rookwood Cemetery, Sydney. Eventually all of these bodies were exhumed again and taken back to the United States. 190 Australian civilians, mostly cane cutters, were employed to exhume the bodies at Ipswich.
The US ship "Goucher Victory" arrived in Brisbane in November 1947 to take the bodies back to the United States. The work to remove the bodies finished by 20 December 1947 with the last 1,800 caskets containing the servicemen leaving Brisbane before Christmas 1947.
A ceremony was held in the Brisbane City Hall on 22 December 1947 to honour the American dead. A coffin containing the body of an unknown American soldier was paraded ceremoniously through Brisbane to Newstead Wharf watched by approximately 30,000 Brisbane residents.
Manson Park was named after local resident Mrs Rose Manson, who lovingly looked after the graves during World War Two, and wrote letters to the families of those buried in the Cemetery.
BRISBANE, Sunday— Thousands in the city will pay tribute to the unknown American serviceman whose ceremonial funeral will take place tomorrow. A public funeral has been arranged by the State Government, the Premier (Mr. Hanlon) said to-night. "It is a unique and solemn occasion to let all citizens pay tribute to the men of the United States armed forces who gave their lives, not only for their own country, but also for this country." State officials say the funeral will be the first of its kind in the Empire. At the end of the procession the casket will be loaded on the ship, together with the bodies of other servicemen disinterred from the war cemetery at Ipswich and shipped to the United States. State offices will be closed, from 11 a.m. to noon to allow the staffs to pay tribute. Flags will be flown at half-mast from State and public buildings. Three Lincoln bombers will dip in salute as the cortege passes through the principal streets.
Daily Mercury (Mackay, Qld), 22 December 1947.
Location
| Address: | Cemetery Road, Manson Park, Ipswich, 4305 |
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| State: | QLD |
| Area: | Foreign |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -27.632175 Long: 152.766329 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Monument |
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| Monument Theme: | Conflict |
| Sub-Theme: | WW2 |
| Actual Event Start Date: | 03-September-1939 |
| Actual Event End Date: | 15-August-1945 |
Dedication
| Actual Monument Dedication Date: | Sunday 25th April, 1971 |
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Plaque:
This plaque was unveiled by Major J. A. Watson, U.S.A.F. on ANZAC Day 25th April, 1971 to honour American servicemen who paid the supreme sacrifice during World War II.
Ipswich City Council
J. T. Finemore, C.B.E. Mayor
Plaque :
This plaque is dedicated to the memory of United States of America service airmen who gave their lives in the defence of Australia during World War II.
The flag of the United States of America was presented to the President of the Ipswich Sub-Branch R&SLA Mr Ray Townsend OAM by the Commander of the USS Belleau Wood (LHA-3) Captain W. Lee Harris on the 16th March 1998.
Unveiled on the United States of America Memorial Day 25th May 1998
