US President Joe Biden honored fallen soldiers during the 156th Memorial Day celebration at Arlington National Cemetery outside the nation’s capital on Monday.
Biden placed a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in a solemn ceremony, where he was accompanied by Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.
“We gather in this sacred place, in this solemn moment, to remember, to honor the sacrifice of the hundreds of thousands of women and men who have given their lives for this nation,” Biden said afterward in the cemetery amphitheater.
Earlier in the day, Biden hosted a White House breakfast in honor of Memorial Day that featured administration officials, military leaders, veterans and members of the so-called Gold Star family, referring to those who have lost to an immediate relative in a military action.
The Memorial Day ceremony is the latest in a series of events in which Biden has focused on active and retired military personnel, including the commencement address Saturday at the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York. .
Next week, the president will travel to Normandy, France, to participate in ceremonies commemorating the 80th anniversary of the D-Day invasion. He is expected to give a major speech on the heroism of Allied forces in World War II and the continuous threats to today’s democracy.
Thursday will mark the ninth anniversary of the death of Biden’s son Beau, who served in Iraq as part of the Delaware National Guard. Beau died of glioblastoma, a very aggressive form of brain cancer that his father believes was possibly a result of exposure to military graves in Iraq.
“This week marks nine years since I lost my son Beau,” Biden said. “Our losses are not the same. He did not die on the battlefield. He was a victim of cancer.
“The pain of their loss is with me every day… as is the pride in their service,” the president said.
On Memorial Day, every grave in Arlington has a small American flag carefully placed exactly one boot’s distance from the headstone. The flags were placed by 1,500 soldiers from the Army’s 3rd Infantry Regiment, better known as The Old Guard. The regiment has carried out the tradition, known as “Flags In,” just before Memorial Day every year since 1948, when it was designated as an official Army ceremonial unit.
[Con información de Reuters]
Connect with the Voice of America! Subscribe to our channels Youtube, WhatsApp and to the newsletter. Turn on notifications and follow us on Facebook, x and instagram.
Add Comment