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BROOKWOOD, England — More than 90 people attended the Memorial Day ceremony at Brookwood American Military Cemetery here May 30 to honor the more than 520,000 fallen American heroes who died in World Wars I and II and the approximately 5,000 servicemembers who have died fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Surrounded in a sea of marble headstones, Col. Fred Humphrey, commander of the 361st Civil Affairs Brigade, 7th Civil Support Command, said, “There is arguably no greater sacrifice one can make than to die for another like the veterans who now lie here silently, but are never forgotten.”
“And so through the years and wars, Americans have never ceased to honor those who gave all,” Colonel Humphrey said. “Let us visit the gravesites of our fallen servicemembers and give thanks.”
Roy A. Cochran, a native of Detroit and a U.S. veteran, has been attending the Brookwood ceremonies for nearly 30 years.
“I like to reflect on the dedication and great sacrifice to the men who are buried in this fine cemetery who gave to our country,” he said. “Without their supreme sacrifice, there would be no freedom. I wouldn’t have a choice to come out here, there probably would not be a Brookwood.”
Mr. Cochran, who served with the 3rd Infantry Division in the 1950s, was honored to be able to reflect and tell his story, he said.
“I am now in my 70s — I tell people how I feel and others should too or show it by deeds,” Mr. Cochran said. “I don’t think they come out of curiosity, I think they come out of dedication and love for their nation and for the sacrifice that these men and women made.”
Since 1997, Elizabeth Aran and her family have participated in the Brookwood ceremony for 13 years by organizing, giving and laying wreaths.
“We come to Brookwood every year, twice a year, to remember the fallen,” Ms. Aran said.
She also comes to the ceremonies to help other people remember that each of the individual stones is actually a person and not just a cross, and at some point it was somebody’s father, brother or son. Ms. Aran’s daughter, Charlotte, participated in the ceremony as a wreath giver. She gave out several wreaths, including one to her father who participated as a wreath layer and a Doughboy. He was part of a three-volley salute firing team to commemorate the fallen. Colonel Humphrey laid a wreath on behalf of Brig. Gen. Jimmie Jaye Wells, the commander of the 7th CSC, and another was laid by Command Sgt. Maj. Jeffery Miller, the command sergeant major of the 361st Civil Affairs Brigade, 7th CSC.
A first time visitor, Sam Treat, a retired enlisted Airman from Ramstein, said he and five buddies rode their motorcycles to Brookwood to attend the Memorial Day event, which was a very professional and moving event.
“We came to pay tribute to the boys who fell back in World War I. This is our tribute ride, and what a super, super wonderful memorial service,” he said. “It was well worth the 13-hour ride in the wretched weather.”
Brookwood American Military Cemetery is one of 24 overseas military cemeteries and is located about 30 miles southwest of London. The ceremony is held at the cemetery every year to remember the 468 American heroes killed during the war, including 41 graves of unknown servicemembers from World War I. The American servicemembers who rest in the Brookwood American Cemetery were brought there after the Armistice in 1918 from various temporary sites throughout Europe.
