Local military, civilians honor veterans at Madingley

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Kristina Barrett
  • 501st Combat Support Wing Public Affairs
Cambridge American Cemetery at Madingley, United Kingdom --  Military, civilian and British members from the tri-base area gathered Nov. 12 to honor military veterans with an 11 a.m. ceremony at the Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial at Madingley.
It is a long-standing tradition for bases in the United Kingdom to hold Veteran's and Memorial Day ceremonies at the nearby cemetery.
Formations of military members from the 501st Combat Support Wing/423rd Air Base Group at RAF Alconbury, the European Command Joint Analysis Center at RAF Molesworth, the Royal Air Force and the Alconbury High School Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps joined the RAF Wyton Band as participants in the ceremony. Guest speakers were Col. Kimberly Toney, 501st CSW commander, and Air Marshall Black Robertson, British and American Community Relations Committee chairperson.
The invocation was performed by Chaplain (Capt.) Robert Monagle and Capt. Shelly Frank was the Master of Ceremonies.
"The United States and Great Britain have been allies for many years and Remembrance Day...Veterans Day is the one civic commemoration day our two nations share," Col. Toney said. We are honored to be here today, in the midst of these hallowed grounds, with you - our friends and allies and with our beloved Veterans of the past, present and future. "
The colonel paid homage to all veterans, living and dead.
"Courage, character, commitment, compassion, selflessness..... These are just some of the attributes we admire when we honor our nation's veterans," she continued. "As we join arms and hearts here today to celebrate our Remembrance day...Our Veterans Day.....it is very fitting we gather together in such a place of honor. Daily, our Veterans continue to make this sacrifice and we continue to fight for freedom and we will never stop."
The wreath-laying ceremony included wreaths representing active and retired military units and others presented on behalf of civilian communities. In all, 38 wreaths were presented. The Joint Analysis Center provided the Color Guard while the firing of volleys and playing of Taps was performed by the 423rd ABG Honor Guard.
"The brave service members that we remember and honor come from different walks of life, but they share a common love of country and love of freedom," said Chaplain (Capt.) David Zavala during the benediction. "Some fought for their squadron, others for their battalion, and still others for their platoon, but all fought for their country so that our liberties may be preserved. We don't take their sacrifices lightly or for granted. Instead, we remember and honor their sacrifices. The heroism of each will be remembered as long as this memorial shall stand."
The chaplain's prayer was wrapped up by a perfectly-timed flyover of a KC-135 from the 100th Air Refueling Wing at RAF Mildenhall.
The World War II Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial is located three miles west of Cambridge on the A1303. The site, thirty and a half acres in extent, was donated by the University of Cambridge. Established on 7th December 1943, the American Cemetery at Madingley is the only American WWII burial ground in England. The 3,800 white crosses, and the Portland stone wall inscribed with 5,000 names, pay tribute to American servicemen and women who died in the war. There are 3,812 American military dead buried there. On the wall running from the entrance to the chapel are inscribed the names of 5,126 Americans who gave their lives in the service of their country, but whose remains were never recovered or identified. Most of these died in the Battle of the Atlantic or in the strategic air bombardment of Northwest Europe during World War II.