Allies pay tribute to heroes

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Timothy Kim
  • 52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs
The 52nd Fighter Wing paid tribute to Veterans Day with a wreath-laying ceremony at the Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial, Hamm, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg, Nov. 11, 2015.

U.S. Air Force Col. Joe McFall, 52nd FW commander, and U.S. Air Force Col. Steve Horton, 52nd FW vice commander, attended the ceremony alongside Helen Patton, chairman of the Patton Foundation and U.S. Air Force Gen. George Patton's granddaughter, Alison Shorter-Lawrence, Charge d 'Affairs of the U.S. Embassy in Luxembourg, and the U.S. Armed Forces veterans who served alongside U.S. Army George Patton.

McFall thanked distinguished guests, service members and their families for showing up during the start of the official ceremony, which started on "the 11th Hour, the 11th Day of the 11th Month."

"I can't tell you what an honor it is for me to be here on these hallowed grounds amongst our fallen heroes," McFall said. "During World War II, we partnered together to survive and eventually end the Axis occupation in all of Europe. Those experiences, those early interactions and friendships complete our early veterans' lasting friendships that we are honored to uphold and strengthen. Today, we honor those who don and who have donned the uniform in service of our country."

Shorter-Lawrence reflected on veterans who are outside of the uniform and the great sacrifice they make to serve their country.

"They were the men and women called upon to leave their homes who left their families to liberate the people of Europe," Shorter-Lawrence said. "Veterans can be 19 or 20 years-old, men, women, single mothers, fathers, doctors, waiters or students. Veterans surrounded me then as they do today. They were quiet about their sacrifices and losses as they still are. We need to recognize this, and most importantly, we need to thank a veteran whenever we see them."

The cemetery, one of the fourteen permanent World War II American military cemeteries erected on foreign soil, rests 5,076 American service members and was established Dec. 29, 1944 by the 609th Quartermaster Company of the U.S. Third Army in Luxembourg, which served as headquarters for Patton, whose headstone was raised there.

For more photos, visit the Spangdahlem Flickr page here.