National world war ii memorial this is half an hour. Were missing my name is alex kerr shaw, im a member of the board of directors of the friends of the National World war ii memorial. I have written several books about world war ii including one called the longest winter, which is about the battle of the bulge and americas most decorated platoon from world war ii. It is my great honor to serve today, as your master ceremonies. Thank you all for joining us on this chilly, Beautiful Day as we mark the 75th anniversary of the battle of the bulge. The largest and bloodiest single battle fought by the United States in world war ii. In fact, the largest fought in the u. S. Of its entire history. Friends of the National World war ii memorial was a small Non Profit OrganizationWhose Mission is to honor and preserve the National Memory of world war ii and to create the next greatest generation of tomorrow. This morning ceremony is part of the Friends National world war ii memorial fouryear world war ii 75th anniversary commemoration, which kicked off on property in 2016 and will continue towards the 75th anniversary on the september the 2nd 2020. I should stress that friends of the or only organization hosting a full four year 75th anniversary commemoration. Marking every single major battle in which america troops participated during world war ii. Now, if you are not already doing so, please stand at attention and render appropriate honors for the presentation of colors and the playing of the national anthem. Let us pray. Gracious god you have ordered our lives in the compassion of your will. Here in our nations capital, we are reminded of washington and lincoln. One the 18th century father and the other the 19th century preserve our nation. Between then we honor those who took up the struggle for liberty and justice, freedom and peace in europe in the battle of the bulge. In this great series of battles, general eisenhower commented the president situation is to be regarded as one of opportunity for us and so it was. Today, we remember the struggle, the bravery and the tenacity, the acts of heroism of those who fought in the battle of the bulge. Those who survived and those who gave all their tomorrow is that we might have all of our todays. President truman rightly recognized our debt to the heroic men and women in the service our country can never be repaid. They have heard our and dying gratitude. America will never forget their sacrifices and so today we thank you especially to those who are part of this great series of the battle in world war ii and to the families. We remember those voices now silent and rest from their labors and sacred fields of honor throughout this land on foreign soil. Especially, we held sacred the memory of those who gave their lives in the struggle of peace symbolized by the 4048 gold stars on the freedom wall. They shall sign shine like the sun in the kingdom of their father. They fought together as brothers and arms and die together, now they sleep side by side. To that we have a solemn obligation. We pause in a moment of silence to remember the fallen at the battle of the bulge. They should grow not all rolled. Age shall not where we them, nor the years condemned. At the going down in the sun and in the morning, we will remember them. We would be amiss if we fail to forget the families of our fallen comrades who have weekly sacrificed by giving up their fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters and children. We pause to think of those who are deployed in harms where today. To protect them be with their families. Be that our vision that we might be faithful to the task of being instruments of peace in our day. Let freedom ring. Amen. 1944, today, 75 years ago. German forces launched an amphibious counterattack, sorry, and ambitious counterattack against allied positions in the ardennes forest. Their goal was to thwart the allied advance into germany. Instead, in this decisive six we campaign. That became known as the battle of the bulge, American Forces resisted and overcame the german assault. Delivering a huge, fatal blow, to German Military capabilities and paving the way for the final push into germany. Before we continue, id like to acknowledge some very special guests with us today. First, doctor robert and nolin, daughter of First Lieutenant james who was taken prisoner of war during the battle of the bulge on december 21st 1944. And who died on may the 15th 1945. Less than a month following his release as a result of conditions during his imprisonment. Doctor nolin, thank you for being here. We are proud to join you in honoring your fathers service and sacrifice. Next, i am pleased to introduce representatives of the allied nations. The took part in the battle of the bulge 75 years ago. We should remember that it was not just an american victory, not just as churchill said, the greatest american victory of world war ii. From the embassy of belgium, deputy chief of mission and affair mr. Christophe pale. Defensive attache, Brigadier General george hansen. From the embassy of canada, Canadian Forces military attache, colonel patrick roby show. From the embassy of france representing the French Defense mission, idea. From the embassy of luxembourg, deputy chief missed pharaonic. And from the british embassy, assistant naval at the commander jim. Finally, im tremendously privilege to introduce to you our world war ii veterans, do we have a world war ii veteran here . Thank you sir for being here. We arranged earlier on for the majority of world war ii veterans to be warm and safely ensconced inside on this Beautiful Day. They will be with us later, thank you for being with us today sir. George served with the u. S. Army 76 recognize since troop. Recognizing the european theater, including the forest of ardennes, during the battle of the bulge. Our final speaker of the day, andrew pop us. Is the director of operations j three for the joint chiefs of staff. He served as the Principal Assistant to the chairman of joint chiefs of staff for global integration initiatives. General populous previously served as the commanding general of the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell kentucky. 101st airborne played a wonderful role today and world war ii. Deputy chief of staff of operations for Operation Resolute support in afghanistan. Please welcome us, id like to give you a great welcome general pop us. Thank you for that introduction and thank you everybody for coming out on this day. I want to thank you personally for providing this weather for such a wonderful backdrop, as we reflect on 75 years ago and pay tribute to those who served, fought, and sacrifice in this exact whether. We were able to introduce a number of very important people, i thank you all for coming but i want to focus on the world war ii vets and doctor nolan whose father was there and captured during the battle of the bulge. Those who served before us, they are the shouldered tremendous sacrifice, the burden of the flight, that provided and gave us our freedoms today. Thank you very much for what youve done, youve been an inspiration over the years. Thank you. I also want to thank, for the friends of the National World war ii memorial team, from sharing their legacy continues and lives on today and into the future. For me personally, its an honor to stand before you. I commanded a 101st and as part of that formation, the years that have gone through, ive gotten to meet and engage those who have fought in this fight, i understand those sacrifices they have made. The personal stories of heroism that they did every single day. So to stand before you today, i am humbled and honored. 75 years ago today, that hitler launched 30 divisions, 30 divisions of combat power in a surprise counter offensive to recapture the port of antwerp. Its in the netherlands and as an effort at the time to turn the tide of world war ii. He knew that he was losing, he knew time was not on his side and that he had to have one last Bold Initiative to try to drive negotiations. One thing that his whole plan dependent on was the weather. He had to deny the american capability, the ally capability, where we had air supremacy, and as you can see, the weather did cooperate with his operation. It deprived us of that single strategic capability that we had. So under the cover of bitter winter storm, snow covering the ground, freezing temperatures, that he launched forward, it was three separate armies. To pans armies, and a line of infantry army. Thats over 400,000 german soldiers, committed to the fight over 500 tanks. And all the aircraft that they can muster for the entire front, committed against an element. Of the allies. This was an allied army that was preparing for their own offensive, had taken them by surprise as we were blind, we did not have our own echo ability for reconnaissance. It was under the next six days that this german army pushback the allied army further into belgium, deeper back into luxembourg, creating a scene known as the bulge. It was 50 miles wide and over 70 miles deep. Penetrating the american and allied lines. This is where it shows that the allies are the most adaptable and tenacious, the leaders and commanders at the time knew they had to make it bold action and they committed over 60,000 troops moving over 100 to hundred miles in a single day in order to thwart this offensive moving forward. Key to that commitment at the time . The tenth armored division, pushing the 101st Airborne Division right into that salient. Seizing the best stone crossroads which were critical for the panthers to move forward in order to get into antwerp. By holding them, here is where the middle of the allied forces and american troops was tested. Under a continuous artillery pounding. Two pants are to the divisions committed against them fighting day and night. Without respite. Forcing them to survive from hand to hand combat. Holding the line, never wavering. They did withstand when the nazis could not push them out of position they surrounded them. The intent was to starve them out, to bleed them out and hemorrhage them. Force them to capitulate. Under this pounding, supplies running low, unable to take care of their own wounded. The germans came forward and demanded the surrender of the force that was there. You heard, the 101st commander at the time, shows always be prepared to step up. He sent back a one word response. Nuts. And it is because of that, it bold in the resolve of the forces that were fighting and continue to push forward. They held on in this environment for four additional days. Denying them the success necessary to push forward, holding them, making them vulnerable,. They got an early Christmas Present on the night of the 23rd when the weather broke. It opened up the ante onslaught of ally capability and the air came in. They brought the air bombers to attack founded the front lines, destroyed the logistical lines and broke the line of their attack. By christmas day, and the day after, the third army led by general paton broke through the lines ending the overall assault by the nazis and linked up with the 101st in boston. Ending the german attack. Again as i told you, as a commander of the 101st i got to know many of the soldiers that fought there. They will tell you that they did not need to be saved they had the fight in hand, the 101st we never get pushed off, that is the attitude of the soldiers that fought, and it was that resolve. It is a battle that is identified. Winston churchill called the greatest battle of the entire war. Its not just a history of an american victory, its also the story of the great, resilience, and tenacity of our greatest generation. Its their legacy that lives on today in the fighting men and women that are on freedoms frontier as we speak today. As the soldiers who fought in the frigid woods of the ardennes, they are true patriots, they were children of the great depression. There from the california coast, there from the farmlands of the south the midwest, the factories of the northeast, even offices of new york city, galvanizing the nation to go forward and fight. They are the ones that stood forward, proven in the crucible combat. Despite those grueling conditions i described, the relentless barrages of the artillery, the continuous attacks of the germans, and not knowing if that day was going to be their last. They had an unwavering clarity of purpose, that was the destruction of fascism. It was a purpose they knew was worthy of their sacrifice. It was after the war, as they came home, their lives were changed forever and their experiences through this endeavor. They sought neither recognition nor praise. Instead they committed to themselves to bettering this nation. It was their instilling of these values, and the appreciation for freedom. It was into their children, those who fought in korea in vietnam, the words from 9 11 forward, and it is your actions today sir that i will tell you, is your example in the war, that we emulate, venerate. It serves as an example to inspire us in the most the manned in combat that we face, and it is because of you that we continue to fight for the freedoms that make this country great. As i look at the crowd today, and i stand with the warriors of that greatest generation, some but carry the battle scars of battle,. Those who gave also we can live prosperous and free. Our nation can never thank you enough sir, we can only make the solemn promise, to continue to stand the watch, so that all that you fought for and many of your brothers died for, will be passed on to the next generation of americans. It is truly been my privilege and honor to stand for, in front of you today in address you. Thank you. Thank you general for those wonderful remarks. 75 years after the germans launched their surprise and ultimately unsuccessful attack on the allies in the ardennes forest, we are gathered here today to remember and honor all those who served and sacrificed during the battle of the bulge. Over 19,000 fatalities. Tens of thousands wounded, many more thousands psychologically damaged for the rest of their lives. It is now time to place the refs in honor of the more than 1 million allied Service Members who took part in the campaign, and remember the more than 22,000 allies and civilians who were killed. They are not forgotten. Presenting the wreath for the United States of america, and the friends of the National World war ii memorial our, Army Lieutenant general andrew pop us, Army ChaplainLieutenant Colonel tammy cruz, retired army general carter ham, retired Army Major General john hurling. Doctor robert and nolin, daughter a First Lieutenant john oh boy who was taken prisoner of war during the battle of the bulge. Of course world war ii veteran mr. George arent stein. Presenting the wreath for canada are colonel patrick roby show, Canadian Forces military attache embassy of canada. Presenting the wreath for france are major adrian ploy a, defensive Mission Embassy of france. Presenting the wreath for the grand itchy of luxembourg are misses very nick dock indoor, deputy chief of mission affair embassy of luxembourg. Last but not least, presenting the wreath for the kingdom of belgium mr. Christophe paleo embassy of belgium and Brigadier General and. As i was saying earlier last but not least, presenting the wreath for the united kingdom, commander jim ole, assistant naval attache british embassy. Pretend appropriate army on his for the playing of taps by the u. S. Army band. This concludes our ceremony, thank you again for joining us today, thank you very much