Airmen in Lithuania honor WWII's fallen

  • Published
  • By Capt. Thomas Crosson
  • 23rd Expeditionary Fighter Squadron Public Affairs
SIAULIAI, Lithuania (USAFENS) --  While many Americans commemorated Veterans Day with special events or visits to monuments in their home towns, Airmen deployed to Lithuania had the once in a lifetime opportunity to honor the memory of their brethren aviators this Veterans Day at a truly unique location.

Ten Airmen assigned to the 23rd Expeditionary Fighter Squadron traveled to the Silute region of Lithuania, to a secluded cemetery in the village of Macikai, located 190 miles east of Vilnius, Lithuania. They, along with airmen and sailors from Lithuania‘s Armed Forces, conducted an honor cordon in a U.S. Embassy-sponsored event to honor the memories of Staff Sergeant George B. Walker, Staff Sergeant Walter Nies and Technical Sergeant William F. Teaff, U.S. Army Air Corps personnel who died while imprisoned in Stalag Luft IV, a German Prison of War camp in Macikai.

The exact location of the three B-17 crewmember’s remains within the cemetery is unknown. A small monument sits in the approximate spot where the three are buried. The cemetery also hosts the remains of Belgian, Polish and German military personnel affiliated with the POW camp, as well as local citizens.

The 23rd EFS Airmen attending the ceremony were moved by the display of respect held for our fallen servicemembers.

“It was amazing, it showed a lot of respect on the part of the Lithuanians to do that for us,” said Senior Airman Daneirys Liranzo, a telephone maintenance technician currently assigned to the 23rd EFS.

Lt. Col. Artliras Leita, acting Chief of Staff of the Lithuanian air force, said it was important for the Lithuanian armed forces to help remember all military personnel who lost their lives in his country.

“In WWII, a lot of soldiers died abroad, not just Americans,” he said. “I feel (the U.S. military) would do the same for us if we died on their soil.”

“What a phenomenal opportunity,” said Maj. Joseph Locke, 23rd EFS detachment commander. “Not every servicemember’s remains made it home or have been buried in a National Cemetery. It’s truly an honor to commemorate those who made the ultimate sacrifice at a place not many Americans have an opportunity to visit.”

For others in the 23rd EFS, the ceremony changed the way they felt about Veterans Day.

“Being here gave me a whole new perspective on Veterans Day,“ said Staff Sgt. Terence Zelek, a life support technician with the 23rd EFS. “To see where these Airmen where held captive and spent their final days, and to be here in Lithuania to pay them respect on Veterans Day was amazing. How often can people say they’ve done that?”