H.E. Mr. Peter Hoekstra, Ambassador of the United States and HM King Willem-Alexander of The Netherlands.
On Sunday, May 24, His Majesty King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and United States Ambassador, H.E. Pete Hoekstra led an intimate ceremony in which their two countries remembered the sacrifice of the more than 10,000 US citizens who lost their lives 75 years ago during the liberation of the Netherlands.
Despite the lack of public due to the current restriction, the ceremony featured very powerful moments. The King and Ambassador Hoekstra laid wreaths in honor of the soldiers buried in Margraten, the cemetery’s director shared a moving story of two of the fallen with a unique connection, and the Dutch Royal Air Force conducted a fly-by in the Missing Man formation.
Concluding his speech, Ambassador Hoekstra took pride of the strong relationship between his country and the Netherlands, stressing how these ties are deeply rooted in the two countries’ love for freedom.
“Margraten is just one of the many reminders of why and how our two nations are real friends: our shared commitment to the love for freedom” – he said.
“Those moments and others speak to the deep friendship between the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the United States of America. The willingness of both countries to work through the challenges presented by COVID-19 and find a way to honor these soldiers on Memorial Day was itself a tribute to the souls interred there” – a communique of the US Embassy stated.
“We hope that soon enough the families who tend to these graves, who have adopted these heroes as their own, will be able to walk along the headstones, and let loved ones in the U.S. know that these sacrifices made nearly a century ago have not been forgotten.”
