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Military Funerals and Honors

Ceremonial images capturing military funerals, with personnel providing honors and tributes to fallen servicemen in somber settings.

Soldier funeral at Arlington National Cemetery

(From left to right) Mary Ann Smith, a Gold Star daughter; Luxembourg Ambassador to the U.S. Nicole Bintner-Bakshian; Joe Landry, a 776th AAA Battalion WWII veteran of the Battle of the Bulge; Joe Mohor, president and CEO, Battle of the Bulge Association; William Stroud, a Gold Star son; Darrell Bush, 98, a former U.S. Army Staff Sergeant and a WWII veteran of the Battle of the Bulge; and Sophie Karlshausen, deputy chief of mission, Belgium Embassy in the U.S.; pose for a photo following a wreath-laying ceremony at the Battle of the Bulge monument in Section 46, Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va., Jan. 25, 2023. The ceremony commemorated the ending of the Battle of the Bulge on this date in 1945.The Battle of the Bulge, described by Winston Churchill as "undoubtedly the greatest American battle" of World War II, took place in the Ardennes Forest region of Belgium and Luxembourg from December 16, 1944, to January 25, 1945. The last major German counteroffensive on the Western F

The flag is raised above the Marine Corps War Memorial during a wreath laying ceremony Feb. 23, 2011, to honor the 66th anniversary of the flag raising on Mt. Suribachi during the battle of Iwo Jima. Marines, veterans and guests gathered to honor an event, which lifted the hope of a nation at war during the heat of the Second World War.

U.S. Military Members from U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, U.S.Army Garrison Italy, Aviano Air Base, Camp Darby Military Community and Military Vaterans honored their comrades who lost their life for our freedom, at Florence Memorial Cemetery, Italy, May 30, 2022. Consul General of the United States in Florence, Ragini Gupta read the Presidential Proclamation to open the commemoration ceremony. Guests of honor were the United States Ambassador for the Holy See Joseph Donnelly, the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa Commander, and the U.S. Army Europe and Africa Deputy Commanding General, Major Gen. Andrew Rohling, and the Italian Deputy Minister of Defense, Honorable Stefania Pucciarelli.

Chief of Navy Reserve honors the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Midway.WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 6, 2022) Vice Adm. John B. Mustin, Chief of Navy Reserve and Commander, Navy Reserve Force, is keynote speaker during the 80th year commemoration of the Battle of Midway at the U.S. Navy Memorial in Washington, D.C. on June 6, 2022. Mustin states during the ceremony that "the victory at Midway was primarily the result of decisions made and actions taken by individuals at decisive moments in the course of the battle. Today we commemorate those who sacrificed and refused to yield. Those who ensured American triumph at Midway. Those whose selfless dedication contributed to the defense of global freedom over tyranny. Those whose service turned the tide of war of the battle in the Pacific - and of the entire war."The Battle of Midway was a major American victory by the U.S. Navy against Japans Imperial Navy, turning the tide of war, near the island of Midway in the Pacific Ocean, June 4-7, 1942,

Members of the 3rd Infantry (The Old Guard) present arms and salute the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier during the changing of the guard at Arlington National Cemetery. Base: Arlington State: Virginia (VA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army Gen. Mark A. Milley salutes the American flag during an observance ceremony at the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial to honor the 184 lives lost in the 2001 terrorist attack at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., Sept. 11, 2022. (DoD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Alexander Kubitza)

U.S. service members and guests lay wreaths in honor of the missing during the National POW/MIA Recognition Day Ceremony at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Sept. 16, 2022. This day was first established in 1979 through a proclamation from President Jimmy Carter, in observance to honor and recognize the sacrifices of those Americans who have been prisoners of war and to remind the nation of those who are still missing in action. Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agencys mission is to achieve the fullest possible accounting for missing and unaccounted-for U.S. personnel to their families and our nation.

President Barack Obama lays a Presidential challenge coin on a grave in Section 60 at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., May 30, 2011. Section 60 is reserved for military personnel who have lost their lives while fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Annual Rolling Thunder motorcycle rally and related events on the National Mall, with Secretary Dirk Kempthorne among officials on hand

An Air Force Honor Guard member places a shadow box in front of a memorial for one of the 18 victims killed in a March 3rd C-23 Sherpa plane crash in Unadilla, Georgia. Friends of 18 Virginia Air National Guard and three Florida Army National Guard members paid tribute to the men at a memorial service in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The memorial, which took place at Rock Church, was attended by Deputy Secretary of Defense, Paul D. Wolfowitz (not shown) and various other civilian and military dignitaries and over 4000 members of the community. The 18 airmen were assigned to the 203rd Red Horse Flight at Camp Pendleton State Military Reservation in Virginia Beach, Virginia and were returning .... Complete Scene Caption: An Air Force Honor Guard member places a shadow box in front of a memorial for one of the 18 victims killed in a March 3rd C-23 Sherpa plane crash in Unadilla, Georgia. Friends of 18 Virginia Air National Guard and three Florida Army National Guard members paid tribute to

U.S. Navy Recruit Training Command's Pass in Review in Great Lakes, Illinois, Jan. 25, 2024. More than 40,000 recruits train annually at the Navy's only boot camp

Corporal David B. Milano, MIA, was lost in action during the Korean War on December 2, 1950. After 71 years, he will be repatriated back to the United States and reunited with his family. An Honor Guard made up of members of the Utah National Guard conduct an Honorable Carry at the Salt Lake City International Airport, April 26, 2022. Milano was born in Chicago, Illinois on Dec. 23, 1932, to Albert and Lida Milano. His family relocated to Utah, where Milano will be laid to rest next to his mother, sister and brother-in-law at Evergreen Memorial Park, 100 Monroe Blvd., Ogden, Utah.

Arlington National Cemetery Burial

Army soldiers standing near a memorial, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia, USA

U.S. Marines assigned to the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, Task Force Los Angeles, U.S. Sailors assigned to the amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2), and first responders from Torrance Fire Emergency Medical Services, place flags on the graves of veterans at Green Hills Memorial Park in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, to commemorate Memorial Day during Los Angeles Fleet Week, May 28, 2022. The purpose of Fleet Week is to showcase the capabilities of the Navy-Marine Corps team and give back to the community with events, static displays, and personal interactions between service members and the public.

1960s GUARD AT TOMB OF UNKNOWN SOLDIER ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY WASHINGTON DC USA

041207-F-8970B-002. Base: Hickam Air Force Base State: Hawaii (HI) Country: United States Of America (USA)

A small american flag and a single rose by the Vietnam memorial

Flooding Severe Storm - Madison, Tenn. , May 29, 2010 Gary Lima, TEMA Community Relations Coordinator, leads Boy Scout troop #460 in a Memorial Day project to place flags on graves in the Nashville National Memorial Cemetery. Gary's work as a Scout Master and State Community Relations Coordinator illuminates his service to the people of Tennessee. David Fine/FEMA. Tennessee Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes. Photographs Relating to Disasters and Emergency Management Programs, Activities, and Officials

A Vietnam Veterans Memorial docent makes a rubbing for the family of Spc. 4 Donald P. Sloat who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor earlier this week, Washington, D.C., Sept. 17, 2014. Sloat distinguished himself while serving as a machine gunner with the 1st Infantry Regiment, 196th Light Infantry Brigade, Americal Division, during combat operations against an armed enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On the morning of Jan. 17, 1970, Sloat's squad moved up a hill in file formation, when the lead Soldier tripped a wire attached to a hand grenade booby-trap, set up by enemy forces. When the grenade rolled down the hill toward Sloat, he picked up the grenade to throw it away from his fellow Soldiers. After initially attempting to throw the grenade, Sloat realized that detonation was imminent, and that two or three men near him would be killed or seriously injured if he couldn't shield them from the blast. In an instant, Sloat chose to draw the grenade to his body, shielding his sq

A U.S. Coast Guard Academy cadet lays a wreaths in memory of Prisoners of War, Dec. 2, 2022. Each year, the ceremony carries out its mission to Remember - Honor - Teach by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery as well as more than 3,400 other locations worldwide.

Family members of Airman 1st Class Justin Wood, deceased, take photos of a Khobar Towers monument at Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, Alabama, June 24, 2022. Woods life was taken during the bombing of Khobar Towers on June 25, 1996. Woods family attended the unveiling ceremony to show their support to those who survived.

Soldiers assigned to the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) participated in an Army Honor Wreath Ceremony for the Secret Service Washington Field Office at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia, June 24, 2022. Special Agent Matthew Stohler, Special Agent in Charge (SES) Washington Field Office, participated in the wreath-laying hosted by Maj. Gen. Allan M. Pepin, commanding general, Joint Task Force-National Capital Region and the U.S. Army Military District of Washington.

The newly 2nd Armored Division monument is displayed at the Mairie de Carentan-les-Marais, June 2, 2022, during the 2nd Armored Division Plaque Dedication Ceremony, at Mairie de Carentan-les-Marais, Carentan, France. The Soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division and 2nd Armored Division met approximately around the plaque to liberate the town of Carentan, June 1944.

Korean War Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C. The main element of the memorial is the stainless-steel sculptures of heavily dressed soldiers troopers on patrol. Some of the most indelible images of the war are images of the troops suffering in winter weather. (BSLOC_2014_11_274)

A tomb guard from the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) walks the mat during snowfall at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va., Jan. 19, 2024.

PEARL HARBOR (Dec. 7, 2012) A survivor of the attack on Pearl Harbor is rendered a salute as he departs the 71st Anniversary Pearl Harbor Day Commemoration ceremony at the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center. More than 2,000 guests, including Pearl Harbor survivors and other veterans, attended the National Park Service and U.S. Navy-hosted joint memorial ceremony at the World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument. This year's theme focused on "Coming of Age - From Innocence to Valor."

A Coast Guardsman prepares to ring a memorial bell Thursday in Yorktown, Virginia to honor of each of the eleven lives lost on the anniversary of the sinking of the USCGC Cuyahoga (WIX 157) after it collided with the Argentine M/V Santa Cruz II in the Chesapeake Bay. Coast Guard Training Center Yorktown hosted a memorial ceremony to coincide with the 44th anniversary of the tragedy.

A wreath is placed in front of the Space Mirror Memorial at NASAs Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex during the NASA Day of Remembrance on Jan. 27, 2022. Kennedy Space Center in Florida paid tribute to the crews of Apollo 1 and space shuttles Challenger and Columbia, as well as other astronauts who lost their lives while furthering the cause of exploration and discovery.

Army Sgt. Howard R. Belden, 19, of Hague, New York, killed during the Korean War, was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia, May 12, 2022. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency accounted for Belden on Oct. 14, 2021. In attendance at the funeral was Belden's sister, Barbara Curtis, and three of his brothers, Arthur, Daniel, and Arnold.

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World War II Veterans and representatives of those who could not be in attendance receive a challenge coin at the Eternal Heroes Monument in Normandy, France, June 2, 2022. World War II Veterans and representatives of the 82nd Airborne Division and 101st Airborne Divisions (Air Assault) came to honor fallen Paratroopers who liberated Ravenoville in June of 1944.

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (May 31, 2022) U.S Naval Academy Command Chaplain Capt. Richard Bonnette delivers remarks at the funeral for retired Adm. Thomas B. Hayward, the 21st Chief of Naval Operations, held in the U.S. Naval Academy Main Chapel. Hayward was born May 3, 1924 in Glendale, California. After serving as an enlisted Sailor during World War II, Hayward attended the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating in 1947. An aviator, he repeatedly served aboard aircraft carriers at sea and in training and test pilot commands ashore. He served as Commander, U.S. Seventh Fleet and then as Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet prior to being named CNO. He passed away on March 3, 2022.

U.S. Navy Hull Maintenance Technician 3rd Class Naomi Nanez, right, attached to the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS Arlington (LPD 24), and U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Nicholas Shiam, attached to the II Marine Expeditionary Force, salute the world trade center as the Arlington arrives to New York City, Nov. 9, 2022. Arlington Sailors and Marines participate in events in and around New York City during the week-long Veterans Day New York celebration to honor the service and sacrifice of the nations veterans.

Family and friends pay respects to Air Force Brig. Gen. Robert Cardenas at the Miramar National Cemetery, San Diego, California, March 31, 2022. Cardenas was born March 10, 1920, and passed away March 10, 2022.

The headstone of Master Sgt. Michael George Heiser rests at Arlington National Cemetery, Va., near family members and friends gathered at a remembrance ceremony on Sunday, June 25, marking the 10th anniversary of the Khobar Towers bombing. Nineteen Airmen were killed in the terrorist bombing at Dhahran Air Base, Saudi Arabia, on June 25, 1996.

U.S. Border Patrol Agent Sergio Nava, the Big Bend Sector Honor Guard Commander, shown saluting during the Bend Area Law Enforcement Officers Association memorial to fallen officers on May 25, 2022, on the campus of Sul Ross State University in Alpine, Texas. Nava is responsible for training Big Bend Sector honor guard personnel and leads them during ceremonies.

U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Steven J. Butow, commander of the California Air National Guard, in attendance for the 9/11 memorial ceremony at The Flame of Liberty Memorial, Los Gatos, Calif., Sept. 11, 2022. Hosted by The Veterans Memorial & Support Foundation, the memorial ceremony honored the men and women who lost their lives and honored the first responders who sacrifice their lives. (U.S. Air National Guard video by Tech. Sgt. Deepak Prasad)

DA-SC-85-00641. Base: Washington State: District Of Columbia (DC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Visit of Secretary Dirk Kempthorne and aides to Pearl Harbor, Honolulu, Hawaii for commemorative events on the 65th anniversary of the Japanese attack

Flowers At The National 9/11 Memorial At Ground Zero Manhattan In New York City, New York State, United State, Usa

Ceo Bauer (center right), a World War II veteran who fought with the U.S. Armys 95th Infantry Division, and two other World War II 95th Division veterans lay a wreath at the gravesite of U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Harry Twaddle, former 95th Division Commander, in Section 2 of Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va., Oct. 20, 2022. This wreath-laying was part of the 95th Division Legacy Associations 72nd Reunion.

U.S. Air Force Maj. Dayne Foote, commander of the 36th Security Forces Squadron, carriers a wreath during the annual Peace Officers Memorial Service and Wreath Laying Ceremony on May 15, 2022, at the Hagatna Police Precinct, Guam. The ceremony was held to honor all the law enforcement agencies on Guam, as well as those protectors who have fallen in the line of duty.

Personnel with the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) render a salute to a Mi-17 memorial during a remembrance ceremony at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, April 7, 2023. The memorial service helped strengthen the resolve of personnel at DPAA to continue the pursuit to provide the fullest possible accounting for missing personnel to their families and the nation.

030312-M-8337G-022. Base: Iwo Jima Country: Japan (JPN) Scene Major Command Shown: III MEF

Sailors assigned to Navy Region Hawaii and the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) conduct an interment ceremony held at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Sept. 21, 2022. DPAA and attending family members paid their respects and honored the life of Petty Officer 1st Class Beoin Corzatt, who was assigned to the USS Oklahoma when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft during World War II. Corzatt was accounted for on Dec. 17, 2020, nearly 80 years after the attacks on Pearl Harbor.

220606-N-DD308-1486 WASHINGTON (June 06, 2022) --A wreath rests at the Navy Memorial during a Battle of Midway commemoration ceremony, June 6, 2022. Naval District Washington conducted a wreath laying ceremony to honor all service members who fought at the Battle of Midway.

HONIARA, Solomon Islands (Sept. 9, 2022) - Capt. Hank Kim, Pacific Partnership 2022 mission commander, lays a wreath upon the grave of Sir Jacob C. Vouza, a World War II veteran, while on a tour during Pacific Partnership 2022. Now in its 17th year, Pacific Partnership is the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster relief preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific. Pacific Partnership is a unifying mission that fosters enduring friendships and cooperation among many nations. The years mission in Solomon Islands will include participants from the United States, Japan and Australia.

020418-F-2902B-011. Subject Operation/Series: ENDURING FREEDOM Base: Kandahar Air Base Country: Afghanistan (AFG) Scene Major Command Shown: AMC

ARLINGTON, Va. (May 2, 2013) Family members pay respects during the graveside interment ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery for four Sailors killed during the Vietnam War. Lt. Dennis Peterson, from Huntington Park, Calif.; Ensign Donald Frye, from Los Angeles; and Aviation Antisubmarine Warfare Technicians 2nd Class William Jackson, from Stockdale, Texas, and Donald McGrane, from Waverly, Iowa, all four assigned to Helicopter Squadron (HS) 2, were killed when their SH-3A Sea King helicopter was shot down July 19, 1967 over Ha Nam Province, North Vietnam.

A memorial wreath has been placed in the Heroes and Legends exhibit at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida following a ceremony honoring the memory of former astronaut Owen Garriott. The ceremony was held April 18, 2019. Garriott flew aboard the Skylab space station during the Skylab 3 mission and also on space shuttle Columbia for the STS-9/Spacelab-1 mission. He passed away April 15 at the age of 88.

Sgt. (Ret.) Diane M. Buszta removes the cover from her name inscribed on the granite walls during the Court of Honor Unveiling Ceremony at Camp Ripley, October 2, 2022. The Court of Honor monument is located outside the Minnesota Military Museum on base and features nearly 500 names of previous Minnesota service members, living and deceased, who have been honored with induction. (Minnesota National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Mahsima Alkamooneh)

030408-F-7503W-040. Base: Charleston Air Force Base State: South Carolina (SC) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: ANG

KINGS BAY, Ga., (Nov. 4, 2022) Tony Faella (left) and Joe Dietz (right), both WWII submarine veterans, carry a wreath in memory of fallen submariners on eternal patrol during the Submarine Veterans of WWII Memorial Service at Naval Submarine Kings Bay. Faella, who turned 100 in September, served aboard the submarine USS Spearfish (SS 190), which earned 10 battle stars during the duration of the war. Dietz served aboard USS Besugo (SS 321), which was credited with sinking a German submarine off the coast of modern-day Indonesia during the war.

California State Guard members are presented with honorary wreaths to display for fallen troops during the annual Memorial Day Observance Ceremony at Oak Hill Funeral Home & Memorial Park, San Jose, California, May 30 2022. The 129th Rescue Wing was invited to host an HH-60G Pave Hawk flyover event for the annual ceremony, which honored veterans of all armed forces of the United States.

Minnesotas Army Command Sgt. Maj. George Jensen removes the cover from Command Sgt. Maj. (Ret.) John M. Lepowskys name inscribed on the granite walls during the Court of Honor Unveiling Ceremony at Camp Ripley, October 2, 2022. The Court of Honor monument is located outside the Minnesota Military Museum on base and features nearly 500 names of previous Minnesota service members, living and deceased, who have been honored with induction. (Minnesota National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Mahsima Alkamooneh)

An airmen, salutes a wreath to honor the memory of silent warriors that paid the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our country from 1948 to present at Vigilant Memorial Park, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, Sept. 9, 2022.

Soldiers listen to ninety-eight-year old U.S. veteran Charles Shay, who was a nineteen year old Army medic when he landed on Omaha Beach on D-Day, speak about his experiences on Omaha Beach in Normandy, France, June 1, 2022. During D-Day, 1944, United States service members stormed Omaha Beach, June 6, 1944, as part of Operation Overlord, the code name for the battle of Normandy, an operation that launched the successful invasion of German-occupied areas in Western Europe during World War II.

The Navy Region Hawaii Firing Team conduct a 21-gun salute during an internment ceremony for U.S. Navy Fire Controlman 2nd Class George Gilbert, 20, of Indianapolis, at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, HI, June 6, 2022. Gilbert was assigned to the USS Oklahoma, which sustained fire from Japanese aircraft and multiple torpedo hits causing the ship to capsize and resulted in the deaths of more than 400 crew members on Dec. 7, 1941, at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor. Gilbert was recently identified through DNA analysis by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency forensic laboratory and laid to rest with full military honors.

Kim Sutton, niece of Petty Officer 1st Class Beoin Corzatt, places a rose on a casket an interment ceremony held at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Sept. 21, 2022. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) and attending family members payed their respects and honored the life of Corzatt, who was assigned to the USS Oklahoma when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft during World War II. Corzatt was accounted for on Dec. 17, 2020, nearly 80 years after the attacks on Pearl Harbor.

FORT KNOX, Ky. - Becky Welch, widow of 1st Lt. Robert F. Welch, takes a moment to remember at the Memorial Dedication and Fallen Hero Ceremony, Mar. 9. The days events culminated in the dedication of a memorial for all the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division Soldiers who have died since 2001 in the Global War on Terror. 1st Lt. Welch died last year from wounds suffered in a rocket attack at Forward Operating Base Salerno, Afghanistan.

The West Gate entrance sign at Ramstein Air Base, Germany became the site of an impromptu memorial by German civilians in honor of the victims in Tuesdays terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centers Twin Towers and at the Pentagon. Hijackers deliberately flew civilian airliners into the buildings, killing themselves, the passengers and thousands on the ground, on September 11th. Base: Ramstein Air Base State: Rheinland-Pfalz Country: Deutschland / Germany (DEU) Scene Major Command Shown: USAFE

111207-N-WX059-039PEARL HARBOR (Dec. 7, 2011) Roy Carter, a Pearl Harbor survivor, views the USS Oklahoma memorial on Ford Island. Carter was a carpenter's mate 2nd class while aboard USS Oklahoma and retired from the U.S. Navy at the rank of lieutenant commander.

Friends and family gather to honor the life of Medal of Honor recipient Pfc. Robert E. Simanek at Great Lakes National Cemetery, Holly, Michigan, on Aug. 12, 2022. Simanek displayed extreme courage and unselfishness on a patrol during the Korean War as he threw himself on top of a grenade to save his fellow Marines from serious injury or even death. Simanek was gravely injured by his heroic actions, but his bravery inspired those who observed him.

060525-N-4936C-008. Base: New York State: New York (NY) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Mrs. Jessie Higa, Volunteer Historian and members from the 15th Wings Base Honor Guard place a lei on a memorial during the 81st Remembrance Ceremony at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, Dec. 7, 2022. The annual remembrance ceremony is held at the same location as the attacks in 1941 to honor and commemorate those affected by the aerial attack.

Secretary Gale Norton, National Park Service Deputy Director Don Murphy, National Park Service Director Fran Mainella, left to right, visiting the African Burial Ground in New York City, New York, on day of the announcement of the designation of the Burial Ground as a National Monument

World War II veteran attended and was honored during the Carre de Choux (Cabbage Patch) Ceremony in Carentan, France, on June 3, 2022. This ceremony commemorates the 78th Anniversary of D-Day, the largest multi-national amphibious landing and operational military airdrop in history. The Cabbage Patch Commemoration Ceremony and Parade paid homage to the Paratroopers of the 101st Airborne Division who fought enemy forces occupying this area surrounding Carentan.

The City of Mandeville unveiled a permanent memorial to Mandeville Police Captain Vincent Liberto Jr., in Mandeville, Louisiana, Sept. 14, 2022. Liberto served 10 years in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve before being honorably discharged as a sergeant. He was shot and killed in the line of duty, Sept. 20, 2019. U.S. Marine Corps Col. Justin Ansel, the assistant chief of staff for the Marine Forces Reserve G-3/5 and a Mandeville resident, attended the dedication on behalf of the Marine Corps. We as officers owe it to America to give back someone whos better physically, mentally, morally. Thats what we do in the Marine Corps, said Ansel. We make Marines; we make them better mentally, physically, and morally, and then they go back into their communities. Vinnie Liberto is just a perfect example of this. His irrational call to serve continued from his Marine Corps service to public service as a Mandeville police officer.

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