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        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, left, Robert Mandell and U.S. Air Force Gen. Frank Gorenc salute a wreath during the 70th anniversary ceremony of the Battle of the Bulge Dec. 16, 2014, at the Luxembourg American Military Cemetery in Luxembourg. The government of Luxembourg and the U.S. Embassy held the memorial in honor of the veterans and fallen service members of the Battle of the Bulge. Hodges is the U.S. Army Europe commander, Mandell is the U.S. ambassador to Luxembourg and Gorenc is the U. S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa commander. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Timothy Kim)Luxembourg, U.S. leaders commemorate Battle of the Bulge
                        
                        
                        U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, left, Robert Mandell and U.S. Air Force Gen. Frank Gorenc salute a wreath during the 70th anniversary ceremony of the Battle of the Bulge Dec. 16, 2014, at the Luxembourg American Military Cemetery in Luxembourg. The government of Luxembourg and the U.S. Embassy held the memorial in honor of the veterans and fallen service members of the Battle of the Bulge. Hodges is the U.S. Army Europe commander, Mandell is the U.S. ambassador to Luxembourg and Gorenc is the U. S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa commander. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Timothy Kim)
                
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        Gen. Frank Gorenc speaks during a ceremony at Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial Dec. 16, 2014, in Luxembourg. The ceremony honored all veterans who fought during the Battle of the Bulge, which began Dec. 16, 1944. Gorenc is the commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Rusty Frank)Luxembourg American Cemetery
                        
                        
                        Gen. Frank Gorenc speaks during a ceremony at Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial Dec. 16, 2014, in Luxembourg. The ceremony honored all veterans who fought during the Battle of the Bulge, which began Dec. 16, 1944. Gorenc is the commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Rusty Frank)
                
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        Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg places a flower on a memorial wreath during the Battle of the Bulge 70th anniversary ceremony at the Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial Dec. 16, 2014, in Luxembourg. The cemetery holds 5,076 fallen American service members, many of whom lost their lives during the Battle of the Bulge. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Chad Warren)A salute in honor
                        
                        
                        Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg places a flower on a memorial wreath during the Battle of the Bulge 70th anniversary ceremony at the Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial Dec. 16, 2014, in Luxembourg. The cemetery holds 5,076 fallen American service members, many of whom lost their lives during the Battle of the Bulge. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Chad Warren)
                
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        Luxembourg Army soldiers stand in formation in front of a wall commemorating fallen American service members before the Battle of the Bulge 70th anniversary ceremony Dec. 16, 2014, at the Luxembourg American Military Cemetery in Luxembourg. The cemetery holds the bodies of 5,076 U.S. service members, 101 of whom are unknown. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Timothy Kim)Luxembourg, U.S. leaders commemorate Battle of the Bulge
                        
                        
                        Luxembourg Army soldiers stand in formation in front of a wall commemorating fallen American service members before the Battle of the Bulge 70th anniversary ceremony Dec. 16, 2014, at the Luxembourg American Military Cemetery in Luxembourg. The cemetery holds the bodies of 5,076 U.S. service members, 101 of whom are unknown. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Timothy Kim)
                
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        George Merz, a World War II veteran, and Helen Patton, granddaughter of U.S. Army Gen. George Patton, pose for a picture after a ceremony at Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial Dec. 16, 2014, in Luxembourg. Merz and other World War II veterans and their families attended the ceremony as well as Battle of the Bulge-related sites throughout Belgium and Luxembourg. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Rusty Frank)Luxembourg American Cemetery
                        
                        
                        George Merz, a World War II veteran, and Helen Patton, granddaughter of U.S. Army Gen. George Patton, pose for a picture after a ceremony at Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial Dec. 16, 2014, in Luxembourg. Merz and other World War II veterans and their families attended the ceremony as well as Battle of the Bulge-related sites throughout Belgium and Luxembourg. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Rusty Frank)
                
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Luxembourg, US leaders commemorate Battle of the BulgePublished Dec. 22, 2014
                    
                    By Staff Sgt. Joe W. McFadden
                    
                    
                    52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs
            **LUXEMBOURG (AFNS) --**Nearly 200 Luxembourgers and Americans observed the 70th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge during a commemorative ceremony Dec. 16, at Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial in Luxembourg.
Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg; Xavier Bettel, the prime minister of Luxembourg; Robert Mandell, the U.S. ambassador to Luxembourg; Gen. Frank Gorenc, the commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa; and U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, the commander of U.S. Army Europe, participated in the memorial service to honor those who fought and died in the battle from Dec. 16, 1944 through Jan. 25, 1945.
"The importance of the Allied victory cannot be understated," Gorenc said. "The defeat of the enemy in their biggest offensive in the West in World War II was a superb accomplishment."
Allied forces liberated Luxembourg from Axis occupation in September 1944. However, the heavily-wooded Ardennes region of the countryside served as a new battleground when enemy armies launched a surprise attack before dawn Dec. 16, 1944.
The initial advance produced confusion but met strong resistance from reinforced Allied armies in key cities in Belgium like St. Vith and Bastogne. The battle eventually resulted in a German defeat, emboldening Allied movements to the country's eastern and western fronts. 
"Air power certainly helped halt the last German advance of World War II," Gorenc said. "Airmen and Soldiers are forever linked here in the Ardennes and battlefields all over the world. The U.S. Air Force evolved from the Army Air Corps, and our service will continue to find innovative ways to protect them and provide them the supplies they need on the battlefield just like the Soldiers needed during the Bulge. As the commander of the U.S. Air Forces in Europe, I am proud of the Army Air Corps Airmen who provided air support during the Battle of the Bulge. I am proud of the men and women who served during World War II and throughout our history in support of freedom. And I am proud of our Airmen."
The battle resulted in more than 19,000 American deaths with many buried in the Luxembourg cemetery, which was established in the middle of the conflict Dec. 29, 1944.
"The 5,076 Americans, including 22 sets of brothers, who died in the service of their country are buried here today," Hodges said. "This ceremony and this beautiful and peaceful cemetery are about commemorating their service and the service of many thousands of men and women who fought in this great battle. But it's also about something much bigger -- it's about the concept of service to each other as Soldiers, as people, as nations. These Soldiers and Airmen buried here and in cemeteries all over Europe lived and fought for each other. They risked their lives for each other. They would have rather died in combat than to have failed their comrades or leave a comrade behind."
More than 20 World War II veterans attended the ceremony, many making the trip as part of anniversary tours throughout Belgium and Luxembourg at sites relating to the battle.
"For this achievement, each and every one of you have formed the everlasting gratitude of the Luxembourg people," Bettel said, on behalf of his fellow countrymen to the veterans. "Thank you so much for what you did for us and for what you are doing today."Gen. Frank Gorenc 



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