SASless,
the min picture in your last post was of the American cemetery at Madingley just North of Cambridge, England. I am 10 miles away.
https://www.google.co.uk/#q=cambridge+american+cemetery
I have visited many times particularly when hosting US visitors. We are surrounded by USAF bases in the East particularly WWII bombers of the 8th Air Force. One would naturally expect the graves to be airmen. There is surprisingly a large number of US Seamen buried or commemorated there on the walls in the building on the left or the long wall along the front.
when there was a fuss over budget and sequestration last year, locals were up in arms about the cemetery being closed to visitors. I believe it is manned by Federal employees. I am not sure but I don't think it closed. I guess the staff would have turned up without pay.
I enjoyed the TV documentary and following the discussion on this thread. learned quite a bit.
I am not too sure on your take on Empire as I was a student of Engineering not economics of war. Had the US not funded the effort and joined the war we may all have been speaking German this side of the pond. had we not supported Russia would they too have lost? would Hitler then have had the resources to wage war with the US and win? I am suggesting it was in the US interests to join the war without having to wait for Pearl Harbour. I know it is a theme running on several threads on PPRuNe but our [UK] Govt has become a puppet to yours on many global issues. Must thank you for your assistance during the Falklands. Any oil down there we owe you half!
Don't mean to make fun on a serious thread however.