Filipino and American soldiers who gave their lives during the Second World War must be remembered by honoring and upholding the values they died for, United States Ambassador to the Philippine MaryKay Carlson said on Sunday.
In her speech during the Memorial Day ceremony at the Manila American Cemetery on May 25, Carlson honored Americans and Filipinos, who fought together to defend the Philippines during the 1940s.
“Eight decades ago, Americans and Filipinos fought side-by-side across this country in a campaign to liberate the Philippines, restore freedom, and push back tyranny. Though they prevailed, many never returned home. Many rest here, and today, we honor them,” the US envoy said.
“In the darkest hours of the Second World War, Americans and Filipinos fought together – from Bataan to Leyte, from the jungles of Luzon to the heart of Manila. They endured unimaginable hardships: hunger, captivity, and bitter combat – but together, they resisted. Together, they liberated. Together, they gave hope by defeating tyranny,” Carlson added.
The seasoned diplomat urged the people of both nations to renew their commitment to the ideals that the war heroes fought for. She reminded them never to forget the price these heroes paid for the freedom now enjoyed by present and future generations.
“As we stand among these white marble markers, let us remember the fallen and renew our commitment to the ideals they served – duty, honor, country, and the unbreakable bond between the American and Filipino people,” Carlson said.
“Let us remember them in silence or ceremony but also in how we live – in how we honor their legacy by upholding the values they died for: liberty, democracy, and peace,” she added.
Carlson further said both the US and the Philippines’ sacrifices are not confined to the past as “they echo in every flag raised in every liberty defended, and in every act of unity between our two nations,” noting that the US-Philippine alliance, forged in war, lives on in peace.
“As we face the uncertainties of our modern world, we are reminded on this solemn day that our strength comes from the character of those willing to give everything in the name of something greater,” she said.
The Manila American Cemetery serves as the final resting place for more than 17,000 service members, with over 36,000 others still missing and memorialized on the Walls of the Missing.
Carlson attended the wreath-laying ceremony with Defense Gilbert Teodoro, and American Battle Monuments Commission Superintendent Ryan Blum.
The US ambassador noted that the names etched in stone stand as part of the foundation of the enduring alliance between the United States and the Philippines. This year’s Memorial Day commemorated the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.
