USAFE-AFAFRICA deputy commander commemorates sacrifice, legacy of fallen service members during Memorial Day

Photo By Mary Andom | MARNES-LA-COQUETTE, France - U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Stephen P. Snelson, U.S. Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa deputy commander, attends a Memorial Day ceremony held at the Lafayette Escadrille Memorial in Marnes-la-Coquette, France, May 24, 2026. The Lafayette Escadrille Memorial commemorates the birthplace of American combat aviation and is the final resting place for some of America’s first combat aviators and their French officers during World War I.  

PUY-DE-DôME, FRANCE

05.25.2026

Courtesy Story

U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa   

MARNES-LA-COQUETTE, France - U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Stephen P. Snelson, U.S. Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa deputy commander, honored the heroism of American and French service members who made the ultimate sacrifice during two world wars.

Snelson addressed veterans, diplomats and Allied military guests during Memorial Day ceremonies held at the Lafayette Escadrille Memorial and Suresnes American Cemetery and Memorial near Paris, France, May 24.

This year, Memorial Day ceremonies at American military cemeteries overseas carry additional significance as the U.S. commemorates Freedom 250 — the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

“Freedom 250 is not just a commemoration—it is a call to action,” said Snelson. “It challenges us to live up to the legacy of those we honor today. The freedoms we enjoy were purchased at a price. It is now our duty to safeguard them with the same vigilance, the same courage, and the same unwavering commitment to principle.”

Across the U.S. European Command area of responsibility, Memorial Day ceremonies were held at 21 American Battle Monuments Commission cemeteries in France, Belgium, Italy, United Kingdom, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. U-A personnel supported the various ceremonies through honor guards, troop formations and ceremonial flyovers.

Teams across the command worked closely with ABMC, U.S. embassies, host nation governments and military counterparts to ensure the ceremonies were executed with dignity while demonstrating Allied unity and shared commitment to freedom.

The Lafayette Escadrille Memorial Cemetery commemorates the birthplace of American combat aviation, and serves as a symbol of the Franco-American comradeship during World War I.

The site honors the American volunteer pilots who flew with French squadrons during the Great War and is the final resting place for some of America’s first combat aviators and their French Officers.

A commemorative flyover conducted by the U.S. Air Force 37th Airlift Squadron, Ramstein Air Base, Germany and the French Air Force, 2/4 Lafayette Fighter Squadron, honored the 269 Americans who served in the Lafayette Flying Corps during World War I. The flyover featured French Rafale B fighters and American C-130J Super Hercules aircraft.

Originally a World War I cemetery, theSuresnes American Cemetery and Memorialcontains the remains of 1,559 Americans who died in World War I and 24 unknown fallen service members from World War II.

U.S. and French Air Force senior leaders, local community members and civic organizations paid tribute to the fallen with a wreath-laying ceremony.

For U.S. Air Force Tech Sgt. Victor Velez, 1st Combat Communications Squadron noncommissioned officer in charge, Memorial Day showcased the enduring bond forged between the American and French military.

“Standing alongside our French allies in Paris on Memorial Day was a powerful reminder that our friendship and partnership have endured through generations of sacrifice and a shared value of freedom,” said Velez.

• Date Taken: 05.25.2026
• Date Posted: 05.25.2026 06:51
• Story ID: 566070
• Location: PUY-DE-DôME, FR