On May 25, the Embassy of the United States of America in Luxembourg, together with the American Battle Monuments Commission, held the annual Memorial Day ceremony at the Luxembourg American Cemetery in Luxembourg, commemorating the men and women who sacrificed their lives in military service.
“Memorial Day serves as a poignant reminder of our responsibility to preserve and defend the freedoms for which so many military members have given their lives. It is our duty to honor their sacrifice by actively participating in our democracy, by standing up against injustice, and by working together to build a society that truly reflects the values they fought for,” said U.S. Ambassador Tom Barrett.
The ceremony commenced with the presentation of the colors and a flyover by the 37th Airlift Squadron of the 86th Airlift Wing based at Ramstein Air Force Base, Germany. The invocation was given by His Eminence Auxiliary Bishop Léon Wagener, representing the Archdiocese of Luxembourg. Remarks were made by the U.S. Ambassador to Luxembourg, Tom Barrett, His Excellency Claude Wiseler, President of the Chamber of Deputies, Her Excellency Yuriko Backes, Minister of Defense, Minister for Mobility and Public Works, Minister for Gender Equality and Diversity, Lieutenant General John D. Lamontagne, Deputy Commander of the United States Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa and Mr. Edmund Ryan, Executive Director of Operations of the American Battle Monuments Commission.
The official party then took part in a wreath laying ceremony, which included wreaths presented on behalf of HRH the Grand Duke, the United States of America, the Luxembourg Chamber of Deputies, the Government of Luxembourg, the City of Luxembourg, the past and present men and women of the United States Armed Services, and the American Battle Monuments Commission.
The official party included Tom Barrett, the U.S. Ambassador to Luxembourg and Mrs. Kris Barrett, His Excellency Paul Dühr, Marshal of the Royal Court for His Royal Highness the Grand Duke, His Excellency Claude Wiseler, President of the Chamber of Deputies, Her Excellency Yuriko Backes, Minister of Defense, Minister for Mobility and Public Works, Minister for Gender Equality and Diversity, His Eminence Auxiliary Bishop Léon Wagener, representing the Archdiocese of Luxembourg, Mr. Maurice Bauer, Chief Alderman of the City of Luxembourg, Lieutenant General John D. Lamontagne, Deputy Commander of the United States Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa, Colonel Georges Eiden, Deputy Chief of Defense of the Luxembourg Army, Colonel Scott Adams, Air Attaché, representing U.S. Embassies of Belgium and Luxembourg, Chaplain Lieutenant Colonel Kelly Porter from the Chaplain Corps of the U.S. Army and Mr Edmund Ryan, Executive Director for Operations, representing the American Battle Monuments Commission.
The Ceremony concluded with a gun salute by 106th Finance Battalion of the U.S. Army, Taps, and the national anthems performed by the Luxembourg Army Band, ending with the benediction from Chaplain Lieutenant Colonel Kelly Porter and the retiring of the colors.
More photos: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBrWzJ
About Memorial Day
Memorial Day, observed in the United States on the last Monday of May, honors the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military.
Originally known as Decoration Day, it began following the U.S. Civil War as a remembrance of the fallen from that conflict and was formally recognized in 1868. After World War I, the day came to honor all those who had died in military service and became known as Memorial Day. In 1971, the U.S. Congress established Memorial Day as a federal holiday to be observed on the last Monday in May. Many Americans observe the holiday by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings, and participating in parades to remember and show gratitude for those who died in the service of their country.