With COVID-19 restrictions lifted across Europe, U.S. European Command will commemorate Memorial Day in person this year for the first time since 2019.
Memorial Day is an American observance, which began in the aftermath of the Civil War and honors the lives and legacy of fallen U.S. service members. Every year, the federal holiday is observed on the last Monday in May.
After two years of virtual commemoration due to the global pandemic, the American Battle Monuments Commission, which oversees U.S. military cemeteries overseas, resumes in-person commemoration this year – and all Memorial Day ceremonies at U.S. military cemeteries will be open to the public. On May 28-30, USEUCOM will participate in Memorial Day ceremonies at 21 ABMC cemeteries in Europe.
In support of ABMC, USEUCOM and its components will provide color guards, troop formations, military chaplains, bands, buglers, general officer/flag officer speakers, firing details and flyovers at ABMC cemeteries in France, Italy, the UK, Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.
Overall, almost 70,000 U.S. service members, who made the ultimate sacrifice in either WWI or WWII, are buried on European soil.
For additional information on specific cemeteries and countries, reference the AMBC website.
To view Memorial Day 2022 content, go to www.facebook.com/eucom, www.twitter.com/us_eucom and www.instagram.com/eucomofficial.
About USEUCOM
U.S. European Command (USEUCOM) is responsible for U.S. military operations across Europe, portions of Asia and the Middle East, the Arctic and Atlantic Ocean. USEUCOM is comprised of more than 65,000 permanent military personnel supported by rotational forces and DoD civilians working closely with NATO Allies and partners. The command is one of two U.S. forward-deployed geographic combatant commands headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany. For more information about USEUCOM, visit www.eucom.mil.
