America honors its fallen

United States Ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg, in cooperation with the American Association of the Philippines, led the ceremonies for Memorial Day, a solemn occasion that remembers the men and women of the United States Armed Forces who gave their lives to keep the flames of liberty and democracy burning.

AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Emmanuel Bautista, US Pacific Command chief Admiral Samuel Locklear as well as representatives from various civic, military and veterans organizations paid tribute to the heroism of the soldiers. It was heartwarming to see the soldiers of the Philippine Army and the US Marine Corps carrying the colors of the United States and the Philippines — a clear reminder of the strong alliance between the two countries with their soldiers fighting side by side during World War II.

Memorial Day traces its origins from a holiday formerly known as “Decoration Day,” when women would decorate the graves of the Union and Confederate soldiers who died during the American Civil War.  Over the years, the holiday eventually became celebrated not only to honor those who died during the Civil War but all the military men and women who perished in all of America’s wars. Across the US, Memorial Day is celebrated with solemn ceremonies, flag planting at cemeteries and parades.

In the Philippines, the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, located within Fort Bonifacio, contains the largest number of graves of those who died during World War II. The 152-acre cemetery’s grave area is divided into 11 curved lettered plots forming concentric bands around the high ground on which the memorial stands. Of the 17,000-plus graves, 13,434 contain identified remains including 570 Filipinos who served with the US forces. Near the center of the cemetery is a chapel containing large concrete mosaic maps that represent the achievements of the US Armed Forces in various places in Asia and the Pacific.

Photos by Ramon Joseph J. Ruiz