The Department of Veterans Affairs is set to host Memorial Day ceremonies at over 130 cemeteries nationwide to pay tribute to the service members who sacrificed their lives for the United States.
The events will feature wreath-laying ceremonies, commemorative speeches, musical performances, moments of silence, and the playing of Taps.
“This Memorial Day weekend, we encourage Veterans and all Americans to join us as we remember and honor our nation’s fallen heroes,” stated Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough. “We are forever indebted to the service members who gave their lives in service to our country, and we will never forget their sacrifice.”
McDonough will speak at the New York State Veterans Cemetery Finger Lakes on Monday, a site often recognized as the birthplace of Memorial Day.
Veterans Affairs chief of staff Kimberly Jackson will address attendees at Wood National Cemetery in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Monday, while Veterans Affairs Deputy Secretary Tanya Bradsher is scheduled to speak at the Baltimore National Cemetery on May 30.
Undersecretary for Memorial Affairs Matt Quinn remarked, “We can never underestimate or under-appreciate the sacrifice made by the brave men and women who died in service to the country,” according to Military.com. “Likewise, it is our duty to show appreciation to our Gold Star family members. We can never repay them for their sacrifices.”
If veterans or their loved ones cannot visit a cemetery, they can honor fallen service members by leaving a tribute on the VA’s Veterans Legacy Memorial website.
This year marks the 80th anniversary of D-Day. Approximately 16 million Americans served in the armed forces during World War II, with around 100,000 veterans from that time still living.
