Memorial Day in Belgium 2021

Memorial Day 2021 tile

Since 1923, Americans and Belgians have gathered on Memorial Day to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice for liberty in World Wars I and II.  COVID-19 did not stop us in 2021.  Instead of gathering at the American and community cemeteries and monuments in Belgium as we do each year, we gathered online in a Memorial Day ceremony to remember America’s war dead.  Representatives of the American and Belgian governments and militaries, leaders of local communities, private citizens, and a WWII veteran gave moving tributes as people gathered in virtual “seating areas” to share the experience together.  The few remaining WWII veterans who are still with us were happy that they could continue their tradition of remembering their fallen brothers-in-arms from the safety of their own homes.  The public could lay virtual flowers in honor of the fallen.  This online Memorial Day ceremony was a moving and fitting tribute to America’s war dead in these days of the pandemic.  If you missed it, or want to experience it again, the ceremony was recorded and it remains on line.  Visit www.memorialdayonline.com.