Vice Commander Honors Veterans at Picauville

by 1Lt. Marie Denson
U.S. Air Force Europe, Air Force Africa Public Affairs

6/8/2014 - Picauville, France -- A German Army band's music echoed through the air as service members from the U.S. Air Force, Army, German and French Armies marched together to the Picauville memorial.

The sound of roaring engines from the C-130s filled the sky as they flew overhead, and the D-Day ceremony was officially underway.

Lt. Gen. Tom Jones, United States Air Forces Europe, Air Forces Africa vice commander, stood on the grassy mound in the center of town looking out over the crowd of townspeople, NATO partners, and re-enactors who provided a sense of nostalgia. He began by speaking in French, thanking the veterans, family members, militaries and those that were present.

Jones focused on the veterans, telling the stories of Army Air Corps Lt. Col. Bruce Parcell who died during the liberation of Europe and 1st Lt. Billie Harris who was shot down during World War II. His wife didn't know what had happened to her husband until the members of Picauville, France reached out to let her know the location of Harris's final resting place.

"Your commitment in the preservation of their story represents our shared history and partnership," said Jones. "These men saved our way of life; they fought for freedom and liberty...freedom for people they had never met."

Jones spoke about fighting alongside each other preserving freedom for future generations and the formation of NATO which has made former enemies into today's greatest allies.

"Americans have never been alone in defending freedom...as we continue to move forward, we will continue to be faced with challenges," said Jones. "Together we can strive for a world whole, free and at peace. Our strong bond to support each other in difficult times is paramount. Even more so is the NATO Alliance, born out of World War II."

While the general focused on lauding the veterans of the Second World War, he reminded everyone that as we honor the past we must secure the future.

"It's important to remember and respect the actions of the brave young men and women who fought on hallowed ground, but we must not forget we owe support to our service members today as they continue to defend our shared values."