On Wednesday 11 November, the Luxembourg American Military Cemetery and Memorial hosted the annual Veterans’ Day Commemoration; following the posting of colours and before the laying of wreaths by dignataries, a number of speeches were delivered, introduced by Superintendent Scott Desjardins.
The Chargé d’Affaires ad interim at the American Embassy in Luxembourg, Alison Shorter-Lawrence, said "every time I come to this remarkable place, I am struck by the loss and tragedy that is reflected here even in its beauty. Each headstone in this cemetery, row after row, has an individual story to tell. Each represents a real person. Collectively, they stand as testament to our Greatest Generation, a generation of men and women called upon by their country to leave their families and homes to liberate the people of Europe. Those who rest here made the ultimate sacrifice for freedom."
She added that cemeteries around the world are filled with these heroes and stated "But today, at this eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, I want us to think about another set of heroes – our veterans... They were called upon to fight for their country and to possibly make the ultimate sacrifice. They became what we call the “lucky ones” who did not die while serving their country; instead, they gave 1, 2, 3, maybe 30 years of their lives to proudly wear a US military uniform. They missed births of their children, birthdays, weddings, graduations, holidays, summers, autumns. They lived in uncomfortable and dangerous conditions many times. They lost limbs, mobility, hearing, vision, peace of mind. We think they are the lucky ones."
But she explained that the lucky ones are "really us, everyone living in Luxembourg, in Western Europe, in the United States and in countless other regions that have U.S. veterans to thank for their freedom and way of life. They deserve our profound gratitude, and we must remember to stop and say thank you; to remember and honour them."
She added "veterans can be as young as 19 or 20 and they can be men and women, single mothers, young fathers, doctors, lawyers, gas station attendants, waiters, and students. Veterans probably surrounded me then as they do today, but they were quiet about their sacrifices and losses as they often are. We need to recognise this and, most importantly, we need to thank a veteran whenever we get the chance. So today I say to all the veterans and active duty military here with us– thank you. Thank you for your service. Thank you for your sacrifices."
Colonel Joseph D. McFall, Commander of the 52nd Fighter Wing at Spangdhalem in Germany, also addresed those attending.
After the laying of the wreaths, a 21-gun salute was delivered before a bugler played and the American National Anthem was played.
Photos by US Embassy in Luxembourg
