Cambridge remembers the US sacrifices on D-Day 75 years on with Memorial Day at American Cemetery
A day of D-Day remembrance at the American cemetery in Madingley was led by Robert ’Woody’ Wood Johnson IV on Bank Holiday Monday, May 27.
The American businessman, philanthropist, and diplomat, who is currently serving as United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom, is a great-grandson of Robert Wood Johnson I (co-founder of Johnson & Johnson) and was among a number to give an address. The Queen’s representative, Mr Chris Pankhurst, also addressed the gathering to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the landings.
They were both among the dignitaries, family members, and the public who gathered to pay tribute to those US serviceman who fought and fell in the D-day landings.
The cemetery paid tribute to those who gave their lives during the landings, which ultimately led to the allies winning World War II.
During the conflict the region became home to hundreds of US airmen with many RAF airfields made available for use by the USAAF.
By 1943 there were more than 100,00 US airmen in Britain and the largest concentrations were in Cambridge and the rest of the Eastern region.
Among the airfields in Cambridge were those at Alconbury; Bassingbourn; Bottisham, Duxford; Fowlmere, Glatton; Kimbolton; Little Staughton; Molesworth, where a record 364 combat missions were flown from. This is a record for any bomb group in the 8th air force; Snailwell; Steeple Morden; and Wittering.
The remembrance was completed by a fly past from the nearby IWM at Duxford and which included B-17, P-47 and P-51 aircraft.
It was brought to a conclusion with a gun salute carried out by the USAFE Honor Platoon.
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D-Day sacrifice to be remembered 75 years on at Madingley