Ramstein leadership attends National Day of Mourning

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman John R. Wright
  • 86th Airlift Wing/Public Affairs

Ramstein leadership attended German National Day of Mourning ceremonies at memorial sites in Ramstein-Miesenbach and Kaiserslautern, Germany, Nov. 14, 2021.

Brig. Gen. Josh Olson, 86th Airlift Wing commander, Col. Elizabeth Hanson, 521st Air Mobility Operations Wing vice commander, and Chief Master Sgt. Bryant Roy, 86th AW acting command chief, represented Team Ramstein among other leading representatives from U.S. Army, German military, German first responders and local German government.

In Germany, the National Day of Mourning is always celebrated on the 33rd Sunday of the year. The Sunday is observed in commemoration of members of the armed forces of all nations and civilians who died in armed conflicts.

Speeches paying tribute to service member and civilian victims were given during the ceremonies, and leading representatives were invited to lay wreaths in their honor.

In recent years, the National Day of Mourning, first observed in 1952, also began recognizing any victims of violent oppression and acts of terrorism.