Taiwanese and US officials earlier this month jointly presided over an unveiling ceremony in the US for a monument at Texas’ Fort Bliss National Cemetery commemorating 52 Republic of China (ROC) Air Force pilots who lost their lives on US soil while training there during World War II.
Veterans Affairs Council (VAC) Deputy Minister Chen Chin-kuang (陳進廣) and Managing Director Ingrid Larson unveiled the monument on Sept. 3, with US Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemetery Administration former secretary Randy Reeves in attendance.
“The pilots who lie buried here came here under a program that marked the beginning of a military friendship between the Republic of China and the US, one that lasted through the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Cold War and persists today. We have always stood with the US, and we stand with the US now against authoritarianism’s attempts to spread into the Indo-Pacific, Chen said.
Photo courtesy of Jung Kuang Biweekly
As a responsible member of the international community, the ROC is dedicated to upholding regional peace and stability, and we look forward to expanding our collaborations with the global pan-democratic camp, and jointly safeguarding democracy and liberty, Chen said.
Larson said she was honored to represent the US at the unveiling ceremony, and the joint unveiling signified the long-standing friendship and partnership between the two, adding that the rock-solid and increasingly frequent interactions formed a crucial foundation on which regional safety and peace can be built.
Taiwan is a leading actor on multiple vital issues, such as climate change, medicine, women’s rights, and high-tech research and development, and its active participation in international affairs has made the world a better place, Larson said.
Photo: Screen grab from Jung Kuang Biweekly’s Facebook page
The US would continue to support the ROC, Taiwan, and help strengthen Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities.
“Lastly, on behalf of the American people, I wish to offer my most sincere respects to these 52 martyrs,” she said.
The event coincided with Taiwan’s Armed Forces Day on Sept. 3.
Following the monument’s unveiling, attending individuals offered flowers and the ceremony concluded with the playing of “Taps.”
The monument established to commemorate the 52 pilots is identical to the tombstones of those buried at Fort Bliss National Cemetery so that people can pay their respects to the ROC pilots who died due to weather or mechanical failures while training overseas to fight for and defend their country, the VAC said.
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