Braving the elements to honor heroes

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Tracy DeMarco
  • 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
More than 1,000 British, American, and other foreign citizens braved cold, windy and wet conditions May 28 to attend the annual Memorial Day ceremony at Madingley American Cemetery in Cambridge.

Maj. Andrew W. Holmberg, 100th Operations Group chief of training, was this year's project officer, and he coordinated all aspects of the preparation - which began in February - and execution of the ceremony.

"My favorite moment was seeing 1,000-plus people brave the weather in order to honor the heroes interred and remembered at the cemetery," Major Holmberg said.

Each year, small American and British flags are placed in front of the 3,812 headstones to honor those buried there. Meanwhile, wreaths are placed along the wall inscribed with the names of 5,126 Americans who gave their lives, but whose remains were never recovered or identified.

The 120 active duty wreath bearers persevered despite the worst Memorial Day weather in 17 years by creating an impressive picture of self-sacrifice as they marched into position through the downpour.

Speakers included U.S. Ambassador Robert H. Tuttle, Lord Lieutenant Hugh Duberly of Cambridgeshire, and U.S. Air Forces in Europe Command Chaplain Col. Carl Andrews. Colonel Andrews' speech focused on the ultimate sacrifice made by those remembered.

"All gave some," he said, "some gave all."

The crowd, protecting themselves with various colored umbrellas, also made a notable sacrifice Monday by virtue of attending and participating amid 45-degree Fahrenheit temperatures.

Yet the more important stories are spread across the 30.5-acre memorial site.

Take for instance U.S. Army Air Forces 1st Lt. John K. Eckert, a 344th Bomb Group B-26 Marauder pilot, who died just three weeks after arriving in England for the war. May 28, Lieutenant Eckert's grave was adorned with flowers placed through local arrangements by his son John H. Eckert Jr. who never met his father. In fact the younger Eckert was born Feb. 17, 1944 - the very day his father reported for duty in England.

Lieutenant Eckert and his crew collided with another B-22 shortly after takeoff while attempting to move into formation through heavy cloud cover on March 8, 1944. Both aircraft and crews perished. The crash site was discovered in February 1975, 10 miles south of Stansted. Yet it was only two years ago the younger Eckert learned of his father's burial site.

He has not yet made it to England to visit his father's grave. 

There are at least two more members of Lieutenant Eckert's crew buried at the World War II American Cemetery: co-pilot 2nd Lt. Thomas Worrell and Staff Sgt. Alfred Border. Their memories among all the others buried there remain a constant reminder of the sacrifice our country made and continues to make to preserve our nation's freedom.

Editor's note: Sergeant Border's brother, Stanley, plans to visit his brother's grave this month for the second time.