Military Honors and Ceremonies

Images depicting military honors for veterans, including graveside services and memorial ceremonies, emphasizing respect and remembrance for service members.

221004-M-VR919-1047 SAN FRANCISCO (October 4, 2022) James Hong, left, and Ed Baumgarten, both members of the Cathay Post 384, volunteer to serve service members during the American Legion Lunch for San Francisco Fleet Week 2022 at San Francisco War Memorial, California, Oct. 4, 2022. SFFW is an opportunity for the American public to meet their Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard teams and experience Americas sea services. During fleet week, service members participate in various community service events, showcase capabilities and equipment to the community, and enjoy the hospitality of the city and its surrounding areas.

After 72 years, Pfc. Kenneth LeRoy Bridger was finally laid to rest and closure was given to his family during a full military honors graveside ceremony held in Twin Falls, Idaho, on May 21. Bridger was reported missing in action on Nov. 30, 1950, while serving alongside his fellow U.S. troops during the war against North Korea. Bridgers remains were identified on Jan. 26, 2022. Bridger was just 17 years old when he went missing and was a member of Company K, 3rd Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He enlisted into the U.S. Army from Colville, Washington, but his remaining family resides in Idaho where he was laid to rest next to his brothers and his mother. Bridgers four living siblings, along with their families, attended the private ceremony. Maj. Gen. Michael Garshak, Idahos adjutant general, presented Wilber Bridger, Pfc. Bridgers brother and oldest surviving relative, the U.S. flag and the Purple Heart on his brother's behalf. Bridgers brothers Lynn and Halb

Col. Rick Weaver, Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center post commander, Mississippi Army National Guard, salutes Voetress Breazeale, niece of Pvt. Andrew J. Ladner, during a memorial service for Ladner at St. Thomas Catholic Church in Long Beach, Mississippi, April 9, 2022. Ladner, 30, of Harrison County, Mississippi, was listed as killed in action, but his remains were not accounted for until accounted for on July 9, 2021 in New Guinea.

U.S. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo delivers remarks and participated in the annual Veterans Roll Call at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. on November 9, 2018.

WWII pilot and combat veteran, Mr. Lyndol Palin connects with Col. Christopher Tumilowicz, 158th Operations Group Commander, in front of a Green Mountain Boy F-16 at the 158th Fighter Wing. Palin spent an afternoon engaging with the 134th Fighter Squadron at the Vermont Air National Guard Base, S. Burlington, Vt. June 3, 2018.

Secratary of Defense, The Honorable William Cohen, welcomes US Senator John H. Glenn Jr. and Mrs Glenn onstage at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, during the Secretary of Defense Holiday Tour 2000, in Hangar 3 at Ramstein on December 17th 2000. Base: Ramstein Air Base State: Rheinland-Pfalz Country: Deutschland / Germany (DEU)

U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Robert F. Whittle, the deputy commanding general for U.S. Army North, attends the opening ceremony and proclamation reading for the 52nd anniversary of Celebrate Americas Military in San Antonio, Texas, Oct. 31, 2022. The Celebrate Americas Military opening ceremony honors active, guard, and reserve military service members, families, and veterans and recognizes the many organizations that support them year-round.

A World War II Veteran attends the Normandy American Cemetery commemoration ceremony at Colleville-Sur-Mer, Normandy, France, June 6, 2022. This ceremony commemorated Soldiers who died in Europe during World War II.

221004-M-VR919-1047 SAN FRANCISCO (October 4, 2022) James Hong, left, and Ed Baumgarten, both members of the Cathay Post 384, volunteer to serve service members during the American Legion Lunch for San Francisco Fleet Week 2022 at San Francisco War Memorial, California, Oct. 4, 2022. SFFW is an opportunity for the American public to meet their Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard teams and experience Americas sea services. During fleet week, service members participate in various community service events, showcase capabilities and equipment to the community, and enjoy the hospitality of the city and its surrounding areas.

111207-N-SD120-010 NEW ORLEANS (Dec. 7, 2011) Capt. Thomas Luscher, commanding officer of Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans, shakes hands with David Breedlove, a Pearl Harbor survivor, during the Pearl Harbor 70th anniversary commemoration at the National World War II Museum. Breedlove was assigned to Ford Island Naval Air Station during the attack on Pearl Harbor.

110603-N-ZB612-166WASHINGTON (June 3, 2011) Battle of Midway veterans are congratulated with a standing ovation during a Battle of Midway commemoration ceremony at the U.S. Navy Memorial in Washington D.C.

KINGS BAY, Ga., (Nov. 4, 2022) Veterans and family members render honors during the tolling of the bell during the Submarine Veterans of WWII Memorial Service at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay. Two World War II veterans attended the ceremony in addition to hundreds of submarine veterans and family members. The tolling of the bell honors the 65 U.S. submarines and 3,897 submariners lost at sea who remain on eternal patrol. This is the 34th year Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay has held the memorial service.

Federal and state elected officials, senior National Guard military leaders, and fellow Soldiers joined friends and families at the farewell ceremony for the Wyoming-based Alpha Company, 2-149th Aviation Battalion (Wyoming Outriders), in the Joint Forces Readiness Center auditorium Cheyenne, Wyo., June 9, 2022. The Wyoming Outriders will be supporting Operation Inherent Resolve in the Middle East.

97-year-old American World War II veteran, George Merz, renders a salute, June 3, 2022, during the D-Day 78th Anniversary Events, at Montebourg, Normandie, France. George Merz enlisted in the army on May 12, 1943, was assigned to the 818th Military Police Company and landed in Normandy on June 13, 1944.

U.S. veterans sit and talk during the National POW/MIA Recognition Day Ceremony at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Sept. 16, 2022. The event is held every year on the third Friday of September, honoring prisoners of war and missing-in-action service members. DPAAs mission is to achieve the fullest possible accounting for missing and unaccounted-for U.S. personnel to their families and our nation.

Cleve Fair, a member of the Marine Corps League, recites the Pledge of Allegiance after the unveiling of 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

Brig. Gen. Tommy Mancino, the adjutant general for Oklahoma, addresses guests during a Memorial Day ceremony hosted by the 45th Infantry Division Museum in Oklahoma City, May 30, 2022. The museum has held military remembrance ceremonies since its establishment in September 1976. (Oklahoma National Guard photo by Sgt. Reece Heck)

Mr. Derek Black, right, Private Waldean Blacks closest relative is presented with the American flag by Lt. Col. Rogelio Salvador Oregon, executive officer of Marine Artillery Detachment Oklahoma, left, during Private Waldean Blacks funeral in Perryton, Texas, April 28, 2022. Private Black was aboard the USS Oklahoma during the attack on Pearl Harbor and was unidentified in a mass grave until recent DNA tests confirmed his identity and he was brought back home to his family in Perryton, Texas.

(from left to right) US Air Force General Gregory S. Martin, Commander, US Air Forces in Europe, Mrs. Wendy Martin, Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen, Mrs Janet Langhart Cohen, Senator John Glenn, Mrs Anne Glenn and Medal of Honor Recipient Mr. Sammy Davis enjoy the Secretary of Defense's Holiday Show 2000 at Ramstein Air Base, Germany on December 17, 2000. Base: Ramstein Air Base State: Rheinland-Pfalz Country: Deutschland / Germany (DEU)

U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Darius Banaji, Deputy Director for Operations, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), presents the U.S flag to a family member of an accounted for service member, during an interment ceremony held at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, April 20, 2022. DPAA and attending family members paid their respects and honored the life of U.S. Navy Seaman 1st Class Biacio Casola, who was assigned to the USS Oklahoma when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft during World War II. Casola was accounted for on July 26, 2021 nearly 80 years after the attacks on Pearl Harbor.

C.D. Studyvin salutes the U.S. flag during a Memorial Day ceremony May 26, 2014, at the El Paso Cemetery in Derby, Kan. The ceremony was conducted by members of the local American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars organizations and paid tribute to military members who gave their lives in service to the United States. Studyvin is a Veteran of both World War II and the Korean War.

Retired U.S. Air Force Col. Ron Standerfer, North American F-100 Super Sabre pilot, left, and other Vietnam War veterans, pose for a photo May 26, 2022, at the 17th Fighter Wing, Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey. The F-100F static display at the 177th FW, 56-3897, is on loan from the National Museum of the United States Air Force and was dedicated to Standerfer for his service in Vietnam.

Guests lay wreaths in honor of the missing during a ceremony for 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.

Veterans of World War II receive warm greetings from the Normandy community following the Airborne Memorial Ceremony in Normandy, France, June 6, 2022. Paratroopers come to Normandy to celebrate the triumph and victory of the 82nd Airborne Division in liberating Normandy from Nazi rule.

Veterans of Operation "MARKET GARDEN" along with Soldiers assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) and 2nd Brigade Combat Team attend a memorial service during the 78th anniversary of the operation which included various orators, poetry, laying of wreaths, national anthems and a minute of silence on Sept. 11, 2022, at Veghel, Netherlands. They were able to reconnect with Dutch citizens and together they were able honor and remember the brave actions of the men that fought to liberate Holland from German occupation during World War II.

U.S. Army Maj. Gen. John V. Meyer, right, commanding general of the 1st Infantry Division, greets D-Day veteran, Charles Shay, at the Charles Shay Indian Memorial in Saint Laurent Sur Mer, France, June 4, 2022. The event honored Mr. Shay and all other Native-American soldiers who fought on D-Day.

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.

Rear Adm. Darius Banaji, deputy director for operations for the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), hands George Corzatt, nephew of Petty Officer 1st Class Beoin Corzatt, a folded U.S. flag during an interment ceremony held at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Sept. 21, 2022. 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.

Rear Adm. Darius Banaji, deputy director for operations for the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), hands George Corzatt, nephew of Petty Officer 1st Class Beoin Corzatt, a folded U.S. flag during an interment ceremony held at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Sept. 21, 2022. 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.

060331-A-5399B-415. Base: Fort Hood State: Texas (TX) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: NORTHEAST

More than 30 World War II veterans attended and were honored during the Carre de Choux (Cabbage Patch) Ceremony in Carentan, France, 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.

Retired U.S. Marine Corps Col. Kevin Herrmann, former director of the Total Force Structure Division, presents his wife, Mary Hermann, flowers during his retirement ceremony at the General Raymond G. Davis Center on Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, Sept. 30, 2022. Herrmann is retiring after 43 years of honorable combined service to the Marine Corps. (US Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Kayla LeClaire)

France, Normandy, Arromanches. 66th Anniversary of D-Day. Iris Lavis, Normandy Veteran from the UK.

Retired U.S. Marine Eddie Vincek, holds a bottle of sand taken from Iwo Jima at Ruritan Club, Chesapeake, Va., Nov. 9, 2022. Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic, Marine Forces Command, Marine Forces Northern Command, and their respective Headquarters and Service Battalion, visited the local veteran to celebrate the U.S. Marine Corps 247th annual birthday and reaffirm the ethos of once a Marine, always a Marine. Eddie Vincek honorably fought during the battle of Iwo Jima which was one of the last and most violent struggles of the World War II campaign in the Pacific.

060827-F-0193C-034. Base: Fairbanks State: Alaska (AK) Country: United States Of America (USA)

050403-F-3340B-005. Base: Lackland Air Force Base State: Texas (TX) Country: United States Of America (USA)

120606-N-BT887-122 SAN DIEGO (June 6, 2012) Retired Hospital Apprentice 1st Class Frank H. Walden answers questions from local media about his actions on D-Day. Walden, from Walnut Creek, Calif., was awarded the Bronze Star at a change of command for Beachmaster Unit (BMU) 1 at Naval Base Coronado on the 68th anniversary of the largest amphibious assault in naval history.

U.S. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo delivers remarks on �Celebrating Americanism in Our Foreign Policy� at the 101st National Convention of the American Legion, in Indianapolis, Indiana on August 27, 2019.

The Leavenworth Veterans Day parade is the oldest Veterans Day observance in the nation and the largest parade west of the Mississippi.

Opening ceremony unveiling the new Museum and Visitor Center at Gettysburg National Military Park, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, with Secretary Dirk Kempthorne joining Pennsylvania Governor Edward Rendell, National Park Service officials including Gettysburg Superintendent John Latschar, representatives of The Gettysburg Foundation, and Civil War movie actor Stephen Lang among the dignitaries delivering remarks

A police officer with the Philadelphia Police Department salutes during the National Anthem at the 12th Annual Gathering of Heroes in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, May 7, 2022. The event honors all military and law enforcement personnel and brings together Medal of Honor recipients, friends, family and supporters to raise money for children of fallen Marines and Federal Law Enforcement personnel in the line of duty.

Joe Landry (bottom left), a 776th AAA Battalion WWII veteran of the Battle of the Bulge; Darrell Bush (bottom center), 98, a former U.S. Army Staff Sergeant and a WWII veteran of the Battle of the Bulge; and others render honors during 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 Front, it ended in victory for Allied forces under the command of General Dwight D. Eisenhower but at great cost. Soldiers fought in brutal winter conditions, and the U.S. Army lost approximately 19,000 men (and suffered some 75,000 total casualties) in wha

220518-N-OH262-0311 WASHINGTON D.C. (May 18, 2022)--A World War II era Merchant Mariner displays his Congressional Gold Medal during a ceremony held at the U.S. Capital held to honor Merchant Mariners of WWII, May 18. During WWII Merchant Mariners put their lives on the line for their country, braving German and Japanese submarines, in their Liberty Ships, as they delivered critical supplies for service members serving in the European and Pacific theaters.

Col. Anthony McCarty, 91st Security Forces Group commander interacts with Louis Mac” McLeod, Minot Area Homeless Coalition Incorporated executive director during the Military Affairs Committee luncheon at an off-site location in Minot, North Dakota, Nov. 3, 2022. The MAC lunch allows military leadership teams and community stakeholders an opportunity to converse and strengthen partnerships that benefit both parties.

Veterans of World War II speak on their experiences in Normandy during June of 1944 at the Normandy Victory Museum, France, June 3, 2022. This years marks the 78th Anniversary of the Normandy invasion.

Evelyn Honea, left, Navy Ombudsman-at-Large, and Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy James Honea (not pictured), meet with Gold Star families at an event ahead of the Army-Navy football game in Philadelphia, Dec. 10, 2022. This is the 123rd meeting between the U.S. Naval Academy Midshipmen and the U.S. Military Academy Black Knights.

Retired Chief Warrant Officer 4 Jim Koszuta, a Vietnam War veteran, converses with Lt. Gen. Daniel L. Karbler, U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Commands commanding general, at the World War II Memorial in Washington D.C. on Oct. 8, 2022.

David G. Perez, a combat medic in World War II, greets spectators during the 12th Annual Monterey County Veterans Day Parade in Salinas, Calif., Nov. 11, 2022.

New Armed Forces Seserve Center & 63rd Regional Support Command Headquarters, Moffett Field, CA ribbon cutting ceremonies.

Retired Major Generals Neal Loidolt and David Elicerio chat before the chapel service as part of the Court of Honor induction ceremony at Camp Ripley near Little Falls, Minnesota, Oct. 2, 2022. Loidolt and nine other past Minnesota National Guard service members were honored for their service during the annual Court of Honor induction program ceremony today. (Minnesota National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Mahsima Alkamooneh)

Air National Guard (Ret.) Master Sgt. Don Ferricks began his 25 year military career in the U.S. Navy as a Yeoman, responsible for handling all matters clerical and administrative for ships and personnel. He retired from the Air Guard at the rank of Master Sergeant as a Parachute Rigger. He visited the Illinois State Military Museum in Springfield July 28 to discuss his experiences during that time.

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.

WWII Veteran Clifford Stump shares a moment of laughter with a group known as the Klondikes, who are WWII re-enactors after the completion of a memorial service on Sept. 11, 2022, at Veghel, Netherlands. 101st Airborne Division (AASLT) units honor World War II Veterans and the people of Holland by participating in Operation Market Garden 78 commemorations in and around Eindhoven, Netherlands. (U.S. Army photos by Staff Sgt. Malcolm Cohens-Ashley, 2nd Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs.)

Ambassador Theodore R. Britton Jr. visits Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C., April 22, 2022. Ambassador Britton enlisted in the Marine Corps in January of 1944 and attended recruit training at MCRD Montford Point (the recruit depot for all African Americans at the time). After graduating recruit training, Ambassador Britton went on to serve honorably in WWII and the Korean War. After his tenure with the Marine Corps, Britton was discharged at the rank of sergeant, before continuing his illustrious career into the federal government serving as the U.S. Ambassador to Barbados and Grenada, as well as the U.S. Special Representative to Antigua, Dominica, and several other countries, under the command of President Gerald R. Ford before resigning under President Jimmy Carter. Now, 78 years later, Ambassador Britton stood aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C. for the first time, taking his place amongst those Marines who all began at the yellow footprints.

the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is working with local, state and federal partners in areas affected by Hurricane Ian. Jacksonville District Commander Col. James Booth met with Sanibel Island Mayor Holly Smith to discuss the response. Mayor Smith show Col. Booth video of the devastation.

The 104th Fighter Wing Alumni Association hosts a dinner function May 18, 2022, at Barnes Air National Guard Base, Massachusetts. The dinner was the first since the COVID-19 pandemic, and 104FW leadership spoke to the group about the value of service to the nation and commonwealth.

U.S. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo delivers a keynote address at the VFW Annual Convention, in Orlando, Florida on July 22, 2019.

2006 Korean War Veterans Armistice Day Ceremony at the Korean War Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C., with Secretary Dirk Kempthorne joining Vice President Dick Cheney and South Koreaa's Ambassador to the U.S., Lee Tae-Sik, among the dignitaries participating

230327-N-PG545-1275, Sun City, Arizona (March 27, 2023) Chief Musician Michael Webb, from Reston, Virginia, interacts with audience members during a U.S. Navy Band Sea Chanters concert at Sun Dial Auditorium in Sun City. The Sea Chanters performed 19 concerts over 22 days, covering 2800 ground miles throughout Washington, Oregon, California and Arizona during their 2023 national tour. National tours allow the band to connect with communities in areas of the country that do not have opportunities to see the Navys premier musical ensembles on a regular basis, and to honor those who have served and continue to serve in the military.

PEARL HARBOR (June 28, 2023) Vice Adm. (ret.) Donald Hagen, former Surgeon General of the Navy, speaks with Sailors and Marines from the 3d Littoral Combat Team, 3d Marine Littoral Regiment, 3d Marine Division during a tour of the Arizona Memorial. 3d Marine Division operates as a Stand-In Force in the first island chain to secure, seize, or defend key maritime terrain in order to deny and disrupt adversary actions in support of the Fleet, the Joint Force, and partnered and allied forces.

World War II survivors attend the Kålaguak Memorial ceremony on July 8, 2022 at the Barrigada Memorial Park, Guam. Guam was liberated on July 21, 1944, which ended the Japanese occupation that had begun in 1941.

U.S. Army Air Corps 1st Lt. Gerald Teldon (right), retired, receives his ribbons from his great grandson, Menachem Mendel Teldon, for his honorable service as a pilot on July 29, 2022, at the Chabad Center for Jewish Life and Learning, San Antonio, Texas. Teldon, born in Bronx, N.Y., in 1924, joined the military in 1944. He completed 62 missions during WWII and the Korean War. Lt. Col. Andrew Stein, 502nd Operations Support Squadron commander, was the presiding officers. The awards presented to Teldon are as follows: the Air Medal; American Campaign Medal; European - African - Middle Eastern Campaign Medal; World War II Victory Medal; National Defense Medal; and the Distinguished Unit Citation.

World War II veteran Betty Rosevear greats the crowd as she is escorted back to her bus after a ceremony at Cabbage Patch Square in Carentan, France on June 3, 2022. The square marks starting point for the battle to liberate Carentan during DDay in World War II. This year, U.S. Army Europe and Africa commemorates the 78th anniversary of DDay, the largest multinational amphibious landing and operational military airdrop in history, and highlights the U.S.' steadfast commitment to European allies and partners.

Linda A. Walters, center, a member of Gold Star Wives of America, Inc.s San Diego Chapter, observes a graduation ceremony at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, California, Feb. 9, 2024. Gold Star Wives of America, Inc. works to help chapter members and their children honor the memory of their military parents and spouses who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their country. Marine Corps

U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Niave Knell, the 1st Infantry Division Deputy Commanding General-Support, speaks with Barbara Smith, a 1st Infantry Division Gold Star Family member during a Gold Star Family memorial monument dedication ceremony at the Kansas State Capitol Visitors Center, Sept. 23, 2022.

DN-ST-86-00629. Base: Naval Air Station, North Island State: California (CA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

More than 30 World War II veterans attended and were honored during the Carre de Choux (Cabbage Patch) Ceremony in Carentan, France, 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.

NAVAL SUPPORT ACTIVITY SOUDA BAY, Greece (Nov. 13, 2022) Capt. Odin J. Klug renders a salute before placing a wreath at the Souda Bay Allied War Cemetery during an Armistice Day remembrance ceremony on Nov. 13, 2022. NSA Souda Bay is an operational ashore installation which enables and supports U.S., Allied, Coalition, and Partner nation forces to preserve security and stability in the European, African, and Central Command areas of responsibility.

220523-D-CJ362-1186 NORFOLK, Va. (May 23, 2022) Brig. Gen. Stephen F. Jost, U.S. Air Force, commander, Joint Enabling Capabilities Command (JECC) applauds during a change of command ceremony onboard Naval Station Norfolk. JECCs mission is to provide planners, public affairs specialists, and communications capabilities to Combatant Commanders to enable the rapid establishment of a Joint Force Headquarters or in support of other missions, exercises, or planning efforts.

061207-N-4965F-083. Base: Pearl Harbor State: Hawaii (HI) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Gen. Carsten Breuer (left), chief of defense, German Armed Forces; and Karen Durham-Aguilera (right), executive director, Office of Army Cemeteries and Army National Military Cemeteries walk through the Memorial Amphitheater at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va., April 3, 2023. Breuer was at ANC to participate in a Public Wreath-Laying Ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Col. Sirena Morris, 88th Mission Support Group commander, places a pin on Eddie Clark, a Vietnam and Army veteran, during the National Vietnam War Veterans Day ceremony March 29, 2023, in the Main Exchange at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. The Army & Air Force Exchange Service hosted the 50th anniversary commemoration, presenting free lapel pins in honor of all Vietnam-era veterans.

Capt. Gary M. Chase, commanding officer, USS Normandy receives a wreath to place at the American Battle Monuments Commissions Utah Beach Memorial during a memorial ceremony attended by the crew of the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Normandy (CG 60) during the ships visit to its namesake region of Normandy, France, as part of the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group, Nov. 16, 2022. The first-in-class aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) is on its inaugural deployment conducting training and operations alongside NATO Allies and partners to enhance integration for future operations and demonstrate the U.S. Navys commitment to a peaceful, stable and conflict-free Atlantic region.

LTG James M. Richardson says goodbye to Army Futures Command and to the US Army and retires after 40 years of service on October 4th, 2022 in Austin, TX. Special guests in attendance included Gen James C. McConville, Chief of Staff, US Army, Ms. Christine Wormuth, United States Secretary of the Army, Mr. Steve Adler, Mayor of Austin, TX, Mr. Jay Hartzell, President, The University of Texas at Austin, Ms. Sharon Wood, Executive Vice President, The University of Texas at Austin, and Gen John Murray, Commanding General, Army Futures Command (Retired)(US Army Photo by Patrick Hunter)

Col. David Zinnante, U.S. Army Medical Center of Excellence chief of staff, poses with Ms. Torrey Stanley-Carlton, Battle of Flowers Parade military chair, and Sgt. Maj. James Musnicki, Sergeant Major of Academic Affairs, MEDCoE Office of the Commandant, in the staging area prior to the start of the Battle of Flowers parade, San Antonio, Texas, April 8, 2022. The Battle of Flowers Parade is the founding event of Fiesta San Antonio, which MEDCoE is proud to participate in as a member of Military City USA.

111211-N-LO372-019 ORANGE, Calif. (Dec. 11, 2011) Sgt. Chad Whitehead, left, Cpl. Nick Roberts, both assigned to 5th Battalion, 14th Marines, and Roger Gillaspy, one of the event organizers, judge a 1956 Ford Thunderbird, during a classic car show. The owner of the car, James Pinnix, is a three-time Purple Heart recipient who was a hospital corpsman 2nd Class, assigned to 3rd Battalion 4th Marines, during Vietnam from 1966-1967.

Tuskegee Airmen, Oliver Goodall from the Los Angeles Chapter autographs his book for MSgt Shirley Hunter from the163d Logistics Squadron after sharing his Tuskegee Airmen story with the 163d Reconnaisance Wing, California Air National Guard unit, March Air Reserve Base as a guest speaker in honor of black history month, February 8, 2009.

A Delaware area Pearl Harbor survivor and a US Air Force member participate in the wreath ceremony during the Pearl Harbor Day Remembrance Ceremony held at the Air Mobility Command (AMC) Museum, Dover Air Force Base, Delaware. Base: Dover Air Force Base State: Delaware (DE) Country: United States Of America (USA)

U.S. Coast GuardsMan attend the ceremony for the Investiture of King Antonio at the Alamo Plaza in downtown San Antonio, Texas, April 2, 2022. King Antonio is a Fiesta dignitary selected from the ranks of the Texas Cavaliers, an organization of 600 businesses, civic and community leaders, who volunteer their time and talents in support of San Antonio area charities.

U.S. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo meets with members of the VFW and VFW Auxiliary Kansas Delegation, in Orlando, Florida on July 22, 2019.

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Austin Reichel, a radio non-commissioned officer with Headquarters Battalion, Marine Corps Base Hawaii, will receive the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal for his actions at Waimano Falls, July 5, 2021. Reichel assisted a woman who had sustained injuries while hiking, until she was airlifted by paramedics.

Paratroopers assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division march to Sainte-Mère-Église following the Airborne Memorial Ceremony in Normandy, France, June 6, 2022. Paratroopers come to Normandy to celebrate the triumph and victory of the 82nd Airborne Division in liberating Normandy from Nazi rule.

U.S. Army World War II Veteran, Pfc. Reid F. Clanton, and Maj. Elizabeth Marlin attends a celebration at the historic Quadrangle of Fort Sam Houston, Texas, May 16, 2022. U.S. Army North leaders paid special tribute to the service of Pfc. Reid F. Clanton during a ceremony awarding him long-overdue medals, which included the Bronze Star Medal at U.S. Army North headquarters, in the historic Quadrangle of Fort Sam Houston, Texas.

060329-N-1027J-034. Base: Pearl Harbor State: Hawaii (HI) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Maynard Harrison Smith, a World War II air mission Medal of Honor recipient, examines the plaque commemorating his award. Smith is attending a reunion of US Air Force Medal of Honor recipients. Base: Griffiss Air Force Base State: New York (NY) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Retired Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Phyllis Fitzgerald (left), executive director of the Society of the 1st Infantry Division, assists Harry Rickard, a Vietnam War veteran who served as a sergeant with the 1st Battalion, 18 Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, with registering for the Society of the 1st Infantry Division's 101st annual reunion at the Fort Worth Hilton Hotel, Texas, July 21st, 2022. The reunion allowed brothers and sisters-in-arms who currently or previously served within the 1st Infantry Division to spend time with fellow Veterans with similar experiences to share their stories of dedication and sacrifice.

Retired Chief Yeoman Bill Norberg, a Battle of Midway veteran, speaks with guests during the Battle of Midway 80th Anniversary Commemoration dinner, at the Army Navy Country Club in Arlington, Virginia, June 3. Norberg served aboard USS Enterprise (CV 6) during the Battle of Midway and World War II. The commemoration dinner, hosted by various non-profit organizations, celebrates the U.S. Navy's victory at the Battle of Midway and honors veterans like Norberg.

031006-M-5916B-043. Base: Marine Corps Base, Quantico State: Virginia (VA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Reverend Laurie Graber and her husband Tom Graber give a presentation May 26, 2022, during the 2022 Memorial Day Prayer Luncheon at Fort McCoy, Wis. Both Grabers discussed their ministry and the importance of Memorial Day. The Grabers were among several participants in the luncheon that included special guest speakers, special prayers provided by other clergy, and music to honor fallen veterans for Memorial Day. Nearly three dozen community members attended the event that also included a free lunch. The event was organized by the Fort McCoy Religious Support Office.

World War II Women Veterans saluting at ceremony at Veteran's National Cemetery, Los Angeles, California

Col. William M. Martin is promoted to the rank of Colonel during a ceremony among his family and peers on Fort Bragg, N.C., May 20, 2022. The ceremony celebrated the career and promotion of Col. William M. Martin the 82nd Airborne Division G6.

Chief Master Sgt. Duane Kangas, the 119th Wing command chief, delivers a Christmas gift to U.S. Air Force Veteran Roger Roles at the North Dakota Veterans Home, Lisbon, N.D., Dec. 11, 2018. Kangas is among a group of Airmen and Soldiers visiting the veterans at the home to share a holiday meal and present Christmas gifts to the veterans living at the home, which is an annual event for the North Dakota National Guard. The gifts for the veterans were purchased using donations and are given by North Dakota National Guard members to the residents at the Veterans Home to demonstrate their appreciation to the veterans who have served before them.

240214-N-PN185-1009 - Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee (Feb. 14, 2024) - Musician 1st Class Sarah Demy, from Burke, Virginia, speaks with an audience member during intermission at the United States Navy Band performance in the Soddy-Daisy High School Gymnasium as part of the units 2024 national tour. The Navy Band will travel 2500 ground miles over 18 days to 7 states, giving 12 public concerts as well as 5 concerts for students in schools. Navy

Steven Palazzo, U.S. Congressman and Mississippi Army National Guardman, gives a plaque to the family of Pvt. Andrew J. Ladner during a memorial service for Ladner at St. Thomas Catholic Church in Long Beach, Mississippi, April 9, 2022. Ladner, 30, of Harrison County, Mississippi, was listed as killed in action, but his remains were not accounted for until accounted for on July 9, 2021 in New Guinea.

041206-F-5995O-004. Base: Stewart Angb State: New York (NY) Country: United States Of America (USA)

040529-F-4132J-168. Base: Savannah State: Georgia (GA) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: ANG

Korean-American Veteran at Korean War 50th anniversary Ceremony, Washington, D.C.

U.S. Marine Corps Col. Joel F. Schmidt, commanding officer, The Basic School, and Mr. Luke Larson bring a wreath to the memorial during the Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom Memorial Dedication Ceremony on TBS, Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, July 8, 2022. The memorial was created to recognize those Marine Corps lieutenants who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation, the Marine Corps, and their fellow Marines.

Retired service members speak to one another during the annual Mississippi National Guard Retiree Day at the Mississippi Armed Forces Museum at Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center, Mississippi, Nov. 9, 2022. Retiree Day is held to honor and celebrate the service and sacrifice of retired Mississippi service members and their families.

Veterans of Foreign Wars attend the Prisoners of War/Missing in Action Remembrance Ceremony held at Freedom Park on Nellis Air Force Base Sept. 18.

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