Marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, the United States implicitly reaffirmed its enduring commitment to defend the Philippines amid growing Chinese aggression in the West Philippine Sea, as U.S. Ambassador MaryKay Carlson led on Sunday a solemn Memorial Day ceremony at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial.
“[This] alliance, forged in war, lives on in peace,” Ambassador Carlson declared before an audience of American and Filipino military personnel, diplomats, veterans, and family members. “As we face the uncertainties of our modern world, we are reminded on this solemn day that our strength comes from the character of those willing to give everything in the name of something greater.”
Carlson’s speech echoed the historical roots of the U.S.-Philippine defense relationship, built on shared sacrifice during World War II. She drew a direct line from the bloody battles of the 1940s to the current threats confronting the Philippines in its sovereign waters, where Chinese incursions have intensified in recent months.
“U.S.-Philippine sacrifices are not confined to the past. They echo in every flag raised, in every liberty defended, and in every act of unity between our two nations,” she said.
The ambassador’s tribute included a moving account of First Lieutenant Albert “Jack” Ellison, a 24-year-old paratrooper in the U.S. 11th Airborne Division, who was killed while leading a rescue mission during the Battle of Manila in February 1945.
Known to his men as “The Cowboy” for his calm demeanor under fire, Ellison died in what is now the U.S. Embassy’s Seafront compound — once the site of the Manila Polo Club. His valor earned him a posthumous Silver Star.
“He was extremely cool under fire… a gentleman in every sense of the word… his courage and bravery were beyond compare,” Carlson quoted from a letter written by Ellison’s chaplain to his grieving father.
As Carlson stood before more than 17,000 white marble headstones and the names of 36,000 missing inscribed on the walls, she called on attendees to honor not only those who died in the past, but also the ideals for which they fought: liberty, democracy, and peace.
“Let us remember them in silence or ceremony, but also in how we live – in how we honor their legacy by upholding the values they died for,” she said.
The commemoration comes at a time of heightened geopolitical tension, as Chinese coast guard and maritime militia vessels continue to harass Filipino fishermen and patrols in the West Philippine Sea — despite repeated diplomatic protests and calls for restraint.
The ceremony served both as remembrance and a signal: that the U.S. commitment to the Philippines, formalized in their Mutual Defense Treaty, remains “ironclad,” especially as regional security challenges mount.
“Freedom is never free,” Carlson said. “And may we never forget the price they paid – here on these islands and across the world – so that others might live free.”
