Photo By Tech. Sgt. Joshua Dewberry | Airmen from the 52nd Fighter Wing pose for a photo with a World War II veteran who...... read more read more
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A Commemoration Ceremony for the 75th Anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge took place at the Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg, Dec. 16, 2019.
The Battle of the Bulge took place from Dec. 16, 1944 to Jan. 25, 1945. It was the largest and bloodiest single battle fought by the U.S. in World War II and the third deadliest campaign in American history.
“We are gathered at the American cemetery in Luxembourg to honor the 5,076 Americans buried here who laid their lives in the gallant stand against tryany that would ultimately liberate Europe from Nazi control,” said Dr. Mark Esper, U.S. Secretary of Defense. “Along with the more than 500,000 others who faced great peril as they fought to push back Hitler’s last major offensive on the front of World War II.”
Airmen from the 52nd Fighter Wing participated in the ceremony with an invocation from the base chaplain, stoodin a formation with their sister services and performed a flyover of F-16 Fighting Falcons by the 480th Fighter Squadron in a missing man formation.
Prominent military and political leaders, such as U.S. Army Gen. Mark Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Nancy Pelosi, U.S. Speaker of the House of Representatives, heads of state and 15 military veterans of the “Bulge” were in attendance for the ceremony.
“This American military cemetery entrusted to the care of the United States government will forever remain a sanctuary for our country,” said His Royal Highness Henri, The Grand Duke of Luxembourg. “It symbolizes the fight of our independence as a free nation and is therefore part of our identity. We are indebted and eternally grateful to them. They embody what President Franklin Roosevelt described as fighters for humanity, not just for one generation, but for all generations.”
The ceremony concluded with a wreath laying, a 21 gun salute and the playing of taps and the U.S. and Luxembourg national anthems.
“May God bless our service members, may God bless our veterans, may God bless our greatest generation and may God bless the United States of America,” said Esper.
| Date Taken: | 12.16.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 12.18.2019 07:38 |
| Story ID: | 356136 |
| Location: | SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, RHEINLAND-PFALZ, DE |
| Web Views: | 146 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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