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The American Battle Monuments Commission commemorated the 82nd anniversary of D‑Day with a ceremony at Normandy American Cemetery, honoring the service and sacrifice of U.S. military personnel and their allies who gave their lives during the Allied landings and ensuing operations of World War II.
Welcoming remarks were delivered by ABMC Chairman Gen. (ret.) Michael X. Garrett. The ceremony included speeches by U.S. Secretary of War Peter Hegseth; French Minister of the Armed Forces Catherine Vautrin; U.S. Ambassador to the French Republic Charles Kushner; and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan “Razin” Caine. The invocation and benediction were offered by U.S. Army Europe and Africa Chaplain Col. Brian Koyn.
The ceremony also featured a formal wreath-laying ceremony, accompanied by the playing of taps by a U.S. Navy band from U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa.
“Our duty is not just to preserve this place—the marble headstones, the green grass, and the bronze sculptures,” said Garrett. “We must preserve its meaning. And to do that is to realize that these graves do not call us to be looked upon in admiration. They call us to remember who these men and women were in life, and to reflect on why their sacrifices still matter in a world that looks very different today.”
World War II veterans present at the ceremony were warmly welcomed by organizers, dignitaries, and attendees, underscoring the enduring gratitude for their service and sacrifice.
Among them D-Day veteran, U.S. Navy Lt. Arthur Rose, also addressed the audience, reading from a letter he wrote to his family in the days following the historic landing. Rose, now 107 years old, served as an engineering officer in command of a fleet of 36 vessels during the Normandy campaign, responsible for delivering supplies, ammunition, and equipment to Army forces ashore.
The ceremony is available on: DVIDS – Webcast – 82nd Anniversary of D-Day at Normandy American Cemetery
Normandy American Cemetery is located in Colleville-sur-Mer, France, on the site of the temporary American St. Laurent Cemetery, established by the U.S. First Army June 8, 1944, as the first American cemetery on western European soil in World War II. The site contains the graves of approximately 9,400 U.S. military dead, most of whom lost their lives in the D-Day landings and ensuing operations. In addition, approximately 1,600 names are inscribed on its walls of the missing.
The American Battle Monuments Commission sites are a constant reminder of Gen. John J. Pershing’s promise that, “time will not dim the glory of their deeds.”
